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This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the specific characteristics of rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon biome, highlighting a heavy reliance on cattle production, limited access to credit compared to other Brazilian regions, and a lack of competition among financial institutions. The analysis suggests that these financial structures contribute to extensive land use and deforestation, advocating for a credit system better aligned with the Forest Code and sustainability indicators.

This policy brief examines how regional trade agreements (RTAs) can be used to support the transition to a circular economy, suggesting methods for integrating circularity provisions into existing trade policy frameworks.

This report examines methods for setting national mitigation targets under the Paris Agreement to align with long-term temperature limits, specifically comparing cost-effectiveness and equity-based approaches. It discusses the role of international support in bridging the gap between these approaches, the spill-over effects of domestic climate policies, and the potential for the European Union to accelerate global climate efforts through its own neutrality goals and leadership.

This research paper by Nella Canales and Mónica Trujillo examines the potential of cassava (yuca) within Colombia's bioeconomy using a biomass value network approach and the Net-map tool to identify current and potential value chains, including the use of residues and by-products.

This executive summary introduces a report on Arctic wetlands, detailing that it contains 13 key findings and 20 policy recommendations across six themes, including climate mitigation and national governance.

This policy brief examines the role of Hermetic Storage Technologies (HSTs) in mitigating climate-driven post-harvest losses in Kenya and Uganda. It argues that climate change increases pest and disease pressure, leading to significant grain losses and food safety risks like aflatoxin contamination. The document recommends the adoption of quality standards, increased farmer education on correct usage, and the removal of VAT to make HSTs more affordable for smallholder farmers.

This guide outlines the eligibility criteria for electrical grids and storage projects to receive Climate Bonds Certification. It defines the scope of eligible assets (transmission, distribution, and storage), establishes mitigation requirements (including automatic eligibility for certain renewable-supporting equipment), and mandates a comprehensive climate adaptation and resilience assessment. It also provides methodologies for calculating grid emission factors and outlines the reporting obligations for bond issuers.

The report 'Hoja de Ruta para una Taxonomía en Chile' provides a strategic framework for Chile to develop a national green taxonomy. It recommends an 'adopt, adapt, and lead' approach, prioritizing the Energy, Transport, Construction, and Industry sectors. It emphasizes the need for science-based, binary eligibility criteria aligned with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal and suggests that Chile take a global leadership role in defining criteria for the mining sector. The roadmap proposes a three-level governance structure and recommends initially focusing the taxonomy's application on green debt instruments.

The Hong Kong Green Bond Market Briefing 2020 provides an analysis of green bond and loan activity in Hong Kong for the year 2020, detailing issuance volumes, sector allocations, and the broader sustainable finance ecosystem including the Greater Bay Area.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes post-issuance reporting practices for 694 green bonds (USD 212bn) issued between November 2017 and March 2019. It finds that while use-of-proceeds (UoP) reporting is widespread, impact reporting is less common and highly unstandardized. The study evaluates reporting quality through a scoring system, identifies best practices, and advocates for a global, harmonized reporting framework to move beyond binary labels toward absolute, entity-level sustainability assessments.

The Taxonomy Roadmap for Chile, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in May 2021, provides a strategic framework for the Chilean government to develop a national sustainable classification system. The report recommends a phased approach—adopting, adapting, and leading—to align Chile's green finance with international standards (such as the EU and China taxonomies) while addressing local economic specificities, particularly in the mining sector. It outlines governance structures, priority sectors for decarbonization, and the application of the taxonomy to green debt instruments to mobilize capital for Chile's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon, identifying six specific patterns that distinguish it from the rest of Brazil. The analysis highlights limited credit access, a heavy reliance on public banks, and a predominance of livestock financing, which the authors link to extensive land use and deforestation.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes how Brazil's New Bidding Law (Lei nº 14.133/2021) can be used to better prevent socio-environmental impacts in infrastructure projects. The authors argue that the law's detailed requirements for preliminary technical studies provide an opportunity to introduce a 'pre-feasibility analysis' phase, which would identify risks earlier in the project lifecycle and improve the quality of subsequent environmental studies and licensing processes.

The New Bidding Law of April 2021 in Brazil provides an opportunity to enhance infrastructure planning by detailing preliminary technical studies. CPI/PUC-Rio recommends using this framework to introduce a formal pre-feasibility analysis to filter out high-risk or infeasible projects. While the law increases transparency via a centralized website and expands the oversight role of legal advisory bodies and courts of accounts, it is criticized for reducing mandatory social participation in the bidding process.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines Results-Based Financing (RBF) as a tool to mobilize private capital for climate mitigation and adaptation, particularly as part of post-COVID-19 economic recovery. It details the mechanics of RBF, identifies high-potential sectors such as energy and urban development, and discusses implementation challenges including counterparty risk and the potential for perverse incentives.

Ember analyzed the formula used by Germany's Ministry of Economics (BMWi) to calculate €4.35 billion in compensation payments for utilities RWE and LEAG for the early closure of lignite power plants. The analysis concludes that the government's assumptions systematically overvalue the payments, suggesting that adjusting these assumptions could reduce the total compensation to as little as €343 million.

The report 'COAL COST CROSSOVER 2.0' analyzes the economic viability of the United States coal fleet compared to new wind and solar energy. It finds that a vast majority of existing coal capacity is now more expensive to operate than building new nearby renewable projects, a trend that is accelerating faster than previous forecasts.

This report evaluates the Youth Enterprise Grants (YEG) pilot project in Mathare, Nairobi, which provided approximately $1,200 in cash grants and a smartphone to 1,018 youth (aged 18-35). The project tested whether these tools could improve economic outcomes for urban youth in informal settlements, comparing lump sum (LS) and monthly payment (MP) models. Key findings indicate a significant shift toward self-employment, improved financial resilience—even during the Covid-19 pandemic—and a high feasibility of mobile money transfers in slum environments, though the impact of specific business-skill apps was limited.

The document provides a framework for governments to manage environmental risks in mining, focusing on four key pillars: water management at the watershed level, biodiversity protection via the mitigation hierarchy, the long-term stability of mine waste facilities, and inclusive emergency preparedness. It outlines a five-step gap analysis process (review, assess, prioritize, implement, monitor) to help governments align their national legal frameworks with international best practices and sustainable development goals.