Daily Digest for

ESMA and the European Environment Agency (EEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 2025-08-20 to strengthen cooperation on integrating environmental factors into the EU sustainable finance framework, including supervision and data/expertise exchange. The MoU commits both bodies to mutual capacity-building, cooperation between national securities regulators and national environmental authorities, and joint policy dialogue on biodiversity, climate change and pollution.

Dr. Steven Cliff, Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board, testified before the U.S. EPA on 2025-08-20 opposing the agency’s proposal to reverse the 2009 endangerment finding. CARB also released a draft five-year research plan for public comment this week and highlighted 27 climate-driven disasters last year and related damages described as “$billions”.

Xampla secured more than $14m in Series A funding led by Emerald Technology Ventures, BGF and Matterwave Ventures to scale its plant-protein Morro™ materials as replacements for single-use plastics. The funding aims to replace over ten billion polluting single-use plastic units over the next five years and support expansion into the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific.

NYSERDA announced nearly $8 million for a competitive ‘Waste to Low-Carbon Fuels Pilot and Demonstration’ solicitation to fund projects converting waste to eligible low-carbon fuels in New York; proposals due Jan 22, 2026 and projects must include a minimum 50% non‑NYSERDA cost-share.

The European Commission has published the second edition of a non-binding guidance document clarifying implementation of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EUDR) on deforestation-free products.

• Main action: The Commission issues detailed, non-binding guidance clarifying definitions (e.g. “placing on the market”, “making available on the market”, “export”), due diligence requirements (Article 8), the due diligence system maintenance and annual review, and the Information System / Due Diligence Statement (DDS) procedures; it specifies the cut-off date 31 December 2020 for “deforestation-free” and sets the EUDR application timelines: entry into force 29 June 2023; obligations apply from 30 December 2025 for most operators and from 30 June 2026 for micro- and small undertakings established by 31 December 2020 (with special rules for timber/EUTR).
• Background and requirements: The guidance was drafted with Member States and references FAO/IPCC/UNEP/IUCN standards; it mandates collection of product and geolocation data, documentation of compliance with the relevant legislation of the country of production, 5-year record retention for updates, clarifies product scope (HS codes, packaging, waste/recycled exemptions, composite products), explains the role and limits of certification and third-party verification schemes, and notes a repository of best practices will be set up for operators and competent authorities.

The Vermont Housing Finance Authority (VHFA) launched the Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP) as a statewide on-bill financing pilot to broaden access to energy efficiency and beneficial electrification for low- and moderate-income households.

• Program design and scale: WRAP is the first statewide on-bill financing program to include most utilities in Vermont (Green Mountain Power, Vermont Gas, Burlington Electric Department, Village of Ludlow Electric Light Department, Hardwick Electric Department, Vermont Electric Cooperative) covering ~85% of Vermont’s population; repayments are tied to the utility meter via an opt-in tariff and underwriting uses 12-month on-time utility payment history (no credit scores).
• Funding, incentives, and results: Backed by $9 million in seed capital from Vermont’s 2021 budget; as of July 1, 2025 WRAP completed 20 projects (40 more expected by year-end) and has financed $275,000 total; program can finance up to 75% of project costs (financing capped at $20,000 per project), VHFA incentives up to $1,500, WRAP incentives up to $6,000, loans up to 15 years at 2% interest, average project cost $17,080, average financing per project ~$7,000, average monthly participant energy savings $60 while monthly payments average $52.

Egypt is advancing the development of its mining sector through a strategy aimed at increasing the industry’s contribution to GDP to 6% by 2030.

• Main action: Egypt is promoting an investor-friendly mining expansion strategy with intensified exploration and production via partnerships (e.g., AngloGold Ashanti, Nubia Mines Company, Aton Resources), targeting 800,000 ounces of annual gold production by 2030, a $658 million phosphoric acid complex with China’s Asia Potash in New Valley (expected 900,000 tons/year fertilizer output), and a July 2025 agreement between Egyptian Mineral Resources Company and EK Mining Company to develop mineral beneficiation industrial operations.
• Background and additional details: The 2024–2030 Economic Strategy aims to raise local content to 60%–80% in manufacturing and mining via collaborations with Centamin and the General Union of Mines and Quarries; Egypt is pursuing regional and international cooperation (including BRICS, China, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Haitham Mining Company, and South African partners) to establish a joint geological platform and scale infrastructure, exploration, and cross-border mineral trade.