Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the local impacts of sugarcane and ethanol mill expansion in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, between 1999 and 2012. The study finds that the entry of these mills significantly boosts municipal GDP, employment, and wages, while creating positive productivity spillovers for other crops like corn and soybeans. However, this growth comes with a land-use shift that displaces cattle ranching. The authors attribute these gains to improved infrastructure, a more skilled labor force, and increased access to financial credit.

This research paper examines how recent regulatory changes in Brazil's transport infrastructure—specifically highways, railways, and ports—impact agricultural productivity. The authors argue that a general trend toward more complex regulation seeks to limit private profits, which in turn erodes investment incentives and operational efficiency, necessitating costly public subsidies.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio argues that regulatory inefficiencies in Brazil's road, rail, and port sectors have hindered infrastructure quality and agricultural productivity. It recommends shifting away from restrictive regulations and implicit subsidies toward a balanced public-private framework that ensures fair returns for investors and improves service quality.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio argues that Brazil's agricultural productivity is hindered by inefficient transport infrastructure and a volatile regulatory environment. The authors suggest that realigning incentives for private investors in the highway, rail, and port sectors is essential to unlock investment and reduce high transportation costs.

This executive summary describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio on the economic and environmental impacts of sugarcane mill expansion in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The findings indicate that the arrival of these mills significantly restructured local municipal economies, increasing GDP, population, and tax revenues while shifting land use from pasture to sugarcane and reducing deforestation.

This research paper analyzes the drivers and socioeconomic impacts of agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region of Brazil between 1995 and 2012. The author finds that expansion was heavily concentrated in the Cerrado biome, driven by technological innovations in soil management and soy varieties. This shift led to significant increases in GDP per capita and improved access to basic consumer goods and electricity, though it had no significant effect on migration or educational investments.

This report, produced by Energy Innovation, China’s National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), and China’s Energy Research Institute (ERI), uses the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) to identify cost-effective climate and energy policies for China. The analysis compares a Reference Scenario (RS) against a Low Carbon (LC) scenario and an Accelerated Low Carbon (ALC) scenario, evaluating their impact on CO2 and CO2e emissions, primary energy use, and air quality through 2030.

This 2016 report by Energy Innovation outlines sustainable urban planning guidelines for Mexico City's General Urban Development Program (PGDU). It advocates for a 'human-scale' city that reduces car dependency through Transit-Oriented Development, mixed land use, and integrated public transport. Key goals include increasing the population living near mass transit to 70% by 2030 and expanding exclusive public transport lanes to 70% of the urban area by the same date.

This briefing note examines the role of financial services in enabling climate risk management (CRM) along agricultural value chains, using a case study of Centenary Bank's services to rice value chain actors in Eastern Uganda. It highlights how climate hazards like floods and droughts impact all actors from producers to consumers and argues that tailored financial products and improved climate information are essential for building resilience.

This policy brief examines the legal complexities and risks associated with foreign investment in African farmland, specifically focusing on the often-overlooked issue of water rights. It highlights a systemic imbalance where foreign investors' statutory rights frequently override the customary water rights of local communities, exacerbated by poor state enforcement and restrictive investment contracts.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the political and security crisis in Burundi triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in 2015. It details the historical context of the Burundian civil war, the CNDD-FDD's consolidation of power through repression and the marginalization of opposition parties, and the internal fractures within the ruling party. The document examines the failure of constitutional amendments, the role of the security sector in suppressing dissent, and the subsequent impact on civil society and the media.

The July 2016 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, the election of the African Union Commission (AUC) leadership, the limited powers of the AUC chairperson, and the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) engagement with various African conflicts, including the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and crises in Burundi and the DRC.

This policy briefing examines the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, highlighting the gap between the perceived prevalence of 'petro-piracy' and the actual data on maritime crime. The author argues that underreporting and a lack of specific legal frameworks hinder evidence-based policymaking and effective prosecution. The document identifies the October 2016 African Union summit in Lomé, Togo, as a critical opportunity to establish a legally binding charter to define maritime crimes and standardize reporting requirements.

This case study examines the 'Climate Change and Inland Flooding in Jamaica' project, highlighting the need to integrate climate change projections into flood hazard mapping. It emphasizes that high-quality geospatial data, combined with training for local government staff and improved cooperation between academia and government, is critical for reducing loss of life and property in flood-prone areas of Jamaica.

This briefing note proposes a framework of core functions for climate risk management (CRM) along agricultural value chains, specifically drawing on research regarding the rice value chain in Uganda. It is intended to guide development agencies in designing interventions and targeting investments to ensure value chains are resilient to climate hazards and changes.

The 2016 SAIIA Young Leaders Declaration is a statement of recommendations from South African youth aimed at implementing the COP 21 Paris Agreement, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document outlines specific demands for municipal, provincial, and national governments across five key areas: accountability, education, basic needs, economic development, and stakeholder engagement, while concluding with a pledge of youth commitment to these global and national goals.

The Centre for Environmental Rights submitted a request to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) for records concerning captive elephant facilities in Gauteng, specifically targeting registration certificates, permits, and management plans.

The NewClimate Institute, in partnership with BSR and We Mean Business, produced this report to analyze how the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will impact the global economy and the private sector. The analysis focuses on energy sector changes, specifically renewable energy growth, clean energy investments, energy efficiency, and the competitiveness of renewables, alongside carbon pricing and climate risk management.

This research paper analyzes institutional barriers and drivers regarding the development of the transmission grid required to achieve a decarbonized Nordic power system by 2050, with a specific focus on current practices in Sweden.

This report analyzes the potential for the corporate sector to reduce emissions to help meet the Paris Agreement's goal of keeping temperature increases well below 2°C, specifically focusing on the impact of five initiatives: RE100, Science-Based Targets, EP100, Zero-Deforestation, and the LCTPi.