Search Climate Insights Directory

A joint statement from eleven environmental organizations urging conferees to reject a provision in the Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644) that would restrict the ability of the United States to address climate change in trade agreements.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice alliances, submitted a formal objection to the Department of Environmental Affairs' draft Air Quality Offsets Guideline (January 2015). The CER argues that the proposed offsets are actually forms of compensation that lack a legislative framework and could be used by polluters to avoid legal compliance with emission standards.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute examines the use of bilateral agreements between donor and implementing countries to pilot sectoral carbon market approaches, aiming to bridge the gap between the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and future international market-based mechanisms.

The NewClimate Institute describes a proposal by Track 0 to condense the 90-page Geneva Negotiating Text into a more manageable draft Paris Agreement using only textual proposals from Parties.

A statement from several free-market and taxpayer organizations urging the U.S. Congress to support the Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness (PREPARE) Act of 2015 to improve federal disaster response and reduce waste.

The Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE), represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), filed an internal appeal to the Director General of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) on July 21, 2015. The appeal challenges the DMR's partial refusal to grant access to records regarding the Yzermyn underground coal mine project in Mpumalanga, which the FSE requested under the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA).

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that South Africa should expand its foreign policy by reconceiving its engagement with Latin America and Africa as a unified 'South Atlantic Zone'. The authors suggest that this framework can enhance maritime security, promote the 'blue economy' through initiatives like Operation Phakisa, and increase trade and cultural ties among littoral states.

This research paper integrates basin-scale models to analyze the impact of climate variability on water and electricity demand and supply in Sacramento, California, specifically examining the nexus between these resources across residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

A policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law arguing that a specific climate provision within the Customs Bill would hinder domestic and international climate action, weaken the United States' negotiating position, and block potential trade cooperation benefits.

This case study examines the financial structure of the 250MW Bujagali Hydropower Project in Uganda to analyze how risk mitigation instruments from public financial institutions, specifically the World Bank Group, can mobilize private capital for low-carbon infrastructure in high-risk environments.

This research paper establishes new ozone flux-based dose-response relationships for European forest tree species and plant functional types. It finds that while climate region-specific parameterisation is often superior, simplified models are effective for most non-Mediterranean species, and that short-term soil water stress does not substantially reduce phytotoxic O3 doses.

A fact sheet by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) outlining ten key intersections between climate change and financing for development in preparation for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative describes three analytical tools designed to help low and middle-income countries and their partners redirect land-use finance toward climate mitigation and adaptation. The tools aim to address the gap between the hundreds of billions spent on business-as-usual land use and the relatively small amount of finance currently dedicated to green activities.

This case study describes a project led by the Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial Services (UIBFS) between August and December 2014 to embed the Bank of Uganda’s Financial Consumer Protection Guidelines (FCPG) within 31 Supervised Financial Institutions (SFI) in Uganda. Funded by Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSDA) with £105,000, the initiative aimed to create a sustainable local market for financial consumer protection (FCP) training by increasing the capacity of Ugandan training firms and SFI Human Resource teams.

This research paper analyzes six models to determine how Mexico can achieve its GHG emission reduction targets of 30% by 2020 and 50% by 2050. The models indicate that while decarbonizing electricity and improving transport efficiency are essential, the specific energy pathways (renewables, biomass, or CCS) vary, with projected GDP costs reaching up to 15% by 2050.

A statement by a coalition of development, environment, and social justice organizations expressing disappointment and concern over the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board's decision to accredit Deutsche Bank and other large financial institutions.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's engagement with the BRICS bloc ahead of the Ufa summit, highlighting the lack of a concrete strategy to translate the grouping's general economic goals into tangible benefits for South African business and infrastructure.

This fact sheet describes a Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) initiative launched in January 2015 that examines fossil fuel supply investments, infrastructure, and institutions to determine their impact on climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International alleging that Harvard University's investments in large-scale forestry plantations in Corrientes, Argentina, have caused ecological damage and deprived local communities of their livelihoods.

This research paper examines human resilience in the coastal ecosystems of the Sundarbans in southwest Bangladesh following Cyclone Aila in May 2009, proposing a synthesis of developmental, ecological, and family systems theory to bridge gaps between psychosocial and social-ecological approaches.