Search Climate Insights Directory

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in November 2013, provides a synopsis of key climate finance discussions and deliverables for negotiators attending the 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) in Warsaw. It outlines the progress of the Work Programme on Long-Term Finance, the activities of the Standing Committee on Finance, the operationalization of the Green Climate Fund, and the financial challenges facing the Adaptation Fund.

This research paper describes the activities and lessons learned by the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) in supporting negotiators from developing countries during international climate change negotiations, specifically focusing on the implementation of REDD+.

This report examines the effectiveness of projects designed to support climate negotiators from the world's poorest and most vulnerable countries. It introduces a 'Drivers of Influence' framework to categorize support and provides principles for the design and delivery of future assistance to ensure it is demand-led, sustainable, and capable of enhancing the influence of beneficiary nations in international negotiations.

This research paper describes a tailored monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework developed by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to assess its Negotiations Support programme. The programme provides legal and technical assistance to negotiators from the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries to increase their influence in international climate change negotiations.

The 'Minimum Standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction' is a practical guide and checklist designed to help local community leaders and disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners integrate future climate-related risks and uncertainties into their risk reduction efforts. It provides a framework for community-level action and guidance for civil society organizations (CSOs) and local government authorities to support these efforts, ensuring that DRR activities contribute to long-term climate change adaptation and move beyond 'business as usual'.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes Mozambique's foreign policy from independence in 1975 through 2013. It argues that Mozambique has employed a strategy of 'pragmatic non-alignment' to secure external support for national development, evolving through three distinct phases: the liberation and civil war period, a phase of post-conflict consolidation and 'normalisation', and a current era focused on attracting foreign direct investment following the discovery of vast coal and gas reserves.

This research paper examines Brazil's strategic shift toward the South Atlantic, driven by the discovery of pre-salt oil and gas reserves. It details Brazil's efforts to secure these resources through naval modernization, legal claims to extend its continental shelf, and expanded military cooperation with African nations to establish a regional identity and deter outside powers.

This research paper examines China's approach to the green economy and its interaction with the G-20, specifically following the 2012 Los Cabos Summit in Mexico. The author argues that while China is domestically committed to greening its economic development due to severe environmental degradation, it remains reluctant to accept mandatory international obligations that might hinder its economic growth. The paper highlights a disconnect between China's internal policy terminology and the 'inclusive green growth' framework promoted at the G-20, suggesting that China's organizational structure for G-20 participation further marginalizes environmental policy.

This research paper examines the tension between the 'green growth' agenda promoted by Mexico and the 'sustainable development' concept advocated by Brazil during the 2012 G-20 summit. It analyzes how Brazil's domestic industrial and energy policies often conflict with green economy goals due to a preference for autonomous industrialization and short-term economic growth, while also assessing Brazil's diplomatic coordination with other BRICS nations on climate issues.

This research paper evaluates the 2012 Policy for the Small Scale Fisheries Sector in South Africa, examining its ability to address the challenges of poverty alleviation and marine resource sustainability. Through a case study of the coastal community of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, the author analyzes the failures of previous co-management attempts and the ongoing struggle of small-scale fishers to obtain commercial fishing rights.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of InternationalCS International Affairs (SAIIA) argues that 'best practices' identified within the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) are an underutilised resource for peer learning. While over 200 practices have been documented across 15 country review reports, the author contends they remain confined to these reports with little impact. The document recommends formalising the definition of best practices, integrating their identification into country self-assessments, and creating dedicated repositories and forums to disseminate these home-grown solutions to improve governance across Africa.

This policy briefing examines the evolving governance-based relationship between China and South Sudan, arguing that the ability of both nations to move beyond oil-centric ties depends on overcoming administrative capacity gaps and establishing formal institutional mechanisms for development finance.

This policy briefing examines the engagement of African nations with the G-20's financial regulation and development initiatives. It highlights the challenges of aligning international standards, such as Basel II/III, with local developmental goals and identifies the institutional channels through which African countries can influence global financial policy.

This research report examines the critical role of mangroves in Mozambique for coastal protection and carbon sequestration, highlighting the conflict between their conservation and the expansion of extractive industries like oil and gas. It argues for an 'ecosystem services approach' to integrate ecological value into economic planning and recommends the adoption of Blue Carbon financing to incentivize restoration and protection.

This paper examines climate compatible development in Rwanda, detailing the government's transition from national strategy and policy formulation to the practical implementation of sustainable development across budgetary, sectoral, and district levels.

This research paper examines the perceptions of 300 rural household heads in Zimbabwe's Seke and Murewa districts regarding water access and climate change, specifically comparing female-headed and male-headed households.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance on October 30, 2013, argues that the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly regarding toxic chemicals. CIEL warns that mechanisms like regulatory harmonization, mutual recognition, and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) may lower safety standards to a 'lowest-common denominator' and chill the development of more protective laws in the U.S., EU, and globally.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), submitted on behalf of itself, Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club, and Center for Biological Diversity, warns that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly regarding toxic chemicals. The document argues that the pursuit of 'regulatory coherence' through harmonization and mutual recognition may lower standards to a 'lowest-common denominator,' preempt sub-national laws, and create chilling effects on the development of safety regulations globally.

The PAIA Civil Society Network's 2013 Shadow Report documents a decline in the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in South Africa between August 2012 and July 2013. The report highlights a significant increase in 'deemed refusals'—where information holders fail to respond to requests—and a decrease in the full release of records. It identifies systemic failures in records management, lack of funding for PAIA compliance, and widespread non-compliance with the requirement to publish PAIA manuals, calling for an independent regulator to ensure accountability.

A statement by the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) calling for international solidarity against the political and judicial persecution of its leaders. The organization alleges that the Honduran court system is being used by the DESA corporation and the state to criminalize the Lenca people's defense of their territories and the River Gualcarque against a hydroelectric project.