Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that Zimbabwe requires a transitional caretaker government rather than a government of national unity to resolve its political crisis following the contested June 2008 election of Robert Mugabe.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that Zimbabwe requires a transitional government rather than a government of national unity to resolve its political crisis following the widely condemned presidential election of June 2008.

This research paper examines the social and economic dynamics of organised crime in South Africa, highlighting the challenges posed by the sophistication of criminal networks and their ability to gain community support through financial incentives and legitimising myths.

A statement by the South African Institute of International Affairs reflecting on Africa Day 2008, arguing that celebrations of the continent's beauty and culture must be balanced with a critical assessment of governance failures, political instability, and humanitarian crises.

This July 2008 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the status of cellulosic biofuel production in the United States, highlighting the number of biorefineries in development, the technologies and feedstocks used, and the federal and state investments supporting the industry.

This report by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for financing large-scale, export-oriented biofuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The document argues that these projects exacerbate social inequality, threaten biodiversity, and may increase greenhouse gas emissions due to land-use changes, while failing to alleviate rural poverty.

This preliminary report details the development of a sustainability indicators system designed to measure the well-being of the urban First Nations community in Winnipeg. A joint project between the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), the initiative uses a bottom-up approach to identify key issues and baseline measures through community engagement forums, utilizing the traditional Medicine Wheel as a holistic framework.

This research paper examines the socio-economic and environmental impacts of copper mining in Zambia, focusing on the transition from state ownership under Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited (ZCCM) to privatisation. It argues that while privatisation and high global copper prices have increased production and corporate profits, the benefits have not reached local communities, leading to increased social conflict, environmental degradation, and a decline in social services.

This research paper by Chomba Chella and Simon Kabanda analyzes the 2000-2001 campaign in Zambia that successfully prevented President Frederick Chiluba from amending the Constitution to seek a third term in office. The authors detail the tactics used by the government to drum up support, the formation of the Oasis Forum coalition, and the specific methods of citizen activism that led to Chiluba's capitulation on May 4, 2001.

This research paper examines the successful 2006 citizen activism campaign in Uganda to save the Mabira Central Forest Reserve from being donated to the Mehta Group for sugar production. It details how a coalition of civil society, religious, and cultural groups used empirical research, legal challenges, and public mobilization to expose governance deficits and block the government's proposal. The paper highlights the evolution of environmental law in Uganda, the importance of public access to information, and the intersection of environmental conservation with national governance and accountability.

This research paper by Bashir Twesigye analyzes the 2006 citizen-led campaign to prevent the Ugandan government from granting 7,100 hectares of the Mabira Central Forest Reserve to the Mehta Group for sugarcane production. The author examines how environmental activism served as a vehicle for broader governance and accountability demands, leveraging Uganda's 1995 Constitution and the National Environment Act to successfully halt the land transfer.

This research paper by Victoria Ayer provides strategic advice for civil society organisations (CSOs) to influence parliaments and achieve legislative change, particularly in developing democracies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding electoral systems, conducting non-partisan research, building long-term relationships with political 'champions', and maintaining organisational legitimacy through financial transparency and community rooting.

This guide, written by Victoria Ayer for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), provides strategic advice for civil society organizations (CSOs) on how to effectively engage with and influence parliaments to achieve legislative and social change. Drawing on the author's experience training over 120 organizations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Balkans, the document emphasizes the importance of understanding electoral systems, building long-term relationships with legislators, and providing high-quality, non-partisan data to fill resource gaps within parliamentary institutions.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute critiques the UK Department for Transport's (DfT) cost-benefit analysis regarding the expansion of Heathrow Airport. The authors argue that the DfT's projection of positive net benefits relies heavily on 'generated user benefits'—a theoretical construct of consumer surplus—which they claim is based on speculative and biased assumptions about future airfares, fuel costs, and passenger demand.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute critiques the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for its 2007 approach to setting the shadow price of carbon (SPC). The authors argue that DEFRA's methodology is fundamentally flawed because it bases the carbon price on an assumed optimistic future stabilization trajectory rather than current emissions trends, resulting in a price that is too low to incentivize necessary abatement.

This research paper argues that South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have failed to hold Robert Mugabe's regime accountable for electoral fraud and violence in Zimbabwe. The author contends that South Africa has underplayed its influence and calls for a decisive regional response, including sanctions and the recognition of the March 29, 2008, election results, to protect democratic institutions in Africa.

This resource handbook, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2008, provides guidance for First Nations communities in Saskatchewan on participating in environmental assessment (EA) processes. It outlines the roles of provincial and federal governments, the responsibilities of project proponents, and the legal framework surrounding the Crown's duty to consult. The document offers practical strategies for First Nations to build internal capacity, access funding, and engage in the EA process to protect their lands, rights, and cultural interests.

This research paper examines the bidirectional link between environmental change and Canadian security. It identifies three key security challenges arising from environmental change—Arctic shipping routes, energy sourcing, and regional environmental security—while arguing that Canada's post-1990s 'new security agenda' focused on terrorism often competes with and negatively impacts environmental management.

This document is a participant list for the 26th Executive Council (EC) Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 17-18, 2008.

This briefing document outlines the preliminary considerations and objectives for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Strategic Plan, as developed by the Strategic Planning Commission (CPE) in May 2008. It identifies the need for a new plan due to evolving scientific contexts and defines the goals for guiding the IAI's institutional agenda over the next 5-10 years.