Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and the Global Center on Adaptation analyzes international public climate adaptation finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) between 2021 and 2022. It identifies a significant funding gap, noting that current annual flows of approximately $2 billion are far below the estimated annual need of $11.7 billion. The report highlights that a large portion of this finance is provided as debt, posing macroeconomic risks, and calls for a shift from GNI-based ODA eligibility to a multidimensional vulnerability index to improve financial access.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-RIO and Amazon 2030 analyzes the potential for carbon sequestration through forest restoration in the Brazilian Amazon. It proposes the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a jurisdictional results-based payment system, as a way to mobilize significant investment and align land use with climate goals. The report compares the RDM with other financial mechanisms like JREDD+ and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), arguing that a complementary approach to conservation, avoided deforestation, and restoration is essential for Brazil to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the palm oil supply chain in the Berau district of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It examines the potential for increasing production through yield improvement rather than land expansion to support regional sustainability goals. The study identifies significant inefficiencies facing smallholders, including lack of land tenure and financing, while noting that large plantation companies operate more efficiently. It also highlights the absence of local refineries, which results in most crude palm oil (CPO) being exported from the region raw.

This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems used by China, Germany, Italy, and the United States to track greenhouse gas emissions and climate mitigation actions. The analysis assesses these systems against six criteria: transparency, comparability, reliability, usefulness, timeliness, and completeness.

A fact sheet from the Climate Policy Initiative analyzing deforestation trends in the Amazon between 2002 and 2012, highlighting a shift in deforestation methods to evade satellite detection.

This white paper by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the exposure of the Indian financial sector to climate-related risks and outlines a pathway for integration and product innovation. It highlights the vulnerability of India's economy to climate change, the current gaps in risk management and data within the banking, insurance, and capital markets, and provides a framework for implementing climate stress tests and disclosures aligned with international standards like the TCFD.

This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the use of risk mitigation instruments by the World Bank Group (WBG) for climate-related projects. It concludes that while the WBG is a major provider of risk mitigation, these instruments have not been used at a significant scale for climate change, suggesting a need for a formal mandate to increase availability and the use of specific tools like guarantees and index-based instruments.

This fact sheet outlines the regulatory frameworks for On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) and emission testing across various global regions, including Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, specifying the standards used for light and heavy vehicles.

A fact sheet from the Centro de Movilidad Sostenible explaining the purpose of vehicle labeling policies in the Americas and listing the years of implementation across several countries.

This guide from the Centro de Movilidad Sostenible outlines three methods for vehicle homologation to certify compliance with emissions, efficiency, and safety requirements, enabling the implementation of vehicle labeling, consumption standards, and incentives for cleaner vehicles.

This report analyzes the barriers and strategic requirements for achieving a 100% electric Major Public Transport (TPM) fleet in Greater Valparaíso by 2040. It identifies charging infrastructure and electrical grid capacity as the most critical obstacles, while confirming that electric buses can operate in the city's challenging topography if technically adapted. The document proposes a transition from an atomized operator model to a professionalized system with state-led infrastructure provision, drawing on international experiences from the Netherlands, China, Colombia, and Santiago de Chile.

This fact sheet from the Centro de Movilidad Sostenible discusses the environmental and safety impacts of the global trade in used light vehicles, highlighting the disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income countries and the need for stricter import regulations.

This case study describes the Epic Homes Program, an on-bill financing initiative launched by Fort Collins Utilities in mid-2018 to support residential energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This guide explains how on-bill financing (OBF) can increase the adoption of distributed solar energy by removing financial barriers for families and businesses, particularly those in underserved communities.

This guide explains the mechanism of on-bill financing, where repayments for energy-related upgrades are integrated into monthly utility bills, and highlights its potential for promoting equity and accessibility.

This guide from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines various capital sources and risk management strategies for municipal electric utilities developing on-bill financing (OBF) programs for energy efficiency and clean energy projects.

This case study describes community solar projects with on-bill financing options implemented by three utilities in the United States: Grand Valley Power Cooperative in Colorado, Cedar Falls Utilities in Iowa, and Lake Region Electric Cooperative in Minnesota.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) has adopted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement, establishing these principles as core values to guide its operations, policy work, and technical assistance programs in addressing climate change and environmental challenges.

This case study describes the City of Holland, Michigan's Community Energy Plan and the subsequent creation of the Holland On-Bill Loan Program, a financing mechanism designed to increase energy efficiency in residential buildings.

This case study describes the Green Energy Money $aver (GEM$) On-Bill Program in Hawaii, launched in April 2019 by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA). The program provides no-upfront-cost financing for clean energy improvements—such as solar PV and water heaters—for renters, low-to-moderate income households, nonprofits, and small businesses, with repayments made through monthly utility bills.