Search Climate Insights Directory

The guide outlines strategies for maximizing productivity at a COP, including how to use different access passes, the importance of daily planning across overlapping agendas, and techniques for professional networking. It emphasizes the value of attending negotiations as an observer to track national delegations and suggests practical tips such as wearing comfortable shoes and using digital business cards.

The document examines a landmark Australian Federal Court ruling where Justice Mordecai Bromberg found that the Federal Environment Minister owes a duty of care to young people to protect them from the climate crisis. While the court did not grant an injunction against the expansion of the Vickery coal mine, the ruling establishes a precedent for climate-based litigation under the law of negligence and requires the government to consider the impacts of climate change on youth when approving fossil fuel projects.

The REDD+ programme aims to curb carbon emissions by providing financial incentives to developing countries for protecting forestry resources. While small-scale projects in Kenya and Cambodia have successfully preserved biodiversity and created jobs, large-scale implementation has faced significant failures. In Indonesia, the programme has been undermined by the misclassification of palm oil plantations as revegetation projects, alleged double counting of credits, and the displacement of indigenous communities. Despite these issues, the document notes that REDD+ has improved forestry monitoring and kept rainforests on the global policy agenda.

The study identifies saline lakes as critical aquatic resources that support a high number of threatened species but remain underrepresented in policy and research. Based on a survey of 47 international experts, the research finds that lake size and remoteness are the primary determinants of the provision of multiple ecosystem services. The author argues that the climate crisis and resource exploitation are exacerbating the natural variability of these lakes, necessitating protective strategies and adaptive management to prevent complete degradation.

The document describes COP Pavilions as spaces for Parties and observer organisations to host events, showcase research, and network. It details the types of activities held there, how attendees find events, and the application process for COP26.

The document explains that COP26 is divided into a UN-managed Blue Zone for accredited experts and decision-makers and a host-nation-managed Green Zone for the public. It outlines various methods of attendance, including official accreditation, volunteering, obtaining passes from partner entities, participating in city-wide events in Glasgow, and engaging via online broadcasts and social media.

The document serves as a glossary for individuals attending or following the COP, demystifying jargon related to climate policy, governance, and science. It defines key institutional bodies such as the UNFCCC, IPCC, and YOUNGO, as well as core policy mechanisms like the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the Paris Rulebook. Additionally, it clarifies scientific and financial terms including adaptation, mitigation, climate finance, and loss and damage (L&D).

The text advocates for a 'green' economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic, suggesting that investments in renewable energy and sustainable transport create more jobs than the oil and gas sector. It highlights specific examples of sustainable shifts in Amsterdam, Bogota, and the UK, and calls for government investment in public transport and green energy over fossil fuel subsidies.

The Glasgow Work Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) aims to empower society through education, public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation. While COP30 saw the adoption of a draft decision reaffirming ACE priorities and the planning of a 2026 Dialogue and technical workshops, significant barriers remain. Countries like Sudan and Panama report that "insufficient technical and financial resources" and a "lack of an evaluation index" hinder national implementation. Future efforts are directed toward a 2026 midterm review of the work programme at SB64 to identify gaps and shape a new action plan.

The document examines the progress of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) following SB62, highlighting a divide between developed and developing nations over how to measure progress and implement adaptation strategies. While there is a framework of eleven thematic targets, Parties remain polarized on the specific indicators to be finalized by the Belém work programme. The briefing details the specific stances of Australia, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the Arab Group, noting a lack of consensus on transformational adaptation and means of implementation.

The document explains that Article 6 of the Paris Agreement governs voluntary cooperation to meet national climate goals through market and non-market approaches. It notes that consensus on market-based rules remains elusive following limited progress at COP28 and SB60. For COP29, the focus is on improving the quality of carbon credits, refining authorization and revocation rules for Article 6.2 bilateral agreements, and determining the functionality of an international registry for carbon credits.

The document outlines the framework of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which enables market and non-market mechanisms for emissions goals. It notes that COP29 finalized rules for carbon credit trading under Articles 6.2 and 6.4, including the creation of the CAPR platform to ensure environmental integrity. The briefing highlights divergent party positions on benefit-sharing, capacity building, and Indigenous rights, noting that rights protection under Article 6.2 remains unresolved. Looking toward COP30, the focus is on capacity building, registry rollout, and the creation of the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM).

The document analyzes 32 youth climate litigation cases (litigants aged 7-30) filed between 1990 and 2022. It finds that while such cases are increasing in frequency—particularly in Europe—the majority result in unfavorable outcomes or remain pending. Most cases argue that states failed to take adequate climate measures, frequently relying on human rights grounds. The author concludes that future success depends on judicial willingness, procedural adherence, and the substantive strength of legal arguments.

The first week of COP30 was characterized by significant friction between developed and developing nations over finance, trade measures, and the 1.5C temperature goal. While some progress was made in operationalizing the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and advancing Article 6 carbon market standards, negotiations on the Just Transition Work Programme and the Gender Action Plan stalled due to disagreements over terminology and the role of unilateral trade measures. The Brazilian Presidency launched the Belem Health Action Plan and proposed a framework for synergies between the three Rio Conventions, though many thematic areas remain bracketed heading into the second week.

The COP30 Week 2 debrief details the adoption of the 'Global Mutirão' cover decision, which calls for tripling adaptation finance by 2035 but omits references to fossil fuels and deforestation. Key outcomes include the recommendation for a Just Transition mechanism (BAM) to be operationalized in 2026, the transfer of $26.8 million to the Article 6.4 PACM, and the adoption of the Belém Gender Action Plan. However, significant tensions persisted regarding unilateral trade measures, the 1.5°C temperature goal, and the lack of concrete targets in climate finance and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).

The document outlines the deadlock at SB62 over climate finance, where the G77 and Arab Group pushed for accountability and structural reform of international finance, while the Umbrella Group emphasized private investment. No clear way forward was reached on providing financial resources, leaving the operationalization of the US$1.3 trillion target and adaptation finance gaps to be addressed through further consultations and at COP30.

The document outlines the structure of COP28, including its constituent meetings (COP28, CMA5, CMP18, SBI 59, and SBSTA 59) and the three main goals of the Paris Agreement: limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C, adapting to climate change, and aligning finance flows. It details the thematic program from November 30 to December 12, 2023, the role of the Youth Climate Champion, and the significance of the first-ever Global Stocktake, which found the world is far from achieving Paris Agreement goals. The text also describes the distinction between the Blue Zone for negotiations and the Green Zone for public engagement.

The document provides a detailed analysis of the second week of COP28, highlighting the adoption of the first Global Stocktake (GST) and its call to 'transition away from fossil fuels'. It examines progress and failures across several domains, including the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, the tripling of renewable energy targets, and the lack of binding language in mitigation and adaptation goals. The report also notes the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists and the marginalization of Small Island Developing States and gender-specific concerns during the final decision-making processes.

The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is designed to scale up climate finance commitments, building on the previous unfulfilled $100 billion annual target for developing countries. Following a High-Level Ministerial Roundtable at COP28, the process is moving toward a draft negotiating text. The SB60 sessions in June 2024 are focused on developing a draft framework covering the structure, timescale, sources of finance, and transparency mechanisms of the NCQG. This framework will be refined in subsequent Technical Expert Dialogues in August or September 2024, with the final agreement on the goal expected at COP29.

The document describes the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), which requires countries to submit Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) by the end of 2024. It highlights the focus of SB60 on knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, particularly for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to ensure readiness for these submissions.