Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can be integrated into trade policies to foster sustainable South-South trade. It identifies key barriers, such as high compliance costs and lack of demand, and provides case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to demonstrate successful integration strategies, including mutual recognition agreements and participatory guarantee systems.

The document evaluates the integration of gender analysis into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in nine countries between 2017 and 2022. It finds that such analyses improve knowledge, shift policies, enhance institutional collaboration, and can facilitate climate finance. The report emphasizes that for gender analysis to be effective, it requires high-level political ownership, diverse stakeholder engagement, and strategic, concrete recommendations that extend beyond the planning phase into implementation and monitoring.

The document examines the application of gender analyses within the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes of nine countries between 2017 and 2022. It identifies four primary impact areas: changes in policy (such as the integration of gender-specific actions in NAPs), improvements in knowledge and practice (including targeted training), enhanced collaboration between gender and climate ministries, and increased investment in gender-responsive adaptation. The briefing concludes that while gender analyses provide a critical foundation for equitable adaptation, their impact is maximized when there is high-level ownership, diverse stakeholder engagement, proactive dissemination, and ongoing technical support beyond the initial reporting phase.

The document details a pilot project in the Central Plateau region of Burkina Faso to transition from a sectoral to a regional approach for climate adaptation. Using a methodology based on the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, the project conducted a risk and vulnerability assessment (RVA) that identified agriculture, water resources, livestock, environment, and health as the most vulnerable sectors. The resulting Regional Adaptation Plan (RAP) for 20242028 includes 44 priority actions. The pilot emphasizes the necessity of involving regional stakeholders, including women and the elderly, and notes that the process requires significant financial and human resources, taking approximately one year to complete.

The document assesses the application of gender analyses within the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes of nine countries between 2017 and 2022. It identifies four primary types of impact: policy changes, improved collaboration, evolution of knowledge and practices, and increased investment. The analysis highlights that while gender analyses often inform high-level planning documents and national strategies, their effectiveness depends on high-level political ownership, diverse stakeholder engagement, proactive dissemination of results, and the formulation of concrete, actionable recommendations tailored to specific NAP entry points.

The document details a pilot project in Burkina Faso's Plateau-Central region that uses a standardized Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) to create a Regional Adaptation Plan (RAP). This regional approach aims to refine national adaptation strategies by addressing local specificities, specifically targeting vulnerable groups and key sectors like agriculture and health.

The report examines the SADC region's role in the global energy transition, focusing on critical minerals like copper, lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese, nickel, and rare earth elements. It highlights the risk of SADC countries remaining raw material suppliers unless they implement robust governance and strategic value-addition policies. The analysis covers the geostrategic influence of China, the US, and the EU, while providing country-specific case studies and recommendations for regional value chain development.

The document analyzes the 'structural disjuncture' between the European Union's bilateral approach to international relations and the BRICS bloc's pursuit of an inclusive, South-South multilateral model. It argues that BRICS challenges the EU's historical hegemony in global governance, economic power, and trade policies. While the Russia-Ukraine war has further polarized the EU and BRICS, the author suggests opportunities for cooperation on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the energy transition.

The document details how residents of Ras-Kitau, supported by Natural Justice, successfully halted a sand mining operation that caused beach erosion and mangrove degradation by proving the project lacked the legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and license.

The Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism (CCOA), funded by Google.org and the TIDES Foundation through 2026, is a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to address the rise of online antisemitism in Europe. The project aims to bridge gaps between research, education, and policy by coordinating efforts across ten countries, including Germany, France, and the UK. The CCOA operates through three dedicated working groups focused on research, education, and policy to scale primary prevention and counter-speech efforts.

The document outlines a study on sovereign debt management during the COVID-19 crisis, highlighting the severe economic impact on developing countries and the specific vulnerabilities of Sub-Saharan African nations. It notes that the pandemic induced major debt stresses and operational challenges, leading countries to implement fiscal, monetary, and financial policies to cushion local markets. The full study is divided into four thematic areas: macroeconomic policy interventions, external financing operations, local currency bond markets, and governance and operational risk management frameworks.

The COVID-19 pandemic created historic debt stresses for developing countries, characterized by increased borrowing needs and economic downturns. In sub-Saharan Africa, pre-existing vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space—with 16 countries already at high risk of or in debt distress—exacerbated these challenges. Debt management offices also faced unprecedented operational risks due to volatile market conditions and the shift to remote working arrangements.

The Yacarantã Collective, led by João, Yasmin, and Heitor, promotes syntropic agriculture in Rio Manso, Brazil, to counter the ecological damage caused by monoculture and pesticides. Starting in 2014 at Yacarantã Farm, the initiative evolved from a private project into a collective effort to empower vulnerable rural communities, particularly women. Following a devastating mining dam collapse in 2019, the collective expanded its outreach to over 400 impacted families, partnering with a Rural School to provide education on regenerative economy and sustainable agriculture. This led to the creation of the 'Margaridas' women's group, which established a community-based agroforestry system covering over 2,000 square meters with 400 seedlings and 30 types of vegetables.

The report examines Ghana's climate adaptation landscape, highlighting the gap between national policy and community-level implementation. It identifies specific locally led adaptation (LLA) practices—such as climate-smart agriculture and nature-based coastal solutions—and argues for the devolution of finance, integration of traditional knowledge, and clearer definitions of 'local' to enhance resilience in vulnerable communities.

Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based startup developing Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for permanent storage or industrial use. The company aims to disrupt the high cost of DACC by utilizing Kenya's natural endowments, specifically the high-porosity basaltic rock of the Rift Valley for storage and waste heat from geothermal power for energy. By the end of 2024, Octavia Carbon intends to produce at least one machine per day, reaching a capacity of approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The company projects a cost per tonne of CO2 between $300 and $500, significantly lower than current global ranges of $775 to $1,200, positioning it as a potential global cost leader by mid-decade.

In Karonga District, Malawi, women and girls face disproportionate risks from extreme weather, including displacement, cholera, and sexual exploitation. To combat this, the Green Girls Platform has supported a community club that trains women in climate change, early warning systems, and green skills such as briquette making and tree nursery management. These activities provide both climate adaptation and income-generating opportunities for vulnerable women.

The report examines the disconnect between Nigeria's top-down climate adaptation frameworks and the actual practices of frontline communities. Through case studies in Ogun, Lagos, and Anambra states, it demonstrates that community-led initiatives—such as biogas production, aquaculture modifications, and traditional erosion control—are already occurring despite limited finance and technical support. The authors argue that integrating these bottom-up strategies into national policies like the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is essential for sustained climate resilience.

The report analyzes the urgent water crisis in Bolivia, driven by population growth, increased consumption in agriculture, industry, and energy, and exacerbated by climate change and pollution. It argues that deep transformations in water management are necessary to meet national development and climate goals, emphasizing the need for 'just transition' planning to prevent adverse impacts on communities and governments. By reviewing projects under the Climate Resilience Pilot Program, the document seeks to provide guidance for future just transitions in the water sector both in Bolivia and globally.

The report examines climate adaptation in Senegal, finding that while locally led adaptation (LLA) is active and aligns with national goals, it is hindered by significant financing gaps and a lack of integration into central government policy and governance.

In December 2022, Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka experienced an unprecedented temperature drop to approximately 17C, caused by a cold front, smog, and pollution from India. This event devastated livestock farming, a primary income source for rural communities. The case study highlights the experience of Subramaniyam Kanahendran in the Vavuniya District, who lost 11 cattle, including a stud bull and several milking and pregnant cows, resulting in financial losses nearly 20 times his family's average monthly income. The document attributes the high mortality rate to the animals' poor nutritional status and inability to cope with temperature fluctuations, and it recommends improved nutritional management, weather-resilient infrastructure, and compensation mechanisms to build future resilience.