Search Climate Insights Directory

Indonesia's LPG subsidies are regressive, primarily benefiting wealthier households and straining the national budget. The report analyzes proposed targeting mechanisms, such as facial biometrics, and evaluates the climate impact of switching to electric induction stoves. By examining how India and Mexico implemented fuel tax increases and targeted social protections during economic crises, the report argues that Indonesia can leverage low oil prices to reform subsidies and redirect funds toward vulnerable populations.

The document argues that Indonesia's current LPG subsidy system is regressive, benefiting wealthy households more than the poor, and places a significant burden on the state budget. It proposes a shift to targeted subsidies using biometric verification and direct benefit transfers. The report analyzes how India and Mexico used economic crises as opportunities to reform fuel pricing and strengthen social safety nets. It also warns that shifting from LPG to electric induction stoves could increase greenhouse gas emissions due to Indonesia's coal-heavy energy mix.

The report analyzes the 'Cloud Caliphate,' a 2.2 terabyte digital archive of Islamic State content hosted via NextCloud and Cloudflare. It examines the repository's composition, its role in maintaining a 'national biography' for a decentralized global movement, and its integration into a broader ecosystem of pro-Islamic State websites. The authors detail the archive's contents—ranging from historical 'genesis' files to tactical manuals—and provide policy recommendations for marginalizing such repositories by disrupting the networks and tools used to promote them.

Fiji has integrated Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as a strategic priority within its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which was formally communicated to the UNFCCC on December 12, 2018. The NAP identifies 160 adaptation measures across five priority sectors, emphasizing the role of healthy ecosystems as the foundation for economic growth and the protection of vulnerable groups. Practical implementation is exemplified by the use of vetiver grass for riverbank protection and erosion reduction, supported by a nursery opened in July 2020 in Labasa. The process aligns international commitments, including the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Sendai Framework, while engaging the private sector and utilizing both traditional and scientific knowledge.

The document examines nuclear developments in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, noting that while all three operate research reactors for medical and industrial use, their ambitions for nuclear power plants vary. Egypt is the most advanced, currently constructing four reactors at Al Dabaa with Russian support. Algeria and Libya have expressed long-term interests in nuclear energy, though these remain largely discursive or stalled by political instability and cost. The author argues that these pursuits are often driven by 'techno-nationalist' prestige rather than purely economic or environmental needs, especially given the viability of solar energy and the region's water scarcity.

The report argues that SADC's current reactive, bureaucratic, and state-centric approach to security is insufficient for the region's complex threat landscape. It proposes the adoption of anticipatory governance—a non-predictive approach using foresight and multi-stakeholder engagement—to move from reactive crisis management to proactive strategic planning. The author highlights the Cabo Delgado insurgency as a primary example of SADC's failure to act timeously and recommends a comprehensive regional security sector review and the establishment of a P/CVE unit to build adaptive capacities.

The report analyzes the DRC's strategic use of its relationship with China to gain leverage over Western donors and the IMF, specifically during the 2007-2009 Sicomines agreement period. It argues that while the DRC successfully used China to accelerate debt relief and secure infrastructure funding, this agency was limited and ceased after 2010 as China shifted toward a more cautious, risk-averse, and 'responsible' international diplomatic strategy.

The document examines the social, economic, and environmental challenges of urbanization in Sweden and highlights specific municipal projects focused on energy efficiency, low-carbon transport, and nature-based solutions. It emphasizes the role of cities in achieving net-zero emissions by 2045 and the use of green bonds to finance these transitions.

The report examines gender inequality in the urban public transport sectors of Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam, finding that transport systems are generally designed for young, fit men and fail to address the specific mobility needs, safety concerns, and employment barriers faced by women. While national constitutions and gender policies in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya provide a foundation for equality, specific transport policies often generalize users and lack explicit gender-responsive measures. The study highlights significant risks of sexual harassment and assault, the underrepresentation of women as drivers and operators due to social stigma and structural barriers, and a lack of gender-disaggregated data to inform policy. It suggests that the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and the rise of online taxi-hailing services present opportunities to integrate gender-sensitive infrastructure and flexible employment for women.

The document examines the cassava value network in Colombia, highlighting its current use in food and industrial sectors and its potential for bioplastics and animal feed. It identifies low productivity, limited technology transfer, and financial barriers for smallholders as key challenges. The paper suggests transitioning toward biorefineries and inclusive supply chains to enhance Colombia's bioeconomy.

The paper addresses a research gap in climate impact studies by moving beyond static, national-boundary-focused assessments to a futures-oriented framework for cross-border impacts. By combining global Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) with local drivers in a co-production process with stakeholders, the authors created "extended SSPs" to identify how climate impacts transmit across borders into Kenya and to explore adaptation activities to mitigate these global flows.

The report identifies thousands of mining concessions and dozens of coal-fired power plants (PLTU) located in areas high-risk for earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and landslides. It argues that a 'science-policy gap' exists where economic interests of oligarchs override disaster mitigation and environmental safety. The document highlights specific cases, such as the PLTU in Teluk Sepang and the mining in Wadas, to illustrate how these projects exacerbate disaster risks and marginalize local communities. It further claims that the Minerba Law and the Omnibus Law (Job Creation Law) weaken environmental protections and facilitate the expansion of risky extractive projects.

The report identifies thousands of mining concessions and dozens of coal-fired power plants located in areas prone to earthquakes, floods, and landslides across Indonesia. It argues that a 'science-policy gap' exists where the Indonesian government ignores disaster risks to facilitate investments for 'extractive oligarchs,' often through National Strategic Projects (PSN). The document details specific case studies, such as the Panau Coal Steam-Power Plant and the Bener Dam project, to illustrate how these investments increase community vulnerability and environmental degradation. It concludes that recent legislative changes, including the Job Creation Law (Omnibus Law), further exacerbate these risks by loosening environmental regulations and centralizing spatial planning authority.

The study employs multi-criteria analysis and stakeholder workshops to evaluate resource recovery systems in the Fyriså river catchment (Sweden) and Słupia river catchment (Poland). While the technical systems were similar across both sites, the preferred alternatives differed: source-separation was preferred in Fyris, while a large redesign with ammonia stripping was preferred in Słupia. In both cases, the most expensive systems achieved the highest sustainability scores, suggesting significant potential benefits from enhanced resource recovery despite higher costs.

A coalition is suing the U.S. EPA to invalidate regulatory loopholes that allow continued exposure to DecaBDE, a highly toxic flame retardant used in consumer products and recycled plastics. The chemical is linked to cancer, neurological harm, and developmental damage, posing particular risks to infants, children, workers, and Indigenous subsistence practitioners.

The document highlights the success of Nordic countries in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions through environmental fiscal reform (EFR). It notes that EFR has supported industrial growth, such as the Danish wind energy sector, and generated significant annual revenues between USD 7 billion and USD 13 billion per country in 2018. The brief argues that aligning taxes, subsidies, and spending can simultaneously address economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change by raising funds for debt reduction and stimulus while creating price signals to deter pollution.

The research utilizes user journey mapping to analyze the experiences of household and business users of a 6 kW solar PV mini-grid in northwestern Tanzania. The study concludes that a single value proposition is insufficient for diverse user groups and emphasizes the importance of expectation management and continuous engagement to prevent service disuse or 'energy stacking'.

The 'Kin Dee You Dee' toolkit uses three sets of serious games to build climate resilience in urban low-income communities. The process moves from creating awareness of resilience concepts to mapping assets and risks, and finally developing strategic response plans. Applied in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and Udon Thani province, the toolkit is concluded to be a useful instrument for policymakers and stakeholders to increase community engagement and disaster risk awareness.

The document highlights how Colorado developers are adopting all-electric designs for affordable housing to reduce climate impact and operational costs. Through projects like Oxford Vista, Kestrel, and 30 Pearl Street, it shows that avoiding gas infrastructure can offset upfront costs and provide long-term savings in utilities and maintenance. These developments also improve indoor air quality and equity for low-income tenants while aligning with Colorado's state-level greenhouse gas reduction goals and city-level net-zero plans.

The Scottish Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (2016–2019) provided grants of up to £4,000 to help workers in the declining oil and gas sector transition to new employment. Managed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the program supported 4,272 workers, achieving high employment rates, although approximately half of those re-employed remained within the oil and gas industry. The program's success informed the subsequent £25 million National Transition Training Fund launched in 2020 to support workers in declining sectors and promote green jobs for a net-zero economy.