Search Climate Insights Directory

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted comments on the draft National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory System (NAEIS) Reporting Regulations. The CER argues that the draft regulations contain overly broad confidentiality restrictions that hinder public access to emissions data, contradicting international best practices and South African constitutional and statutory principles.

This research paper introduces the concept of "National Financing Pathways" (NFP) to help developing countries align climate agendas with development objectives. It explores how the interplay between national policy, institutional frameworks, and various finance sources creates a "national finance ecosystem" that determines the pace of low-emission and climate-resilient development, drawing on discussions with representatives from Chile, Colombia, and Peru.

This policy brief introduces the 'Getting Climate Smart for Disasters' project and the Climate Smart Disaster Risk Management (CSDRM) approach, which aims to integrate climate change challenges with disaster risk reduction (DRR) and development, specifically within the context of South Asia.

This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the trajectory of Spain's concentrated solar power (CSP) industry, detailing how initial successful incentives led to rapid deployment and innovation, followed by a collapse in investor confidence due to retroactive policy changes and a lack of cost-control mechanisms.

This case study describes a project led by the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) at the University of Ghana, supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), to build climate resilience in six coastal communities. The project utilized the Community-based Risk Screening Tool for Adaptation and Livelihoods (CRiSTAL) and a 'community-based reciprocal learning' approach to integrate local knowledge into national and district-level development planning.

This policy brief discusses the role of technological innovation and policy in providing modern, clean energy to the 'bottom of the pyramid' population, focusing on household energy and rural electricity to achieve climate-compatible development.

This research paper explores the use of bilateral agreements as a strategic alternative to voluntary certification schemes for securing sustainable biofuels in Europe under the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

This policy brief discusses the application of a 'triple wins' matrix methodology in coastal Belize to identify policies that simultaneously address climate adaptation, mitigation, and economic development, specifically highlighting the potential of mangrove conservation and restoration.

This policy brief examines the role of the extractive industries (EIs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and argues for a shift from 'trickle-down economics' toward an inclusive green growth strategy to mitigate environmental degradation and social harm.

This report describes a pilot application of the Adaptive Design and Policy Assessment Tool (ADAPTool) to evaluate the seven goals of Saskatchewan's 25-year Water Security Plan (WSP). The analysis found that the tool is not well suited for plans that have not yet been implemented and revealed significant gaps in direct program support for adaptation actions.

This synthesis report describes a pilot application of the Adaptive Design and Policy Assessment Tool (ADAPTool) to evaluate mining policies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The analysis focused on the impact of climate change stressors—specifically increased drought, excessive moisture, and increased temperatures—across four mining phases: exploring and siting, development, operations, and closure and remediation.

This paper examines the relationship between fossil-fuel subsidies and gender in India, specifically analyzing the impacts of subsidy reform on cooking, lighting, pumping, and transport fuels.

This research paper, authored by three IPCC members, analyzes the tension between scientific analysis and governmental input during the approval of the Summary for Policy-makers (SPM) and suggests an alternative approach to the process.

A briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and other NGOs criticizing the decision by CITES to remove Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from the Review of Significant Trade. The document argues that the DRC has failed to implement sustainable management practices, continues to engage in widespread illegal logging, and has provided an insufficient non-detriment finding (NDF) to justify its export quotas.

This executive summary describes a study by the Fiscal Policy Agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Finance and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) mapping public climate finance in Indonesia for the year 2011. It identifies the primary sources, mechanisms, and sectoral allocations of public funding, highlighting a strong focus on supporting activities and a reliance on central government spending over regional distribution.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the legislative process for reauthorising the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was scheduled to expire on 30 September 2015. The author argues that African stakeholders should focus their advocacy on the US Congress rather than the Executive Branch, as the legislative process is complex and subject to partisan stalemates and lobbying from US interest groups.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. It compares the SDGs' universal and integrated approach to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), analyzes proposed targets from various UN-related entities, and identifies gaps in implementation strategies and systemic integration.

This briefing by the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) discusses the challenges of integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation policies in India, specifically within the arid zones of Barmer and Leh. It highlights the disconnect between national policy and local operational reality, advocating for the use of local knowledge and multi-stakeholder platforms to harmonize these efforts.

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the underdeveloped state of land rental markets in Brazil. It argues that restrictive legislation and land tenure insecurity hinder the efficient use of land, which could otherwise increase agricultural productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by repurposing degraded pastures.

This briefing paper examines the policy tools available to Eastern African states to foster 'national champions' in the mining sector and maximize sustainable development benefits from foreign direct investment. It analyzes the effectiveness of ownership and performance requirements and evaluates how international investment agreements, specifically Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), may restrict the policy space of host governments.