Search Climate Insights Directory

The document defines transitional justice as a response to widespread human rights violations and argues that women's access and power in these processes are vital for sustained peace. It identifies core principles for gender justice, including gender equity and accountability for crimes against women and girls. Through case studies of Tunisia and Colombia, it demonstrates how women's participation can expand the definition of victimhood to include socio-economic harm and prohibit amnesty for sexual violence. The briefing also lists methods for active participation and identifies various barriers to women's engagement, such as cultural norms, physical distance from political centers, and the risk of re-victimization.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative, supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), proposes a framework for measuring climate finance flows to small-scale agriculture in developing countries and provides a snapshot of international financial commitments for 2017 and 2018.

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative aims to evolve water planning beyond the traditional Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) framework, which the authors argue has not yet yielded sustainable outcomes. WBB focuses on three pillars: analyzing water connections beyond the immediate watershed, integrating ecosystem needs throughout the planning process, and employing multi-scale participatory approaches to address inequalities related to gender, poverty, and marginalized groups. The initiative is being piloted in the Magdalena River Basin in Colombia and the Mekong region in South East Asia, while drawing on previous work in California, USA.

The Land Transport Criteria Version 2 establishes a framework for certifying green bonds in the transport sector, focusing on quantitative emissions thresholds and the exclusion of fossil-fuel-intensive assets. It prioritizes zero-direct-emissions vehicles and infrastructure, while setting specific benchmarks for passenger and freight transport to align with the Paris Agreement and the EU Taxonomy. The document details eligibility for various assets, including rail, road transport, and supporting infrastructure, while explicitly excluding biofuel vehicles and dedicated fossil fuel transport.

The report argues that traditional mining taxation, heavily reliant on corporate income tax and royalties, is insufficient for developing countries due to profit shifting and outdated paradigms. It highlights new pressures, including the transition to low-carbon minerals, disruptive automation technologies that reduce local employment and payroll taxes, and the financial burdens of climate change. The document proposes a three-step roadmap—understanding current roles, crowdsourcing innovative ideas, and researching these options—to create a handbook of improved mining revenue collection strategies.

The WRI Investment Policy outlines the management of its portfolio, which includes a Permanent Endowment, Board Designated Working Capital Reserve, and Working Capital. The policy mandates the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and impact factors to maximize long-term risk-adjusted returns and align with the Paris Agreement. It defines a governance structure involving the Board, Finance and Investment Committee, an Investment Advisor (OCIO), and Investment Managers. Key restrictions include a goal to be 100% fossil fuel free by excluding investments in the exploration, drilling, refining, or production of oil, natural gas, and coal.

The document outlines principles for financial institutions (FIs) to align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement, specifically referencing the IPCC SR1.5 pathway 1. It demands the immediate cessation of financing for new fossil fuel exploration and infrastructure, a rapid phase-out of coal financing by 2030 in OECD countries and 2040 globally, and the prohibition of financing for projects causing deforestation or ecosystem degradation. FIs are urged to disclose their full carbon footprint, set science-based targets to reach zero impact by 2050, and avoid reliance on offsets or untested negative emissions technologies.

The Climate Bonds Initiative outlines a framework to distinguish credible 'transition' activities from greenwashing, establishing five core principles for alignment with the Paris Agreement. It introduces a labeling system—distinguishing between 'Environmental Labels' for long-term low-carbon roles and 'Transition Labels' for short-to-medium term emission reductions—and categorizes economic activities based on their necessity post-2050 and their decarbonization pathways.

The CBI Shipping Criteria provide a framework for certifying shipping assets as compatible with a low-carbon economy. Eligibility is primarily based on a vessel's carbon-equivalent intensity remaining below a specific decarbonisation trajectory for its class, reaching zero emissions by 2050. The criteria exclude dedicated fossil fuel carriers and require non-zero-emission ships to provide a Managed Reduction Plan (MRP) detailing future retrofits or fuel switches. While the document outlines adaptation principles, the shipping sector is currently derogated from mandatory resilience requirements due to existing international maritime safety standards.

The Canadian Climate Institute introduces a framework of 11 indicators to track 'clean growth' in Canada, balancing economic prosperity with climate action. The report identifies that while most provinces have decoupled GDP growth from GHG emissions since 2005, significant gaps remain in technology adoption, data collection for climate costs, and the protection of vulnerable populations and ecosystems. It argues for a 'skeptical optimism' approach, where governments actively resolve barriers to transition rather than assuming growth will naturally follow emission declines.

This research paper, developed under the Leadership for Urban Climate investment (LUCI) initiative, examines how National Development Banks (NDBs) can accelerate investment in climate-smart urban infrastructure to avoid unsustainable infrastructure lock-in and enhance city resilience.

The summary brief describes Ghana's commitment to a gender-integrated National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to address differing climate vulnerabilities between men and women. It identifies key gender-related barriers—such as unpaid work, discriminatory social norms, and gaps in resource access—and proposes specific entry points for integration, including risk assessments and institutional arrangements. The strategy emphasizes the necessity of disaggregated data to inform evidence-based policies and establishes principles for gender-responsive governance, such as equal representation in decision-making and the use of gender analysis in adaptation appraisals.

The strategy aims to integrate the private sector into Saint Lucia's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) by educating businesses on climate risks, facilitating access to finance, and promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs). It maps the domestic economy, which is dominated by micro-businesses and the services sector, and proposes a four-step engagement cycle: initiate, inform, incorporate, and involve. Key priorities include climate-proofing the tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors, and exploring innovative financing such as green and blue bonds.

The Green Road Infrastructure Guidelines for Colombia establish a framework for integrating sustainability into the entire lifecycle of road projects—from strategic planning and design to operation and decommissioning. Central to this is the Early Intervention Approach (EIA), which emphasizes the use of the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, prevent, mitigate, correct, and compensate) to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. The guidelines provide specific technical directives for each project phase, focusing on maintaining ecological connectivity, protecting Areas of Special Environmental Interest (AEIA), and managing water bodies. Key engineering recommendations include the construction of wildlife crossings, the use of 'green' drainage works, and the establishment of multifunctional nurseries. The document also stresses the importance of governability and community participation to prevent social conflict and illegal land grabbing, particularly in sensitive regions like the Colombian Amazon.

The report argues that community forest management (MCB) cannot fully develop without the guarantee of specific internal and external rights. It identifies threats to these rights—such as the 'financiarización de la Naturaleza' and industrial extractivism—and details a framework of essential rights, including self-determination, collective land tenure, and the right to free, prior, and informed consent (CPLIP). The document emphasizes that these rights are intrinsic to the peoples and should be protected by states as a fiduciary duty, prioritizing collective rights over individual ones to ensure the survival of cultures and the health of ecosystems.

Friends of the Earth International argues that community forest management (CFM) is only possible when the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are guaranteed by States. The document identifies critical threats to these rights—such as the 'Financialization of Nature', industrial logging, and mining—and details the internal community conditions and external State obligations required to ensure sustainable territorial governance. It emphasizes that collective land titles, the right to self-determination, and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) are fundamental to preserving both biological diversity and cultural identity.

The report by Friends of the Earth International argues that community forest management (CFM) is most effective when supported by the recognition of inherent collective rights to territory, self-determination, and cultural preservation. It identifies systemic threats—such as the 'financialization of nature' and industrial extractivism—that undermine these rights. The document details 'internal conditions' (inclusive community organization and gender justice) and 'external conditions' (state-guaranteed land titles and free, prior, and informed consent) required for sustainable forest governance. It emphasizes that collective rights should prevail over individual rights to ensure the survival of communities and the biodiversity of their territories.

The report argues that current utility regulation is incompatible with an all-electric future and proposes ten strategies to decarbonize US buildings. It emphasizes electrification via heat pumps as the primary solution, warning that alternative fuels like biomethane are costly and limited in scale. Key recommendations include reforming electricity rate designs, updating energy efficiency standards to account for total emissions, and proactively managing the retirement of gas infrastructure to avoid stranded asset risks and inequitable cost burdens on low-income customers.

The GGT2030 plan targets the development of ten high-growth sectors in Gauteng through significant infrastructure investment, the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and the digitalization of government services. Key goals include spending R60 billion on infrastructure by 2025 to create 100,000 jobs and investing R1.3 trillion by 2030 across water, energy, and transport sectors. The strategy emphasizes inclusive growth via township-based business support, the 'Welfare-to-Work' programme for 100,000 young women, and the creation of a 'silicon valley of Africa' through high-tech SEZs and universal broadband in townships.

This briefing document, prepared by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), presents proposed revisions to the Scientific Agenda of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its 28th meeting.