Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the cooperation between BRICS nations and Africa, focusing on industrialisation and infrastructure financing. It evaluates the role of South Africa in promoting African interests within the BRICS framework, the potential of the New Development Bank (NDB), and the challenges of debt, transparency, and unequal trade.

A letter from the South African Water Caucus (SAWC) to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, dated 27 June 2018, detailing a state of institutional crisis within the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and proposing priority actions to secure South Africa's water security.

This briefing outlines recommendations from the 2nd Joint meeting of the IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the IAI Science Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), held on 19 June 2018 in Antigua, Guatemala. The document proposes administrative changes to committee operations and the development of a new strategic plan for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research.

This briefing outlines recommendations from the 2nd joint meeting of the IAI's Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), held on June 18, 2018, in Antigua, Guatemala. The recommendations are primarily directed at the Conference of the Parties regarding the governance of the SPAC and the development of a new Strategic Plan for the IAI.

This briefing, prepared by the United States for the twenty-sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recommends that Future Earth be invited to become an Associate of the Institute under Article XI of the Agreement Establishing the IAI.

A letter from various Canadian civil society organizations to Prime Minister Trudeau urging the immediate end of neonicotinoid insecticide use in Canada, citing environmental contamination and international precedents.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP), reports on a meeting held in São Paulo, Brazil, on 7 November 2017. The meeting focused on establishing a flexible collaborative funding mechanism to support scientific projects on global change in the Americas, aiming to reduce the IAI's dependency on a single donor and ensure long-term sustainability.

A joint letter from 47 Canadian labour, trade justice, and climate organizations to Minister Chrystia Freeland calling for a trade model that aligns with climate objectives and human rights, specifically during the 2018 NAFTA renegotiations.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the barriers preventing adaptation and resilience companies—specifically those providing climate risk analytics—from scaling in developing countries. It proposes a design for a technical assistance (TA) facility, the CRAFT Resilience Accelerator, to be linked with a private equity fund to catalyze the market by addressing context, business model, and internal capacity barriers.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Indian School of Business examines the challenges of integrating high levels of renewable energy into India's power grid, specifically focusing on the need for system flexibility and the risk of coal-based assets becoming stranded. The authors propose that converting existing baseload coal plants into flexible plants is a cost-effective short-term solution to provide necessary operational reserves and mitigate financial risks for investors.

This report by Ember analyzes the UK's transition away from coal power, concluding that the country can achieve its 2025 coal phase-out without the construction of new large gas-fired power plants. The analysis suggests that renewables, interconnectors, and small-scale technology will replace coal capacity, allowing the UK to bypass a 'gas bridge' to clean power.

This statement by the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues for a new international paradigm to protect refugees, specifically those displaced by climate change, who currently fall outside the 1951 Convention definition of a refugee.

A briefing document prepared by the United States of America for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recommending that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) be invited to become an Associate of the Institute.

This report proposes Sustainable Land Bonds (SLBs) as a financial mechanism for tropical forest countries to secure low-cost, long-term capital from mainstream bond markets to transition toward sustainable, low-carbon land management and meet Paris Agreement commitments.

This RMI insight brief argues that the global climate finance system must evolve from a focus on 'direct access' to multilateral funds toward establishing national institutions, specifically Green Investment Banks (GIBs), to ensure true country ownership. The authors posit that for large emerging markets, national GIBs can better mobilize domestic private capital and coordinate financial flows to achieve nationally determined commitments (NDCs) than current international structures.

This research paper outlines three critical areas of reform required for Cyril Ramaphosa to restore South Africa's national strength and international standing following the presidency of Jacob Zuma. The author argues that the country must restore the rule of law, reform the management of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and invest in education to combat high youth unemployment and economic stagnation.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted recommendations to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) regarding the Draft Guidelines on Effective Implementation of the Right to Participate in Public Affairs. CIEL argues that the guidelines must address the systemic constraining of fundamental rights, specifically emphasizing the intersection of environmental decision-making, human rights, and the opacity of international investment agreements.

This document is a speech delivered by a representative of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) regarding the domestic governance and economic priorities necessary to restore South Africa's international influence and internal stability.

This research paper explores the potential for establishing a Southern African Customs Union (SACU) development fund to deepen regional integration and mitigate trade constraints. By analyzing the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds), the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), the author provides recommendations on capitalization, governance, and project prioritization to move SACU beyond its current role of simple revenue sharing.

This policy brief argues that the climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction communities suffer from knowledge gaps caused by poor communication and the inability to locate existing information, rather than a lack of knowledge itself. The authors propose the development of a climate change "translator" and the adoption of more considered knowledge-sharing practices using available language technologies to reduce redundancies and improve collaboration.