Search Climate Insights Directory

Global Energy Monitor identifies 193,400 km of gas pipelines in construction or pre-construction, representing a US$485.8 billion stranded asset risk. The report highlights that China, India, Russia, Australia, the U.S., and Brazil are leading this expansion despite IEA warnings that gas usage must peak soon to align with the 1.5°C net-zero scenario. While some financial institutions and 39 countries have committed to ending public finance for fossil fuels by 2022, the gas industry continues to push for massive infrastructure growth, often justified by the potential for future hydrogen upcycling.

The report identifies that four major Canadian fossil fuel-producing provinces provided at least CAD 2.5 billion in subsidies in FY 2020/21 and 1.5 billion in FY 2021/22 (up to December 2021). These subsidies, consisting of royalty reductions, tax exemptions, and direct transfers, are described as incompatible with 1.5°C goals and a hindrance to Canada's Paris Agreement obligations. The authors highlight a lack of transparency in provincial budgeting and a trend of using fossil fuel support as a COVID-19 recovery strategy. The report recommends that provinces increase transparency, align with federal targets to phase out subsidies by 2023, cease creating new subsidies, and collaborate with the federal government.

The paper assesses how the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the sustainability movement shape the industrialisation trajectory of the SADC region. It argues that while 4IR technologies offer opportunities for leapfrogging legacy industries and formalising the informal sector, they also risk creating high-tech enclaves, global monopolies, and 'gig-economy sweatshops'. The authors propose a reimagined strategy that integrates 4IR and green economy goals to achieve broad economic wellbeing rather than focusing solely on job creation.

The report examines the alignment between DFI funding and national strategic priorities in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. It finds that while national plans are generally aligned with SDGs, DFIs often operate based on internal strategies rather than national plans. The analysis identifies specific sectoral gaps where DFIs could provide financial additionality, particularly in ICT and healthcare, and proposes a four-step framework for DFIs to better align investments with country-level strategic sectors.

The document explores strategic litigation as a tool to bridge the gap between state-led anti-corruption efforts and environmental governance. It identifies three main trends: targeting corruption enforcement, improving NRM governance, and addressing transnational sustainability. While it can drive transparency and accountability, the author warns of risks including high costs, potential for abuse via SLAPP suits, and the challenge of enforcing court rulings in weak institutional settings.

The policy brief examines the role of science-policy interfaces (SPIs) in identifying environmental risks and informing global policy since the 1972 Stockholm Conference. It analyzes successful models like the IPCC and IPBES, while evaluating current proposals for new SPIs focused on chemicals and waste and food systems. The author highlights the challenges of power imbalances and the need for credibility, inclusivity, and transparency in SPI design.

The report finds that South Africa's energy fiscal policies are largely misaligned with its climate goals, with fossil fuel subsidies totaling ZAR 172 billion in FY 2020/21. These subsidies, particularly Eskom bailouts and carbon tax exemptions, outweigh the ZAR 100.5 billion in fossil fuel revenues. The social costs of fossil fuel combustion—estimated at a minimum of ZAR 550 billion annually—far exceed both revenues and subsidies. While the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has successfully lowered renewable energy costs, investment has been hindered by political opposition and Eskom's financial instability. The report recommends tying bailouts to transition reforms, phasing out carbon tax exemptions, and using fossil fuel tax revenues to support vulnerable households and a just transition.

The document finds that while Asia-Pacific policies increasingly recognize synergies between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and health, integration primarily focuses on cross-sectoral coordination and protecting medical infrastructure during disasters. It argues that policies fail to sufficiently prioritize public health as a proactive risk reduction strategy and largely neglect the specific roles of human rights and gender equality at the intersection of these two sectors.

The document examines the intersection of debt, capitalism, and patriarchy in Africa, arguing that neoliberal debt architectures and austerity measures externalise the costs of social reproduction onto women. It highlights how sovereign debt crises lead to cuts in public services, which in turn drives households toward predatory private lending and microfinance. The author calls for a systemic reform of the global financial architecture, including debt relief without conditionalities, progressive domestic resource mobilisation, and stricter regulation of predatory lending to protect vulnerable populations.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has increased its focus on climate change in State reviews, shifting from a primary focus on developing nations to a balanced approach including developed countries. Key areas of concern include adaptation, child participation, and a growing emphasis on mitigation obligations, specifically targeting fossil fuel subsidies and emissions in the transport and aviation sectors. The CRC is also increasingly scrutinizing the role of financial institutions in funding fossil fuels. Legally, the CRC established in the Sacchi et al. v. Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey case that it has jurisdiction over transboundary harm if a causal link exists between a State's emissions and the impairment of children's rights abroad, although the specific claim was dismissed on procedural grounds for failing to exhaust domestic remedies.

The CESCR referenced climate change in 81% of its state reporting outputs in 2020 and 2021, focusing on mitigation policies, extractive activities, climate finance, and adaptation measures. The Committee specifically urged developed states to increase the ambition of their emissions targets and questioned the compatibility of continued fossil fuel use with human rights obligations. Additionally, the CESCR addressed the 'right to science' in General Comment No. 25 and developed a draft General Comment on Land, emphasizing the nexus between land rights and the climate emergency.

The report examines the legal and operational challenges facing Community Protected Areas (CPAs) in Cambodia. It highlights critical issues such as insecure land tenure, complex and slow establishment processes, limited economic opportunities, and a lack of clear mechanisms for dispute resolution and benefit sharing. The document argues that while the legal framework recognizes community roles, it often lacks the specificity and flexibility needed to empower local and indigenous communities effectively, leaving them dependent on NGOs and vulnerable to powerful private interests.

The report analyzes British Columbia's position in the global transition to carbon neutrality, highlighting a low overall proportion of workers in vulnerable sectors (3%) but significant localized risks in rural communities dependent on metallurgical coal and natural gas. It identifies strong competitive advantages, including the CleanBC roadmap and a low-carbon electricity grid, and notes the growth of 175 transition-supporting companies. However, it warns that policy misalignment and a focus on multinational firms over small-to-medium enterprises may hinder the province's ability to fully capitalize on clean tech opportunities.

The report examines the 'just transition' in Malawi, focusing on agriculture and forestry. While Malawi's climate policies do not explicitly mention 'just transition', some elements of the NDC and Malawi 2063 align with it. However, risks exist, such as the potential for agricultural mechanisation and commercialisation to marginalise smallholders without secure land tenure. In forestry, efforts to curb illegal charcoal production may cause energy poverty and livelihood loss for the poor if alternative energy and income sources are not provided. The report emphasizes that external support is critical, as 78% of the NDC's emissions reductions are conditional.

The 2022 Sustainable Agriculture Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape outlines key investment opportunities in South Africa's agricultural sector, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, controlled environment agriculture (CEA), smart farming, and electric equipment. It highlights the dual nature of the South African agricultural economy and the specific role of the Western Cape as a greentech hub. The report details the drivers for sustainable transition, such as rising input costs and resource scarcity, and examines the impact of national policies like the Carbon Tax Act and international strategies such as the EU's Farm to Fork strategy.

The report examines South Africa's transition from an internal combustion engine (ICE) automotive hub to an electric mobility market. It identifies key investment opportunities in public transport electrification, lithium-ion battery (LIB) production, passenger vehicle manufacturing, and industrial EV use in mining and construction. While South Africa has a strong existing automotive manufacturing base and significant mineral reserves for batteries, the EV market is hindered by high import duties, a lack of targeted subsidies, and a skills gap. The report emphasizes the risk of losing export markets as the UK and EU phase out ICE vehicles, while highlighting the Western Cape as an emerging greentech hub.

The document examines the 'polycrisis' affecting Europe, where the cost of living crisis is driven by a combination of the pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and long-term neoliberal policies. It analyzes the disproportionate impact on young people, women, and the elderly, while exploring systemic failures in energy, housing, and food systems. The authors advocate for 'energy sobriety', the re-municipalisation of water, the expansion of social housing, and the revitalization of trade unions as essential steps toward a Green New Deal that ensures social justice and ecological sustainability.

The report highlights the escalating risks of extreme heat on human health and productivity, noting that 356,000 people died from extreme heat in 2019. It argues that while cooling demand is expected to soar—with space-cooling units potentially reaching 2.5 billion by 2030—this must be managed through sustainable solutions to avoid tripling global electricity demand by 2050. The text advocates for a mix of passive cooling, nature-based solutions, and energy-efficient active cooling, supported by policies like Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and the appointment of Chief Heat Officers in cities such as Athens and Miami Dade County.

In 2020, approximately 1.8 million acres of grasslands were converted to cropland across the Great Plains, with 385,000 acres lost in the Northern Great Plains. For the first time since the report's inception, wheat has replaced corn as the primary crop driving this loss across the entire region. While the 2020 conversion rate was lower than the five-year average, nearly 10 million acres have been plowed since 2016. The report highlights policy mechanisms for conservation, including the North American Grasslands Conservation Act and the 2023 Farm Bill, and notes the threat of woody-encroachment as a significant, though separate, driver of grassland loss.

The Table Mountain Water Source Partnership project implemented a multi-layered approach to groundwater management in Cape Town, combining public awareness campaigns, citizen-science monitoring, and policy analysis. Key achievements include the launch of a public groundwater dashboard on 24 March 2022, the installation of dataloggers in four new residential areas, and the integration of groundwater data into the City of Cape Town's Bulk Water Decision Support System. The project culminated in the formal launch of the Table Mountain Water Source Partnership on 15 November 2021, consisting of nine founding members from government, academia, and the private sector to ensure sustainable groundwater governance.