Search Climate Insights Directory

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is a flexible, non-traditional economic initiative launched by the United States in May 2022 with 13 partner countries. Unlike traditional free trade agreements, the IPEF eschews tariff liberalization and market access, focusing instead on four pillars: a connected economy, a resilient economy, a clean economy, and a fair economy. While the initiative aims to reassert U.S. influence in the region, it faces challenges regarding the willingness of partners to commit to high standards and criticisms over the lack of U.S. concessions.

This research paper by Simon Evenett analyzes whether the COVID-19 pandemic created a 'new normal' in global trade policy. Using data from the Global Trade Alert (GTA) database, the author examines the volume and nature of commercial policy interventions between 2020 and 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels. The analysis finds that while the total volume of policy interventions increased, the overall proportion of trade-distorting measures remained stable, though there was a significant spike in export bans and corporate subsidies.

This report by RMI examines the shift toward "climate-forward efficiency," which prioritizes energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility specifically to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It analyzes the use of Performance Incentive Mechanisms (PIMs) to align utility business models—which traditionally favor capital investment and sales growth—with state climate goals.

This report examines India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for advanced chemistry cell (ACC) battery storage, focusing on the transition from planning to domestic manufacturing to support electricity and transportation decarbonization.

This research paper from the Stockholm Environment Institute discusses the development of a post-2025 climate finance target, arguing that simply increasing the current USD 100 billion annual target without addressing systemic difficulties and ambiguities would be ineffective.

This policy brief summarizes a regional flagship report on the gendered impacts of climate change in Southeast Asia. It advocates for mainstreaming gender equality into climate-relevant sectoral policies to ensure socially inclusive outcomes and sustainable development.

The September 2022 Peace & Security Council Report examines political deadlock in Sudan, the African Union's (AU) 'Silencing the Guns' initiative, the impact of natural resource management in Mozambique, and the priorities of Ghana during its PSC chairship.

This policy brief examines the role of nuclear science and technology in Africa's development and argues for the increased participation of women and youth in the sector. It aligns this goal with African Union (AU) frameworks for gender equality and youth empowerment, identifies existing networks like WiN Africa and AYGN, and outlines the challenges and requirements for expanding inclusion in nuclear energy, medicine, and agriculture.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the governance of the circular economy (CE) in urban settings. It identifies key barriers to implementation—such as administrative silos and a lack of holistic data—and provides four strategic recommendations for urban policymakers to accelerate the transition toward resource-efficient and resilient urban systems.

This research paper describes a review of 24 financing strategies for adaptation in developing countries, conducted as part of a four-year project to scale up development finance. The authors analyze the diversity of these strategies—ranging from high-level support documents to detailed costing frameworks—and provide emerging insights and established good practices to help governments better secure and manage funding for climate adaptation.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the alignment between climate-related official development assistance (ODA), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of recipient countries.

This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the impact of high-severity wildfires on forest carbon sequestration in the United States. It argues that historical fire suppression and climate change have created a dangerous feedback loop of severe fires that release stored carbon and permanently damage the ability of forests to recover. The document advocates for scaled-up 'fuel load treatments,' the development of markets for thinned biomass, and federal policy reforms to protect the land carbon sink and support rural communities.

This policy brief argues that current policy approaches in African countries are insufficient for long-term development and resilience against shocks, citing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and historical structural weaknesses.

This report argues that Brazilian public policy focuses excessively on clear-cut deforestation while overlooking forest degradation in the Amazon. The author contends that degradation—defined as the partial loss of vegetation—is a distinct phenomenon with its own drivers that contributes significantly more to greenhouse gas emissions and biomass loss than deforestation does, necessitating a shift in how Brazil monitors and reports environmental performance.

This briefing by RMI examines the financial risks that extreme weather poses to US homeowners and the mortgage industry, highlighting the disproportionate impact on low-income communities and people of color. It discusses the role of the Inflation Reduction Act in providing funding for climate adaptation and calls for better property-level climate risk data and coordinated financing to future-proof the US housing market.

This research paper by Honour Stahl, published by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, argues that endocrine-related health issues—such as endometriosis, PCOS, and breast cancer—are significantly driven by ubiquitous environmental contaminants rather than solely by individual genetics or lifestyle. The author critiques the current medical and regulatory landscape for placing the burden of prevention on the ill while allowing corporations to profit from both the production of harmful chemicals and the treatment of the resulting diseases.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted a letter to the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on 5 August 2022. The letter urges the government to strengthen its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets to align with the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact, arguing that current targets are insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

This RMI briefing analyzes the potential impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act on the United States economy and climate goals. The legislation commits $369 billion to energy and climate, targeting the decarbonization of buildings, transportation, and heavy industry while aiming to reduce inflation by securing domestic clean energy supply chains.

This discussion paper by the African Climate Foundation examines the tension between utilizing Africa's significant natural gas resources for economic development and the risks posed by the global transition to low-carbon energy. It argues that while gas provides short-term revenue and energy security, long-term investments in gas infrastructure are increasingly risky due to falling renewable energy costs and international climate targets. The paper advocates for a shift toward renewable energy (RE) to support industrialization and electrification, provided that climate finance is scaled up.

This report provides an overview of the global sustainable bond market for the first half of 2022, focusing on Green, Social, Sustainability, Sustainability-Linked, and Transition (GSS+) bonds. It details issuance volumes, regional trends, the emergence of new sovereign issuers, and the evolving policy landscape regarding sustainable finance taxonomies.