Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) examines how six Canadian municipalities manage weed control under cosmetic pesticide bans. It finds that cities can maintain acceptable green space standards without toxic pesticides by shifting resources toward cultural turf maintenance, mechanical control, and strategic prioritization of high-visibility areas, all while keeping budgets stable and maintaining public support.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Q3 2018 report on the Chinese green bond market details a total issuance of USD 8.5 billion for the quarter, with a cumulative USD 21.5 billion for the first three quarters of 2018. The report highlights the dominance of financial corporates, the growth of local government financing vehicles, and the ongoing alignment challenges between Chinese and international green bond definitions.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines policies and strategies used by governments to promote direct local employment in the mining sector. It outlines a five-step process for developing local employment policies and categorizes interventions into regulatory 'stick'-based approaches and facilitative 'carrot'-based incentives. The document emphasizes the importance of matching labour supply with industry demand, promoting gender equity and Indigenous participation, and preparing for technological shifts such as automation.

This briefing note provides background for an IISD webinar on the development and negotiation of model bilateral investment treaties (BITs). It examines why countries are revising their investment governance frameworks, the shift toward more transparent consultation processes, and the substantive changes in new-generation models aimed at protecting the right to regulate and promoting sustainable development.

The report 'State of the Market 2018: Corporate Renewable Procurement in China' analyzes the transition of China's renewable energy market from a feed-in-tariff (FiT) system to a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). It examines the available mechanisms for corporations to procure green electricity, noting that while on-site solar and direct investments are currently viable, large-scale transaction mechanisms remain limited and dependent on evolving provincial and national policies.

This fact sheet examines the role of insurance and alternative risk financing in building financial resilience against climate change. It details the growing 'protection gap'—the difference between total economic losses and insured losses—and explores emerging tools such as catastrophe bonds, microinsurance, and sovereign risk pools designed to manage the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the state of regional economic development within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It analyzes the decline in intra-regional trade and investment since 2013, the persisting overdependence on primary commodities, and the structural, infrastructural, and political-economic barriers hindering deeper integration. The document evaluates current initiatives, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), while providing case studies on sector diversification in Mozambique, the macadamia nut regional value chain, and transport infrastructure in Tanzania and Namibia.

This report analyzes the police shootings at 'Scene 2' (also known as Koppie 3) during the Marikana massacre on 16 August 2012, where 17 people were killed by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The author argues that there is no credible evidence that strikers attacked police at Scene 2, and that many victims were shot while surrendering or were hit by reckless gunfire directed into a 'killing zone'. The report highlights a systemic pattern of dishonesty and collusion among SAPS members to manufacture a self-justifying narrative, often using a misleading media statement as a script.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights examines the negative environmental and social externalities of coal-fired power generation in South Africa, with a primary focus on water use, pollution, and the associated economic costs. It argues that current energy planning, specifically the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), fails to internalise these costs, leading to a misrepresentation of the total cost of coal compared to renewable energy alternatives.

The China Green Bond Market Mid-Year Report 2018 by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the performance and alignment of Chinese green bonds from January to June 2018, highlighting a growth in issuance driven by the private sector and a continuing gap between domestic and international green bond definitions.

This July 2018 briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the state of the green bond market in India, highlighting a cumulative issuance of USD 6.5 billion and a strong dominance of renewable energy projects. The report details the roles of public and private sector issuers, the prevalence of external certifications, and potential growth areas in transport, buildings, and agriculture.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted provisional comments on June 29, 2018, regarding the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) proposed amendments to the 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in South Africa. The CER argues that the public consultation process was inadequate and that the draft Framework fails to address systemic failures in air quality monitoring, enforcement, and the achievement of previous targets.

This amicus curiae brief, submitted by a coalition of environmental law organizations, urges the court to vacate the Bali Governor's Decree granting an environmental permit for the expansion of the PLTU Celukan Bawang coal-fired power plant. The brief argues that the project's environmental impact analysis (ANDAL) is legally insufficient because it fails to comprehensively assess climate change impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and the project's vulnerability to sea-level rise.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) submitted comments on May 27, 2018, regarding the Alberta Energy Regulator's (AER) Draft Directive 060 and Directive 017. CAPE argues that Alberta's proposed methane regulations are generally less stringent and less enforceable than federal regulations, potentially leading to higher emissions and associated public health risks from co-pollutants.

The report 'Coal To Clean' by Ember (May 2018) analyzes the UK's transition away from coal power, concluding that the country is on track to phase out coal by 2025 without the need for new large gas-fired power plants. It argues that renewables, interconnectors, and small peaking gas plants can provide the necessary capacity and backup, allowing the UK to avoid a 'gas bridge' and move directly toward clean power generation.

This report by Sandbag summarises feedback from 15 stakeholders regarding the barriers to decarbonising industrial sectors within the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS). It identifies systemic issues in carbon pricing, the design of product benchmarks, and regulatory norms that discourage breakthrough low-carbon investments in favour of incremental improvements.

The Green Economy Barometer 2018 Mongolia, produced by the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Centre (EPCRC) for the Green Economy Coalition, evaluates Mongolia's transition toward a sustainable economy. The report highlights a significant gap between the government's legislative commitments and actual implementation, ranking Mongolia's progress as 3 out of 10. While the country faces severe environmental challenges—including extreme air pollution in Ulaanbaatar and widespread land degradation—it has established national frameworks like the National Green Development Policy and Sustainable Development Vision 2030 to guide its transition.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides written submissions on the March 2018 Final Draft Report of Climate Change Mitigation Policies and Measures (PAMs). The CER supports the examination of policy effectiveness but identifies several gaps, including the need for better alignment between various government climate projects, the exclusion of certain greenhouse gases and externalities in socio-economic analyses, and a lack of rationale for prioritizing coal-to-liquid production through 2050. The CER emphasizes that the report's findings—specifically regarding the electricity sector as the key to decarbonization—should inform the revision of the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP 2010).

The Kingdom of Belgium issued a EUR 4.5 billion green government bond (OLO) to finance climate and environmental projects, with a primary focus on clean transport.

This article analyzes a decision by the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) regarding the 2012 Forest Code (Law No. 12,651/2012), specifically focusing on how contradictory rulings regarding the Environmental Reserve Quote (CRA) create legal uncertainty and potentially weaken this market-based mechanism for environmental regularization.