Search Climate Insights Directory

The document details the global cobalt market, highlighting the extreme concentration of mine production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and refining in China. It examines the shift toward battery-enabled end-uses, the role of Chinese investment in global supply, and the social risks associated with artisanal mining in the DRC.

The report examines the expansion of geothermal energy in Indonesia, highlighting the role of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank in funding projects that mitigate corporate risk while shifting social and environmental burdens to local communities. It documents specific instances of water depletion, pollution, and human rights abuses, arguing for a 'Feminist Just Transition' to ensure climate justice.

The 2026 ESMP for Biological Corridor 2 (BC 02) in Wangdue, Bhutan, focuses on the expansion of the Dazijab campsite. The project is classified as Category B, meaning potential environmental and social impacts are site-specific and reversible. Planned works include adding a secure compound fence and a four-unit traditional hot stone bath. The plan outlines mitigation measures for construction waste, noise, and occupational health and safety (OHS), while ensuring compliance with both Bhutanese law and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP).

The ESMP for Biological Corridor 08 (Bumthang) outlines the environmental and social safeguards for a 3-hectare high-value timber plantation planned for 2026. It details the ecological baseline of the 577.90 km² corridor, identifies potential risks such as soil disturbance and restriction of grazing routes, and prescribes specific mitigation measures. The plan also establishes monitoring arrangements, stakeholder engagement protocols, and comprehensive occupational health and safety standards for workers.

The report examines the social dimensions of deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Poland, emphasizing that technical feasibility alone is insufficient without a 'social license to operate.' It highlights the risks of public opposition—citing failures in the Netherlands and Australia—and contrasts them with successful engagement in Japan and Norway. The authors identify low public awareness and safety concerns as primary barriers in Poland and recommend a shift from top-down communication to partnership-based engagement, including early stakeholder involvement, transparent data sharing, and tangible local economic benefits.

Rhino Oil & Gas Exploration South Africa (Pty) Ltd has applied for two exploration rights, ER377 and ER378, to explore for natural gas, methane, helium, and hydrogen in the Free State Province. The project involves aeromagnetic surveys and the drilling of up to 20 wells, which may require significant water resources and infrastructure. Potential risks identified include water contamination, soil degradation, air pollution, and disruptions to agriculture and cultural heritage. The document emphasizes that the extraction of natural gas contributes to climate change through methane and carbon emissions. Public comments on the Draft EIA Reports are requested by 6 March 2025.

The report details the negative impacts of Ikwezi Mining's blasting operations on local communities, including structural damage to homes, psychosocial trauma in children, and cultural disruption. It highlights a lack of adequate blasting notices and a non-functional grievance mechanism, while recommending formalized blasting standards for rural South African communities.

The Maputo Floating Thermoelectric Power Plant Project, a partnership between Karpower and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), proposes a 415MW natural gas-powered floating station in the Espírito Santo Estuary. The project includes a 4km transmission line and a 3km gas pipeline. Potential risks include the degradation of mangrove ecosystems, loss of livelihoods for artisanal fishers in Matola, Katembe, and Maputo city, and increased respiratory diseases due to reduced air quality. The document highlights the risk of 'locking-in' to costly fossil fuel agreements that could crowd out renewable energy alternatives. It also notes Karpower's controversial track record in South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, and Brazil, including allegations of environmental racism and human rights violations.

The Sierra Leone Coastal Resilience Project's GESI Action Plan establishes a framework to integrate marginalized groups into coastal adaptation. It focuses on three main components: strengthening community governance and WASH infrastructure, enhancing climate-resilient food systems and livelihoods, and implementing ecosystem-based adaptation through mangrove restoration. The plan sets specific quantitative targets for the participation of women, youth (under 35), and people with disabilities across all project activities, supported by a dedicated GESI specialist and budget allocations for inclusive training and infrastructure.

The document argues that mine closures often exacerbate the social, economic, and domestic vulnerability of women, who are frequently excluded from decision-making and formal employment in the mining sector. It outlines how gender-blind closure processes can lead to increased gender-based violence, food insecurity, and a higher burden of unpaid care work. To counter this, the report recommends that governments mandate gender-based analysis in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), ensure women's representation in closure committees, and provide targeted social services and retraining for women in the service and supply sectors during the transition to post-mining economies.

The report identifies eight enabling factors to improve social acceptance of wind energy projects in La Guajira, Colombia, where high social conflict has led to project delays and suspensions. It emphasizes the need for transparent information, regulated community advisors, recognition of ancestral Wayuu leadership, and standardized benefit distribution to ensure a just energy transition.

The document outlines TEEPSA's proposal to extract gas and explore for other reserves in Block 11B/12B, located 75 km from Cape St Francis and 120 km from Mossel Bay. It details the planned drilling activities, the use of the F-A platform, and the potential environmental and social impacts, including risks to marine biodiversity, local livelihoods, and the climate. While TEEPSA claims the project will create thousands of jobs and provide a lower-carbon alternative to coal for power generation, the guide highlights concerns regarding fossil fuel investment and the disruption of cultural and spiritual connections to the sea.

The ESMP outlines mitigation strategies for three primary activities in the Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve: alpine meadow restoration, the construction of two reservoir tanks in the Thangdokha Watershed, and bio-engineering works at water sources. It identifies potential risks such as forest fires, masonry waste, and occupational health and safety hazards, providing specific mitigation measures and monitoring arrangements to ensure compliance with Bhutanese law and WWF safeguards.

The ESMP for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary outlines mitigation strategies for five key activities: restoring alpine meadows, improving lowland grasslands, implementing bioengineering for watershed management, restoring natural saltlicks, and maintaining the Joenkhar Range Office. It integrates Bhutanese national laws with WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), prioritizing the latter in cases of discrepancy, particularly regarding compensation for non-title land users and community consultation. The plan details specific environmental risks, such as the spread of invasive alien species and waste generation, and mandates strict occupational health and safety (OHS) standards for workers, including the provision of safety gear and standardized living facilities.

The paper examines the social impacts of transitioning to a circular economy in Umeå, Sweden, focusing on seven social impact categories, including employment, access to services, and participation. While stakeholders generally perceive the transition as a "win-win-win" for the environment, economy, and people, the authors suggest this lack of perceived negative impact may indicate insufficient consideration of societal consequences or a lack of civil society participation in the strategy's design.

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that India's coal mining sector suffers from chronic underutilization, with 36% of approved capacity idled, making the 99 proposed coal mine projects (427 mtpa) unnecessary. The report highlights that existing capacity is sufficient to meet long-term demand and that new projects threaten to displace 165 villages, affect 87,630 families, and consume 168,041 kiloliters of water daily. Furthermore, these expansions risk creating stranded assets and carbon lock-in as India pursues a 2070 net-zero target and expands its solar power capacity.

The document analyzes the resource requirements and potential externalities of direct air capture (DAC) at both a single-plant (1 MtCO2/year) and a system-wide (0.5 GtCO2/year) scale. It finds that while on-site emissions are low, significant impacts arise from energy demand, land use, and the materials supply chain. The authors argue that responsible scaling requires project-specific social and environmental impact assessments, robust community engagement, and the use of legal agreements like Community Benefits Agreements to ensure equitable distribution of benefits, such as job creation.

The document argues that digital communication often amplifies existing offline injustices and creates new ones through digital divides, surveillance, and the weaponization of information. It advocates for a transformative movement based on communication rights, inclusive design, and the protection of privacy to ensure digital spaces serve human dignity rather than corporate profit or state control.

The document argues that digital justice is an extension of social and ecological justice, requiring a multi-dimensional approach to address the digital divide, surveillance, and the weaponization of information. It emphasizes that communication is a fundamental human right and calls for a faith-inspired movement to resist the concentration of power in tech monopolies and state surveillance. The guide highlights specific vulnerabilities of women, ethnic minorities, and disabled persons, while linking digital consumption to environmental degradation through electronic waste and energy use.

The document argues that digital communication often mirrors and amplifies existing offline inequalities, creating new forms of exclusion and oppression. It identifies five key areas of concern: global digital divides, barriers to digital spaces, the militarization of digital resources, the vulnerability of marginalized groups, and the erosion of privacy through surveillance. The guide advocates for a 'transformative movement' based on human rights and faith to ensure digital tools serve human dignity rather than corporate profit or state control. It specifically highlights the intersection of digital justice with gender equality, racial justice, and ecological sustainability, calling for a 'right to repair' and a transition to sustainable energy for digital infrastructure.