Search Climate Insights Directory

This report, authored by early-career researchers at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), presents a youth-led vision for a healthy planet by 2030. Based on a survey of 1,050 young people across 89 countries, the document advocates for systemic change, the replacement of economic growth with community-focused metrics of prosperity, and the formal integration of youth into political and economic decision-making processes.

A survey of over 300 municipalities and Indigenous communities in the Prairie provinces reveals that while over 80% have experienced unusual extreme weather in the last decade, formal preparation is low, with only 5% having completed a formal adaptation plan. Communities report significant barriers to progress, including limited financial resources, staff time, and technical skills.

The report analyzes a 2020 survey of 70 Manitoba producers to identify drivers of beneficial management practice (BMP) adoption. It finds that younger, more educated producers operating larger farms, those receiving financial assistance, and those in Living Lab – Eastern Prairies watersheds are more likely to adopt BMPs. Primary barriers are economic, specifically high upfront costs, while the strongest incentives are improving soil health and farm profitability. The study emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer networks and tailored information delivery, noting that Living Lab participation generally improves producer relationships with government agencies and other farmers.

Based on a July 2022 survey of approximately 1,200 households in Cox’s Bazar, the report finds that while public school attendance in the Bangladeshi host community increased after the pandemic, there was a dramatic 30% drop in attendance at NGO learning centres for female Rohingya youths over age 12. The decline for refugee girls is attributed to family obligations, marriage, and a deteriorating security situation in the camps, whereas male refugee dropouts are more frequently linked to the need for income-generating work.

The document examines Redeyef, a marginalised Tunisian mining town where economic decline and corruption have made migration a primary strategy for hope. While most young adults aspire to migrate and many have ties abroad, regular pathways are increasingly difficult, leading to a rise in risky irregular migration. Despite strong transnational ties, remittances are limited to a minority of households and have not significantly contributed to the town's collective development.

The report presents a vision for a healthy planet based on solidarity, equality, and living within planetary boundaries. It argues that current economic metrics like GDP fuel environmental degradation and calls for a shift toward health and well-being. Based on a survey of over 900 youth from 89 countries, it highlights widespread climate anxiety and a perceived lack of youth agency in global governance. The authors propose specific policy pathways, including a Global Resilience Mechanism for social security, inclusive disaster risk reduction, and a rapid low-carbon transition. It emphasizes the need to move beyond tokenistic youth representation toward meaningful decision-making power and comprehensive climate education.

The 2021 NDC Update Report finds that while 95% of surveyed countries have strengthened greenhouse gas emissions targets, overall progress remains too slow and pledges insufficient. The report highlights a significant gap in long-term strategies (LTSs), with only 17% of Parties having communicated one to the UNFCCC as of October 2021. It emphasizes the critical role of subnational governments, noting that 80% of respondents view them as important for NDC implementation and 75% report their actual involvement in planning. The document warns against using 'green recovery' narratives as a 'smokescreen' for inaction and calls for a just transition to manage trade-offs between climate action and sustainable development goals.

The report finds a significant increase in public support for climate action by the US president and Congress across various political affiliations, with record-high priority levels among Democrats and notable increases among Republicans.

The report examines the shift from in-person to virtual negotiations within the UNCITRAL Working Group III on ISDS reform and the WTO Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on investment facilitation. While virtual formats reduce costs and increase the participation of capital-based and junior officials, they significantly hinder informal communication, coalition building, and the ability of negotiators to focus due to competing day-to-day work priorities. The authors recommend a hybrid approach for future negotiations, using virtual tools for technical preparatory phases and in-person meetings for substantive compromise-seeking.

A February 2021 international survey of Facebook users across more than 30 countries and territories reveals overwhelming public support for the Paris Climate Agreement and a widespread desire for governments to prioritize climate action, with the strongest support found in Central and South America.

The document examines the digital divide's impact on climate practitioners in Africa, Asia, and South America, identifying barriers such as unreliable electricity and high data costs while highlighting the benefits of increased accessibility and reduced travel costs. It provides specific lessons from IPCC meetings and national processes in Kenya and Peru to improve inclusivity in virtual spaces.

The report finds that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Indonesia's energy efficiency sector, primarily through significant drops in sales turnover for facility managers, leading to the postponement of planned efficiency projects. While energy costs decreased, other operational costs rose due to health protocols. Despite this, both facility managers and business actors remain optimistic about post-pandemic recovery, emphasizing the need for digitalization, advanced control systems, and government support. Recommended government interventions include reducing bank loan interest, providing fiscal incentives/disincentives, and implementing energy efficiency projects within state-owned buildings to stimulate demand.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Indonesia's energy efficiency sector, leading to postponed projects and reduced revenue for facility managers. While business managers and facility managers remain optimistic about long-term recovery, they maintain conservative revenue projections for 2021-2022 due to economic uncertainty. The report highlights a critical need for government intervention, specifically through bank loan interest reductions, tax deductions, and the use of National Economic Recovery (PEN) funds to stimulate demand for energy efficiency projects in both public and private sectors.

The document analyzes how Swedish municipalities approach sustainable consumption, noting that while awareness is high, there is a critical lack of consumption monitoring and political support. It recommends systematic impact analysis of municipal purchases, increased political prioritization, and a stronger coordinating role for County Administrative Boards to facilitate knowledge sharing and national-local alignment.

The document assesses the capacity of Sweden's County Administrative Boards to drive sustainable consumption, finding that while most are already active despite lacking a formal mandate, they require more political support, financial resources, and clear national guidelines to effectively coordinate municipal and corporate actions.

The report analyzes the issuance of labeled sovereign bonds based on dialogues with 19 issuers across developed and emerging markets. It identifies that ministers are the primary decision-makers and that curbing climate change and stimulating local markets are the main drivers for issuance. The document details the operational steps from decision-making and framework development to roadshows and pricing, noting that GSS bonds often achieve a 'greenium' (lower yields) and attract a more diverse investor base. It concludes that sovereign bonds are critical for catalyzing the broader transition to a low-carbon economy by setting standards and increasing market liquidity.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign green, social, and sustainable (VSS) bonds based on a survey of 19 issuers from developed and emerging markets. It finds that these instruments are primarily driven by climate mitigation goals and the desire to catalyze local green bond markets. The report details the decision-making process, which is typically led by ministers and supported by inter-ministerial working groups, and the preparation phase, which often involves 'budget tagging' to identify eligible expenditures. Key findings indicate that VSS bonds often attract higher demand and can achieve a 'greenium' (lower yields) compared to vanilla bonds, while diversifying the investor base. The document concludes that sovereign VSS bonds serve as a catalyst for broader market growth and provides a seven-step framework to propel the market toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign GSS bonds based on a survey of 19 countries, finding that these instruments often attract a broader investor base and can price with a 'greenium' (lower yield) compared to vanilla bonds. It highlights that most issuers use GSS bonds to support national climate strategies and local market growth, typically managing the process through internal working groups and budget tagging of existing expenditures.

Based on a survey of 98 policy makers and experts from 83 countries, the report finds that while fundamental drivers for a low-carbon transition remain, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed NDC and LTS processes. It warns that many countries do not currently plan to significantly increase their ambition in the current update cycle and that short-term economic relief may lead to the bailing out of polluting industries without climate conditions. The report urges countries to act before the 2025 update cycle to avoid the scale of the task becoming unreachable.

The report details how COVID-19 disrupted artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) through health risks, supply chain breaks, and reduced market access. While many governments maintained basic support, the pandemic exacerbated vulnerabilities for women and increased the risk of illicit mining due to weakened government monitoring.