Search Climate Insights Directory

This document outlines the methodology used by Ember for its Coal Mine Methane Emissions Tracker datatool, specifically detailing how confidence scores are assigned to national coal mine methane (CMM) emissions reported to the UNFCCC.

This research paper from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the UNFCCC climate regime's resilience to global crises depends on addressing structural inequities and power imbalances between the Global North and Global South, which were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This synthesis report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the integration of gender-responsive approaches within National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes globally, coinciding with the midpoint of the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.

This report, presented as an interview between CIEL staff, criticizes the COP26 presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat for failing to deliver on a promise of the "most inclusive COP ever." It details how unprecedented restrictions on access to negotiating areas in Glasgow have marginalized civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and representatives from the Global South, thereby hindering the monitoring of key climate discussions and the inclusion of frontline perspectives.

This fact sheet by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the potential for a digital transition within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. It explores how moving activities online could serve as a catalyst to improve the effectiveness, inclusiveness, and transparency of climate diplomacy, while identifying significant barriers such as a lack of trust among Parties and concerns over structural inequities.

A statement by the YOUNGO Health Working Group emphasizing the necessity of meaningful youth participation in climate and health negotiations to facilitate an ecological recovery post-COVID-19 and to address the climate crisis as a health emergency.

The NAP Global Network Secretariat is providing support to 20 country partners in the preparation of their first adaptation communications (ADCOM) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), focusing on common questions and the links between ADCOMs and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes.

This fact sheet provides guidance on Adaptation Communications (ADCOMs) under the UNFCCC, explaining their purpose, voluntary nature, and flexible submission options. It specifically details how countries can align ADCOMs with National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes to reduce reporting burdens and provide input for the first global stocktake.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) evaluates the feasibility and desirability of transitioning United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings to online formats. Based on stakeholder surveys and interviews, it argues that while the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that many UNFCCC activities can be held virtually, a meaningful transition requires addressing deep-seated issues of trust, power imbalances, and the digital divide to avoid exacerbating existing inequities.

This research paper analyzes the first 29 long-term low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development strategies (LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC by June 2021. The authors identify common trends in midcentury targets, mitigation modeling, sectoral transitions, and governance frameworks, noting a significant shift toward net-zero goals and a broader focus on societal transformation beyond simple mitigation modeling.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute examines the design and data requirements for an effective Global Stocktake (GST) process under the Paris Agreement, identifying four primary functions the process should fulfill and proposing specific mechanisms to maximize its effectiveness.

This report by the NewClimate Institute examines methods to strengthen the role of sustainable development and safeguarding provisions within the design of mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, drawing on experiences from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), voluntary markets, and non-UNFCCC multilateral institutions.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the evolution of global climate governance from the 1979 World Climate Conference to the 2015 Paris Agreement. It examines the shift from 'top-down' prescriptive instruments like the Kyoto Protocol to 'bottom-up' participatory frameworks, highlighting the ongoing tension between universal participation and the equitable distribution of responsibilities based on historical emissions and national capacities.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines youth climate advocacy in Africa, focusing on the roles of civil society, government, and international networks. It documents how young people are transitioning from symbolic participants to active agents of change through networking, social media, and policy engagement, while highlighting the systemic barriers—such as the digital divide and tokenism—that hinder meaningful intergenerational equity in climate governance.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative examines recent developments in climate adaptation finance, highlighting the growing gap between estimated adaptation costs and current funding levels. It discusses the roles of the UNFCCC Adaptation Committee and the Adaptation Fund, the challenges in tracking adaptation finance flows, and the economic risks associated with nature loss as identified by the World Economic Forum. The document argues that addressing these challenges requires a fundamental rethinking of production, redistribution, and equity to support the most vulnerable populations.

This executive summary proposes a framework and recommendations for the design of the Global Stocktake (GST) under the Paris Agreement to ensure it effectively assesses collective progress toward long-term goals.

This report, produced by the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), serves as a compilation of decisions and conclusions adopted by the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that reference Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge. Updated to reflect the outcomes of the Katowice Climate Conference (COP-24), the document outlines the legal framework provided by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and tracks the increasing integration of Indigenous rights and knowledge into climate policies, specifically highlighting the establishment of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform.

This research paper, published by the NewClimate Institute and prepared by the Project for Advancing Climate Transparency (PACT) consortium, outlines requirements and practical suggestions for the implementing guidelines of the Paris Agreement. It aims to assist negotiators in meeting a December 2018 deadline to operationalize the agreement by addressing gaps in planning, implementation, and review processes.

This policy brief by SEI, IDDRI, and ODI argues that climate adaptation must shift from a local-to-national focus to a transboundary perspective. It contends that because climate risks are 'borderless'—affecting global supply chains, migration, and ecosystems—international cooperation through the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement is essential to prevent 'climate change contagion' in the global economy.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law describes the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative process designed to raise climate ambition and inform future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The document provides a roadmap for civil society and indigenous peoples to integrate human rights, gender equality, and just transition principles into the dialogue's narrative through a specific, story-based methodology.