Search Climate Insights Directory

The report assesses the alignment of Nepal's climate, disaster risk, and sustainable development policies within a new federal governance structure. It identifies six key entry points for alignment: institutional arrangements, existing policy synergies, capacity building, information-sharing mechanisms, implementation and financing strategies, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks. The document argues that strategic alignment will increase coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness in achieving climate-resilient development goals.

The analysis reveals that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) significantly underfunds energy access compared to large-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, with only 9% of its total portfolio and 14% of its energy-related funding dedicated to energy access. Furthermore, the GCF largely neglects 'high-impact' countries—those with the greatest energy deficits—allocating them only 15% of energy intervention dollars, which represents less than 1% of the annual funding required to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030. The report argues that GCF's prioritization of greenhouse gas mitigation over social benefits creates institutional barriers for small-scale, decentralized projects in low-emission, low-income regions.

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have established a framework for Paris alignment but face criticism for slow implementation timelines, vague mitigation criteria, and insufficient guidance on adaptation and resilience. The authors argue that MDBs must set firm dates for ending unaligned financing, publish clear positive and negative investment lists based on science, and adopt standardized reporting metrics to ensure transparency and effectiveness.

WRI's response to COVID-19 focuses on staff safety, virtual operations, and ensuring that global economic stimulus packages promote low-carbon development and climate protection rather than restoring high-carbon economies.

The commentary asserts that bold climate action is not a trade-off with economic growth but an engine for it, potentially delivering $26 trillion in net global economic benefits by 2030. It advocates for 'people-centered climate action' that uses inclusive processes to unlock benefits for marginalized groups, such as recycling carbon pricing revenues to support low-income households. The text provides sector-specific opportunities in energy, urban planning, and food systems, while emphasizing that adaptation investments of $1.8 trillion could yield $7.1 trillion in benefits. It highlights real-world examples from Indonesia, Canada, and Spain to demonstrate how low-carbon transitions can reduce poverty and create millions of green jobs.

The policy brief examines the political landscape of President Joko Widodo's second-term cabinet, noting that the inclusion of opposition figures may grant him control over 74 per cent of the People's Representative Council. While the new Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources is tasked with meeting renewable energy targets and reducing oil and gas imports, the document notes that Widodo's first term saw renewable energy overshadowed by coal power expansion and palm oil biodiesel projects. The brief highlights the 2019 Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) as a framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 while maintaining 6 per cent GDP growth.

The document outlines a 24-month project requesting USD 582,749 from the Green Climate Fund to develop a green bond market ecosystem in Jamaica. The initiative focuses on assessing the debt market, creating regional guidelines based on international standards, providing capacity building for market players, and developing a project concept for a green bond facility. It specifically aims to support the Caribbean region, including a mentorship partnership with Dominica to facilitate geothermal development financing.

The report examines Indonesia's transport fuel subsidy regime, noting that while 2015 reforms initially saved over USD 15 billion, subsidies re-emerged as the government fixed prices despite rising international oil costs. This underpricing, particularly of 'Premium' gasoline, resulted in an estimated IDR 54.5 trillion in foregone revenue for Pertamina between 2014 and 2019. The author argues that subsidizing low-quality, high-sulphur fuels exacerbates urban air pollution and health costs, citing a 2010 study where air pollution-related treatment costs in Jakarta reached IDR 38.5 trillion. The document also analyzes the life-cycle emissions of biodiesel and electric vehicles, noting that EVs powered by Indonesia's coal-heavy grid may increase global warming potential compared to internal combustion engines. To resolve these issues, the report proposes three pricing models—smoothing, ratcheting, and cap-and-floor—to minimize price volatility while ensuring fiscal sustainability.

The briefing outlines three critical objectives for national leaders at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit to align global efforts with the 1.5 degrees C warming limit. First, leaders are urged to pledge net-zero emissions by 2050, following examples like Suriname and Bhutan. Second, they must prepare to submit more ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement in 2020. Third, the document calls for a shift from 'brown' to 'green' financing, specifically halting coal plant funding and increasing contributions to the Green Climate Fund to support developing nations. The text emphasizes that investing $1.8 trillion in climate resilience from 2020 to 2030 could yield $7.1 trillion in net benefits.

The report, produced by CPI and I4CE, outlines a theoretical framework for Paris alignment based on scope, scale, and time horizon, and provides a roadmap for development finance institutions (DFIs) to implement these principles. It emphasizes the unique role of IDFC members in bridging public and private sectors to support low-GHG, climate-resilient development pathways through policy advice, risk mitigation, and updated investment criteria.

China's industrial sector, responsible for over 70% of national carbon emissions, is pursuing deep decarbonization through five primary trends: improving energy efficiency via stricter regulations, scaling the recycling of steel and plastics, increasing industrial electrification to reduce coal reliance, piloting carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and expanding hydrogen energy utilization.

The Jordan Integrated Landscape Management Initiative (JILMI) seeks to address climate-driven water scarcity and ecosystem degradation in Jordan. The project proposes a cross-sectoral approach to build climate resilience in the Jordan Rift Valley, Zarqa River Basin, and the Gulf of Aqaba. Key strategies include restoring degraded forests, reviving traditional 'Hima' herding practices, implementing small-scale sustainable energy technologies, and mainstreaming integrated landscape management (ILM) into national policy. The request seeks US$ 278,946.28 from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to conduct baseline assessments, gender analyses, and feasibility studies to inform a full funding proposal estimated at US$ 40 million.

The briefing contends that the current climate finance system is too reliant on international intermediaries and insufficient for achieving Paris Agreement goals. It proposes that national green investment banks (GIBs) provide a replicable model for developing countries to coordinate both foreign and domestic financial flows, reducing dependence on multilateral aid and enhancing national agency over low-carbon transitions.

China and India are pursuing low-carbon growth models while maintaining robust economic growth. Key areas of focus include the transition to inclusive sustainable growth, managing unprecedented urbanization through technologies like electric vehicles, and implementing carbon mitigation tools such as China's power sector carbon trading market and India's 'Perform, Achieve, Trade' energy efficiency scheme.

The document advocates for 'green urban industrialisation' in Ethiopia, specifically through a corridor approach that connects urban clusters. Using the Kombolcha–Mek’ele corridor as a case study, it suggests that integrating transport, infrastructure, and resource management across administrative boundaries can prevent carbon-intensive development and maximise economic productivity. Key recommendations include identifying catalytic projects in green housing, waste, and water management, improving institutional coordination between federal and regional levels, and aligning local urban plans with national climate strategies.

The 2018 Eastern Caribbean Green Economy Barometer evaluates the transition to a green economy (GE) in the OECS, concluding that progress is "below average." While member governments generally acknowledge the GE concept, the report finds that definitions remain narrow, often lacking focus on equity and inclusion. Key barriers include a lack of structured fiscal policies, the absence of finance ministries in GE dialogues, and a failure to integrate natural capital valuation into national policies. Despite these gaps, the report identifies "green shoots" such as renewable energy commitments in Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Lucia, as well as the Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP).

The briefing proposes the creation of 'America’s Climate Fund,' a nonfederal initiative to mobilize climate finance for low-income and vulnerable nations. While not intended to replace federal obligations or fill the $2 billion gap in Green Climate Fund promises, the fund would signal continued U.S. commitment to the Paris Agreement. The proposal suggests housing the fund in a nonprofit to ensure tax deductibility and political stability, with contributions coming from corporations, philanthropies, and crowdfunding. Disbursal options include direct contributions to multilateral funds like the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund, or co-financing specific low-carbon and climate-resilient projects.

The document discusses the potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to advance climate-resilient, low-carbon development in developing countries, specifically in relation to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

The paper explores the intersection of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and climate goals, arguing that exponential technologies—those with rapidly falling costs and improving performance—can allow developing nations to 'leapfrog' obsolete infrastructure. By analyzing the NDCs of six priority countries, the authors map potential applications of AI, blockchain, IoT, and advanced materials across energy, transport, and agriculture sectors. While highlighting opportunities for decarbonization and financial inclusion, the document warns of risks including job displacement due to automation and the potential for energy-intensive technology lock-in.

Togo has adopted a government-wide, multisectoral approach to climate change adaptation, treating it as a development issue central to its Vision 2030 goals. The country is systematically mainstreaming adaptation into national planning and the domestic budget, led by the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Key climate threats identified include heatwaves, droughts, floods, rainfall variability, and sea level rise, affecting priority sectors such as agriculture, coastal zones, health, human settlements, and water.