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The briefing examines how nature-based infrastructure (NBI) can provide equitable benefits for women, who are disproportionately affected by climate change. It highlights that while women often face barriers to accessing natural resources due to social norms and land tenure systems, NBI projects—such as mangrove restoration in Senegal or agroforestry in Belgium—can protect livelihoods and improve public health. The author emphasizes that integrating gender-responsive approaches and capacity-building strategies is essential for making climate adaptation more effective and sustainable. To support this, the IISD's NBI Global Resource Centre aims to incorporate gender-disaggregated data and specific gender-related questions into the valuation of NBI projects to ensure inclusive benefits.

The document introduces the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, a simulation-based tool designed to calculate environmental, social, governance, and climate risks, as well as externalities in infrastructure projects. It details the three-pronged modelling approach—system dynamics, project finance, and spatially explicit models—to provide a more comprehensive cost-benefit analysis than traditional financial valuations. The report provides sector-specific examples (energy, buildings, roads, wastewater, irrigation, and natural infrastructure) and outlines how these modules can be integrated into Indonesia's Vision 2045 (IV2045) system dynamics model to bridge top-down national strategy with bottom-up project implementation.

The UNEP Regional Seas Programme employs a regionalized approach to ocean governance, coordinating actions across 18 Conventions and Action Plans involving over 146 countries. While it has achieved significant milestones in pollution management and biodiversity conservation, its effectiveness is hindered by political instability, funding gaps, and weak enforcement.

The project aims to protect and restore forest ecosystems in three target areas of Senegal—the Niayes zone, the Delta of Sine Saloum, and the Casamance—to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and enhance adaptation for approximately 834,453 direct beneficiaries. The strategy centers on upscaling Sustainable Forest Management Plans (SFMPs), implementing a Payment for Forest Ecosystem Services (PFES) mechanism, and introducing rainwater harvesting to reduce community dependence on forest resources. With a total indicative cost of US$ 24.5 million, the project seeks US$ 15.0 million in GCF grants to address financial barriers in a Least Developed Country (LDC) context.

The Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (PIFWA) has planted 300,000 mangrove trees on Malaysia's west coast to combat deforestation caused by shrimp farming, infrastructure, and pollution. By combining silviculture with community education and monitoring, PIFWA has achieved a 90% tree survival rate and helped revive local biodiversity, including increased shellfish and crab populations. The association also operates a conservation education centre and a women's group, PIFWANITA, which develops sustainable forest products.

The document presents an economic evaluation of the Saloum Delta in Senegal, demonstrating that preserving and restoring mangrove forests is a more cost-effective alternative to 'grey' infrastructure. Using the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, it quantifies the financial benefits of ecosystem services and compares them against the costs of built infrastructure and the impacts of various development scenarios, such as organic farming, reforestation, and solar cooking.

The document examines urban flood challenges in five Sub-Saharan cities, highlighting the transition from traditional grey infrastructure to Integrated Flood Risk Management (IFRM) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). It details specific interventions across Accra, Cape Town, Durban, Nairobi, and Mombasa, emphasizing that effective flood governance requires multi-stakeholder collaboration and the integration of social principles to protect vulnerable populations in informal settlements.

The annex evaluates the gap between the economic mitigation potential of forests and the quantitative targets set in NDCs for 32 high-potential countries. It identifies a global annual finance need for forest protection and restoration ranging from USD 45 billion to USD 460 billion, while noting that current 'green finance' flows are significantly lower than 'grey finance' flows directed toward sectors like agriculture.

The paper analyzes how Bangladesh, Malabon City (Philippines), and Cartagena (Colombia) have integrated climate adaptation into coastal development to bridge the 'implementation gap' between planning and action. It identifies key success factors including political will, legislative mandates, access to credible climate data, and the allocation of domestic funding. While Bangladesh has seen significant reductions in cyclone casualties and Colombia has leveraged private sector leadership, challenges such as political instability, fragmented information, and insufficient funding persist across the studied regions.

The paper examines nature-based solutions (NbS) in coastal cities across India, South Africa, Seychelles, and Tanzania, highlighting how integrating traditional knowledge and community empowerment can enhance urban resilience. It argues that for NbS to be effective in the Global South, they must be aligned with broader development agendas to address socio-economic inequalities and generate green jobs.

The briefing discusses strategies for enhancing resilience in the U.S. Caribbean, focusing on Puerto Rico's transition toward a renewable energy economy centered on rooftop solar and the U.S. Virgin Islands' efforts to integrate natural infrastructure into hazard mitigation plans.

The report examines the GRP's approach to fostering an environment where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity rather than a cause for penalty. Through case studies of seven projects, it highlights the importance of trust, flexible targets, and adaptive management in refining resilience solutions. Key recommendations include designing projects for 'probe-sense-respond' cycles and establishing clear failure thresholds to avoid wasting investment on ineffective pilots.

The report identifies 76 climate solutions categorized into reducing emission sources, reinforcing carbon sinks, and improving social equity. It argues that the world can reach the Drawdown point by the mid-2040s if existing solutions are scaled rapidly, noting that the net operational savings of these solutions outweigh implementation costs by four to five times. Key high-impact solutions include reducing food waste, improving health and education, and transitioning to renewable energy like wind and solar. The document emphasizes that these solutions are interconnected and require 'accelerators' such as policy changes and capital shifts to achieve the necessary scale and speed.

The Drawdown Review 2020 argues that the world can reach Drawdown by the mid-2040s to mid-2060s by scaling existing technologies and practices. The framework categorizes solutions into reducing emission sources, supporting carbon sinks, and improving society. The report emphasizes that the financial benefits of these solutions, with operational savings exceeding implementation costs four to five times over, outweigh the costs of action.

The Climate Solutions Partnership (CSP) report details the results of a five-year philanthropic commitment to scale climate innovation and nature-based solutions. Key achievements include unlocking US$635.4 million in finance, avoiding 7.81 million tonnes of GHG emissions, and managing 13 million hectares for biodiversity. The program implemented diverse projects, such as renewable energy aggregation for SMEs in China, solar-powered dairy cooling in India, and the development of environmental compensation laws in Mexico and El Salvador. It also focused on supply chain transparency in the palm oil sector and the creation of financial toolkits to combat environmental crimes.

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 report assesses Tanzania's vulnerability to climate change, specifically sea-level rise and storm surges, and evaluates the role of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in mitigating these risks. It finds that while Tanzania possesses critical ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, these are threatened by population growth and industrial development. The document highlights a gap in policy architecture, noting that EbA is not explicitly included in the current Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). It identifies institutional fragmentation and a lack of spatial data as key challenges, while suggesting opportunities in blue carbon, sustainable ecotourism, and community-led co-management models.

The document assesses Mozambique's coastal ecosystems—specifically mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds—and their role in ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) against climate threats. It identifies significant vulnerabilities to cyclones, sea-level rise, and temperature increases, while highlighting institutional gaps in technical capacity and inter-sectoral coordination. The report evaluates the role of state actors, NGOs, and local communities, and recommends integrating EbA more deeply into national development strategies and exploring innovative financing like biodiversity offsets.

The Green Climate Fund country programme for Equatorial Guinea establishes a flexible framework for climate action, identifying key vulnerabilities in agriculture, energy, and forestry. It details a portfolio of seven priority projects—ranging from natural gas public transport to mangrove restoration—designed to prompt a national paradigm shift toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. The document emphasizes the need for international financing, as the country cannot fund this transition independently, and highlights the critical role of gender mainstreaming in climate resilience.

The report advocates for the integration of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) into national climate policies and strategies in Southern Africa. It defines EbA as the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services to help people adapt to climate change, highlighting the value of mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrasses. The document identifies significant barriers to scaling EbA, including fragmented institutional governance, lack of quantitative cost-benefit data, and insufficient financing. It proposes innovative funding mechanisms like blue carbon projects and environmental impact bonds, and emphasizes the necessity of community-led partnerships and gender-inclusive approaches to ensure sustainable implementation.