Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that community-based forest governance (CFG) is essential for halting unprecedented forest destruction, which it attributes to consumerism, unfair distribution of goods, and colonial legacies. It defines CFG as the collective regulations and practices used by communities for the conservation and sustainable use of forests, contrasting this with 'forest science' models that often facilitate devastation. The report identifies key characteristics of successful CFG, including clear boundary definition, traditional resource knowledge, and participatory regulation. It highlights the critical role of women, who often possess distinct knowledge of non-timber forest products and water protection, and emphasizes that their inclusion is vital for holistic governance. Through various case studies, the document illustrates the struggle for land tenure and the impact of industrial pressures, such as palm oil in Indonesia and pulp production in Brazil. It further critiques the role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and environmental services markets, arguing that the commodification of nature often privatizes heritage and marginalizes the poor. Finally, it links forest conservation to food sovereignty, public health, and disaster resilience, proposing a shift toward local production and fair timber markets.

The report argues that community forest management (GCB) is a vital tool for environmental conservation and social justice, contrasting it with industrial logging and monoculture plantations. It provides a framework for successful GCB, including the need for clear boundaries, participatory regulation, and legal recognition. The document details case studies from India, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia, France, Greece, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, and Haiti, illustrating both successful community-led conservation and the violent resistance against corporate land grabs. It further critiques the role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs), the impact of global consumerism on forest destruction, and the risks associated with 'environmental services' markets, while advocating for food sovereignty and the restoration of native forests.

The report contends that corporate-driven trade deals, such as TTIP, TISA, and CETA, obstruct the transition to renewable energy and empower corporations to sue governments over environmental regulations. It highlights the role of the WTO and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms in protecting polluting industries and criticizes 'false solutions' like carbon trading and REDD+. The authors call for a democratic economic approach that prioritizes local resources and sustainable development over growth-at-all-costs trade regimes.

The report argues that community forest management, based on traditional knowledge and collective rights, is essential for biodiversity conservation and social justice. It contrasts this with industrial logging and monoculture plantations, which it links to neoliberal globalization, international financial institution funding, and the marginalization of indigenous peoples. Through case studies from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, it demonstrates how local control of resources can ensure food sovereignty, climate resilience, and poverty alleviation.

Sand to Green, supported by the Catalyst Fund through the Catalysing Climate Resilience (CCR) Programme, uses agroforestry and solar desalination to transform deserts into productive farmland. With $100,000 in initial capital and tailored support, the firm secured $1 million in seed funding, expanded its land holdings to 30 hectares in Morocco, and grew its annual turnover from €30,000 in 2019 to over €100,000 in 2020.

The guidelines outline the scope of the forest and land use result area, identifying key intervention areas such as forest restoration, sustainable management, deforestation-free supply chains, and REDD+. It defines the 'paradigm shift' required for sustainable development pathways and provides a framework for impact measurement using GCF's integrated results management framework. The document also lists indicative 'SAP-able' activities, such as blockchain for forest management and agroforestry, while explicitly excluding activities that cause resettlement or use exotic species that harm native biodiversity.

The project aims to benefit approximately 182,850 people in Karnali Province, Nepal, by restoring 1,000 hectares of degraded forests and bringing 10,000 hectares under sustainable management. It focuses on reducing vulnerability to landslides, droughts, and floods while promoting climate-smart livelihoods through non-timber forest product (NTFP) micro-enterprises and alternative energy solutions. The initiative includes technical support for 30 municipalities to develop Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) and the establishment of early warning systems in six high-risk municipalities.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accreditation Panel assessed PROPARCO, a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), for international access to climate finance. The assessment found that PROPARCO meets most fiduciary and gender policy standards and is capable of managing high-risk environmental and social projects, provided it implements a formal external complaint mechanism. While PROPARCO demonstrated a strong track record in loans and equity, it only partially demonstrated its capacity for guarantee operations, leading to a conditional recommendation for accreditation.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) assessed the Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) for re-accreditation. While the GCF recommends re-accreditation for a second term, it did not grant the requested upgrade to 'small' project size or 'medium risk' (category B) status, maintaining the entity's 'micro' size and 'minimal to no risk' (category C) status. The assessment found that CSE aligns with GCF's strategic goals, particularly in climate change adaptation in Senegal, but identified gaps in its internal audit functions, risk management, and grievance redress mechanisms. Re-accreditation is subject to several conditions, including the operationalization of an independent internal audit function and the appointment of an independent observer for its grievance mechanism.

The document outlines the role of forests in climate adaptation and mitigation, identifies strategic intervention areas such as forest restoration and 'zero-deforestation' supply chains, and defines the criteria for a 'paradigm shift' in land use. It provides a performance measurement framework with specific indicators for GCF-level impacts and project results, alongside a matrix of eligible and ineligible activities for the SAP.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has introduced a pilot scheme to reduce the time and effort required for approving small-scale projects. To be eligible, projects must have transformative potential, request no more than 10 million USD, and have minimal to no environmental and social risks. The scheme utilizes simplified Concept Notes and Funding Proposals, with a specific goal that direct access entities comprise at least half of the approved projects. Projects with known 'risk factors'—such as those affecting indigenous peoples or critical infrastructure—are excluded regardless of their scale.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has updated its Simplified Approval Process (SAP) to accelerate the delivery of small-scale climate projects. To be eligible, projects must request a GCF contribution of up to 25 million USD and have minimal to no negative environmental or social impacts. The update introduces several streamlining measures, including making concept notes optional, allowing pre-feasibility studies instead of full feasibility studies, and developing guided templates for high-demand impact areas. The GCF Secretariat is specifically tasked with ensuring that Direct Access Entities (DAEs) account for at least 50% of approved SAP proposals. The process maintains standard GCF quality and policy requirements but employs a more proportionate review approach by the Secretariat and the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (ITAP).

The GCF pilot scheme simplifies the funding process for small-scale projects (up to $10 million) with minimal environmental and social risks. It introduces a streamlined application process involving a simplified concept note and funding proposal, targeting accredited entities with a goal that at least 50% of approved projects come from directly supported entities. Projects involving high-risk factors, such as indigenous people's rights or critical biodiversity areas, are ineligible.

The case study examines the Trans-Harmony Farms project by the Initiative of Trans with A Mission (ITWAM) in the Mbale and Manafwa districts of Uganda. It details how the initiative supports 29 LGBTQIA+ farmers by providing training in permaculture and agroforestry, creating a cooperative to bypass systemic exclusion from government resources, and developing a digital app to ensure safe market access. The document analyzes these efforts through five dimensions of transformative potential: alignment with local contexts, resource enablement, relationship building, challenging power structures, and supporting systems learning. It highlights the critical role of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) in exacerbating the marginalization of these farmers and the strategic use of trusted personal relationships with local government officials to navigate a hostile legal environment.

This fact sheet outlines the adoption of good agricultural practices in coffee plantations to mitigate the impacts of climate change, market price volatility, and pests like coffee leaf rust (Roya), specifically within Mesoamerica.

The project aims to reduce community vulnerability to climate change and improve livelihoods by mainstreaming adaptation into national policies and development plans. In Mozambique, the focus is on community-based forest fire management and early warning systems. In Kenya, the project implements drought-resistant crops and improved agricultural techniques. In Rwanda, the effort centers on increasing the resilience of the hydropower sector through natural resource management and energy planning. Regional knowledge sharing involves pilot countries and observer nations Tanzania and Madagascar.

A fact sheet detailing the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by SUNCASA in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, projecting significant economic and environmental benefits between 2025 and 2050.

The document identifies nature-based solutions to address climate hazards in Canada, categorizing interventions by environment (coastal urban, riverine, and rural) and listing specific co-benefits such as carbon sequestration and food production.

The document evaluates cocoa suppliers based on their sustainability policies, highlighting the role of cocoa in driving global deforestation and the varying levels of corporate commitment to sustainable practices.

Mighty Earth's Easter Chocolate Shopping Guide evaluates chocolate companies based on their policies regarding deforestation-free cocoa, agroforestry, and living income, awarding Lindt for policy improvement and SucDen for poor transparency and policies.