Search Climate Insights Directory

Climate finance in Brazil more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, reaching US$ 67.8 billion. The growth was primarily driven by solar energy and AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use), with domestic sources accounting for 90% of total finance. While mitigation dominates the objective mix, finance for loss and damage saw an exponential increase in 2024, largely due to disaster relief following flooding in Rio Grande do Sul.

The IRES project in Cuba is on track to achieve its expected results, though implementation of productive landscape modules is significantly behind schedule due to COVID-19, procurement delays, and fuel shortages. The project has successfully strengthened institutional capacities, improved governance, and contributed to national policy reforms. While it has a strong gender focus, the evaluation recommends moving toward a more gender-transformative approach to better capture and empower women's leadership and economic roles. The project is currently meeting its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, but requires improved monitoring and reporting capacities.

The document details the United States' engagement with the IAI, highlighting specific research projects on climate-health risks in the hotel sector and agroforestry in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as the involvement of US institutions like the National Science Foundation and AAAS in regional environmental initiatives.

The document details Brazil's engagement with the IAI, highlighting specific research consortia, funding for climate and health projects, and the roles of Brazilian scientists and government ministries in IAI advisory committees.

The report evaluates the 'One School, 5 Hectares of Forest' initiative in Côte d'Ivoire, specifically a project at Collège moderne de Bougousso. Comparing Nature-Based Infrastructure (NBI) against grey infrastructure and business-as-usual scenarios, the assessment finds that reforestation provides a return of USD 7.50 in benefits for every USD 1 invested. These benefits include carbon sequestration, avoided flood damages, and USD 4,100 in additional income from agroforestry, which supports women's cooperatives.

The report evaluates the Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Capacity and System Strengthening (NSA CASE) project (2019–2024) in Ethiopia's Oromia, Amhara, and Somali regions. Using the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, the analysis finds that investing in nature-based infrastructure—such as drought-tolerant crops, perennial fruit trees, and moisture-harvesting technologies—can yield a return of up to USD 2.37 for every USD 1 invested over 26 years. This total benefit is estimated at USD 46 billion (ETB 5,161 billion), encompassing avoided costs from floods and droughts, increased agricultural productivity, carbon storage, and reduced malnutrition.

The report provides a snapshot of the implementation of Brazil's Forest Code in 2024, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It highlights a steady increase in CAR registrations, reaching 7.65 million by November 2024, and notes that all states have now initiated the analysis stage, though this remains a significant bottleneck. While some states like São Paulo and Mato Grosso have made substantial progress through automation and legislative changes, only about 3.3% of all registrations nationwide have completed analysis. The report also details the expansion of the PRA, with 19 states and the Federal District having regulated it, and notes the increasing use of Terms of Commitment (ToC) for environmental recovery in states such as Mato Grosso and Pará.

Brazil has implemented a series of public policies, most notably the ABC and ABC+ (RenovAgro) plans, to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience. While the original ABC Plan exceeded its 2010-2020 goals, the more ambitious ABC+ Plan aims to cover 72.68 million hectares by 2030. However, a significant gap remains in financing, with only 6.2% of rural credit in 2022/23 dedicated to low-carbon investments. Recent 2023 regulations have tightened credit access by requiring stricter environmental compliance across all biomes. The authors argue that achieving climate goals requires increased rural credit and improved monitoring and verification of technology adoption.

The document examines policy incoherence regarding deforestation in Colombia, highlighting how vested interests in mining and agriculture, institutional rigidity, and a lack of community involvement undermine conservation efforts. While most policies show positive interactions, current mining laws and military strategies like Operation Artemisa create significant trade-offs and social conflict.

Brazil has implemented a series of public credit policies, most notably the ABC Plan and its successor ABC+ (RenovAgro), to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase agricultural resilience. While the original ABC Plan (2010-2020) exceeded its targets—reducing 193.67 million Mg of CO2eq—the current ABC+ Plan sets more ambitious goals for 2030, including recovering 30 million hectares of degraded pastures. However, data from Agroicone indicates that only 6.2% of total rural credit in 2022/23 was directed toward low-carbon investments. Since 2023, access to credit has become more restrictive, requiring strict environmental compliance across entire properties, including the mandatory Rural Environmental Registry. The authors argue that Brazil must increase the volume of available rural credit and improve the monitoring of technology adoption to meet its climate goals.

The document assesses the gap between Colombia's robust policy frameworks for the 2030 Agenda and climate goals and their actual implementation, which is hindered by conflicting priorities and institutional weaknesses. It highlights that while most land-use policies are synergistic, specific conflicts—particularly within mining legislation—and the criminalization of peasant farmers through military operations like Operation Artemisa undermine conservation efforts. The authors argue that overcoming this incoherence requires better inter-agency coordination, community engagement, and regional cooperation within the Amazon biome.

The LoCAL+ programme aims to increase the climate resilience of approximately 3.49 million people across 85 local governments in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Niger. The initiative combines a performance-based climate resilience grant (PBCRG) system for public investments with Blended Finance Facilities to support local SMEs and producers' organisations. The programme focuses on seven key intervention areas: climate-adapted agriculture, forestry and ecosystem conservation, agroforestry, water and health, energy efficiencies and renewables, climate-resilient infrastructure, and coastal areas in Ivory Coast. It is implemented by the West African Development Bank (BOAD) as the Accredited Entity, with UNCDF as an implementing partner and various national agencies as executing entities.

The project targets a reduction of 16.05 million tCO2eq over seven years in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It employs a three-component strategy: strengthening institutional and regulatory frameworks, scaling sustainable agricultural supply chains and social forestry, and improving the management and rehabilitation of forest and peatland ecosystems. The initiative focuses on five priority regencies—Kapuas Hulu, Ketapang, Kubu Raya, Sanggau, and Sintang—targeting 680,000 direct beneficiaries, including indigenous peoples and women, to transition toward low-emission and climate-resilient land-use pathways.

The RECAF project seeks USD 35 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and USD 32.434 million in loans from IFAD to reduce GHG emissions by 6.68 MtCO2-eq over 12 years. The project focuses on five provinces: Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, and Ninh Thuan. It aims to transform 145,000 hectares of forestland into agroforestry systems and protect 500,000 hectares of natural forests. Key strategies include upgrading the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), establishing public-private-producer partnerships (4Ps) for deforestation-free commodities like coffee and pepper, and implementing a performance-based Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanism. The project targets 420,000 direct beneficiaries, with a strong focus on ethnic minorities and women, to improve livelihoods and climate resilience.

The document outlines the methodological frameworks used to quantify climate finance needs for agrifood systems. It establishes a comprehensive taxonomy developed by CPI and FAO covering sectors such as crop and livestock systems, forestry, fisheries, and food diets. The 'top-down' approach aggregates data from 46 publications, using seven key reports to estimate needs for 2024-2030, while the 'bottom-up' approach extrapolates data from 167 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The analysis highlights significant data gaps for the post-2030 period and notes that agrifood system finance needs in low-income countries represent a larger relative proportion of their economy, averaging 2.7% of GDP.

The report examines the intersection of climate-driven food insecurity and geopolitical instability, arguing that the weaponization of food trade and the reversal of global economic integration exacerbate the risks posed by climate change. It recommends a combination of enhancing domestic climate-resilient agriculture, pursuing plurilateral cooperation among small groups of countries, transitioning to plant-based diets, and integrating demographic shifts into food security planning.

The report evaluates the economic and environmental benefits of nature-based infrastructure (NBI) in Kenya, specifically within the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP). It finds that NBI investments yield a return of USD 1.71 to 1.91 for every dollar spent, with the highest gains coming from agroforestry and drought mitigation.

The report evaluates the cost-benefit ratio of implementing 1,000 hectares of agroforestry in Eswatini across three dam locations. It finds that nature-based infrastructure (NBI) provides a positive return on investment, yielding between USD 1.46 and 1.52 in benefits for every USD 1 invested, driven by drought mitigation, increased crop production, and carbon sequestration.

The report analyzes gender inequalities in Burundi's agricultural sector, highlighting barriers such as limited land rights, patriarchal decision-making, and low literacy among women. It outlines a Gender Action Plan by One Acre Fund (1AF) to increase female participation through tailored credit certificates, gender-sensitive training, and the collection of sex-disaggregated data to improve climate resilience for Burundian smallholders.

New analysis from the World Resources Institute reveals that 25% of global crops are grown in areas with highly stressed or unreliable water supplies. This vulnerability is particularly acute for staple crops like rice, wheat, and corn, with 33% produced in such areas. The report highlights a critical dependency on a small number of countries for irrigated crops and the increasing instability of rainfed agriculture due to climate change. To mitigate these risks, the document recommends strategies including reducing food waste, shifting diets away from water-intensive meats, increasing irrigation efficiency, and investing in nature-based solutions.