Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that Spanish hydrological planning consistently fails to prioritize environmental objectives over agricultural demands, leading to widespread failure in achieving 'good status' for water bodies. It highlights a systemic reliance on irrigation modernization as a flawed adaptation strategy, the misuse of WFD exemptions to delay environmental recovery, and the critical failure to implement adequate ecological flows, particularly in the Tajo and Ebro basins. Case studies on Doñana, Mar Menor, and the Alcolea dam further illustrate the gap between legal protections and actual water management practices.

The analysis finds that all regions of India experienced net warming in March and April since 1970, with the fastest March warming in Jammu and Kashmir. The probability of temperatures exceeding 40°C during late March has expanded from three states in the 1970s to nine states in 2024, with Bilaspur currently facing the highest risk at 31%.

The Augures! project uses an integrated modelling framework—combining seasonal forecasts, crop models, and economic models—to help European farmers and policymakers manage climate risks. A 2024 stakeholder workshop in Athens highlighted the need for context-specific, transparent, and actionable climate data to address structural vulnerabilities in the EU agricultural sector, particularly for small-scale farmers. The project aims to expand its analysis of maize and wheat to Greece, France, Romania, and Hungary in 2025, while developing a 'project-to-product' roadmap to transform scientific outputs into a user-friendly decision-support service.

The report demonstrates a causal link between Amazonian deforestation and reduced hydroelectric output in Brazil, affecting plants both within the Amazon and in distant regions like the Paraná Basin. Through case studies of the Teles Pires and several Paraná Basin plants, it quantifies energy and financial losses, highlighting that 17 of Brazil's 20 largest hydroelectric plants are exposed to the 'flying rivers' mechanism. The document argues that forest conservation is essential for national energy security and suggests targeted restoration policies based on land tenure categories.

The Fall 2024 report on 'Climate Change in the American Mind' reveals that 73% of Americans believe global warming is happening, with 60% attributing it primarily to human activity. While 64% express worry about global warming and 49% claim to have personally experienced its effects, social engagement remains low, with 62% rarely or never discussing the issue with family and friends. The report also highlights significant concerns regarding local environmental risks, particularly extreme heat, air pollution, and power outages.

The report finds that 70% of Americans believe global warming is happening, with 59% attributing it primarily to human causes. While 64% express worry and many perceive immediate local risks from extreme weather, social engagement remains low, with 66% rarely or never discussing the issue with family and friends. The study also highlights a gap in understanding scientific consensus, as only 21% recognize that over 90% of climate scientists agree on human-caused warming.

The report finds that while 39% of Americans believe global warming is harming the health of the general population, only 16% feel it harms their own health. There is an increasing awareness of specific health risks, particularly heat stroke, air pollution, and respiratory issues, and a growing recognition that low-income people and people of color are disproportionately affected. Trust in information sources like primary care physicians and climate scientists has risen, while coal and nuclear energy are viewed as the most harmful energy sources to health.

The Fall 2024 report on 'Climate Change in the American Mind' reveals that a strong majority of Americans (73%) believe global warming is happening, with 60% attributing it primarily to human causes. While 64% of adults express worry about global warming and many perceive it as a current harm to the United States, social engagement remains low, with 62% rarely or never discussing the topic with family and friends. The report also highlights significant concerns regarding local environmental risks, particularly extreme heat, air pollution, and power outages.

A 2024 survey of 1,013 American adults reveals an increase in the perception that global warming harms public health, with specific concerns rising for heat stroke, air pollution, and respiratory diseases. While 39% believe global warming harms the health of Americans, only 16% feel it harms their own health. Public awareness of disproportionate impacts on low-income people and people of color has grown since 2014. Regarding energy, coal and nuclear power are viewed as the most harmful to health, while trust in first responders and primary care physicians as information sources is high.

Earthjustice, a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization, reported total revenue of $170,827,511 and total expenses of $167,548,000 for the 2024 fiscal year. The organization focuses on protecting health, preserving ecosystems, and combating climate change through legal representation and advocacy. Its primary program areas include air and water pollution, biodiversity and wildlife, electrification and transportation, fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure, and toxics. Earthjustice also engages in limited lobbying, spending $3.1 million in fiscal year 2025 to influence legislation and regulations.

The 2024 assessment finds that global goals to end deforestation and forest degradation by 2030 remain out of reach, with 6.37 million hectares of forest permanently lost in 2023. While some progress is noted in countries like Brazil and Indonesia, global pressures from unsustainable production—particularly agriculture and mining—persist. The report highlights a critical gap between 'green' and 'grey' financing, noting that environmentally harmful subsidies far outweigh investments in forest protection. It also emphasizes the ongoing struggle for indigenous land rights and the increasing threat of human-induced forest fires. The document recommends a radical shift in consumption patterns, the reallocation of harmful subsidies, and the implementation of rights-based governance to protect global forest ecosystems.

The document analyzes the ascent of the far right, highlighting its use of 'metapolitics' to shift cultural norms and its ability to capitalize on economic and social insecurities. It examines specific national contexts, such as Italy's media capture under Giorgia Meloni and the rise of Vlaams Belang in Flanders, while warning against 'conservative socialism' where left-wing parties adopt far-right rhetoric. The report concludes that defeating the far right requires a positive, inclusive vision of the future rather than mere imitation or moral condemnation.

The report analyzes the effectiveness of protected areas (APs) in the MAP region (Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia) in mitigating forest fires from 2000 to 2020. It finds that while APs significantly reduce fire occurrence compared to unprotected areas, they remain vulnerable to extreme climate events and increasing human pressure from surrounding deforestation and agribusiness.

The white paper outlines a science diplomacy strategy for the Amazon, integrating scientific research and indigenous knowledge to address ecological degradation. It proposes four main pillars: promoting transdisciplinary cooperation, strengthening the OTCA Regional Amazon Observatory (ORA), establishing a Science-Policy Hub for evidence-based governance, and building capacity across scientists, public officials, and indigenous communities. The strategy emphasizes the need for standardized data reporting, multilateral funding, and the genuine inclusion of indigenous peoples in decision-making bodies.

The document outlines a science diplomacy framework to safeguard the Amazon, focusing on transdisciplinary cooperation, joint monitoring, a science-policy hub, and capacity building. It emphasizes the need to combine scientific evidence with ancestral indigenous knowledge to address deforestation and climate change across the eight Amazonian nations.

The report analyzes the current AI audit ecosystem, identifying critical gaps in auditor independence, data access, and the failure to account for global sociotechnical impacts. It uses New York City's Local Law 144 as a case study to illustrate how regulatory-driven audits often prioritize transparency over actual harm mitigation. To address these issues, the authors propose a comprehensive Global AI Auditing Framework that emphasizes multidisciplinary teams, participatory stakeholder engagement, and the inclusion of labor and environmental criteria to ensure accountability across the AI supply chain.

The report examines the social media strategy of the AfD in eastern Germany, finding that migration, economic grievances, and opposition to Ukraine support are the primary drivers of engagement. It highlights that the AfD views the CDU as its primary political competitor and warns that the party's growth may lead to unstable government coalitions that undermine democratic trust.

The report analyzes the online behavior of the German far right, finding that while they utilize 'alt-tech' platforms to evade moderation, they remain heavily reliant on very large online platforms (VLOPs) for reach. It highlights the central role of conspiracy theories, the opportunistic use of crises like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, and the increasing importance of audiovisual content.

The report analyzes Mozambique's development prospects through 2043 using the International Futures (IFs) modeling platform. It finds that under the current trajectory, Mozambique is unlikely to meet most of its national development goals due to governance failures, infrastructure gaps, and low agricultural productivity. While liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are expected to boost GDP, they are not projected to significantly reduce extreme poverty without broader structural reforms. The report evaluates eight sectoral scenarios, concluding that infrastructure investment has the highest impact on GDP growth, while a combined approach across all sectors—including agriculture, governance, and trade—offers the most substantial improvements in poverty reduction and per capita income.

The OvaHerero va Kaoko of Namibia and Angola have developed this community protocol to safeguard their ancestral territories, traditional knowledge, and cultural heritage. The document details their kinship systems, historical migrations, and the spiritual significance of their land and the Kunene/Cunene River. It outlines the community's traditional governance, the role of women, and their sustainable practices for managing livestock, water, and plants. The protocol asserts the community's biocultural rights under national and international law, calling for the recognition of their ancestral land rights and the protection of their traditional knowledge from misappropriation.