Search Climate Insights Directory
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Why can’t we call it an emergency?
The authors argue that global media coverage of climate change is insufficient and fails to convey the scale of the crisis. They call for newsrooms to prioritize climate stories, use plain language to describe the threat, and treat the situation with the same urgency as the Covid-19 pandemic. The text highlights that while some outlets fear the term 'climate emergency' suggests activism, the scientific consensus demands such framing to drive the political will necessary for decarbonization.
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Document type: Statement
Coral Reefs: Strategies for Ecosystems on the Edge
The document highlights that coral reefs are critically threatened by climate change and local stressors, noting that a 2C increase in global temperatures could lead to the disappearance of all coral reefs. While over 230 international agreements contain coral reef provisions, a UNEP analysis suggests that implementation is lacking due to a lack of incentives and financial mechanisms, with half of the 600 identified commitments being nonbinding. The brief emphasizes the socioeconomic importance of reefs, which provide over USD 20 billion in annual benefits, and advocates for a combination of meeting Paris Agreement targets, reducing local stressors, and leveraging new funding initiatives like the Global Fund for Coral Reefs.
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Document type: Policy brief
EU-Mercosur Association Agreement
The briefing argues that the EU-Mercosur trade deal was concluded without a complete sustainability impact assessment (SIA), which the European Ombudsman identified as maladministration. It highlights concerns that the agreement could increase deforestation in Mercosur countries, particularly Brazil, and criticizes the European Commission's attempt to seek pre-ratification commitments rather than renegotiating the text. Furthermore, the document opposes any effort by the Commission to 'split' the trade and political components of the agreement to bypass the requirement for unanimity in the Council and ratification by the 27 EU Member State parliaments, asserting that such a move would violate the original 1999 mandate and principles of sincere cooperation.
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Document type: Briefing
Programa de Fellowship de Ciencia, Tecnología y Políticas (STeP): Actualización de julio de 2020 a junio de 2021
The STeP Fellowship Program, managed by the IAI, focuses on bridging the gap between science and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the program conducted 20 virtual training sessions and established a joint inter-American group of 20 fellows with Mitacs Canada and AAAS. Current cohorts focus on sustainable agriculture in Argentina and sustainable cities in Mexico, with plans to expand into biodiversity and disaster risk mitigation. The program also seeks strategic partnerships, including negotiations with Chile's National Congress and the US Embassy in Peru.
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Document type: Briefing
Researching Climate Change LESSON PLAN
The document is a pedagogical resource designed to teach the Ojibwe language using a video about climate change and its effects on boreal lakes. It includes a full English-Ojibwe transcript, a detailed sentence-by-sentence grammatical breakdown, a glossary of terms, and a lesson planning form for educators. The content focuses on scientific concepts such as the impact of decreased precipitation on lake color and the resulting habitat loss for lake trout, while providing the linguistic tools to express these concepts in Anishinaabemowin.
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Document type: Guide
Youth Perspectives on South Africa’s Governance Challenges
The document details a partnership between the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Jasoro Consulting to integrate youth voices into South Africa's APRM review. Using Hart's 'Ladder of Participation', the project moved beyond tokenism to treat youth as equal partners in decision-making. The process involved nearly 200 young people nationwide who identified key governance issues, including climate change and land rights. The authors derive five key lessons for policy actors: early consultation, recognizing youth as experts in their own experience, ensuring diverse representation, centering youth voices, and providing learning opportunities.
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Document type: Briefing
A CITIZEN’S GUIDE TO THE FEDERAL REGULATORY PROCESS
The document outlines the legal and procedural steps of federal rulemaking and place-specific environmental actions, such as permitting and Superfund cleanups. It provides strategic advice for citizens to submit effective comments, request meetings with officials, and use legal mechanisms like citizen suits to ensure agency accountability. A significant portion of the guide is dedicated to environmental justice, explaining how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change and detailing resources and grants available to help these communities participate in decision-making.
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Document type: Guide
Report on the Launch of the South African APRM Youth Submission
The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Jasoro Consulting launched the South African APRM Youth Submission on 26 May 2021. The submission resulted from a process starting in August 2020 involving over 100 youth volunteers across all provinces who identified nine key governance issues. The South African APRM National Governing Council (NGC) indicated that these inputs will form the basis of a dedicated youth section in the NGC's Country Self-Assessment Report.
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Document type: Report
Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa
A youth-led submission to South Africa's second APRM review identifies nine critical governance gaps, including youth political exclusion, extreme economic inequality, and the tension between economic growth and climate action. The report calls for systemic reforms in land distribution, education quality, and the implementation of social protection and health schemes.
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Document type: Report
Message des communautés gardiennes d'APACs au Sénégal pour la Journée internationale de la biodiversité : nous aussi, nous faisons partie de la solution
A statement by Natural Justice and the National Association of APACs (ANAPAC) advocating for the legal recognition of community-governed territories in Senegal, highlighting the Kawawana project as a successful model of local biodiversity management.
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Document type: Statement
open-letter-to-ct-ag-b2ac0c85b2b03315.pdf
A group of Connecticut-based academics and professionals expresses support for legal action against ExxonMobil, alleging the company spent decades spreading disinformation about climate change despite internal knowledge of the risks since the 1960s. The letter highlights specific climate threats to Connecticut, including increased extreme heat and tidal flooding, and argues that the company should pay for damages and adaptation measures.
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Document type: Statement
Decisiones XXVIII/7 y XXVIII/8: Invitación a Mitacs a convertirse en Asociado del IAI
This briefing document from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) updates the Conference of the Parties on the implementation of Decisions XXVIII/7 and XXVIII/8 regarding the invitation of Mitacs Canada to become an Associate of the IAI.
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Document type: Briefing
A review of water-forest-energy-food security nexus data and assessment of studies in East Africa
The study identifies a critical need for integrated attention to food, water, forest, and energy security in East Africa to achieve sustainable development goals, noting that high reliance on agriculture makes the region vulnerable to climate change. A primary obstacle is the lack of current and comprehensive data, particularly regarding water and energy indices, with some available data dating back to 2016.
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Document type: Research paper
EPA Rescission of Trump-era Cost-Benefit Rule is an Important Step Forward
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) welcomes the EPA's rescission of a Trump-era cost-benefit rule, which CATF claims was designed to "impair efforts to protect public health and the environment" by discounting the benefits of Clean Air Act requirements. CATF urges the EPA to consider all relevant costs and benefits, including non-monetizable ones, to effectively address climate change, clean air, and environmental justice.
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Document type: Statement
Summary report of activities by the IAI Directorate during the 2020-2021 intersessional period
The IAI Directorate reported progress in aligning its Scientific Agenda with its Strategic Plan, incorporating revisions from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia. Key scientific initiatives included transdisciplinary projects on vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and St. Lucia, and the development of a COVID-19 working group. The Directorate launched the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, implemented in two countries, and established partnerships with Mitacs in Canada and the PAGES program. Efforts to bridge science and policy included a virtual workshop on drought policies for Southern South America and the creation of a fire monitoring platform for the triborder Amazon region (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru). The IAI also collaborated with the Belmont Forum on several Collaborative Research Actions (CRA) and published a special issue in the Journal Environmental Development on CRN3 results.
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Document type: Report
Optimising agricultural value chains in Southern Africa after COVID-19
The document examines the state of agricultural value chains in the SADC region, noting that while the sector was minimally affected by COVID-19 compared to others, the pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Key challenges identified include a heavy reliance on subsistence farming, food insecurity, and the impact of climate change. The brief argues for a 'dual approach' that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, the adoption of climate-smart technologies, digitalization of value chains, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance regional trade and food security.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Climate Summit Momentum
The Climate Action Tracker estimates global warming by 2100 at 2.4°C, a 0.2°C improvement driven by recent announcements including those from the US Leaders Summit on Climate. While 131 countries covering 73% of global emissions have adopted or are considering net zero targets, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant, and current policies lead to a projected warming of 2.9°C.
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Document type: Briefing
Approach, Processes and Methods: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) support to the Table Mountain Water Source Areas Partnership project
The document details a real-time, adaptive MEL approach for the Table Mountain Water Source Areas Partnership project. It emphasizes 'double-loop' learning to allow for the adjustment of project goals and the Theory of Change as implementation unfolds. The framework integrates a 'spine map' to track the project's actual process, facilitated learning spaces for stakeholders, and collaborative documentation to reduce reporting duplication. The project aims to establish effective joint management systems for groundwater by 2022, utilizing citizen science and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
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Document type: Report
Options to Incorporate Circular Economy Provisions in Regional Trade Agreements
The document examines how regional trade agreements (RTAs) can be used as vehicles to support the transition to a circular economy, which aims to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable resource use. It identifies that while some blocs, notably the European Union, have begun including such provisions, they remain 'largely embryonic'. The brief suggests that circularity can be integrated into RTAs through horizontal chapters (such as environment, sustainable development, or government procurement), dedicated sectoral chapters, stand-alone annexes, or specific annexes attached to broader chapters like technical barriers to trade.
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Document type: Policy brief
DANS LES MAILLES DU FILET
The report finds that French supermarkets are largely failing to address the unsustainable nature of 'fed aquaculture,' which relies heavily on wild-caught fish meal and fish oil (FMFO). While some retailers like Auchan, Carrefour, and Système U acknowledge the issue, few have firm commitments to eliminate FMFO. The study highlights a systemic lack of transparency in labeling and supply chains, and criticizes the industry's reliance on certifications (such as ASC and MSC) that do not guarantee the absence of wild-fish inputs or ensure animal welfare. It specifically identifies major producers like Mowi and Lerøy as key suppliers to French retail, noting their links to problematic sourcing in Peru and West Africa.
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Document type: Report