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The briefing outlines critical design considerations for the Transitional Committee tasked with operationalizing the loss and damage fund agreed upon at COP27. It identifies three primary challenges: determining whether the fund should be a gap fund, a catalytic fund, or a mixed model; defining the boundaries between loss and damage, adaptation, and humanitarian finance; and identifying reliable funding sources. The author suggests that the committee avoid the pitfalls of existing UNFCCC mechanisms—such as voluntary contribution cycles that lead to rushed proposals and slow disbursements—by studying diverse financial models, including pooled funds and the EU's Structural Funds, to ensure predictability and fast disbursement for vulnerable countries.

The report assesses gender parity and agricultural roles in the Philippines, highlighting that while the country ranks high in general gender equality, rural female farmers face systemic barriers in land ownership, credit access, and strategic decision-making. It identifies the critical role of indigenous women as custodians of climate-resilient traditional knowledge and proposes a Gender Action Plan to empower women, youth, and indigenous peoples as agents of change in climate-resilient agriculture.

The report analyzes the intersection of climate-resilient infrastructure and gender disparities in 19 African countries. It identifies how climate change disproportionately affects women—increasing labor burdens for food, water, and energy—and how inadequate infrastructure exacerbates these vulnerabilities. The document provides detailed socioeconomic profiles for several countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria, highlighting gaps in education, financial inclusion, and political representation. To mitigate these risks, the ICRF proposes a three-component strategy involving blended finance, capacity building, and policy interventions, with specific entry points for gender mainstreaming such as prioritizing women-led companies in procurement and collecting sex-disaggregated data.

The document examines Senegal's climate adaptation framework, highlighting the alignment between its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the Senegal Emerging Plan for 2035. While progress is noted in sectoral adaptation plans for fisheries and livestock, and local communities have successfully implemented projects in agriculture, coastal protection, and health, significant gaps remain. Key challenges include a lack of evidence-based knowledge, insufficient integration of indigenous practices into national policy, and a substantial financing gap, with NDC needs estimated at USD 14.5 billion by 2030.

The document analyzes Senegal's climate adaptation landscape, noting a shift toward sectoral and territorial approaches. While the government has launched initiatives like the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) to integrate indigenous practices, significant gaps remain in financing, evidence-based knowledge, and the inclusion of community-led strategies. Case studies in Daga Birame, Dionewar, and Widdou Thingolly illustrate the capacity of local communities to implement adaptation measures in agriculture, coastal protection, and health, despite limited central government support.

The document outlines a regional readiness program for 11 ECOWAS Member States to enhance their ability to mobilize climate finance for the agricultural sector. It focuses on operationalizing a climate unit within the ECOWAS Commission, developing a pool of regional climate finance experts, and creating a digital library of climate-smart agricultural practices. The program aims to bridge the gap between the colossal financial needs for climate adaptation in West African agriculture—estimated at $162 billion—and the actual funding received, while ensuring gender-responsive risk assessments and the alignment of regional policies like ECOWAP with the Paris Agreement.

Costa Rica is implementing a decentralized approach to climate adaptation through 'Project – Plan A: Climate-Resilient Territories', which empowers local municipalities to develop their own climate actions based on territorial analysis and inclusive governance.

Costa Rica is implementing a strategy of local-scale climate adaptation, exemplified by the "Proyecto Plan A: Territorios resilientes ante el cambio climático," which empowers local governments to develop their own adaptation actions. Approximately 25% of the country's cantons, covering 46% of the territory, have generated specific climate adaptation actions by analyzing local threats and integrating climate variables into territorial planning. The approach emphasizes the inclusion of historically excluded groups, such as indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, women, and youth, in the governance and implementation of these measures.

The proposal identifies significant governance, technical, and financial gaps that prevent sub-national governments in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) from contributing to their countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It proposes a 27-month program implemented by UCLG Africa to build local capacity, establish a 'Partnership Framework' for better coordination between national and local authorities, and develop a pipeline of high-quality climate projects using the Enhanced Direct Access (EDA) modality.

CIEL supports the Special Rapporteur's findings that the triple planetary crisis disproportionately affects women and girls due to intersecting structural inequalities. The statement argues that protecting these rights requires States to rapidly phase out fossil fuel extraction, consumption, and trade, and to implement moratoriums on new petrochemical facilities. It specifically highlights the health risks of microplastics for women and calls for a human rights-based approach in the negotiations of a plastics treaty.

CIEL endorses the Special Rapporteur's findings that the climate crisis negatively impacts the right to housing, particularly for marginalized communities, and supports calls for international loss and damage compensation and debt suspension for vulnerable countries. The statement warns against 'green grabbing' and climate gentrification resulting from misguided mitigation and adaptation policies, urging that climate finance and national plans include safeguards to prevent forced evictions and arbitrary displacement.

Mountain Harvest works with 850 farmers in Mount Elgon, Uganda, to bypass commodity pricing through organic certification and premium coffee production. To combat climate-driven threats like droughts and mudslides, the organisation promotes regenerative agriculture and income diversification via macadamia, avocados, and rabbit rearing. Additionally, Mountain Harvest is addressing the poverty of female hand sorters by providing more stable employment and exploring micro-loan opportunities.

The report argues that disaster risks are increasing in magnitude and complexity, outpacing current capacities to manage them. It emphasizes that disaster risk reduction is not merely an add-on to climate adaptation but a prerequisite for successful adaptation and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The research examines the securitization of climate adaptation in Sweden from 2005 to 2022. It finds that while extreme weather events in 2005 shifted the discourse toward riskification, the actual management of climate adaptation remains integrated into 'business-as-usual politics' and normal governance structures, utilizing existing tools and strategies rather than extraordinary measures.

The report evaluates corporate climate alignment using the CCIF, finding that while mitigation efforts (such as GHG reporting and renewable energy procurement) are common, there is a critical lack of detailed climate adaptation planning. Analysis of 483 debt issuers reveals that no company performed well across all three CCIF objectives, and only 14% have an adaptation and resilience plan. Sector-level data shows utilities as the highest performers in reporting and transition, while healthcare and automotive sectors suffer from significant data gaps. Case studies of companies in China, India, South Korea, and Singapore highlight the use of internal carbon pricing and science-based targets, but emphasize the need for better Scope 3 emissions tracking and quantitative physical risk assessments.

The document identifies a significant financing gap for Colombia's climate goals and argues that a Just Transition requires dedicated investment in labor retraining, social protection, and regional diversification. It analyzes the current distribution of climate finance—dominated by public resources (67%)—and suggests leveraging innovative tools like sovereign green bonds and carbon tax revenues to ensure stability and equity in the transition.

The Africa Hydromet Program in Burkina Faso is currently behind schedule, with an overall implementation rate of 35% to 40% as of December 31, 2022. While the project has successfully installed 50 automatic weather stations and provided critical emergency equipment like ambulances and trucks, it has struggled with staffing challenges in its Project Management Unit and external disruptions including the COVID-19 pandemic, regional insecurity in the Sahel, and political instability. The project has reached 517,066 direct beneficiaries against a final target of 3.5 million. Gender mainstreaming is integrated into all components, with 10% of resources dedicated to these actions. Sustainability is considered generally satisfactory due to strong government commitment, although a formal exit strategy has not yet been developed.

The compendium outlines the technical requirements and eligible activities for the Green Climate Fund's Simplified Approval Process (SAP), which is designed to reduce the time and effort for preparing, reviewing, and approving small-scale projects (up to USD 25 million) with minimal environmental and social risks. It provides sectoral guidelines for agriculture, ecosystems, water security, cities, energy efficiency, land use, REDD+, renewable energy, and transport, detailing how to achieve a 'paradigm shift' and measure impact using the GCF's Integrated Results Management Framework (IRMF).

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has published a technical compendium to streamline the preparation of funding proposals under the Simplified Approval Process (SAP). The SAP is designed to reduce the time and effort required for the preparation, review, and approval of small-scale activities, specifically targeting developing countries, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). To be eligible for SAP, projects must request a GCF contribution of no more than 25 million USD and present minimal or no environmental and social risks. The guide provides detailed sectoral frameworks for agriculture, ecosystems, water security, cities, energy efficiency, forestry, REDD+, renewable energy, and transport, outlining eligible activities, indicators for measuring impact, and examples of 'paradigm shifts' required for GCF investment.

The document examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in alleviating poverty for smallholder farmers, using a multidimensional framework of access to resources, opportunities, and power. While VSSs show strength in areas like labour rights and natural resource management, they often lack sufficient coverage of living income and climate adaptation. The brief argues that VSSs are a tool rather than a standalone solution, requiring an ecosystem of supporting actors, market demand, and government intervention to overcome barriers such as high certification costs and limited producer capacity.