Search Climate Insights Directory

The document highlights the imprisonment of environmental defenders Nguy Thi Khanh and Dang Dinh Bach in Vietnam on tax evasion charges, which Global Witness describes as an attempt to silence those calling for transparency in the energy transition. It argues that suppressing civil society threatens climate progress and urges G7 countries and the UN Human Rights Council to pressure Vietnam to release these defenders, particularly as the country considers a 'Just Energy Transition Partnership' (JET-P) involving billions of dollars in funding.

Global Witness critiques COP26 as a failure that lacked urgency and accountability, noting that the summit allowed fossil fuel lobbyists significant access while excluding many affected communities. The organization highlights the inadequacy of voluntary pledges on deforestation and the failure to secure comprehensive agreements on phasing out oil, gas, and fossil fuel subsidies, concluding that the commitments made are insufficient to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.

The statement by Global Witness advocates for climate reparations to address historical injustices and the disproportionate impact of climate change on low-income countries. It distinguishes climate reparations, which include liability for past harm, from 'loss and damage' compensation, which focuses on current unavoidable impacts. The text highlights the vulnerability of 3.6 billion people and the debt burden on countries like Mozambique, urging COP27 negotiators to establish a transparent fund financed by heavy polluters and to provide grants and debt forgiveness instead of loans.

Global Witness characterizes COP27 as a failure, primarily because world leaders did not agree to phase out fossil fuels despite the presence of 636 fossil fuel lobbyists. While the organization acknowledges the historic adoption of a loss and damage fund and the inclusion of the right to a healthy environment in the cover decision, it criticizes the lack of tangible progress on deforestation and the failure to specifically acknowledge the contributions of land and environmental defenders.

The statement by Svitlana Romanko asserts that fossil fuel revenues directly fund the Russian invasion of Ukraine and that global dependence on these fuels empowers authoritarian regimes and exacerbates the climate crisis. It calls for an immediate embargo on Russian fossil fuels, divestment from related infrastructure, and the adoption of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to transition to clean energy.

Derek Cabe describes the devastating impact of super-typhoons in the Philippines and advocates for legal accountability for major fossil fuel corporations. He highlights the findings of the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights, which linked carbon pollution to human rights violations, and calls for the protection of land and environmental defenders who face violence and 'red-tagging' while opposing coal-fired power plants.

Global Witness reports that 200 land and environmental defenders were murdered in 2021, contributing to a ten-year total of 1,733 killings. The report identifies land inequality, corruption, and shrinking civic space as primary drivers of this violence, with Indigenous peoples disproportionately targeted. Analysis focuses on high-risk regions including Latin America, where over three-quarters of 2021 attacks occurred, and specific countries like Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and the Philippines. The document advocates for the implementation of the Escazú Agreement and the strengthening of the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to end corporate impunity.

The statement asserts that elections in Brazil, the Philippines, and Colombia are fundamentally climate elections due to these countries' roles as 'crucial bulwarks in the fight against climate breakdown'. It highlights the intersection of climate action with public health, racial justice, and poverty reduction, while noting that these nations suffer intense climate impacts and high rates of violence against environmental defenders. The text calls for leaders who support democratic institutions, human rights, and science-based policies aligned with the Paris Commitments to avoid further climate delay and denial.

The LEAD coalition, supported by Global Witness and over 100 organisations, has proposed a set of rights-based recommendations for the COP30 Host Country Agreement (HCA). These proposals aim to safeguard civic space, ensure unrestricted observer access, and protect frontline climate defenders from retaliation and surveillance during the event in Belém, Brazil.

Global Witness and CLARA criticize the VCMI's Provisional Claims Code of Practice, arguing it enables greenwashing and ignores the scientific reality that avoided emissions cannot balance current emissions. They contend that the voluntary carbon market facilitates the appropriation of lands in the global South by the global North and distracts from the mandatory decarbonization and consumption reductions necessary to meet the 1.5C Paris Agreement target.

Global Witness critiques COP29 as a 'playground for fossil fuel lobbyists,' noting that the summit failed to mention a transition away from oil and gas and provided insufficient climate finance for developing nations. The organization highlights systemic flaws, including the hosting of summits in petrostates and the repression of civil society in Azerbaijan, while calling for structural reforms to prioritize vulnerable communities over polluting industries.

The National Pricing Strategy for Water Use Charges outlines a hybrid tariff system for South Africa, combining national and catchment-level charges. It defines six water use categories and five main charge types: Water Resources Management, Infrastructure (including O&M, Depreciation, FIBC, and Capital Use), Waste Discharge, Water Research Commission, and Economic Regulator charges. The strategy emphasizes the 'user pays' and 'polluter pays' principles while providing targeted subsidies and phased-in charges for resource-poor farmers and foresters to support racial and gender equity. Implementation began on 1 April 2016, introducing multi-year tariffs and a structured process for budget planning and price setting.

The document specifies that subawardees must report key performance indicators to the Forest Service and provide quarterly progress reports to GreenLatinos. It emphasizes that activities must be focused on low-income and disadvantaged communities, referencing tools like the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and EJScreen for guidance. A non-exhaustive list of possible metrics is provided, covering tree inventory, canopy expansion, community outreach, workforce training, and the creation of green jobs.

The report finds that environmental journalism is predominantly White, straight, and cisgender, with a significant lack of people of color in leadership. While most environmental journalists of color agree that diversity is crucial for accurate coverage, they report high rates of burnout, experiences of racism, and a lack of support from leadership, suggesting that institutional interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has not translated into tangible workplace changes.

GreenLatinos' 2025-2028 Strategic Plan focuses on increasing the political influence of the Latino environmental community through the establishment of a 501(c)4 advocacy entity and a Political Action Committee (PAC). The organization aims to expand its state programs in Colorado, California, New Mexico, Illinois, and Texas, while increasing support for leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean to influence international climate and conservation frameworks. Key operational goals include launching a mission-aligned social enterprise and developing leadership programs for members.

The Latino Climate Justice Framework (LCJF) argues that systemic racism and economic inequity have placed Latino/a/x communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, necessitating targeted policy solutions. It outlines a three-part strategy focusing on energy and economic justice, protecting vulnerable populations from climate disasters, and ensuring equitable representation and access to government services. Key priorities include transitioning to community-based renewable energy, protecting farmworkers from extreme heat, remediating abandoned oil wells, and addressing the unique vulnerabilities of Puerto Rico.

GreenLatinos reports significant growth between 2021 and 2024, expanding its staff from four to thirty and increasing network membership by 250%. The organization released two editions of the Latino Climate Justice Framework, influenced the Inflation Reduction Act, and launched the Justicia y Equidad Fund, which granted nearly $22.8 million to frontline organizations for urban greening and community forestry. It also established state programs in Colorado, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Illinois to support place-based campaigns.

The document highlights the underreporting of heat-related health symptoms in Mexico City and argues for the integration of green spaces as critical health infrastructure. Through citizen mapping and surveys in Iztapalapa and Benito Juárez, the project identified territorial inequalities in green space access and a lack of intersectoral coordination between health and environmental sectors.

The document highlights a gap between official health statistics and the lived experience of extreme heat in Mexico City, where symptoms like dehydration and dizziness are prevalent despite a lack of official heatstroke death records. It emphasizes that green areas are vital for thermal buffering but are unevenly distributed, with Iztapalapa having significantly fewer green areas per inhabitant than Benito Juárez. The brief advocates for a transdisciplinary approach combining citizen mapping and climate science to improve intersectoral coordination between health and environmental sectors for preventive heat governance.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG), and the Degrees Initiative are organizing a three-part workshop series for policymakers in the Americas. The program focuses on solar radiation modification (SRM), specifically stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and marine cloud brightening (MCB), to address the knowledge gap between the Global North and South. The series includes two virtual workshops and one in-person simulation to help participants develop national and regional positions for international forums like UNEA and the UNFCCC.