Search Climate Insights Directory

The document presents evidence that agricultural modernization in Brazil is compatible with forest protection. It highlights that a significant portion of Brazil's cleared land is underused, primarily for low-productivity cattle grazing. Through four case studies, the authors demonstrate that technological innovations, infrastructure improvements, and market shifts lead to yield gains and the conversion of pastures to croplands, which in turn reduces the pressure to clear new forests. The brief concludes that combining the enforcement of the 2012 Forest Code with sustainable marketing strategies can further decouple agricultural growth from deforestation.

The document identifies three primary barriers to green investment in developing countries: risk gaps (policy, technology, financial, and sovereign), viability gaps (access to finance and high costs), and knowledge gaps. It argues that while sufficient global capital exists, public policy and finance must be better targeted to unlock it. The briefing provides case studies on fiscal policy adjustments in Indonesia to promote sustainable land use, the use of public-private partnerships and government guarantees to develop geothermal power in Kenya, and various innovative instruments developed through the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, such as Energy Savings Insurance and FX hedging facilities.

The Climate, Land, Ambition and Rights Alliance (CLARA) provides recommendations for land-use policies within the UNFCCC framework. The briefing emphasizes the need for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) for indigenous peoples, the protection of collective land rights, and the adoption of agroecological practices. It strongly opposes the use of terrestrial carbon sinks to offset industrial emissions, citing the non-permanence of such sinks and the unreliability of soil carbon accounting. Additionally, it warns against large-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and 'Climate Smart Agriculture' due to risks of land grabs and corporate green-washing.

The document examines the DRC's energy crisis, characterized by an 11% electricity access rate and a heavy reliance on traditional biomass. It analyzes the complexities of the Grand Inga hydropower project, including financial hurdles, governance failures within the state utility SNEL, and socio-environmental concerns. The author argues for a 'two-track strategy' that combines large-scale hydro with diversified, small-scale renewable energy sources (RES) such as solar, wind, and geothermal, supported by the 2014 electricity law to attract private investment. Regionally, the paper highlights the role of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the potential for the DRC to act as a strategic energy hub for Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa.

The report highlights that illegal harvesting of CITES-listed species occurs in over 25% of all natural and mixed World Heritage sites, threatening biodiversity and the 'outstanding universal value' of these areas. It identifies a gap in the current approach: the World Heritage Convention is site-focused, while CITES operates at the national level. To address this, the report proposes a coordinated value-chain response involving source, transit, and consumer countries, alongside the integration of monitoring and reporting systems. Case studies from Indonesia, Madagascar, the DRC, and Thailand illustrate the devastating impact of poaching and illegal logging, as well as the potential for success through community engagement and inter-agency cooperation.

The document highlights that while Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold between 50% and 65% of the world's land, they have formal legal ownership of only 10%. It emphasizes that approximately 2.5 billion people depend on these lands and that secure tenure significantly reduces deforestation rates, particularly in the Amazon. The text argues that the cost of securing these lands is minimal compared to the immense environmental and economic benefits they provide, such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection.

The report finds that Americans are more likely to engage in consumer activism than political activism to address global warming, though many underestimate its effectiveness. While consumers often rely on individual purchasing decisions, the text argues that public communication and bad publicity are more effective at changing corporate practices than sales decreases alone.

A civil society statement arguing that the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) promotes harmful agro-industrial farming and must be radically reformed. The authors propose a transformation based on four pillars: fair and diverse economies, environmental and animal welfare protections, support for public health, and accountable, participatory governance.

The document analyzes the socio-ecological tensions arising from the Ethiopian government's plan to extract coal from the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve to produce electricity and chemical fertilizers. While the government views coal as a means to modernize agriculture and reduce fertilizer imports, the author highlights significant risks to the unique wild Coffea arabica populations and the livelihoods of local communities. Key impacts identified include the physical displacement of farmers, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of traditional land-use systems. The brief argues that current mining activities, though limited in scale, could cause irreversible damage if expanded without comprehensive mitigation, transparent re-investigation of impacts, and a harmonized policy approach that integrates biodiversity management with extractive industry goals.

The paper examines the conflict between the projected growth of the global middle class and the finite capacity of Earth's natural systems. It argues that 'business growth predicated on consumption is the new elephant in the corporate boardroom,' as traditional 'take-make-waste' models risk overshooting planetary boundaries. Using cars, beef, and apparel as case studies, the authors demonstrate that incremental efficiency gains are insufficient to offset the volume of increased demand. The document recommends that companies 'do the math' on their resource dependencies, lead industry-wide conversations on consumption, and transform their core business models toward circularity and service-based value propositions to ensure long-term viability.

The policy brief identifies a 'normative vacuum' and legal inconsistencies that hinder the conversion of environmental fines into preservation and recovery services in Brazil. It highlights that while Decree 6.514/2008 allows for such conversion, a lack of procedural rules and technical capacity at Ibama prevents its application. The authors specifically argue that Article 42 of the 2012 Forest Code contains a drafting error that makes its fine conversion program legally impossible to implement as written.

Global Witness finds that all 13 of Liberia's largest logging contracts are illegal due to beneficial ownership violations, tax evasion, and the employment of wartime loggers. The report warns that these illegalities threaten the credibility of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP), and the Liberian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI). It recommends the cancellation of illegal contracts, the enforcement of beneficial ownership disclosure, and the prevention of FLEGT licenses for illegal timber.

The report argues that Burger King lacks transparency and effective policies to prevent deforestation in its supply chain, contrasting it with competitors like McDonald's. Through field investigations and satellite mapping, the authors link Burger King's suppliers—specifically soy traders Cargill and Bunge—to the destruction of the Brazilian Cerrado and Bolivian lowland forests. The document highlights the resulting loss of biodiversity, carbon emissions, and violence against indigenous peoples, while advocating for the expansion of the Brazilian Amazon Soy Moratorium to other Latin American ecosystems.

The document assesses public finance aligned with REDD+ goals in Côte d’Ivoire for 2015, highlighting the risk of total forest loss by 2034 due to agricultural expansion and logging. It argues that 'greening' existing agricultural finance could increase REDD+ aligned funding fivefold to FCFA 101 billion (USD 169 million) and suggests new mechanisms like a National REDD+ Fund to support sustainable land use.

The document outlines the expected effects of a warmer and drier climate on agriculture in Trinidad & Tobago by 2050, specifically highlighting a significant reduction in suitable land for tomato cultivation and a higher resilience for cocoa, while noting a shift in crop suitability toward upland and mountain areas.

In 2015, Côte d’Ivoire's financial flows for REDD+ were significantly lower than the investment needs required to reach its 2030 goal of 20% forest cover. While 16.8 billion FCFA was aligned with REDD+ objectives, a much larger sum of 84.2 billion FCFA was spent on 'grey' activities—primarily agricultural intensification—that could potentially drive further deforestation without stronger safeguards. The report highlights a critical funding gap, noting that the minimum annual cost for reforestation and agroforestry is estimated at 173 billion FCFA. It argues that the government and international partners have a major opportunity to 'green' existing agricultural investments and calls for the creation of a National REDD+ Fund and improved land-use planning to leverage finance more effectively.

In 2015, Côte d’Ivoire received FCFA 16.8 billion in REDD+ aligned finance, a small fraction of the estimated FCFA 173 billion needed annually to reach its 2030 forest cover target. The report highlights a significant gap between ambition and means, noting that 87% of relevant international finance (FCFA 80 billion) was 'grey'—meaning it lacked safeguards to prevent deforestation. Key institutional bottlenecks include SODEFOR's inability to execute its reforestation budget and a lack of mainstreaming of forest protection in national planning. The report argues that 'greening' existing agricultural finance could increase aligned funding five-fold. It recommends creating a National REDD+ Fund, improving land tenure security, and leveraging the success of the OIPR's debt-swap funding model.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for governments to manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It is structured into three phases: preparation (establishing working groups and analyzing context), strategy development (creating a vision and categorizing mining types), and implementation (executing plans and monitoring outcomes). The guide emphasizes integrating informal mining into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms, such as child labor and mercury use.

The document outlines a three-phase framework for governments to manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Phase 1 focuses on preparation, including forming a working group, establishing stakeholder consultation forums, and conducting context analysis. Phase 2 details the creation of a national ASM vision and the development of tailored management strategies based on the type of mining operation, utilizing both economic and impact-based approaches. Phase 3 covers the practical implementation, including legislative updates, the establishment of ASM zones, and the creation of monitoring and evaluation systems. The guide emphasizes the integration of informal ASM into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms.

The study compares two different implementers of improved biomass-powered cookstoves in Kenya to determine how social relations and specific behaviour change techniques (BCTs) affect adoption rates. It finds that an implementer who targeted existing social groups with shared identities and provided ongoing post-sales support achieved significantly higher user satisfaction and a 'social multiplier effect,' where users recruited new users outside the original target groups.