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The document outlines a climate risk assessment of water resources in Uganda's Ruhezamyenda catchment, emphasizing the need to address risks from changing temperatures, rainfall patterns, and extreme weather. It aims to integrate these findings into local planning and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), while noting the use of Nature-Based Solutions since 2015 to reduce climate vulnerability through ecosystem restoration and management.

The report argues that wealth and wellbeing depend on natural capital—the stock of renewable and non-renewable resources that provide essential ecosystem services. It highlights that natural capital can account for 30% to 50% of national wealth in various countries, yet traditional GDP measures fail to capture this value. The document outlines how governments can generate societal returns (e.g., poverty reduction and public health), economic returns (e.g., business resilience and green infrastructure), and environmental returns (e.g., ecological resilience). To scale these benefits, the report proposes twelve specific levers for government action, ranging from implementing UN-SEEA accounting frameworks and creating public-private partnerships to mainstreaming natural capital into macro indicators and implementing mandatory non-financial disclosures.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) emphasizes that the IPCC Special Report on 1.5C confirms the necessity of limiting global warming to 1.5C to avoid irreversible impacts on ecosystems and human communities. CIEL argues that the difference between 1.5C and 2C of warming will be measured in human lives and rights, particularly for marginalized populations. To achieve the 1.5C goal, CIEL highlights the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half by 2030 and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a complete economic transformation away from fossil fuels. Furthermore, CIEL rejects 'overshoot and return' scenarios that rely on hypothetical carbon dioxide removal, labeling such strategies as dangerous and immoral.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is approaching the trigger point for resource replenishment, having committed $3.5 billion across 74 projects. However, the GCF Board is currently facing a logjam regarding how to launch this process, with developing countries seeking a more inclusive approach than the 2014 'initial resource mobilization'. The author proposes appointing an independent, high-level external facilitator—similar to a COP presidency—to consult with all stakeholders and resolve diplomatic impasses to ensure predictable climate finance for the Paris Agreement.

The document outlines India's approach to climate change, emphasizing the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) and its commitment to the Paris Agreement despite the US withdrawal. It highlights India's challenges with erratic weather, forest fires, and water shortages, while noting its continued reliance on coal alongside growing renewable energy. The report identifies five key areas for potential India-Norway cooperation: CO2 sequestration in Enhanced Oil Recovery, mini-hydro power and turbine retrofitting, REDD+ pilots for ecosystem restoration, smart grid solutions for renewables, and R&D in biogas from waste.

The paper argues that relying on future large-scale negative emissions to 'undo' current carbon emissions is a high-risk strategy that may lead to insufficient near-term decarbonization. It identifies three primary risk types: technological/biophysical infeasibility, unacceptable social and ecological impacts, and the potential for sequestered carbon to be re-released or for climate impacts to become irreversible. The authors evaluate four land-based options, concluding that while ecosystem restoration and reforestation may provide some viable negative emissions, high-reliance scenarios (e.g., those requiring 1,000 Gt CO2) are likely unachievable. BECCS is highlighted as particularly risky due to unproven commercial scale and extreme land and resource requirements. The paper advocates for a 'zero fossil carbon' goal over 'net zero' to ensure aggressive immediate mitigation.

The document outlines a CDKN-supported initiative in Quito, Ecuador, to address climate vulnerabilities such as landslides and wildfires affecting low-income hillside communities. Through a vulnerability study and a five-year Action Plan, the project promoted ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, and the integration of climate resilience into municipal development planning.

The document evaluates the Joint Resolution SMA/SAA No. 1/2016, which regulates the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) in São Paulo. While it praises the move toward electronic processes and clear rules for those adhering to the PRA, it warns that the resolution may have exceeded its regulatory power by establishing penalties—such as the loss of land-use rights for consolidated areas—not explicitly provided for in federal or state law. It also highlights gaps in the regulation of Legal Reserve compensation, particularly for the Cerrado biome, and the lack of complementary norms necessary for full implementation.

The report analyzes international climate finance for land use in Indonesia, finding that while international support is well-targeted toward building 'enabling environments' (capacity building and policy), it is significantly smaller than domestic funding and often bypasses local government institutions. The authors recommend longer project durations, better coordination through a centralized government database, and capacity building for local organizations to access international funds directly.

The document explains the mechanisms of Brazil's 2012 Forest Code, specifically the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It argues that while the law provides tools for monitoring and restoration, effective implementation requires the active engagement of the private sector, financial institutions, and government agencies to move beyond mere legality toward zero net deforestation and degradation.

The document warns that including land use in climate targets can lead to 'cheating the climate' by allowing countries to replace necessary fossil fuel reductions with unreliable and non-permanent carbon offsets. It highlights specific risks in the US, EU, and Russia, where poor accounting rules or high uncertainty regarding LULUCF emissions could dilute overall mitigation efforts. The author advocates for treating carbon sequestration in forestry and agriculture as a complementary contribution to climate action, rather than a direct substitute for emissions cuts in other sectors.

The study demonstrates that integrating local knowledge through participatory GIS reveals how both planned interventions and informal community activities—ranging from the active protection of flower-rich habitats to disturbances like motorbike use—contribute to habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity in post-industrial landscapes.

A coalition of environmental organisations urges the European Commission to adopt 'Option 1' for the 2030 Climate and Energy Framework, which establishes a separate LULUCF pillar. They argue that including Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in the general 'at least 40 per cent' reduction target would dilute ambition by 3-7 percentage points. The authors call for the removal of fungibility between pillars, the use of base-period accounting instead of reference levels for forest management to expose bioenergy emissions, and the maintenance of agricultural non-CO2 emissions within a strengthened Effort Sharing Decision (ESD).

The document argues that biodiversity offsets are based on reductionist theories that fail to account for the uniqueness of ecosystems. It identifies multiple types of losses—ecological, normative, and moral—that occur when restoration is used to justify habitat destruction. The authors conclude that 'no net loss' is a false goal and advocate for a 'no more loss' approach combined with multi-criteria evaluation and increased social participation.

The document examines the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and community-based adaptation (CbA) through the EU-funded EcoAdapt project. By utilizing the Model Forests approach in Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, the project sought to develop long-term climate adaptation strategies for water resources. The integration aims to combine the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services with the empowerment of local communities to identify their own needs. Key benefits identified include increased community ownership, a better understanding of socio-ecological interconnections, and a more holistic view of large-scale environmental processes. However, the project faced challenges such as waning community motivation, inclusive participation gaps—specifically with cattle ranchers in Bolivia—and instabilities within the public sector. The briefing concludes that successful up-scaling requires a socio-ecological systems approach, secure finance, supportive public policies, and the development of accessible tools for local actors.

The report finds that AFOLU mitigation potentials for eight major emitters—the United States, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—could reduce the 2020 emissions gap by approximately three-fourths and the 2030 gap by nearly half. The United States has the highest individual potential at 23 Gt CO2eq, while Indonesia, China, and India also show substantial potentials between 0.75 and 1.75 Gt. These potentials are derived from three primary activities: reducing emissions from deforestation and peatland clearing, decreasing agricultural emissions (such as methane and nitrous oxide), and increasing carbon sequestration through reforestation and ecosystem restoration.

The report examines the vulnerability of Asia's High Mountains (AHM) to climate change, highlighting risks from glacial melt, extreme weather, and water scarcity. It details the varying responses of mountain ranges—such as the retreat of most glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya versus stability in the Karakorum—and analyzes the resulting threats to human health, agriculture, and infrastructure. The document evaluates current adaptation strategies, including livelihood diversification and community-based water management, while identifying critical data gaps in permafrost and groundwater storage. It concludes with recommendations for regional cooperation in disaster risk management and the synchronization of national and local climate policies.

The Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) was a publically funded demonstration project (2009–2013) aimed at rehabilitating degraded peat swamp forests in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. While it did not fully achieve its objective of demonstrating effective rehabilitation at scale, it provided critical technical data, an innovative canal-blocking design, and a model for community engagement through 'Village Agreements'. The study estimates that if such projects can save 26 million tons of carbon over 30 years, they could be financially viable for private investors at carbon prices between AUD 4 and AUD 23 per ton. However, significant barriers remain, including contradictory land-zoning laws, uncertain revenue-sharing frameworks, and the need for robust national measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems.

The report analyzes the intersection of Australian law and Indigenous-led conservation, detailing the pathways to land ownership, the evolution of joint management in national parks, and the emergence of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs).

The Government of Rwanda implemented watershed restoration in the Rugezi-Bulera-Ruhondo area to protect hydroelectric generation capacity against future climate-driven precipitation changes. To mitigate the loss of resource access for rural households caused by bans on drainage, agriculture, and pastoral activities, the government introduced agricultural and watershed management measures to ensure long-term livelihood sustainability.