Search Climate Insights Directory

This report evaluates the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on Component A (decentralized solar plants) and Component C-FLS (feeder-level solarization). While the scheme aims to add 35 GW of solar capacity by March 2026 to improve irrigation and farmer income, it has faced low uptake, achieving only 7% of targets for Component A and 34% for Component C-FLS as of December 31, 2025. The report identifies critical barriers including poor institutional coordination, grid instability, land acquisition challenges, and tariff mismatches, while providing actionable recommendations for the design of future solar irrigation programs.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submitted recommendations to the Australian government regarding the renegotiation of older-generation bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The IISD argues that these treaties prioritize investor protection and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) over public policy and urges a shift toward treaties that facilitate sustainable investment and climate action.

This RMI fact sheet outlines the economic, grid, and environmental benefits of replacing electric resistance heating and water heating systems with heat pumps in US households.

This white paper by the ARE Financier Circle examines how Results-Based Financing (RBF) for mini-grids in sub-Saharan Africa can be optimized to better mobilize private commercial capital. It argues that current RBF designs often prioritize short-term connection numbers over long-term business viability, creating 'cliff-edge risks' and administrative barriers that deter investors. The paper proposes a four-pillar approach focusing on aligning impact metrics with commercial sustainability, adjusting disbursement schedules to support capital raises, introducing lifecycle risk mitigation instruments, and fostering ecosystem-wide collaboration.

This fact sheet by Transforma, published in April 2026, argues for an orderly and just transition away from fossil fuels in Latin America and the Caribbean. It highlights the region's extreme climate vulnerability, the economic risks of stranded assets, and the persistence of fossil fuel subsidies despite the region possessing the world's cleanest electricity matrix. The document calls for binding roadmaps for fossil fuel exit, particularly in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, and emphasizes the need for a 'Just Transition Mechanism' to support territories and workers.

This report by Trend Asia examines the social and environmental risks associated with geothermal energy expansion in Indonesia. While promoted by international financial institutions as a low-carbon climate solution, the document argues that current funding models prioritize corporate financial risk over the resulting water scarcity, pollution, and human rights violations affecting local and indigenous communities.

This report by Trend Asia examines the socio-environmental impacts of geothermal energy expansion in Indonesia, arguing that financial models supported by international financial institutions (IFIs) like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) prioritize corporate de-risking over the rights and livelihoods of local and Indigenous communities.

The 'Guide for Small-Scale Producer Engagement', co-developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and ISEAL Alliance, provides a framework for organizations to improve their collaboration with small-scale producers within sustainable market-based initiatives.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the priorities and potential benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes Africa's historical reliance on primary commodity exports, the prevalence of informal intra-African trade due to high formal costs, and how the AfCFTA aims to drive industrialization and structural transformation by reducing trade barriers and fostering regional value chains.

This report evaluates the state of industrialisation in Africa, analyzing the causes of stagnation and premature deindustrialisation while modeling a 'Manufacturing scenario' to forecast the potential economic benefits of scaled-up investment in the sector by 2043.

This research paper examines how slavery, imperialism, and colonialism fundamentally altered African agriculture by depleting the productive labour force, displacing indigenous crops with export commodities, and establishing land tenure systems that favoured European settlers and firms.

This research paper introduces the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) within the context of Africa's struggle to maximize globalization and diversify its exports. It compares a 'business-as-usual' scenario with the potential economic gains of full AfCFTA implementation by 2043, highlighting the continent's current over-reliance on primary goods and its vulnerability to external policies like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies outlines the challenges Africa faces in transitioning to a low-carbon future, emphasizing that the region will suffer disproportionately from climate change despite its low contribution to the cause. It argues for a gradual energy transition, the necessity of climate finance, and the implementation of a fair global carbon tax to support sustainable development and resilience.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the critical lack of connecting infrastructure in Africa and its impact on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It highlights significant gaps in road and air transport, the financial deficits in infrastructure funding, and the role of external investment from China.

This research paper describes the 'Sustainable Africa' scenario, which combines differentiated carbon taxes and energy efficiency policies to reduce emissions while accelerating economic growth and poverty reduction across Africa.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the barriers to agricultural transformation in Africa, focusing on the critical link between formal land ownership, access to credit, and food security.

This report section analyzes the impact of commodity dependence on African economies, detailing the 'resource curse' where heavy reliance on raw material exports correlates with poor governance, political corruption, and slow economic growth. It contrasts the development trajectories of resource-rich and resource-poor nations and discusses the role of sovereign wealth funds and the global energy transition in shaping future demand.

This report outlines the 'Combined scenario' for Africa's economic structural transformation toward 2043, focusing on the shift from low-productivity to high-productivity sectors. It details the projected roles of manufacturing, services, agriculture, and ICT, while emphasizing the necessity of urban resilience and regional trade integration via AfCFTA to achieve a diversified, knowledge-based economy.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the state of the manufacturing sector across Africa, highlighting a trend of premature deindustrialization and the varying levels of industrialization across different income groups. It examines the role of Chinese investment in the continent's industrial landscape and the challenges African nations face in moving from raw material exports to high-value manufacturing.

This report conclusion outlines a strategic vision for Africa's industrialisation by 2043, arguing that a shift from exporting raw materials to manufacturing value-added goods can drive significant GDP growth, employment, and poverty reduction. It identifies the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and diversifying foreign direct investment as key catalysts for this transformation.