Search Climate Insights Directory

The document analyzes the deep-rooted insecurity of rural property rights in Brazil, attributing it to a complex history of disordered land occupation and an inefficient, fragmented governance system. It highlights how this insecurity fuels land conflicts, deforestation, and under-developed rental markets. The report identifies four primary challenges: institutional complexity, the lack of a unified national land registry, bureaucratic regularization processes, and ineffective enforcement of existing rights. It evaluates current initiatives like the Terra Legal program and the SIG-Fundiário pilot, and proposes a series of recommendations across governance, law enforcement, regulation, and knowledge production to secure land tenure and enhance the implementation of the Forest Code.

Friends of the Earth International argues that the TPP failed because it prioritized corporate interests over people and the environment. The organization calls for a fundamental reset of trade policy, warning that continuing with 'mega trade deals' like the TPP, TTIP, and RCEP fuels populism and undermines climate action and workers' rights.

CIEL opposes the EU's proposal for a Multilateral Investment Court (MIC), arguing that it merely improves the institutional aspects of dispute resolution without addressing the substantive treaty provisions that prioritize investor rights over the public interest. The document asserts that an MIC would entrench the flawed investor-state arbitration regime, potentially chilling government regulation on environment and health. CIEL recommends alternatives such as requiring the exhaustion of domestic remedies, limiting jurisdiction to uncompensated direct expropriation, and exploring the complete removal of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in favor of state-state consultations or strengthened domestic courts.

The document explores the potential for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to monitor Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, noting strong normative and thematic alignment. However, it identifies critical barriers, including administrative weaknesses, lack of funding, and slow review cycles, which currently render the APRM incapable of the extensive monitoring required. The authors suggest that for the APRM to succeed, it must undergo substantial reform, improve the frequency of its reviews, and enhance its data-gathering capabilities through ICT and partnerships.

The research paper examines the likelihood of Donald Trump implementing his campaign promises and the resulting implications for Africa. It suggests that while Trump's focus is domestic, his approach to the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and US aid programmes could vary from total withdrawal to minimal impact due to institutional constraints and bipartisan support in Congress. The author concludes that Africa may be overlooked by the administration, making it necessary for African nations to be united in their engagement with the US and to diversify relations with other global players.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement from its 2016 Biennial General Meeting in Indonesia rejecting the election of Donald Trump. The organization condemns his rhetoric against marginalized groups and his 'climate denialism', which they argue threatens global progress on climate action. The statement links the rise of such political trends to the failures of neo-liberalism and corporate globalization, while expressing solidarity with progressive resistance movements in the United States.

Friends of the Earth U.S. vows to fight the administration of President-elect Donald Trump to protect the environment, citing previous successful resistance against the George W. Bush administration and ongoing movements such as the Standing Rock Sioux and Keep it in the Ground.

The document argues for a legally binding international treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) and dismantle their systemic power. It proposes the creation of an international tribunal for TNCs and human rights, the establishment of joint and several liability across corporate value chains, and the reform of international financial institutions and trade regimes to prioritize human rights over investor profits. The text emphasizes the need for extraterritorial obligations for home states and the guarantee of free, collective, and swift legal recourse for affected communities.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total assets of $108,201,902 as of September 30, 2016, with total revenues for that year reaching $99,365,271. The organization operates through several legal entities, including subsidiaries in India, China, and Europe, focusing on critical issues such as climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport. An independent audit by Grant Thornton LLP concluded that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Institute and its subsidiaries.

The report argues that Brazil's insecure land rights hinder economic growth and environmental protection, specifically in rural areas where agriculture is a key GDP driver. It identifies five urgent consequences of this insecurity: land-related conflicts and violence, a lack of tenancy markets, increased deforestation, unconventional land use decisions, and production inequality for small farms. The document further outlines systemic governance challenges, including institutional complexity, limitations of the Land Registry, and the absence of an integrated database for public and private land.

The report analyzes the landscape of cosmetic pesticide bans in Canada, evaluating the effectiveness of various provincial and municipal regulatory frameworks. It argues that the most protective laws utilize 'white lists' of approved low-risk pesticides, maintain a broad scope of coverage across all landscaping elements, and combine legal prohibitions with robust public education and enforcement. The document highlights significant gaps in jurisdictions like Alberta and British Columbia, while praising the comprehensive approaches of Ontario and Nova Scotia.

The document analyzes the 'Six Americas' framework to show that while climate change is a top-tier voting issue only for the 'Alarmed' segment (17% of the population), candidates supporting climate action are more likely to attract the 'Concerned' and 'Cautious' groups. Conversely, only the 'Dismissive' group (10% of the population) is more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes climate action. The data, from a March 2016 survey of 1,204 adults, indicates that 45% of Americans fall into the most engaged segments (Alarmed and Concerned), while 21% are skeptical (Doubtful and Dismissive).

The report categorizes the U.S. population into six groups based on their attitudes toward global warming: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. In March 2016, 45% of Americans were in the most engaged groups (Alarmed and Concerned), while 21% were in the skeptical groups (Doubtful and Dismissive). The Alarmed group is the most likely to prioritize climate change in voting decisions and participate in climate action campaigns, whereas the Dismissive group generally views the issue as a hoax and may prefer candidates who oppose climate action.

The document examines the complex hybrid of customary and statutory landholding systems across Africa, utilizing data from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It highlights that while weak property rights hinder economic growth and agricultural productivity, the administrative costs and institutional limitations of full formal titling make it an impractical immediate solution. Instead, the author proposes a gradual approach: strengthening informal tenure security, improving state administrative capacity through computerization, and investing in rural infrastructure to boost land value and productivity.

A 2014 national survey of 1,578 US adults indicates that a large majority of Americans believe protecting the environment is either beneficial or neutral for the economy, contradicting claims that such actions harm economic growth or cost jobs.

The adivasi communities in Panna district, Madhya Pradesh, are experiencing systemic displacement and poverty driven by diamond and stone mining and the creation of wildlife reserves like the Panna Tiger Reserve. These activities have destroyed traditional livelihoods, leading to widespread reliance on illegal mining characterized by inhumane conditions, child labour, and occupational diseases such as silicosis. Women and children are disproportionately affected, with women earning half the wages of men and children as young as 5 or 6 working in mines. Conservation efforts have further marginalized these communities through evictions from ancestral lands, often based on false promises of relocation benefits. Civil society organizations, including Prithvi Trust, Keystone Foundation, and Dhaatri Resource Centre, are working to secure land titles under the Forest Rights Act of 2006 and seek compensation for health impacts, though systemic barriers and a 'mining mafia' hinder progress.

The report identifies a 'Francis Effect,' where Americans—particularly Catholics—became more engaged and concerned about global warming between spring and fall 2015. This shift is characterized by increased trust in the Pope, higher issue salience in media and places of worship, and a growing perception of global warming as a moral and social justice issue. While concern and certainty that global warming is happening increased, the report finds that understanding of human-caused warming remained steady and support for specific climate policies changed only slightly.

The German Green Party asserts that its political identity depends on balancing its presence in government coalitions with its roots in social and ecological movements. The party aims to use this dual position to oppose the TTIP and CETA trade agreements and to push for an ambitious binding agreement at COP 21 in Paris, while linking climate action to social justice and gender equality.

The case study analyzes the conflict in Roşia Montană, where a proposed gold mining project by the Roşia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC) sparked massive civic mobilization. It details how a local resistance movement evolved into an international campaign and widespread street protests in 2013, ultimately forcing the Romanian Parliament to reject a special law that would have bypassed environmental and urban planning regulations. The author argues that these protests signaled a shift in Romanian society away from 'development at any cost' toward a focus on corporate accountability, environmental protection, and social solidarity.

The paper examines the dynamics of China-Africa economic cooperation, noting a significant increase in Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) from $500 million in 2003 to nearly $15 billion by 2012. While acknowledging the role of Chinese firms in hiring local labour—such as the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation and Chinese National Minerals Corporation—the author highlights a lack of transparency regarding training, health, and environmental standards. The document reviews several academic and scientific initiatives, including the Confucius Institutes and the 20+20 Cooperation Plan, concluding that while these signal a move beyond purely commercial interests, they have often failed to yield tangible results. The author recommends the establishment of a tighter African regulatory framework and an autonomous monitoring mechanism to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.