Search Climate Insights Directory

The research demonstrates that value-led design can bridge the gap between abstract climate data and local knowledge, allowing pastoralist communities to develop adaptation strategies that are scientifically informed yet culturally resonant. By employing the multi-level perspective (MLP) as a participatory tool, the approach aims to advance equity, prevent maladaptation, and support systemic transitions toward regenerative futures in arid and semi-arid lands.

The report analyzes six public climate finance interventions—ranging from local adaptation grants in Africa and Asia to a debt-for-nature swap in Ecuador—to test a framework for 'transformational' finance. It argues that high-quality climate finance is not defined by the financial instrument alone but by its ability to build an 'enabling environment' and deliver results across project, market, and system levels. Key findings highlight a persistent tension between the scale of finance and the quality of subnational accessibility, as well as significant data gaps in measuring system-level impacts and the depth of integration of equity and justice dimensions.

The paper identifies a disconnect between Nairobi's sanitation policy rhetoric and its implementation, noting that a focus on sewerage development marginalizes other sanitation regimes and fails to address equity. Projections suggest that climate change will exacerbate these inequalities, leaving a significant portion of the population with poor sanitation services by 2030.

The South African Climate Finance Landscape 2025 reports an annual average of ZAR 188.3 billion in climate finance for 2022-2023, dominated by energy mitigation (74.1%). While flows have increased since previous tracking periods, they remain below the estimated ZAR 499 billion per year needed to meet NDC and net-zero targets. Adaptation finance is significantly lagging at 11.3% of total flows, and just transition-aligned investment remains modest at ZAR 16.0 billion annually. The landscape is characterized by a strong domestic financial sector, with nearly 60% of flows originating domestically, while international finance is primarily driven by public sources and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

International climate finance to Brazil averaged R$ 26.6 billion per year in 2021–2022, an 84% increase from 2019–2020. Growth was primarily driven by the energy sector, specifically solar and wind power, and a significant rise in private commercial financing. While Western Europe, led by France, was the primary source, the AFOLU sector—responsible for most of Brazil's emissions—received only 11% of total funding, mostly through public multilateral sources.

The IAI is seeking nominations for its Expert List to provide technical consultation to regional stakeholders. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight strategic scientific themes: food security, energy security, water security, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate action, health and wellbeing, poverty and equity, or clean air, water and soils. The list currently includes former and current members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), as well as IAI-funded researchers. Nominations must be submitted by June 6, 2025.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is expanding its Expert List to provide regional actors with a curated directory of professionals for technical consultations. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight priority themes: Food Security, Energy Security, Water Security, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Climate Action, Health and Well-Being, Poverty and Equity, or Clean Air, Water, and Soils. The list currently comprises investigators from IAI-funded projects and members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC). Parties must submit nominations by 6 June 2025.

The document argues that while intersectionality is increasingly recognized as vital for equitable climate adaptation, its practical application remains limited. It presents a framework of 'fundamental principles' (focusing on systemic vulnerability, agency, and power) and 'process principles' (such as positionality reflection and context-specificity) to be integrated across the four stages of the adaptation cycle: risk assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL).

The report finds significant disparities in climate progress across South Africa, with affluent cities and provinces leading in ambition while less wealthy regions lag. It highlights a one-directional influence where provincial strategies shape city policies, particularly in the Western Cape, and notes inconsistent just transition commitments within the private sector.

Climate finance in Brazil more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, reaching US$ 67.8 billion. The growth was primarily driven by solar energy and AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use), with domestic sources accounting for 90% of total finance. While mitigation dominates the objective mix, finance for loss and damage saw an exponential increase in 2024, largely due to disaster relief following flooding in Rio Grande do Sul.

The document serves as a bridge between the technical, 3,000-page IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (Working Group II) and practical application by distilling its findings on gender, equity, and justice. It emphasizes that effective climate adaptation requires a 'whole-of-society approach' involving governments, civil society, and the private sector. To increase the uptake of inclusive approaches, the brief provides illustrative examples and a companion comic, specifically contextualizing these messages through experiences in Africa, such as childcare programs in Kigali to support women's participation in nature-based solutions.

The Structured Finance for Nature (SFN) instrument uses a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in Singapore to aggregate a diversified portfolio of natural assets, combining equity, mezzanine finance, and green bonds. It aims to overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and small project sizes to protect and restore one million hectares of forest and wetlands. The pilot project in Agusan del Sur, Philippines, focuses on protecting 91,000 hectares of forest, with future expansions planned for Cambodia, Bhutan, and Indonesia. The model emphasizes high-integrity carbon credits, a 20% minimum benefit-sharing allocation for local and Indigenous communities, and real-time monitoring via a proprietary dashboard.

The document unpacks the IPCC's findings on how systemic inequalities—including gender, race, and socio-economic status—increase vulnerability to climate change. It argues that adaptation efforts are more effective and less likely to be maladaptive when they incorporate inclusive participation, diverse knowledge systems, and a focus on climate justice. The brief uses illustrative examples from Africa to demonstrate how marginalized groups, such as Indigenous Peoples and women, experience disproportionate impacts and how community-based, human rights-based approaches can generate social co-benefits.

The document translates the technical findings of the IPCC's Working Group II report into accessible messages, emphasizing that vulnerability to climate change is driven by systemic inequalities. It argues that adaptation efforts are more effective and just when they integrate gender, equity, and justice, and warns that ignoring these factors leads to 'maladaptation'. The briefing advocates for inclusive participation, the integration of indigenous and local knowledge, and a shift toward 'climate-resilient development' that addresses the root causes of vulnerability.

The document synthesizes research from the IPCC's Working Group II to highlight how gender, equity, and justice are critical to effective climate adaptation. It identifies highly vulnerable groups—including women, children, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities—and argues that ignoring these social dimensions leads to 'maladaptation.' The briefing advocates for inclusive participation, the integration of indigenous and local knowledge, and a rights-based approach to ensure that adaptation efforts are equitable and sustainable.

The text discusses Brazil's leadership in the G-20 to establish a Bioeconomy Initiative focused on science, technology, innovation, and sustainable biodiversity use. It emphasizes the need for 'High-Level Principles' to be included in the Rio Declaration to align member economies toward equity and sustainability. A critical barrier identified is the financing gap, with climate finance needs estimated at US$ 8.1 trillion annually from 2030, far exceeding the US$ 1.3 trillion average seen between 2021 and 2022. The authors call for a transition where nature-rich countries, particularly in the Global South, can generate wealth through biodiversity-based development models.

The guide outlines how to leverage the $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, specifically the $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants. It recommends two high-impact strategies to improve EPA scoring metrics: e-bike programs and targeted EV incentives for 'superusers'—high-mileage drivers who often have lower incomes. The author argues these approaches offer clear equity advantages, straightforward emissions calculations, and address gaps in existing federal legislation.

The GCF Secretariat report for 2023 details progress on six strategic objectives, highlighting a mix of target achievements and lagging indicators. While the Fund has increased its private sector financing and adaptation focus, it faces challenges with project implementation timelines, with only 49% of the portfolio rated 'on track' against a 70% target. The report also outlines the launch of the project-specific assessment approach (PSAA) and the progress of the second replenishment period (GCF-2), which had received over USD 7.25 billion in pledges as of September 2023.

The authors contend that the UNFCCC process must tackle global power dynamics and colonial legacies to become more resilient. They highlight how the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequities, creating barriers to participation for Global South representatives and increasing the power imbalance between the Global North and Global South, which in turn eroded trust due to vaccine inequality and unmet climate finance targets.

Marcene Mitchell of WWF International asserts that the world is in a climate crisis and must transition away from fossil fuels within eight years to avoid catastrophic consequences. She advocates for immediate investments in renewable energy, electric grid modernization, and nature-based carbon sequestration, while calling for comprehensive federal legislation in the United States to accelerate economic transformation and ensure equity in the transition to net-zero by 2050.