Search Climate Insights Directory
136 results
Climate impacts in Southern Africa during the 21st Century
The document outlines the severe climate risks facing Southern Africa, noting that warming in the region's interior is occurring at approximately twice the global average rate. It projects reductions in agricultural production and freshwater availability, an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves and severe storms, and a higher risk of long-duration droughts. The text highlights that these risks are significantly exacerbated in 'low mitigation futures' where global warming exceeds 3 °C, compared to scenarios limiting warming to 1.5 °C or 2 °C. Specific vulnerabilities include food insecurity, which affected 6.5 million South Africans in 2019, and the threat of extinction for thousands of species.
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Document type: Executive summary
COMMON POSITION OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
The document outlines the severe health vulnerabilities of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region due to climate change, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on marginalized groups. It calls for a transition to sustainable food and energy systems, the strengthening of primary healthcare, and the implementation of climate justice to protect the right to health.
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Document type: Report
COMMON POSITION OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
The Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health identifies the region's high vulnerability to extreme weather and climate-sensitive diseases, exacerbated by structural inequalities. It argues for the integration of health into national climate policies (NDCs and NAPs), the strengthening of primary care, and the application of climate justice for marginalized communities. The document highlights significant gaps in health sector adaptation planning and a lack of health-specific indicators in climate finance, specifically noting that only 11.6% of Green Climate Fund projects in the region include explicit health benefits. It calls for a fair transition to a fossil-fuel-free economy and increased international support for regional health capacities.
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Document type: Executive summary
CCS Research Spotlight: Climate change, food insecurity, and conflict
The document outlines the systemic risks where agrifood-driven greenhouse gas emissions and climate-induced food insecurity intersect with geopolitical instability. It notes that the agrifood sector contributes one third of total GHG emissions and that food price inflation is spiking across low- and middle-income countries, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The text argues that climate change acts as a social crisis that intensifies inequality and threatens human security, calling for a systems-thinking approach to integrate climate and security policies.
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Document type: Fact sheet
TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM
The fact sheet outlines the necessity of a just transition in South Africa's food system to combat land inequality, corporate dominance, and food insecurity. It argues that the current industrial food system contributes approximately 18% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions and is highly vulnerable to climate change. The document proposes a framework based on food sovereignty, focusing on three targets: equitable livelihoods, environmental sustainability through agroecology, and the right to food and nutrition. It identifies several barriers to this transition, including a policy bias toward energy and the market-driven approach established by the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act of 1996.
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Document type: Fact sheet
CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda
The document describes how the CRiSTAL framework was used in Sanzara, Kapchorwa District, to analyze the impacts of climate variability on crop production. The process revealed that water stress and environmental degradation were primary challenges, leading the community to propose and implement a water gravity flow scheme from the River Sippi to adapt to prolonged dry spells. The project, supported by the IUCN and district officials, involved an environmental impact assessment and a community action plan, with implementation beginning in April 2012.
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Document type: Case study
How did COVID-19 affect food systems in Canada?
The document highlights that one in five Canadians began growing food at home during the pandemic, often due to concerns over prices and shortages. It notes high concentration in the meat processing industry, where 85% of animals are processed in three plants that all faced outbreaks, and reports that one in seven Canadians experienced food insecurity in May 2020.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD
The IISD program on Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding investigates the links between environmental change, natural resource governance, and human security to support conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. The program employs a three-pillar approach consisting of research, policy, and practice, which includes analyzing emerging threats, promoting policy mechanisms to address root causes of insecurity, and training practitioners in conflict-sensitive programming. Specific project examples include assessing climate change threats in the Jordan River basin, analyzing Canada's security agenda regarding the Arctic and energy sources, and advising UN agencies on integrating environmental management into peacebuilding.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Land, migration and conflict in eastern DRC
The research paper argues that land in eastern DRC has transitioned from a basis of social identity to a currency of political and economic power, fueling ethnic conflict. It details how colonial 'indirect rule' and post-colonial legislation, such as the 1973 General Property Law, created a dual system of tenure that marginalized rural populations and empowered elites. In Masisi and Ituri, this structural insecurity was manipulated by local and regional actors to trigger mass violence, with land becoming a 'resource' for warlords to consolidate power through the control of 'unfree labour'.
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Document type: Research paper
War and food insecurity: Survey evidence from Ukraine
The study finds that one in three Ukrainians experienced food insecurity in the weeks following the 2022 Russian invasion. Both direct military attacks on individuals and indirect attacks on their municipalities significantly predict higher levels of food insecurity, with direct victimization having the strongest effect. These findings persist regardless of age, education, or socioeconomic status, though indirect attacks on municipalities were found to have a more adverse impact on men.
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Document type: Research paper
COVID-19 and Socioeconomic Vulnerability
The research introduces a multidimensional index to measure socioeconomic vulnerability to COVID-19, incorporating macroeconomic exposure, healthcare coverage, financial inclusion, social protection, and gender inclusivity. Using data from 83 countries, the study finds that African nations are among the most vulnerable, with gender inequality acting as a primary driver. Regression analysis confirms that higher vulnerability scores and more stringent containment measures were associated with more significant per capita income losses in 2020. The author argues that pandemic response strategies must move away from 'one-size-fits-all' containment measures and instead prioritize gender inclusion, social protection, and financial inclusion to build resilience.
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Document type: Research paper
How can Zimbabwe successfully reintegrate into the international community?
The report examines Zimbabwe's stalled transition following the 2017 ousting of Robert Mugabe and the 2018 elections. It argues that while President Emmerson Mnangagwa has adopted an 'open for business' slogan, genuine international re-engagement is blocked by a profound deficit of trust, persistent economic instability, and a lack of substantive political reform. The document highlights the role of targeted sanctions, the influence of China, and the critical importance of national dialogue and legislative reform in restoring Zimbabwe's global standing.
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Document type: Report
Water, Security and Conflict
The document examines how water risks—driven by population growth, economic expansion, and climate change—contribute to political instability and food insecurity. It identifies three primary pathways to water insecurity: diminished supply or quality, increased demand, and extreme flood events. The text emphasizes that water crises are contributing factors rather than sole causes of conflict, with outcomes heavily dependent on a community's governance capacity and resilience. Proposed mitigation strategies include improving irrigation efficiency, implementing water demand caps, and strengthening governance systems.
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Document type: Research paper
Food Loss and Waste in Maize, Potato, Fresh Fruits, and Fish Value Chains in Kenya
In Kenya, 30–40 percent of food is lost or wasted between production and consumption, contributing to food insecurity for approximately 15 million people and causing annual economic losses of an estimated KES 72 billion ($578 million). These losses drive greenhouse gas emissions and waste critical resources like land, water, and energy. Despite commitments under the 2014 Malabo Declaration and SDG 12.3, progress is hindered by weak policy coordination, lack of financing, and a limited capacity to accurately measure and report food loss and waste. The report advocates for a "Target-Measure-Act" approach to reduce food loss and waste by half by 2030.
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Document type: Report
Climate change increased rainfall associated with tropical cyclones hitting highly vulnerable communities in Madagascar, Mozambique & Malawi
The study concludes that greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions contributed to the increased intensity and probability of heavy rainfall during the 2022 tropical storm events in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi. While Tropical Storm Ana was a rare 1-in-50-year event for Mozambique and Malawi, Cyclone Batsirai was a more common 1-in-2-year event for Madagascar. The humanitarian impact was severely amplified by compound factors, including preceding floods, existing droughts in southern Madagascar, and high socio-economic vulnerability. Despite accurate forecasting by regional meteorological centers, infrastructure damage and a lack of trust in warnings hindered effective responses.
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Document type: Research paper
Farmers Post Produce Delivery
The report argues that the USPS can bridge the gap between farmers with excess produce and food-insecure or underserved consumers by leveraging its existing logistical network. By implementing a standardized produce box system, the USPS could potentially generate between $1.5B and $6B in annual revenue while reducing on-farm crop loss and vehicle miles traveled. The model suggests a third-party aggregator to manage the consumer interface, allowing farmers to sell direct-to-consumer more affordably than through traditional CSAs or high-fee grocery delivery services.
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Document type: Report