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The brief examines how gender-sensitive programming in urban Kisumu, Kenya, can improve climate compatible development outcomes by addressing the distinct vulnerabilities of men and women. While the PPP project demonstrated that inclusive decision-making allows for better addressing of practical needs and enables women to take leadership roles, significant barriers remain, including entrenched cultural attitudes and insufficient institutional capacity. The document recommends gender audits, the appointment of gender focal persons in county departments, and a focus on structural barriers to ensure more equitable and effective climate interventions.

The document examines the role of gender in urban climate-compatible development in Peru, using the GRIDES networks in Cajamarca and Huaraz as case studies. It finds that while women's participation has led to implicit gender considerations in local government plans, gender is often narrowly viewed as a 'women's issue' rather than a structural power dynamic. The brief identifies significant political, socioeconomic, and cultural barriers—including a lack of political will and patriarchal beliefs—that hinder the implementation of transformative gender approaches. It recommends 'de-womenizing' the gender approach, strengthening institutional capacities, and aligning local actions with Peru's National Gender and Climate Change Action Plan.

The brief finds that while women's participation in GRIDES has led to an implicit gender approach in local government plans, gender is often narrowly perceived as a 'women's issue' rather than a transformative process. It identifies political, socioeconomic, and cultural barriers—including a lack of political will and patriarchal beliefs—that hinder the implementation of concrete measures to tackle gender inequality in climate adaptation. The document recommends 'de-womanising' the gender approach, strengthening civil servant capacity, and aligning local initiatives with Peru's National Gender and Climate Change Plan.

The report examines how gender-sensitive programming in urban India can enhance climate resilience and people's empowerment. Using the ACCCRN project in Mahewa ward, Gorakhpur, as a case study, it finds that while the project began as gender-blind, its evolution toward a gender-sensitive implementation phase significantly improved the sustainability of interventions in water, sanitation, and agriculture. The study highlights that urban gender dynamics differ from rural ones due to weaker social cohesion and higher dependence on external services. It concludes that women's active participation as agents of change, rather than mere recipients, drives better outcomes, though deep-seated patriarchal structures and a lack of gender-disaggregated data in planning remain significant barriers.

The document examines how climate mitigation projects—specifically under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), REDD+, and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs)—have failed to uphold international human rights obligations. Through case studies in Panama, India, Mexico, and Georgia, it demonstrates that inadequate stakeholder consultation, lack of sustainable development criteria, and absent grievance mechanisms have led to rights violations, including forced evictions and loss of livelihoods. The brief argues that while the Paris Agreement's preamble recognizes human rights, these obligations must be translated into specific, mandatory guidelines and independent accountability processes to prevent future harm.

The document analyzes how two climate scenarios, Radical Emissions Reduction (RER) and High-end Climate Change (HCC), impact four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the stability of Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. Under RER, the transition to meet Paris Agreement targets may trigger food-versus-fuel conflicts, gender-based violence from biofuel-driven displacement, and geopolitical instability in oil-dependent states. Conversely, the HCC scenario suggests that climate-driven agricultural failure and water scarcity would exacerbate armed conflicts, global inequality, and the influence of extremist groups. The authors argue that the short-term geopolitical costs of rapid climate action must be integrated into national policy formulation to manage risks effectively.

The document examines how subnational monitoring systems align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 231 identified indicators. Using the Province of Manitoba's Sustainable Development and Green Economy Indicators as a case study, the analysis finds that while thematic alignment is relatively strong—with over 20% of provincial indicators aligning with SDGs—there is a significant structural gap in indicator types. Specifically, the provincial sets lack the finance and policy indicators present in the SDGs, focusing instead on state indicators. The authors argue that aligning subnational systems is critical for effective bottom-up accountability and national-level aggregation of SDG progress.

The document examines the complexities of land tenure in Africa, highlighting the tension between customary and statutory systems. It argues that while formal titling is a long-term goal, the immediate priority should be adapting informal systems to provide legal security, improving state administrative capacity, and addressing gender-based barriers to land ownership to foster economic development and reduce conflict.

The report identifies that women in northern Namibia face higher vulnerability to climate change due to socially constructed gender roles, limited access to productive resources, and cultural norms that restrict their decision-making power. It highlights significant disparities in land and livestock ownership, where cattle are viewed as 'man's property', and notes that female-headed households experience higher rates of extreme poverty and food insecurity. The assessment argues that climate change is not gender-neutral, as women's roles in water collection and subsistence farming increase their exposure to risks, while their lack of technical skills and limited mobility hinder their adaptive capacity compared to men.

The document examines the gendered impacts of fossil fuel subsidy reform in Nigeria, highlighting how increased energy prices can reduce women's economic opportunities and worsen respiratory health due to a shift toward biomass fuels. It advocates for a "precautionary principle" in policy design, suggesting targeted compensation such as in-kind transfers, micro-loans for women, and the promotion of domestic clean cooking technologies like LPG and improved stoves. The authors emphasize that the government can improve public acceptance of reform by credibly demonstrating that vulnerable women are protected and that subsidy savings are reinvested into effective energy access policies.

The document details the work of the RESISTE network in Chiapas, Mexico, which promotes agroecology, seed saving, and soil conservation to counter a national policy favoring export-oriented agribusiness and land privatization. Through horizontal community capacity building, the initiative supports eight family groups in transitioning away from chemical inputs toward sustainable food systems and the defense of territorial rights.

The document serves as a comprehensive guide for countries to translate their NDC promises into actionable plans. It breaks down the implementation process into five interconnected modules: governance, mitigation, adaptation, finance, and MRV. Each module provides a structured set of activities, from reviewing existing institutional landscapes and analyzing national potential to designing policies and establishing monitoring systems. The manual emphasizes a holistic approach, highlighting synergies between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the importance of gender equality in decision-making, and the necessity of mobilizing both public and private finance. It includes numerous global case studies—ranging from Kenya's legislative approach to India's use of green bonds—to illustrate practical applications of the recommended activities.

Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to climate change, particularly in its water, agriculture, and energy sectors, due to high sensitivity to climate risks and low adaptive capacity. While the government has initiated policy frameworks and is developing a national adaptation strategy, progress is hindered by institutional capacity limitations. Adaptation efforts are currently driven largely by the Pilot Program on Climate Resilience (PPCR), with a strong focus on infrastructure and technical capacity, though rural communities and the health sector remain underserved.

The document examines the women's empowerment agenda in Somalia, contrasting the global Women, Peace and Security (WPS) framework with local historical and social contexts. It highlights the 'state feminism' of the Siyad Barre era (1969-1991), the disruptions caused by the civil war, and the influence of the Somali diaspora. The authors argue that international efforts focusing primarily on political quotas may overlook the substantive civic and informal leadership roles Somali women hold, potentially delegitimizing the agenda by appearing incompatible with local norms.

The report analyzes the intersection of climate change, World Heritage sites, and tourism, arguing that climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' that degrades the outstanding universal value (OUV) of these sites while simultaneously threatening the tourism economies that depend on them. Through 30 case studies across 29 countries, it demonstrates that impacts range from glacier melt and sea-level rise to increased wildfire regimes and ocean acidification. The document emphasizes that while sustainable tourism can support conservation, unplanned development often increases site vulnerability. It concludes with recommendations for intergovernmental organizations, governments, and site managers to integrate climate science into management plans, reduce tourism's carbon footprint, and empower local and indigenous communities in adaptation efforts.

The document examines the human rights obligations of states and the private sector in the context of climate change mitigation. It analyzes failures in stakeholder consultation and sustainable development within the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), REDD+, and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), using case studies from Panama, India, Mexico, and Georgia. The brief concludes that current UNFCCC mechanisms lack sufficient specificity and grievance procedures, recommending that the Paris Agreement explicitly mandate the respect, protection, and fulfillment of human rights in all climate actions.

Carbon Market Watch recommends that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) avoid the shortcomings of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by implementing strict criteria for additionality, sustainability, and social safeguards in its funding proposals.

The document examines the fragmentation of social and environmental standards across UNFCCC instruments, including the CDM, REDD+, NAMAs, GCF, and AF. It finds that while some funds like the GCF and AF have robust safeguard policies, others like the CDM and NAMAs lack mandatory monitoring, universal guidelines for stakeholder consultation, or formal redress mechanisms. The author recommends that the Paris climate treaty explicitly mandate the protection of human rights and establish a centralized UNFCCC accountability mechanism and safeguards system to ensure climate actions do not cause adverse social or environmental impacts.

This report details a Carbon Market Watch webinar on Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), emphasizing the role of civil society in ensuring sustainability and accountability. It highlights that while 162 NAMAs are in the pipeline, there are currently no agreed rules for stakeholder engagement. The report presents case studies from Mexico, where a low-emission school pilot empowered youth, and Georgia, where a gender-sensitive NAMA focused on energy-efficient stoves reduced rural poverty and improved gender equality.

The document argues that a high-ambition climate agreement, limiting global warming to 2°C, is essential for achieving the SDGs, particularly those related to poverty, inequality, and energy. Using global analysis and case studies from Dominica, Jamaica, Pakistan, and Uganda, the research indicates that a low-ambition agreement would significantly increase poverty levels in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean by 2030.