Search Climate Insights Directory

A commemorative statement from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) honoring the life and legacy of Professor Saleemul Huq (1952-2023), a scientist and advocate for climate justice and southern leadership in climate action.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the international climate negotiation process leading up to COP 17 in Durban. It argues that rich industrialized nations are avoiding their historical responsibility by promoting voluntary pledges and carbon market mechanisms rather than legally binding emission cuts. The document calls for a systemic shift away from neoliberal economic models toward climate justice, demanding radical domestic emission reductions, public financing for the Global South, and the protection of indigenous and local community rights.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the international climate architecture leading up to and following COP17 in Durban. It argues that developed nations are evading their historical responsibility by replacing legally binding emission reductions with voluntary pledges and market-based carbon offset mechanisms. The document calls for a systemic shift away from neoliberalism toward a just transition based on climate justice, public financing, and the protection of indigenous rights.

This executive summary by Friends of the Earth International argues that the financial resources to transition the Global South to 100% renewable energy by 2030 already exist, but are hindered by a lack of political will and extreme wealth inequality. The document calculates the investment needed for this transition and proposes a framework for a democratic, just energy revolution.

The Resilience Knowledge Coalition is a "network of networks" hosted by the Global Resilience Partnership and co-led by SouthSouthNorth/CDKN and ICCCAD/LUCCC. It aims to bridge the gap between existing resilience knowledge and its practical application in policies, plans, and investments, with a specific focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

This briefing by the Global Resilience Partnership argues that the private sector and capital markets currently fail to adequately account for resilience-related risks. It proposes a new definition of resilience that moves beyond 'bouncing back' to include the capacity to adapt and transform in response to global shocks, providing a framework of five key attributes—diversity, redundancy, connectivity, inclusivity and equity, and adaptive learning—to help financial institutions mitigate risk and stabilize returns.

The Advancing Resilience Report by the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) details strategies for integrating youth leadership and creative storytelling into climate adaptation. The report emphasizes the effectiveness of small, flexible grants, the role of arts-based communication in making technical climate data accessible, and the importance of shifting power to the Global South by embedding young people as core contributors in resilience programming.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), in partnership with the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG) and the Degrees Initiative, is organizing a workshop series for policymakers and negotiators in the Americas. The program aims to build scientific and governance capacity regarding solar radiation modification (SRM) to ensure equitable participation in multilateral climate deliberations as global temperatures exceed 1.5°C and emissions pledges remain insufficient.

The 'Step Off the Gas' report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes international public finance for natural gas expansion in the Global South, arguing that such funding locks countries into high-carbon pathways despite the availability of cheaper renewable alternatives.

This RMI fact sheet argues that renewables and battery storage are now more effective than natural gas for supporting economic development and energy access in the Global South, offering superior reliability, deployment speed, and cost-effectiveness while avoiding the long-term financial and security risks associated with gas infrastructure.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute argues that global indicators from UNICEF and the WHO overestimate urban water access in the global south. Based on an analysis of 15 cities, the paper finds that nearly half of households lack piped utility water, leading them to rely on private sources that are significantly more expensive. It critiques the corporatization and privatization of water utilities and proposes four action areas—extending piped networks, addressing intermittent service, improving affordability for low-income users, and upgrading informal settlements—to ensure equitable access amidst challenges like climate change and population growth.

This World Resources Institute working paper analyzes ninety-three intergovernmental climate change mitigation initiatives, finding that while overall participation seems broad, representation from the Global South is critically low in key sectors. The landscape is dominated by developed countries and the top ten emitters per sector, which limits the Global South's access to capacity-building and information sharing.