Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines the applicability of transitional justice in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB), noting that while the region is not yet post-conflict, there is a need for mechanisms to address mass human rights abuses. It finds that LCB countries are at different stages of conceptualising these tools and that a balance between restorative and retributive justice is necessary. The document highlights the importance of local ownership, the role of traditional and religious conflict resolution mechanisms, and the need to address root causes of violent extremism such as structural inequalities.

The report examines the drivers of recent coups in West Africa and the need for the AU to strengthen normative frameworks against unconstitutional changes of government. It assesses the shift in EU financing from the Africa Peace Facility (APF) to the European Peace Facility (EPF), warning that this may increase European militarism and reduce AU leadership in peace operations. Additionally, it evaluates the transition from AMISOM to ATMIS in Somalia and the potential for joint AU-UN mediation to resolve the political stalemate in Sudan.

The 6th edition of the Progressing National SDGs Implementation report analyzes 42 voluntary national review (VNR) reports and 17 civil society reports from 2021. It finds that while reporting on the 'Leave No One Behind' principle and COVID-19 impacts on vulnerable populations has increased, most reports ignore the shrinking of civic spaces and attacks on human rights and environmental defenders. Additionally, while general implementation information remains consistent, the report notes backslides in budgeting and awareness-raising activities.

The document outlines a strategic framework for addressing corruption in biodiversity conservation, emphasizing that effective interventions must be systemic, context-specific, and grounded in political economy analysis rather than purely technical solutions.

The guide outlines a systemic, problem-driven approach to anti-corruption in conservation, emphasizing the need to understand local political economies and avoid one-off technical solutions. It provides a framework for assessing corruption risks, engaging governments, and using proxy indicators for monitoring when direct measurement of corruption is impossible.

The document introduces social accountability (SA) as a preventive anti-corruption strategy for conservation and natural resource management (NRM). It defines SA as a set of citizen-based methods—emphasizing transparency, voice, and dialogue—designed to hold authorities to account and improve public service delivery. While SA is effective at changing the enabling environment for corruption by increasing detection risks and shifting social norms, the briefing notes its limitations in addressing high-level political corruption or criminal networks. The text provides a framework for practitioners to assess contextual risks, power differentials, and the necessity of 'vertical integration' to link local efforts with higher-level reform.

The document outlines a systemic, context-specific approach to addressing corruption in biodiversity conservation, emphasizing political economy analysis and risk management over simple technical fixes.

The document analyzes the ESG impacts of the Lamu Port in Kenya and the Kuantan Port in Malaysia, both developed under China's Belt and Road Initiative. It finds that both projects caused significant environmental damage, including the loss of mangroves in Kenya and pollution from bauxite mining in Malaysia. Socio-economic issues include unpaid compensation for displaced communities in Kenya and public health concerns in Malaysia. The briefing argues that these projects often prioritize political elite interests over pragmatic alternatives, leading to governance failures and questionable economic rationales.

Ghana's first Adaptation Communication (AdCom), led by the Environmental Protection Agency, evaluates the country's progress in adaptation planning. While the document notes significant progress in institutional structures, governance, and capacity building across various sectors, it characterizes overall gains as modest and a foundation for more ambitious future actions.

The report assesses the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in Ghana, finding that while the office has a strong legal mandate, it has struggled with inadequate funding, staffing deficits, and political interference. Interviewed anti-corruption agencies generally agree that the OSP has not yet significantly reduced corruption or the public perception of it, though there is trust in the capacity of the second Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng. The document recommends amending the OSP Act to grant full prosecutorial independence from the Attorney General and increasing actual budget disbursements.

The report argues that subsidiarity in the African Union (AU) is currently used as a political tool rather than a clear legal principle, leading to competition and inconsistency between the AU and regional mechanisms (RMs). It highlights that the lack of operational definitions and contradictory legal frameworks—such as the 2007 MoU and the PSC Protocol—creates confusion in the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). The authors suggest shifting the focus from a division of competences to a model of complementarity, where regions act as 'first responders' while the AU remains the 'primary actor'. Key recommendations include establishing a comprehensive legal, policy, and financial framework, utilizing the AU Peace Fund for alignment, and creating operational liaison offices between the AU Commission and RMs.

The document examines how ESG standards are applied in Chinese-led hydropower projects in the Global South, contrasting the Bui Dam in Ghana and the Stung Tatay project in Cambodia. It finds that while Chinese contractors lead construction, the implementation of ESG standards is primarily the responsibility of local actors and recipient governments. In Cambodia, a lack of transparency and weak governance eroded public trust and left the actual impact of the Stung Tatay project unclear. In Ghana, the Bui Dam project benefited from higher transparency and stakeholder engagement, though it still suffered from failures in environmental mitigation and unfulfilled socioeconomic promises. Both cases demonstrate that institutional weaknesses in recipient governments can lead to poor ESG outcomes, creating reputational risks for Chinese contractors.

The research finds that social impacts are rarely considered in studies of circular cities, and when they are, the focus is limited primarily to governance and employment, particularly regarding informal sector workers. The authors argue that the lack of a coherent overview of social consequences hinders effective policy decision-making and that further research is required to understand effects on health, culture, and human aspirations.

The authors examine the deployment of AI, robotics, and sensor technology in agriculture, forestry, and marine resource extraction, noting that while these technologies are increasingly used for climate and environmental monitoring, systemic risks remain under-explored. The paper identifies four primary categories of systemic risk: algorithmic bias, unequal access, cascading failures, and trade-offs between efficiency and resilience.

The briefing argues that Brazil's new railroad authorization system, designed to streamline private sector infrastructure grants, lacks the necessary procedural clarity and transparency to ensure adequate socio-environmental oversight. It identifies critical gaps in the requirements for technical studies, the autonomy of the analyzing authority, and the public disclosure of project data, proposing specific amendments to PL no. 261/2018 to mitigate these risks.

The briefing by Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) examines the legal framework for private railway exploration in Brazil, specifically MP No. 1.065/2021 and PL No. 261/2018. It argues that while the authorization regime simplifies investment, it lacks procedural clarity and transparency, which may undermine the assessment of socio-environmental impacts. The authors identify critical gaps in the requirement for technical studies, the ambiguity of decision-making authority between the Ministry of Infrastructure and the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), and the absence of mandatory publication for project documents, georeferencing, and financing conditions.

The report examines the political shift in the DRC following President Felix Tshisekedi's creation of the 'sacred union' coalition, which granted him a parliamentary majority. While this shift provides an opportunity for electoral reform and improved security in the east, the document highlights significant tensions over the content of these reforms, the independence of the electoral commission (CENI), and whether a proposed population census is a genuine development need or a strategy to delay the 2023 elections.

The paper examines how the APRM's Expanded Mandate has revitalized the agency by introducing targeted reviews and monitoring roles for Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, while cautioning that these additions may distract from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews. It highlights the role of the 'Kagame Reforms' and the leadership of CEO Prof. Eddy Maloka in restoring institutional stability and financial predictability. The author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains, rationalizing its activities to ensure that new instruments, such as National Governance Reports, do not become weak substitutes for rigorous peer reviews.

The analysis of 14 large-scale federal railroad and highway projects in the Legal Amazon reveals significant gaps in the viability phase of infrastructure concessions. Key issues include the absence of clear procedural rules, a lack of logical and temporal sequencing between Technical, Economic and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Studies (EIA), and severe transparency deficits, with 57% of essential documents unavailable. The document argues that these flaws increase environmental risks and jeopardize project quality. It recommends making EVTEAs mandatory before EIAs and establishing a centralized database for all concession documents to enhance monitoring and risk assessment.

The document analyzes 14 large-scale railroad and highway projects in the Legal Amazon, finding significant gaps in the viability phase. Key issues include the lack of a mandatory sequence between Technical, Economic and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Studies (EIA), and a severe lack of transparency, with 57% of essential documents unavailable. The authors recommend mandating that EVTEA precede EIA to identify risks earlier and establishing a centralized database for all concession documents.