Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) is a critical tool for financing a just transition, as global subsidies total at least USD 425 billion per year. It posits that FFSR can reduce global carbon emissions by roughly 10 per cent by 2050 if both production and consumption subsidies are eliminated. The document outlines a framework for successful reform based on three elements: getting prices right, managing impacts, and building support. Through case studies of Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, and the Netherlands, the report demonstrates that while FFSR can create budgetary space for social safety nets and renewable energy, a lack of stakeholder engagement and abrupt price hikes—as seen in Mexico—can lead to civil unrest. Conversely, the Netherlands' long-term transition of its coal sector illustrates how targeted supports and social dialogue can protect workers during industrial shifts.

The Santa Cruz Declaration, issued by the Green Economy Coalition, asserts that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing climate vulnerabilities. The declaration highlights that SMEs constitute 95% of the world's private enterprises and 60% of private sector employment, positioning them as the primary engines for disruptive innovation and social transformation. It calls on governments, civil society, and academia to partner with green SMEs to build sustainable livelihoods and rethink systems that hinder sustainable business models.

The report examines the synergies between Community Forest Management (CFM) and agroecology, positioning them as essential tools for food sovereignty and biodiversity conservation. It critiques the 'green economy' and market-based conservation models like REDD+, arguing that they erode traditional values and community autonomy. The document specifically challenges the FAO's definition of forests for including monoculture plantations, which it claims facilitates deforestation and undermines the livelihoods of the 1.6 billion people dependent on forests. It advocates for the recognition of territorial control, women's autonomy, and traditional knowledge as the primary drivers of effective forest protection.

The report argues that Community Forest Management (MCB) and agroecology are complementary political and technical practices that protect biodiversity and ensure food sovereignty. It critiques top-down conservation models like REDD+ and the FAO's narrow definition of forests, which the author claims facilitate industrial monocultures and the displacement of local communities. The document highlights the role of traditional knowledge, women's autonomy, and local markets in maintaining ecosystem health, providing evidence from the Amazon, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The report argues that community forest management (CFM) and agroecology are complementary systems based on shared principles of territorial control, traditional knowledge, and gender autonomy. It contends that these community-led approaches are more effective at preserving biodiversity and ensuring food security than top-down 'green economy' solutions, such as REDD+ or industrial monoculture plantations. The document specifically critiques the FAO's definition of forests for excluding social and cultural dimensions, which it argues facilitates deforestation and the displacement of local populations. It advocates for the recognition of collective land rights and the promotion of local markets to support sustainable, non-anthropocentric relationships with nature.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for snow leopard landscape management, emphasizing the integration of climate change projections, participatory stakeholder engagement, and 'green' economic development. It provides a step-by-step strategic planning process using the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, including threat rating matrices and the development of socio-economic-ecological models. The guide details methods for stakeholder analysis to identify areas of convergence and divergence, and proposes governance structures such as landscape-level foundations and coordination committees to harmonize conservation and development. It also lists best practices for mitigating human-wildlife conflict, such as predator-proof corrals and livestock insurance, and provides technical guidance on using GIS for habitat modeling, corridor design, and mapping water provision services. Finally, it advocates for 'smart green infrastructure' to ensure that economic development, such as hydropower and roads, does not fragment critical habitats.

The document denounces the neoliberal capitalist system and the 'destructive practices' of transnational corporations as drivers of climate injustice and disaster severity in the Global South. It specifically highlights the impact of Hurricane Irma and earthquakes in Mexico, arguing that the most vulnerable are disproportionately affected. The statement rejects 'false solutions' such as the financialization of nature and REDD, instead advocating for 'people’s solutions' including food sovereignty, agroecology, and energy sovereignty to preserve life and manage the commons.

The statement argues that climate disasters, such as Hurricane Irma and the earthquake in Mexico, are results of the neoliberal capitalist system's production and consumption patterns. It criticizes global policies that promote the privatization and financialization of nature, such as REDD and Payments for Environmental Services, as 'false solutions' that protect corporate interests. The document advocates for popular alternatives including food sovereignty, agroecology, and energy sovereignty to preserve life and ensure environmental, social, and gender justice.

The Green Economy Coalition defines a green economy as one providing prosperity for all within the planet's ecological limits. The document argues that a successful transition requires moving beyond narrow technocratic policies toward an inclusive social movement that values nature, tackles inequality, greens economic sectors, reforms financial systems, and implements new governance metrics.

The paper positions gender equality as a cornerstone of the green economy, asserting that without it, sustainable development and poverty eradication cannot be achieved. It defines a green economy as one that is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive, and argues that existing gender disparities in economic, political, legal, and environmental spheres must be addressed to prevent the 'brown economy's' inequalities from persisting. The author proposes gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment as key strategies to ensure women are active agents of change rather than marginalized victims. However, the paper warns that without gender-responsive policies and budgeting, the transition to green jobs—estimated at 15–60 million globally—may fail to benefit women, particularly in developing countries where they are often trapped in informal, low-wage agricultural work.

The document argues that while Africa has immense renewable energy potential, its transition to a low-carbon economy is hindered by fragmented governance, inadequate investment, and a reliance on hydrocarbon assets that risk becoming 'stranded'. It highlights the specific challenges in West Africa, where over 57% of the population lacks electricity access despite abundant solar, wind, and hydro resources. Using Nigeria as a case study, the briefing notes a trend toward decentralized solar projects in universities and businesses, but warns that these must be integrated into national grids to avoid inefficient clusters. The authors recommend that African governments prioritize robust, adapted technologies and align country-level actions with regional visions to build climate resilience.

The GEC Steering Group discussed a strategic proposal to map Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to a capitals model to provide a macroeconomic framework for green and fair economies. The group approved commissioning research from the Oxford Martin School to investigate the substitutability of different capitals and the limits of natural capital. Additionally, the group welcomed the Scottish Wildlife Trust as a new partner and noted upcoming events in Germany and Trinidad.

ClientEarth expresses concern over the incremental delays in publishing the Emissions Reduction Plan | Clean Growth Plan, noting that the government's timeframe shifted from December 2016 to "as early on in 2017 as possible". The organization argues that Sections 12 and 14 of the Climate Change Act require the plan to be published "as soon as is reasonably practicable" following the setting of the fifth carbon budget. ClientEarth highlights that institutional investors require a "detailed policy framework" to mobilize capital for the Paris Agreement targets and calls for a formal consultation process similar to the one used for the 2011 Carbon Plan. The letter demands a revised publication date and an explanation for any further delays.

Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of IISD, critiques the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) model and the CETA agreement, advocating for a multilateral investment court and a shift toward investment models that align with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He suggests that the WTO may not be the ideal venue for a new multilateral investment agreement due to its focus on disciplines rather than cooperation.

The document reports that 25 land defenders were killed in Colombia within the first 65 days of 2017, following approximately 80 deaths in 2016. It highlights specific victims, including José Antonio Anzola Tejedor, Luz Angela, and Ruth Alicia López Guisao, and argues that these killings are linked to private and transnational interests seeking territorial control for capital accumulation, extractive projects, and 'green economy' initiatives. ATALC calls on the Colombian government to end impunity and on the international community to develop concrete protection strategies for social and environmental defenders.

The document reports a surge in the killing of territory defenders in Colombia, noting 25 murders in the first 65 days of 2017 and 80 in 2016. It identifies the drivers of this violence as interests opposed to environmental justice and agents seeking capital accumulation through extractive and 'green economy' projects. ATALC demands that the Colombian government implement legal mechanisms to stop these attacks and identify perpetrators to end impunity.

The report examines the transition of South Africa's waste sector from a landfill-centric model to a sustainable waste economy. It highlights a significant gap between current recycling rates (approximately 10%) and the potential resource value of R17 billion that could be unlocked through full recycling. In the Western Cape, the report identifies key opportunities in recyclables, organics, e-waste, and construction and demolition waste, while noting that municipal financial constraints necessitate public-private partnerships to achieve a 20% waste diversion target by 2019.

The document identifies a gap in sustainability efforts regarding gender and social equity, particularly within SMEs. It argues that gender acts as a 'social stratifier' that limits women's access to education, finance, and leadership, which in turn hinders overall economic and environmental progress. The brief provides a business case for gender equality, noting that closing gender gaps in agriculture and employment could significantly boost GDP and food security. It suggests that the 'green economy' risks excluding women if technical roles in renewable energy and construction remain male-dominated. Recommendations include implementing family-friendly workplace policies, repealing discriminatory laws, and adopting public procurement policies that target female-led micro- and small enterprises.

The document argues that gender inequality and unequal power relations frequently exclude women from environmental decision-making and the benefits of development programmes. It emphasizes that gender intersects with other vulnerabilities, such as disability and class, and calls for the integration of disaggregated gender data into technical models and climate finance to ensure equitable outcomes in the energy transition and natural resource management.

The statement criticizes the CBD's adoption of market-based financial mechanisms, which the author claims lead to the 'Financialization of Nature' and the privatization of biodiversity. It argues that these 'innovative' tools, such as biodiversity offsets and payments for environmental services, allow polluting companies to avoid legal sanctions and perpetuate the environmental crisis. The author advocates instead for community-led governance, food sovereignty, and the enforcement of historical obligations by industrialized nations to fund conservation.