Search Climate Insights Directory

The Stakeholder Toolkit lists a variety of frameworks and organizations designed to align industrial activities with forest conservation and climate goals. It categorizes resources for agricultural supply chains (focusing on commodities like palm oil, soy, beef, and paper), mining (including large-scale and artisanal standards), and infrastructure development. Key resources include the Accountability Framework Initiative, World Bank's Forest-Smart Mining guides, and the ICMM Mining Principles, which align mining operations with the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Stakeholder Toolkit lists various frameworks and organizations designed to help industries reduce their impact on forests. For agriculture, it highlights the Accountability Framework Initiative and Commodity Roadmaps for palm oil, soy, beef, and paper. In mining, it references World Bank guidance on nature-based solutions and the ICMM Mining Principles. For infrastructure, it points to the SuRe standard and the Infrastructure and Nature Coalition. The toolkit serves as a directory of resources to align corporate and government operations with forest conservation and climate goals.

The Stakeholder Toolkit lists various guidelines and initiatives for reducing the environmental impact of industrial activities. It categorizes resources for agricultural supply chains (e.g., Commodity Roadmaps), mining (e.g., ICMM Mining Principles), and infrastructure (e.g., SuRe standard), while identifying key coalitions like the Forest-Positive Coalition of Action and the We Mean Business Coalition that drive systemic transitions toward net-zero and deforestation-free supply chains.

The analysis finds that interactions between key SDG targets are generally synergetic at a global level under a 1.5°C warming limit, with climate finance and policy mainstreaming acting as primary accelerators for other goals.

The Multi-Country Climate Resilient Urban Development Initiative is a 36-month project requesting USD 1,961,539 to address systemic barriers to urban climate resilience in four CARICOM states. The initiative focuses on overcoming gaps in geospatial data, outdated planning legislation, and limited technical capacity at the municipal level. Key planned outputs include a regional gap analysis, the development of climate-resilient National Urban Policies (cr-NUP), a technical toolkit for urban planners, and the creation of four project concept notes to secure further GCF funding. The project is implemented by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) with technical support from the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).

The report argues that current global economic responses to COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis have been too focused on short-term stabilisation and stimulus rather than long-term structural reform. It highlights that only 18% of the USD 14.6tn allocated to COVID-19 recovery in 2020 was green spending, and that such investments have been concentrated in wealthier nations and focused primarily on decarbonisation. The authors advocate for a 'systems mind-set' that integrates circular economy principles, nature-based solutions, and just transition policies. Key recommendations include the use of debt-for-nature swaps, increased multilateral funding for the Global South, and the implementation of a 'Green Structural Recovery Menu' featuring fiscal reforms and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies.

WRI Brasil's 2023–2027 strategy focuses on transforming cities and food, land, and water systems to reduce inequality and protect ecosystems. Key goals include achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, expanding green urban infrastructure, and promoting a 'bioeconomy' in the Amazon. The strategy emphasizes a 'count it, change it, scale it' approach, leveraging research and partnerships to implement nature-based climate solutions and sustainable agriculture.

The report examines the role of nature-based infrastructure (NBI) in urban environments, highlighting its cost-effectiveness and climate resilience compared to traditional grey infrastructure. It identifies four key NBI types—urban green spaces, green roofs, stormwater infrastructure, and wetlands and lakes—and argues that incorporating nature into urban planning generates significant societal returns and supports other sustainable infrastructure investments.

The 'Todos al Parque' program in Barranquilla, Colombia, has transformed 258 public spaces since 2011, focusing on the city's most deprived neighborhoods through a co-design process with residents. By increasing green space from 0.86m² to a level where 93% of households are within an 8-minute walk of a park, the initiative has reduced crime, improved public health, and increased tax compliance. The program's success led to the creation of a regional network of 'biodivercities' involving eight Latin American cities and inspired a similar state-level program in the Atlántico Department.

The report investigates the management of urban flooding in selected cities in Ghana, specifically focusing on the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi areas. It examines the extent to which Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) prioritize green infrastructure and engage residents in flood-prone communities to enhance city resilience. While local authorities generally recognize the importance of green spaces for flood control, the study finds that many residents do not prioritize green spaces on their own properties due to concerns about waste dumping, crime, and economic pressure to build shops. However, there is a strong overall willingness among residents to participate in decision-making processes if they trust the governance system and see their input implemented.

The briefing highlights the economic and environmental value of urban nature—such as forests, street trees, and wetlands—as a tool for climate mitigation and adaptation. It asserts that the global value of urban nature's benefits is nine times its costs and provides specific examples from Sacramento, Ahmedabad, and Curitiba to demonstrate how nature-based solutions can reduce building energy demand, lower the carbon footprint of stormwater management, and decrease transportation emissions. The document concludes by calling for an increase in annual investment in urban nature projects from $32 billion to $135 billion by 2030 to realize an estimated $2 trillion in annual net benefits.

The report evaluates Ghana's export processing zones (EPZs) across economic, environmental, social, and technological dimensions, finding that the current model lacks integration with broader industrial policies and neglects sustainability standards. Key gaps include a lack of low-carbon incentives, minimal technology adoption, and inadequate corruption controls. The author recommends the development of a comprehensive strategic policy by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the use of public-private partnerships for sustainable infrastructure, and the implementation of carbon finance policies to help Ghana meet climate targets.

The document defines Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as actions to protect, manage, and restore ecosystems to address societal challenges while providing biodiversity and human well-being benefits. It identifies a lack of specific NbS frameworks in South Asia but notes that existing national laws and policies in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal provide a foundation for their mainstreaming. The report categorizes NbS into five IUCN-based approaches: ecosystem restoration, issue-specific ecosystem-related, infrastructure-related, ecosystem-based management, and ecosystem-protection. It details 15 urban case studies, including the Yamuna Biodiversity Park in New Delhi, the restoration of riverine areas in Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, and the Green Lumbini Initiative in Nepal, highlighting the role of multidisciplinary partnerships and community engagement in achieving ecological and socio-economic resilience.

The document argues that urban climate adaptation is severely underfunded compared to mitigation, with only 9% of global urban climate investments flowing to adaptation projects as of 2017-2018. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of cities to flooding, heat, and water stress, noting that coastal cities could face annual costs of USD 1 trillion by 2050. To address this, the brief recommends that national governments declare climate emergencies, integrate local governments into national planning (NAPs and NDCs), boost technical project preparation, collaborate with development banks, mobilize private capital through PPPs and insurance, invest in early warning systems, and develop standardized adaptation metrics.

Zambia is positioned to benefit from the global demand for copper and cobalt driven by the energy transition, but faces challenges from a history of unstable mining taxes and poor relations with investors. The briefing recommends adopting a profit-based Mineral Royalty Tax (MRT) to encourage capital investment and exploration, particularly as ore grades decline and underground mining costs rise. It also calls for clarifying the role of Zambian Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) and resolving disputes with companies like Vedanta Resources to restore investor confidence.

FSD Africa is supporting the creation of the Kenya Credit Enhancement Facility (KCEF), a non-bank financial institution designed to provide 100% irrevocable and unconditional credit guarantees for infrastructure-related corporate debt in Kenya. The facility aims to reduce risk for institutional investors, thereby increasing the availability of long-term capital for sustainable infrastructure and expanding the domestic fixed-income market.

The document is a supplemental petition by Earthjustice and the New York City Community Garden Coalition (NYCCGC) requesting that New York City agencies designate community gardens as Critical Environmental Areas (CEAs). It argues that these gardens provide essential services in underserved areas, including food security, flood resiliency, and mitigation of extreme heat. The petition highlights ten specific gardens as examples of these benefits and requests a city-wide assessment of all community gardens on City-owned land to ensure their legal protection against development projects.

FSD Africa's Capital Markets team works to address financing gaps in Africa by developing enabling policies, market infrastructure, and innovative financial products. The report highlights the mobilization of approximately GBP 320 million through bond issuances, including pioneering green and gender bonds in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco. It details the Africa Regulatory Support Programme (ARSP) and the African Local Currency Bond Fund (ALCB Fund) as key mechanisms for reducing currency risk and increasing private sector investment. Moving forward, FSD Africa is concentrating its efforts on five priority countries—Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria—with a strong emphasis on green capital markets and natural capital finance.

The document examines the challenges African countries face in accessing sustainable finance for regional infrastructure, noting a significant financing deficit and a lack of bankable projects. It highlights the disparity between climate mitigation and adaptation finance, arguing that adaptation is more critical for Africa's vulnerability. The brief analyzes the ASEAN regional approach—specifically its sustainability taxonomies and the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility—as a model for Africa. It evaluates current AU initiatives, such as the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa and the Green Infrastructure Corridor for Intra-African Trade, and recommends integrating sustainability more deeply into AfCFTA protocols to attract investment and enhance climate resilience.

The report finds a strong industry desire for a standardized set of ESG metrics in infrastructure investment, as current frameworks are fragmented and inconsistent. While environmental factors are relatively well-covered, social and governance data remain challenging. The study concludes that government regulation and investor pressure are the most effective catalysts for achieving a common reporting standard.