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The document analyzes how Swedish municipalities approach sustainable consumption, noting that while awareness is high, there is a critical lack of consumption monitoring and political support. It recommends systematic impact analysis of municipal purchases, increased political prioritization, and a stronger coordinating role for County Administrative Boards to facilitate knowledge sharing and national-local alignment.

The document highlights that India's rapid urbanisation leads to the neglect of peri-urban ecosystems—transitional zones between rural and urban areas—resulting in environmental degradation and increased vulnerability to climate change. It argues that these ecosystems are vital for climate resilience but suffer from governance challenges due to unclear administrative boundaries. The brief suggests that an integrated management approach could bridge the rural-urban divide through decentralised, local governance and district-level planning involving multiple stakeholders.

The document reports that infrastructure is responsible for 9-17% of tropical and subtropical deforestation, while mining contributes to approximately 7% of global forest loss. Data from CDP's forest module indicates that while many regional governments have forest policies, there is a lack of operational management plans and risk assessments. The most frequently reported impact of mining and infrastructure-related forest loss is increased greenhouse gas emissions, which governments attempt to manage through integrated land-use planning, afforestation, and policy enforcement. Case studies highlight the Piura Region in Peru, where mining has driven deforestation and indigenous displacement, and New York State, where infrastructure and agriculture are primary drivers of forest loss.

The report examines the global crisis of human-wildlife conflict (HWC), detailing its impacts on ecosystems, local communities, and sustainable development. It argues that traditional short-term mitigation is insufficient and proposes a shift toward 'coexistence' through integrated management involving monitoring, policy reform, and stakeholder engagement. The document provides case studies from regions such as Namibia, India, and Nepal to demonstrate how holistic approaches—including community-led monitoring, land-use planning, and innovative financing like 'Wildlife Credits'—can reduce conflict and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The document argues that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the critical link between ecosystem health and human health, urging a recovery strategy that prioritizes the protection and restoration of nature to mitigate the risk of future zoonotic diseases.

The High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) has clarified its methodology for the cocoa industry to help Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) signatories implement 'no deforestation' commitments. The HCSA distinguishes tropical forests for conservation from degraded lands, explicitly stating that expanding cocoa plantations or agroforestry into identified HCS forests constitutes deforestation or degradation and is prohibited. To catalyze adoption, HCSA assessments are being trialed in Ghana and Peru, with goals to scale up indicative HCS-HCV mapping and adapt simplified toolkits for smallholder farmers.

The report assesses the legal frameworks for artisanal gold mining in UEMOA member states, identifying significant gaps in strategic planning, institutional coordination, and regulatory alignment. It highlights that most national laws are reactive and out of touch with field realities, particularly regarding mechanization and environmental protection. The document recommends the creation of 'reserved gold mining zones' as an integrated approach to formalize the sector, introduce cleaner gravimetric processing technologies, and improve fiscal collection and social protections for vulnerable miners.

The policy brief examines the conflict between the boom in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the sustainability of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Burkina Faso. While ASM provides immediate income and employment, it often displaces farmers, contaminates water sources with mercury and cyanide, and draws young labor away from agriculture. The document highlights that ASM is frequently an unsustainable tool for poverty reduction due to the non-renewable nature of minerals and the shift toward capital-intensive operations funded by external investors. It recommends strengthening institutional capacity, implementing rigorous land-use mapping, and dismantling patronage structures to ensure the coexistence of mining and farming.

The interim evaluation of the PROAmazonía project in Ecuador shows a mixed progress record as of December 2019. While the project is highly aligned with national policies and has made significant strides in land-use planning (Component 1) and REDD+ operational instruments (Component 4), it has struggled with the implementation of financial incentives and sustainable production transitions (Component 2). Budget execution stands at 31% (US$ 12,939,253 of US$ 41,172,739), hampered by high staff turnover and bureaucratic delays in ministerial approvals. Sustainability is rated as moderately likely, threatened by Ecuador's fiscal adjustment plan and political instability, though the project has successfully integrated gender strategies and established critical territorial coordination platforms.

The Global Futures project uses a new integrated environment-economy model to quantify the economic risks of biodiversity loss. Under a 'Business-as-Usual' scenario, the loss of six key ecosystem services is projected to reduce annual global GDP by 0.67% by 2050, totaling a cumulative loss of US$ 9.87 trillion. Conversely, a 'Global Conservation' scenario could result in a net annual gain of US$ 490 billion compared to the BAU scenario. The report highlights that low-income countries and coastal infrastructure in high-income nations are most vulnerable, and recommends a 'New Deal for Nature and People' including the protection of 30% of land and oceans.

The document is a transcript of a congressional briefing on West Coast coastal resilience. Experts from the USGS, California coastal agencies, and the Puget Sound region discuss the physical drivers of sea level rise, the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, and various adaptation strategies. Key discussions include the 'coastal squeeze' effect on beaches, the use of nature-based 'soft shore' stabilization in Washington, and the implementation of regional planning and environmental justice policies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The project has achieved moderately satisfactory progress, with significant successes in soy (Cerrado agreement and Soy Toolkit) and supply chain transparency (Trase platform). However, progress in Indonesia's palm oil market and Paraguay's beef sector has been slower due to delays in consumer awareness and a lack of consensus on sustainability standards. The evaluation recommends strengthening communication strategies in Indonesia and adopting a systems approach in Paraguay to better integrate production, demand, and finance.

The document argues that current NDCs insufficiently address the transport sector, which accounts for approximately one-quarter of energy-related CO2 emissions. It advocates for a comprehensive approach based on the "Avoid-Shift-Improve" framework: avoiding unnecessary travel through land-use planning, shifting to low-carbon modes like public transit and cycling, and improving vehicle technology via electrification and fuel efficiency. The authors identify three primary opportunities for NDC enhancement: accelerating electrification and fuel economy, amplifying avoid-and-shift measures, and addressing freight emissions through clean fuels and information technology.

Côte d’Ivoire is currently in the development phase of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which began in 2015. The process focuses on strengthening institutional arrangements, including the creation of a National Commission to Combat Climate Change to integrate climate measures into development planning. Key climate threats identified include sea-level rise, increased temperatures, and rainfall variability, with priority adaptation sectors spanning agriculture, water, health, coastal zones, and land use planning. Significant milestones include the 2012 INDC submission and the February 2019 approval of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) NAP Readiness proposal.

The Bio-CLIMA project aims to transform extensive cattle ranching and agriculture in Nicaragua's Caribbean Region into sustainable, deforestation-free production. The project targets the buffer zones of the BOSAWÁS and Rio San Juan Biosphere Reserves, focusing on 66,223 hectares and approximately 26,260 direct beneficiaries. It employs a three-pronged strategy: providing technical assistance and financial incentives for climate-smart production modules (silvo-pastural, agroforestry, and sustainable forest management), strengthening local governance and law enforcement, and developing adaptive capacity through training and early warning systems. The project is estimated to cost USD 110.4 million, with USD 79.8 million requested from the Green Climate Fund as a mix of grants and loans.

The project aims to support approximately 380,500 direct beneficiaries in the Kigoma region of Tanzania, focusing on Nduta, Mtendeli, and Nyarugusu refugee camps and surrounding host communities. It addresses risks including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased flooding, which threaten subsistence agriculture and ecosystem services. The proposed interventions include participatory climate-resilient land use planning, community-based forest management, agroforestry, and the promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices and diversified livelihoods such as beekeeping and mushroom cultivation. The project will be executed by UNHCR and overseen by UNEP, with a total indicative cost of USD 31,985,328, requesting USD 18,835,253 from the Green Climate Fund.

The report details the technical and financial structuring of climate change adaptation plans for three Colombian sectors: Water and Basic Sanitation, Manufacturing Industry, and Housing, City and Territory. It establishes adaptation goals, indicators, and portfolios of measures for each, while providing estimated costs for prioritized actions. The process highlights a strong reliance on existing Disaster Risk Management (DRD) frameworks and a significant need for knowledge management and technical capacity building across all sectors.

The document details a climate risk assessment of the Ruhezamyenda catchment in Uganda, which found the area extremely vulnerable to higher temperatures and increased precipitation. It outlines a multi-step process for mainstreaming these findings into catchment management plans and provides strategic recommendations for Uganda's broader National Adaptation Plan (NAP), emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral coordination, local stakeholder engagement, and the use of existing scientific data to avoid costly redundant modeling.

The Grand River Environmental Network, the Ontario Headwaters Institute, and 24 other organizations are calling for the withdrawal of Schedule 10 of Bill 66. They argue that the legislation violates campaign promises to protect the Greenbelt and creates unnecessary municipal powers to identify employment lands despite a lack of shortage. The signatories claim the bill is "corrosive to environmental and public health" by exempting land from the Provincial Policy Statement and the Clean Water Act, potentially risking water safety and biodiversity. Furthermore, they assert that the bill "subverts democracy" by allowing municipalities to bypass official plans and deny public consultation and appeal rights.

The review of 30 local plans in Manitoba reveals a significant gap in explicit climate change adaptation planning. Only seven plans explicitly considered adaptation, with the majority of documents failing to reference specific climate projections or establish dedicated adaptation actions. While flood risks are universally acknowledged, drought and other climate-related hazards receive minimal attention. The report recommends that the Province of Manitoba integrate adaptation considerations into planning templates and collaborate with climate service centres to provide municipalities with local projection data.