Search Climate Insights Directory

The document outlines the technical structure and legal permissions for the Climate TRACE Inventory (v5.11.0). It defines the metadata for emissions source, country-level, confidence, and ownership files, while specifying that most data is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License. It also provides a comprehensive list of recommended citations for various sectors and identifies third-party data sources used for specific emissions estimates.

GreenLatinos condemns President Trump's executive orders that roll back protections for the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in southern Utah. The organization argues these actions undermine the federal government's legal obligation to consult with Tribal nations and threaten lands containing critical flora, fauna, and sacred Tribal resources. The statement highlights the roles of the Bears Ears Commission and the Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition in managing these lands to combat climate disaster and preserve cultural sites.

The report outlines South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy, its current economic challenges including deindustrialisation and low savings rates, and the state of its mining sector and infrastructure. It details the country's political fragmentation following the 2024 elections and the formation of a Government of National Unity.

Sudan possesses significant potential due to its strategic location, diverse mineral deposits, and arable land, yet it remains one of the world's poorest countries. Decades of authoritarian rule and internal conflict, culminating in the civil war since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, have led to the collapse of state institutions and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Despite its history as a petro-state prior to South Sudan's 2011 secession, the economy suffers from a lack of diversification and chronic trade deficits.

The Gitanyow people developed the Wilp Sustainability Assessment Process (WSAP) and a corresponding climate test to exercise sovereignty and protect their territory from the shortcomings of colonial environmental impact assessments. Refined in 2023, the climate test uses 13 specific criteria and a scoring grid to assess project performance, including carbon pollution and alignment with the Paris Agreement. The process has been applied to three projects, including the Eskay Creek mine and the Ksi Lisims LNG project, demonstrating a shift toward Indigenous-led impact assessments and legal pluralism in Canada.

The document examines the gap between corporate ESG reporting and the reality of Indigenous governance in Canada's energy transition. It finds that while many companies disclose Indigenous relations, they rarely integrate Indigenous rights into formal risk assessments or acknowledge the necessity of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). Through dialogues with over 50 Indigenous leaders and an analysis of S&P/TSX companies, the study concludes that corporate narratives often prioritize regulatory compliance and symbolic transparency over the recognition of inherent Indigenous jurisdiction.

The document examines the gap between corporate sustainability reporting and the jurisdictional realities of Indigenous Peoples in Canada's energy transition. Through an analysis of S&P/TSX Composite Index companies and dialogues with over 50 Indigenous leaders, it finds that disclosures frequently prioritize narrative-based engagement and regulatory compliance over the recognition of inherent rights and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The study concludes that current voluntary frameworks provide an incomplete picture of project risks and governance, suggesting the need for a reporting standard authored by Indigenous rightsholders to ensure credible climate accountability.

Global Witness reveals that coltan from conflict-affected mines in the DRC is being smuggled into Rwanda, where it is laundered through traceability systems like ITSCI and Better Mining. The report identifies seven Rwandan companies dominating these exports, which are then processed by smelters in China, Kazakhstan, and Thailand, potentially reaching major global brands such as Apple, Microsoft, and Toyota.

The document details the global lithium landscape, highlighting the dominance of Australia, Chile, and China in mining and refining. It analyzes the shift in demand toward battery manufacturing, which now accounts for 87% of total lithium use, and examines the technical pathways for extraction, including brine-based, hard-rock, and emerging clay-based methods. The report also addresses geopolitical risks, such as export bans in Zimbabwe, and environmental concerns, specifically water scarcity in producing regions and the GHG emissions intensity of different processing routes.

The report finds that while the 2022 consultation law has enabled some marginal influence, it often fails to provide meaningful impact on central issues. Major deficiencies include late involvement of Sámi representatives, inadequate timeframes, and a tendency for authorities to delegate responsibility to third-party applicants. The study highlights a significant 'educational burden' placed on Sámi parties to explain the law to officials and notes that many critical land-use matters remain exempt from the law's scope.

The report examines the Democratic Republic of the Congo's current development path and simulates eight sectoral scenarios to identify pathways toward inclusive growth by 2043. It highlights the country's extreme poverty and dependence on commodity exports, while projecting that a combined policy push across manufacturing, governance, and agriculture could significantly increase GDP and reduce poverty.

Mauritania is a lower-middle-income country in Northwest Africa characterized by an arid climate, a mining-led economy, and a multi-ethnic society. While the country has transitioned toward a semi-presidential republic with peaceful leadership transitions, it continues to face challenges including corruption, restricted civil liberties, and entrenched slavery.

The statement asserts that the destruction of nature and attacks on its defenders are part of the same corporate machinery. It highlights the experience of the A’i Cofán people in Ecuador facing oil extraction and argues that voluntary corporate sustainability commitments are insufficient to protect biodiversity or human rights. The author calls for a legally binding international instrument to regulate transnational corporations.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the risks posed by LKAB's proposed Per Geijer mining project to the Gabna sameby. The study introduces a new human rights impact assessment (HRIA) methodology specifically adapted for Sami reindeer husbandry to evaluate how industrial projects affect indigenous rights to land and culture.

ClientEarth opposes the revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), arguing that current evidence supports full implementation over legislative changes. The organization warns that weakening the WFD would undermine legal certainty, jeopardize freshwater ecosystems, and shift economic costs from polluters to society. It specifically highlights risks from the mining sector and argues that the current revision process fails to comply with the European Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines.

The report introduces a rights-based risk assessment method for industrial projects on Sámi lands, arguing that current mining practices in Sweden lack a human rights perspective. Applying this method to LKAB's Per Geijer project, the authors find that the project poses a significant risk of violating Sámi rights, particularly the right to culture under ICCPR Article 27, by threatening the last remaining continuous grazing and migration corridor for the Gabna community. The study highlights a lack of transparency in EU 'strategic projects' and calls for proactive, landscape-based land use planning that guarantees real influence for Sámi rights holders.

The briefing asserts that shrinking civic space globally threatens the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). While EITI possesses a framework of tools—including the 'Protocol: Participation of civil society' and Requirement 1.3 of the 2023 Standard—the document argues these are often underutilized due to a lack of political will or knowledge. It calls for making the monitoring of civic space mandatory for multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) and urges the EITI International Board and Secretariat to move from general commitments to concrete, time-bound actions, specifically targeting the June 2026 Global Conference in the Philippines.

The document examines the role of young human rights and environmental defenders (DDHE) in Madagascar, highlighting their innovative use of digital tools for mobilization and the systemic barriers they face, including security threats and symbolic rather than substantive inclusion in governance. It calls for the implementation of international biodiversity targets, the creation of permanent youth participation structures, and the adoption of a national law to protect defenders.

The document argues that revising the Water Framework Directive (WFD) would create legal uncertainty and weaken environmental protections at a time when accelerating implementation is critical for climate adaptation and water resilience. The signatories contend that the WFD is essential for food security, public health, and the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, and that any changes intended to facilitate critical raw material extraction should not come at the expense of water quality and ecosystem health.

The report assesses the integration of GESI into Rwanda's mining adaptation strategies, identifying a gap between high-level policy commitments and the lack of disaggregated data in implementation. While Rwanda has set targets for climate-compatible practices and site rehabilitation, current monitoring fails to track the participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The report recommends mandatory disaggregated reporting, participatory community mapping via GIS, and the creation of an Inclusive Adaptation Scorecard.