Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development discusses the intersection of climate change and peacebuilding in fragile states, arguing that climate risks can undermine development progress and drive conflict. It advocates for a dual approach involving climate-resilient peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive climate responses.

The document is a brief description of Estonia’s Sixth National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which details the country's climate vulnerability, adaptation actions, and efforts to combat climate change denial.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the 'financialization of nature,' arguing that redefining ecosystems as a set of quantifiable 'environmental services' serves to maintain industrial growth and corporate profits rather than protecting biodiversity. The author contends that market-based mechanisms, such as biodiversity offsets and carbon credits, provide a 'permit to pollute' and lead to the dispossession of indigenous peoples and local communities.

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that the 'financialization of nature'—the process of redefining nature as a collection of quantifiable 'ecosystem services' to be traded on capital markets—is a threat to ecological justice. The document contends that these markets, including biodiversity and carbon offsets, serve as cost-cutting tools for corporations to continue industrial destruction while undermining the rights and territories of indigenous peoples and traditional communities.

This research paper proposes 'solution scanning' as a systematic method for identifying environmental interventions to maintain and enhance regulating ecosystem services, providing a comprehensive list of options to improve policy decision-making and cost-effectiveness.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International and 136 other organizations opposing biodiversity offset mechanisms, which they argue treat nature as a tradable commodity and facilitate unsustainable development.

This document consists of several distinct text fragments. The primary section is an introduction to a report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development that compares climate change vulnerability assessments (VAs) in Tunisia and Indonesia using a four-component framework (Framing, Process, Inputs, and Outputs). Additional fragments discuss nature-based solutions for road resilience in Indonesia and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), a $20 billion financing mechanism aimed at accelerating the retirement of coal plants and the development of renewable energy in Indonesia and South Africa.

This guide, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn, provides instructions for planners, developers, and citizens on how to integrate biodiversity into urban planning processes to prevent the loss of species during development projects. It focuses on specific animal groups, the implementation of a 'green space factor' to quantify ecological value, and practical measures for creating urban habitats such as green roofs, vertical greenery, and sustainable drainage systems.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the ecosystem services concept, detailing the various benefits nature provides to humans and the methodologies used to assign them monetary value. It explores the classification of services into supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural categories, while also introducing the concept of 'ecosystem disservices'. The document offers guidance for integrating these values into policy-making at national, local, and corporate levels to promote sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.

This research paper by Bruno Locatelli and Emilia Pramova explores the bidirectional relationship between forests and climate change adaptation, introducing the concept of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). The authors argue that forests provide critical services that reduce human vulnerability ('forests for adaptation') and that forests themselves require management to survive climate shifts ('adaptation for forests').

This document consists of four case study profiles detailing locally-led climate adaptation practices in Ghana. It covers organic shea processing in the West Gonja District, climate-smart agriculture in the Savannah and northern regions, flood response in the peri-urban area of Aboabo, and coastal erosion management in Keta town. Across these regions, common themes include the use of community-based organizations, the alignment of local actions with Ghana's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and persistent challenges regarding financial resources and institutional support.

This document presents three case study profiles from Senegal focusing on community-led climate adaptation in agriculture (Daga Birame), coastal erosion (Dionewar), and health (Widou Thiengoly). It details the specific practices, outcomes, and challenges associated with these local initiatives and their alignment with Senegal's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This research paper by Pratibha Caleb and Rithika Fernandes of ICLEI South Asia examines the debate between using native versus introduced tree species to enhance urban resilience in Indian cities facing increasing climate-related disasters.

This policy brief from the GIVRAPD project examines climate change vulnerability in Seychelles, focusing on the intersection of integrated coastal planning and micro-finance. It details coastal vulnerability assessments on Mahe and La Digue, the role of participatory planning in overcoming adaptation barriers, and the potential for micro-insurance to support resource-dependent communities facing increasing weather-related disasters.

This guide presents a scenario involving Barrio Inundado, a low-income coastal neighborhood in South America, to illustrate the process of consulting residents on climate vulnerability and developing resilience plans.

This guide from the Climate Policy Initiative explains the role of concessional and private equity in financing climate change mitigation and adaptation. It details how equity can be used as a risk-absorbing instrument to mobilize commercial capital, particularly in emerging markets, and outlines the capacity and regulatory requirements for governments to effectively deploy these instruments.

This guide from the Climate Policy Initiative explains debt-for-climate swaps, which are financial mechanisms that cancel, exchange, or refinance sovereign debt in return for commitments to invest the savings into climate mitigation, adaptation, or conservation. The document details the different types of swaps (bilateral and tripartite), the internal and regulatory capacities required by Ministries of Finance to implement them, and the financial market conditions that influence their viability. It also outlines the risks, pricing drivers, and common challenges associated with these instruments, while providing examples of successful implementations in countries like Ecuador, Belize, and Seychelles.

This report by NatureFinance and the World Bioeconomy Forum analyzes the current state and future potential of the global bioeconomy, focusing on the financial instruments and policy frameworks needed to transition toward a sustainable, nature-positive, and equitable economy. It proposes a strategic spectrum to categorize bioeconomic activities and highlights the critical role of international cooperation, particularly through the G20, to align finance with biodiversity and climate goals.

This fact sheet from the Climate Policy Initiative explains first- and second-loss facilities as credit enhancement tools used to de-risk climate and energy transition investments. It details how these layered capital structures absorb initial losses to attract private investment into high-risk sectors, the institutional capacities required to manage them, and provides examples of blended finance vehicles operating in emerging markets and developing economies.

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative outlines foreign exchange (FX) hedging instruments designed to mitigate currency fluctuation risks for emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), particularly for long-term green projects. It details various commercial and concessional tools, the institutional and regulatory capacities required to deploy them, and the role of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and development finance institutions (DFIs) in reducing costs and building market readiness.