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Designing the COVID-19 Recovery for a Safer and More Resilient World
The document argues that the massive fiscal stimulus required for COVID-19 recovery presents a unique opportunity to transition to a low-carbon economy. It suggests that climate-aligned investments offer higher returns than traditional spending, citing benefit-cost ratios for adaptation between 2:1 and 10:1. The author proposes seven action areas: managing corporate bailouts with emissions targets, investing in climate-smart infrastructure (such as renewable energy and nature-based solutions), promoting regulatory reform, reforming tax and subsidy policies (including cutting fossil fuel subsidies), integrating climate risks into financial regulations, enhancing the role of development finance institutions, and sponsoring R&D for new technologies. The text emphasizes that green investments can create more jobs than fossil fuel investments, noting that in the US, $1 million spent on renewable energy creates 7.5 FTE jobs compared to 2.7 in fossil fuels.
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Document type: Briefing
Planting Trees is Good. Saving Existing Forests is Better. Protecting People and Nature is Best.
WWF International provides a framework for corporate forest and climate goal-setting, advocating for a mitigation hierarchy that prioritizes avoiding and reducing footprints before pursuing compensation. The guide argues that protecting existing forests is significantly more effective for climate mitigation than tree planting, noting that preventing the loss of one hectare of mature forest avoids approximately 100 tons of carbon, whereas tropical reforestation sequesters only about 3 tons per hectare annually. It further recommends that companies align carbon credit purchases with specific quality criteria and national commitments (NDCs) and pursue transformational change through improved land tenure and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
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Document type: Guide
Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement
The document outlines a framework for a 'green and resilient recovery' following the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that the next 18 months are critical as countries invest $10-20 trillion. It advocates for low-carbon infrastructure, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and a revamp of the Bretton Woods system to prioritize well-being over traditional growth metrics. The dialogue warns against bailouts for carbon-intensive sectors like aviation and coal, and highlights the urgent need for debt cancellation in vulnerable developing countries.
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Document type: Briefing
Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Fiji’s National Adaptation Plan Process
The report outlines a structured approach for Fiji to track 160 prioritized adaptation actions across five systems and five sectoral components. It proposes a two-part M&E methodology combining a simple 'traffic light' monitoring system for progress with a more complex process- and results-based evaluation for effectiveness. The framework emphasizes the need for interministerial coordination, the use of primary and secondary data sources, and the potential for an online National Adaptation Registry to centralize information. It also highlights the importance of aligning the NAP M&E with international commitments such as the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
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Document type: Report
Support for Select Federal Programs that Address Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) urges the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations to maintain or increase funding for climate-related programs in fiscal year 2021. EESI specifically advocates for the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program, and the EPA's ENERGY STAR program, arguing that these initiatives are essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resilience through nature-based solutions.
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Document type: Statement
COVID-19 stimulus should address health, the economy and climate together
The author contends that the rapid global response to COVID-19 demonstrates the capacity for decisive action, which should now be applied to the climate crisis. The document advocates for aligning government stimulus spending with the Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to 1.5C and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. It suggests that screening stimulus investments through a climate lens can accelerate zero-carbon solutions in power, transport, and infrastructure, potentially creating a $26 trillion growth opportunity and 65 million new jobs by 2030.
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Document type: Statement
2 billion trees to go, please
The author advocates for integrating urban forests into Canada's national tree-planting goals, highlighting their role in carbon sequestration, heat reduction, and flood mitigation. The text emphasizes that urban tree success depends on biological diversity, connectivity, and long-term maintenance rather than just the number of trees planted.
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Document type: Statement
N O T I F I C A C I Ó N
The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research is seeking nominations for five members of its Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) by May 1, 2020. The committee is designed to provide guidance on the application of science in policy formulation and decision-making. Candidates must possess extensive experience in science-policy interfaces, global change issues, and the cultural diversity of the Americas.
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Document type: Briefing
FINANCING ACCESS TO COOLING SOLUTIONS
The document identifies significant barriers to financing sustainable cooling, including the diversity of needs across human comfort, agriculture, and health sectors, and a lack of global tracking for cooling-specific investments. It argues that while private capital is abundant, it is often too risk-averse for the innovative or low-income contexts where cooling is most needed. The brief highlights the role of the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and suggests leveraging blended finance, national cooling action plans, and bulk procurement to scale solutions. It specifically emphasizes the need to coordinate funding for refrigerant replacement (via the Montreal Protocol) with energy efficiency improvements to maximize climate benefits.
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Document type: Briefing
Coastal Resilience in the Southeast
The document is a transcript of a virtual briefing featuring experts from NOAA, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, Wetlands Watch, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The discussion focuses on the implementation of natural infrastructure, such as living shorelines and coral reef restoration, to combat sea level rise and storm surge in the Southeast. Key topics include the use of NOAA's Digital Coast tools, the effectiveness of oyster-based shorelines in North Carolina, the impact of nuisance flooding and sea level rise in Virginia, and the threat of stony coral tissue loss disease in Florida. The panelists also discuss regulatory barriers, the need for improved cost-benefit analysis for nature-based solutions, and the importance of coordinated funding and permitting processes to enhance regional resilience.
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Document type: Briefing
Financing Climate Mitigation and Resilience: Lessons from Hawaii
The document details Hawaii's approach to climate resilience through the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), highlighting its use of non-traditional underwriting to democratize clean energy for low-income residents and renters. It discusses specific projects, such as the Kahauiki Village microgrid and the Kahuku Point coastal restoration, as models for combining mitigation and adaptation. The briefing also argues for the National Climate Bank Act to scale these models federally, noting that while mitigation is easier to finance due to cash flows, adaptation requires more innovative financial structures to address unpriced positive externalities.
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Document type: Briefing
MAPPING OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL RESILIENCE INITIATIVES
The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has compiled a directory of resilience-focused initiatives, categorising them into funds and financing facilities, networks and alliances, organisations, and specific programmes and projects. The mapping covers a wide array of mechanisms, from large-scale funds like the Green Climate Fund to specialised regional initiatives such as the Africa Risk Capacity and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. These initiatives target various sectors including agriculture, urban infrastructure, water management, and financial risk disclosure, with a strong emphasis on supporting Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and vulnerable populations.
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Document type: Report
Resilient Ecosystems and Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities for Coastal Cities in Africa
The document argues that healthy ecosystems, such as mangroves and wetlands, act as critical buffers that reduce the physical exposure of African coastal cities to natural hazards. It promotes the adoption of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) as cost-effective, nature-based solutions. While international frameworks like the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement provide support, the author notes that regional policies in Africa linking biodiversity conservation to disaster risk reduction are virtually non-existent. The brief identifies significant barriers to implementation, including weak governance, fragmented sectoral approaches, and a lack of funding for capacity development, recommending a holistic, multi-sectoral integration of nature-based solutions into national development strategies.
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Document type: Policy brief
ENHANCING NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
The document outlines a framework for incorporating nature-based solutions into climate commitments, emphasizing the need for measurable targets, biodiversity benefits, and the integration of both mitigation and adaptation strategies.
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Document type: Guide
Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
The document outlines a variety of U.S. federal programs—spanning the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS—that provide grants, loans, and technical support for nature-based solutions. These projects, such as wetland restoration, green roofs, and urban forestry, are designed to reduce climate-related hazards like flooding and heat waves while providing carbon sequestration and economic co-benefits. The fact sheet details the eligibility and specific applications of these resources, illustrating their use through examples in cities and states across the U.S.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services: Poplar River First Nation leads the way with innovative conservation
Poplar River First Nation (PRFN) seeks to implement payments for ecosystem services (PES) to support the conservation of its 862,000-hectare traditional territory, Asatiwisipe Aki. By leveraging nature-based solutions, the community aims to create a forest-based economy that provides climate and biodiversity co-benefits for the community and the province of Manitoba. To facilitate this, the study provides a draft PES agreement based on international frameworks, specifically referencing guidance from the Katoomba Group regarding carbon sequestration, biodiversity habitat, and watershed protection.
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Document type: Report
Understanding Adaptation Finance as Investment in Equity
The document reviews the state of adaptation finance as of early 2020, highlighting the Adaptation Committee's projections of rising costs and the Adaptation Fund's operational milestones. It addresses the difficulty of tracking adaptation flows, noting that while finance increased by 35% in 2017-2018, it represents only 5% of tracked climate finance. The brief also contrasts the massive business opportunities in adaptation solutions with the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, arguing that adaptation requires a rethinking of production and equity.
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Document type: Policy brief
Rwanda Integrated Landscape Climate Resilient Management Program (Upper Nyabarongo Catchment and Muvumba catchment -Nyagatare District)
The program aims to strengthen the resilience of 1.2 million people in Rwanda's Upper Nyabarongo and Muvumba catchments through integrated landscape management, sustainable forestry, and modernized early warning systems. It seeks USD 50 million from the Green Climate Fund to complement AfDB financing for the Muvumba Multipurpose Water Resources Development Program. Key interventions include restoring 45,000 hectares of land, implementing agroforestry, and deploying LIDAR-based flood risk modelling to mitigate the impacts of floods, landslides, and droughts.
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Document type: Report
Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
The document outlines federal resources for nature-based solutions (NbS), which include green and natural infrastructure designed to increase resilience to climate impacts like flooding and extreme heat. It details specific programs from agencies such as the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS, highlighting their eligibility criteria and providing real-world examples of projects, such as wetland restoration in California and urban forestry in Oregon. The text emphasizes that NbS can be more cost-effective than traditional engineered projects and provide co-benefits like carbon sequestration and improved water quality.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Coastal Resilience in the Great Lakes Region
The document details efforts to enhance coastal resilience in the Great Lakes region through nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration and climate-smart agriculture. It highlights the role of the Coastal Assembly in coordinating bi-national wetland restoration and the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission's (GLIFWC) use of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to assess species vulnerability. The briefing also emphasizes the importance of soil health in carbon sequestration and the need for federal policy modernization, including updates to the Stafford Act and expanded funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
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Document type: Briefing