Search Climate Insights Directory

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a comprehensive overview of global warming and climate change, explaining their causes, impacts on health and environment, and the strategies used for mitigation and adaptation. It details the role of greenhouse gases, the specific contributions of the livestock sector, and the current state of climate action within the United States and through United Nations frameworks.

This report by RMI examines the potential for integrating electrochemical carbon removal (CDR) technologies into coastal desalination value chains. It identifies synergies between desalination processes—such as the use of brine as a feedstock and shared pumping infrastructure—and the potential for these integrations to mitigate the environmental impacts of brine discharge while contributing to global climate goals.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law outlines the legal obligations of States to protect the ocean from climate change by halting fossil fuel expansion and phasing out their use. It highlights the significance of climate advisory opinions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in establishing these duties.

This report provides a comprehensive climate risk profile for Belize, focusing on the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and communities within and around specific marine and terrestrial protected areas. It details observed climatic changes, future projections, and the resulting vulnerabilities of local livelihoods, while recommending nature-based solutions (NbS) and gender-responsive adaptation strategies to enhance resilience.

This research paper analyzes long-term variability and trends in oceanographic and optical parameters at the CARIACO time-series station in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela, from January 1996 to December 2013.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the environmental, climate, health, and financial risks associated with the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure. It highlights how improper closure and the proliferation of abandoned wells lead to methane leaks and toxic contamination, while corporate strategies and regulatory loopholes often shift the massive financial burden of cleanup from operators to the public.

This project brief describes a multidisciplinary effort to evaluate marine ecosystem services, specifically the role of phytoplankton, across the Antares network of eight time-series stations in Latin America. The project integrates in situ historical data, remote sensing, and bio-geochemical modeling to monitor phytoplankton populations and their impact on carbon sequestration and fisheries, while developing socio-economic indicators to assess how these services affect human populations and decision-making.

This legal memorandum by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the May 21, 2024, advisory opinion (AO) from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) regarding States' obligations to protect oceans from climate change. The document details how the ITLOS AO defines anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as marine pollution under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and discusses the implications of this ruling for ongoing climate advisory proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The 2020-21 WWF-SASSI Retailer/Supplier Participation Scheme report evaluates the progress of major South African seafood vendors in adopting sustainable procurement practices. It highlights the intersection of climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and consumer behavior in shaping a sustainable blue economy.

This policy brief examines the evolution of international ocean governance from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the legal frameworks established to manage marine resources and pollution, the challenges of fragmented sectoral management, and the urgent need for a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to address cumulative stressors like climate change, overfishing, and acidification.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a comprehensive overview of climate change, detailing the drivers of global warming, its environmental and health impacts, and the strategies for mitigation and adaptation. It emphasizes the role of human activity—specifically fossil fuel combustion and agriculture—in increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and outlines the current state of U.S. and international policy efforts, including the Paris Agreement.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the 'externalities'—climate, environmental, and health costs not reflected in market prices—associated with the fossil fuel supply chain. It details the impacts of burning coal, oil, and natural gas, including greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and public health crises, while proposing policy mechanisms to mitigate these costs.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics summarizes the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, detailing the accelerating degradation of polar regions, oceans, and mountain ecosystems. It highlights the irreversible nature of some changes, the risks to global sea levels and water security, and the resulting threats to biodiversity and human livelihoods.

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2019, translates the findings of the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate for decision-makers in Latin America. It details how human-induced climate change is altering ocean chemistry and temperature, accelerating sea-level rise, and melting high-mountain glaciers, with specific focus on the Humboldt Current and the Andean region. The document emphasizes that while some changes are now inevitable, urgent mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and early investment in adaptation and resilient coastal development are critical to reducing future risks and costs.

This guide, produced by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), distils the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for African decision-makers. It details how human-induced warming is altering ocean chemistry and temperature, accelerating sea level rise, and melting high mountain frozen lands, all of which threaten African ecosystems, food security, and coastal livelihoods.

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2019, distils the findings of the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for decision-makers in Latin America. It details the physical changes occurring in the oceans and high mountain frozen lands, the resulting risks to marine life and human societies, and the necessity of integrating mitigation, adaptation, and inclusive governance to build climate resilience in the region.

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2019, distils the findings of the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for decision-makers in South Asia. It details the physical changes occurring in the oceans and high mountain frozen lands, the resulting risks to ecosystems and human livelihoods, and the necessity of integrating mitigation, adaptation, and transformative governance to build regional resilience.

The 2018 Ocean Scorecard, published by WWF South Africa, provides an updated assessment of the state of South Africa's ocean economy and global fish stocks. It tracks progress against a 2016 baseline, highlighting critical declines in specific species, shifts in fishery exploitation levels, and progress in marine spatial planning and coastal livelihoods.

This G20 Insights policy brief, contributed to by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and environmental NGOs, argues that current global governance for displaced populations is inadequate for the scale of climate-induced migration and calls for G20 leadership in reforming humanitarian responses.

This policy brief examines the prevalence and impact of illegal blast fishing in Tanzania, highlighting its role in destroying coral reef ecosystems and threatening the national economy. It argues for a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral governance approach to eliminate the practice through stricter law enforcement, community-led management, and the provision of alternative livelihoods.