Search Climate Insights Directory

The Nature-Based Infrastructure (NBI) Global Resource Centre assessed the economic viability of nature-based interventions in Costa Rica's Reventazón River basin. The analysis indicates that a pilot project involving reforestation, agroforestry, and contoured croplands would yield a net benefit of USD 3.17 million, with a return of USD 1.23 for every dollar invested. A scaled-up, basin-wide approach is estimated to generate a net benefit of USD 6.31 million over 30 years.

The Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre analyzed the Bring Back Our Trees project in Kasese, Uganda, which aims to reforest 30,270 hectares to combat climate-driven floods and landslides. The analysis found that the nature-based infrastructure approach generates a total net benefit of USD 69.1 million, providing a return of USD 5.44 for every dollar invested. Beyond flood mitigation, the interventions support carbon sequestration, biodiversity, job creation, and soil erosion prevention.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) proposes 'ecosystem carbon management' to encompass both conventional biological carbon storage and novel technological approaches. Conventional methods, such as sustainable forestry and agricultural practices, provide immediate mitigation potential but face risks of reversal. Novel approaches, including enhanced rock weathering, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and biochar, aim for permanent storage over centuries or millennia. The document argues for a balanced deployment of these tools and the development of policy structures to provide financial incentives and safeguards for these emerging technologies.

The 2023 wildfire season in Canada, which burned 19 million hectares, highlighted the vulnerability of the forestry industry, which represents 1.7% of Canada's GDP. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of fires, potentially leading to a loss of 4 billion dollars in export revenues and 32,000 jobs by the end of the century if no action is taken. The document recommends a coordinated approach involving government and industry to enhance resilience through diversified reforestation, active forest management—including Indigenous-led controlled burning—and the expansion of bioenergy to reduce forest fuel loads.

The document outlines a 10-day conservation-focused trip to the Galápagos Islands and Quito, Ecuador, led by WWF experts. It details a sailing itinerary aboard the M/C Natural Habitat Petrel, visiting multiple islands including Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Bartolome, Genovesa, and Santiago. The trip emphasizes WWF's conservation efforts, such as the establishment of the Charles Darwin Research Station in 1962, the creation of a 50,000 square mile marine reserve, and the development of waste management systems on the islands. Specific activities include visiting the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, where over 5,000 tortoises have been released into the wild, and staying at a private Tortoise Camp that has planted more than 1,000 endemic Scalesia trees since 2022.

The 'Kingdom of the Monarchs' itinerary is a six-day guided tour (February 18–23, 2025) through central Mexico, focusing on the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Led by WWF experts, the trip visits the El Rosario and Chincua sanctuaries to observe the wintering grounds of millions of monarch butterflies that migrate from the US and Canada. The program emphasizes the role of ecotourism as a sustainable economic alternative to logging and showcases WWF-Mexico's reforestation work, which includes planting over 13 million trees to combat illegal deforestation.

The document analyzes how climate change impacts public health in Senegal through heatwaves, floods, and droughts, while highlighting a community-led resilience project in Widou Thiéngoly.

The report analyzes forest replacement in Matopiba, noting that current practices often prioritize commercial timber over ecological restoration. It suggests adopting digital platforms for credit management, using Payments for Environmental Services (PSA), outsourcing fund management to specialized entities, and employing blended finance to scale restoration efforts.

The report finds that comprehensive requirements for benefit sharing arrangements are not common practice across major carbon crediting programmes. While some projects, particularly those under Plan Vivo, demonstrate best practices by providing detailed monitoring reports on monetary and non-monetary benefits, many others provide only procedural information or limited evidence of actual implementation. Major carbon crediting programmes like Verra (VCS), CAR, and ACR have largely resisted mandatory disclosure of benefit sharing terms, citing commercial confidentiality and a lack of institutional expertise to monitor downstream financial flows.

The report argues that current carbon dioxide removal (CDR) governance systems are flawed because they often treat carbon removal as equivalent to emission reductions, leading to 'mitigation deterrence'. It examines regulatory tools like emissions trading systems (ETS), tax credits, and public auctions, as well as voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). The authors conclude that CDR must be a complementary tool, not a substitute for decarbonization. They propose a policy framework based on three principles: precaution, 'do no significant harm' (DNSH), and the primacy of emission reductions. Key recommendations include separating emission reduction targets from CDR and land-based sequestration targets, implementing rigorous measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and shifting from offsetting models to 'contributive approaches' or public procurement like reverse auctions.

The document argues that current carbon dioxide removal (CDR) policies often encourage 'mitigation deterrence' by treating removals as equivalent to emission reductions. It reviews various mechanisms—including emissions trading systems, tax credits, and voluntary markets—and concludes that most fail to ensure environmental integrity or permanence. The authors propose a 'blueprint' for sensible policy that strictly separates emission reduction targets from removal targets, mandates robust monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), and prioritizes the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle. It suggests that funding for CDR should come from carbon pricing revenues or dedicated procurement schemes rather than offsetting mechanisms.

The playbook argues that infrastructure is a primary driver of biodiversity loss and climate change, contributing approximately 79% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It advocates for a shift from 'no net loss' to 'nature-positive' development, where biodiversity gain is central to design. Based on an analysis of nearly 200 projects, the guide categorizes solutions across transport, energy, water, buildings, and coastal protection. Key findings highlight an implementation bias toward well-known solutions like reforestation, while more complex options like peatland restoration remain underutilized. The document emphasizes that nature-based solutions can complement or replace 'grey' infrastructure, offering superior adaptability to climate change and providing diverse co-benefits including improved water quality, carbon sequestration, and social well-being.

The authors provide a classification of land-based mitigation technologies and practices (LMTs), identifying afforestation, reforestation, and forest management as having high potential worldwide. While bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and biochar are more viable in higher-income countries due to funding and technology, the broader deployment of LMTs is hindered by insufficient financing and limited implementation knowledge. The text emphasizes that large-scale deployment must account for gender and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and marginalised groups to avoid increasing inequalities.

In Karonga District, Malawi, women and girls face disproportionate risks from extreme weather, including displacement, cholera, and sexual exploitation. To combat this, the Green Girls Platform has supported a community club that trains women in climate change, early warning systems, and green skills such as briquette making and tree nursery management. These activities provide both climate adaptation and income-generating opportunities for vulnerable women.

The project seeks to reduce flood risk and improve livelihoods in the Trois-Rivières (TR) watershed of Haiti. It proposes implementing 17,740 hectares of agroforestry and rehabilitating 7,700 hectares of forest to reduce peak runoff by 40%. The initiative includes establishing a social safety net via food coupons and Village Savings and Credit Associations (VSCAs) to discourage unsustainable charcoal production. Additionally, it aims to strengthen national water governance by drafting provisions for the Water Act and establishing Catchment Integrated Water Resources Management Committees. The project targets 292,600 direct and 441,272 indirect beneficiaries, with a total budget of approximately USD 31.3 million, including USD 22.4 million requested from the GCF.

The Climate Change (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to integrate carbon markets into Kenya's climate response to attract investment and achieve low-cost emissions reductions. However, Natural Justice warns that without robust legislation, these markets could allow developed nations to continue burning fossil fuels while negatively impacting the global south. The document identifies several critical flaws in the Bill, including the removal of specific requirements for civil society and marginalized community representatives on the National Climate Change Council, which may contravene the Constitution of Kenya 2010. It also highlights a lack of clear role distinctions between national and county governments and insufficient procedures for effective public participation. Regarding the forestry sector, the Bill suggests that afforestation and reforestation will be part of an emissions trading system, necessitating strict monitoring of emissions. Natural Justice urges the government to delay implementing carbon market mechanisms until all necessary regulations are adopted through a transparent public participation process.

The document assesses the role of nature restoration in climate mitigation, citing a University of Melbourne study to demonstrate that land-based carbon removals cannot substitute for the phase-out of fossil fuels. While nature restoration provides ecological benefits and can remove 100 GtC by 2100, this only offsets 15% of the 650 GtC projected to be released under current government policies. The brief emphasizes that the lag time for land sequestration means these activities have minimal impact on peak temperatures, which are expected within 10–20 years. To achieve the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, the author argues for prompt fossil fuel emission reductions of 85%–98% alongside nature restoration and the halting of deforestation.

The ESMP outlines the environmental and social safeguards for the Bhutan for Life (BFL) project's activities from January 2023 to June 2024. Key planned activities include the establishment of a cane and bamboo enterprise in Mongar, the creation of 51.97 hectares of new plantations, the maintenance of 39.47 hectares of existing plantations, and the creation of 36.23 hectares of habitat enrichment plantations. The plan identifies potential risks such as construction waste, noise pollution, and the introduction of invasive species, providing specific mitigation measures and monitoring arrangements. Implementation is led by Green Bhutan Corporation Limited (GBCL) under the supervision of the Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS).

The ESMP for Phrumsengla National Park (PNP) outlines the environmental and social safeguards for project activities between January 2023 and June 2024. The primary activity is a Nu. 400,000 bamboo plantation project in the Yumchey and Pam areas of Jaray Gewog, designed to mitigate flash floods and stabilize soil. The plan identifies minor risks, including the introduction of invasive species and occupational health and safety concerns, and prescribes mitigation measures such as using only native deep-rooted species and providing first aid and fair working conditions. Implementation is managed by the BFL focal person in PNP, with monitoring conducted through field visits and reports. The document also includes comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards for workers, covering facility design, personal protective equipment, and accommodation.

The Clean Air Task Force proposes several reforms to the 2023 Farm Bill to improve the quantification and procurement of carbon sequestration, facilitate rural clean energy transmission, and reduce livestock methane emissions. Key recommendations include streamlining the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) funding processes, establishing carbon cooperatives, and investing $350 million to $500 million in enteric methane research.