Search Climate Insights Directory

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.

A briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) discussing research on accelerated sea-level rise and the necessary emissions reductions for Canada to meet global climate targets.

This commentary analyzes the evolution of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports regarding sea-level rise, noting a shift from focusing on impacts toward integrated, flexible adaptation strategies and multidisciplinary systems approaches to risk reduction.

This policy note from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and progress in African fisheries governance, focusing on the tension between economic development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It analyzes the roles of small-scale and industrial fisheries, the impact of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, and the transition toward co-management systems to address the limitations of centralized governance.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) distils the findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) specifically for South Asia. It outlines how climate change is already impacting the region through temperature extremes and sea-level rise, and projects future risks including food and water shortages, flood damage, and heat-related mortality. The document emphasizes the necessity of integrating adaptation and mitigation into long-term development planning to avoid 'maladaptation' and leverage co-benefits across sectors such as agriculture, energy, transport, and urban planning.

This policy briefing examines the state of small-scale fisheries in Mozambique, highlighting their critical role in the rural economy and food security. While the government has implemented co-management structures and provided technical support, the sector faces significant threats from overfishing, illegal practices, climate change, and conflicts arising from the expansion of tourism and extractive industries.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) details a screening exercise to identify Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) concepts for Bangladesh. Using a standardized 'quick screen' methodology, the authors reviewed government planning documents to identify 18 NAMA concepts across six UNFCCC sectors that align with national development goals and offer sustainable development co-benefits.

This research paper evaluates the impact of mitigation and adaptation strategies on coastal flooding during the 21st century using the DIVA and IMAGE models, focusing on sea-level rise and dike maintenance.

This document is a preview of results from a book regarding the valuation of oceans and the economic impacts of action or inaction, focusing on the Pacific Ocean as a case study for the need for integrated regional policies to address multiple human-induced stressors.

This report synthesizes findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX), specifically applying them to Latin America and the Caribbean. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and exposure, arguing that disaster risk is increasing not only due to climate change but also because of skewed development processes. The document provides observed and projected trends for temperature and precipitation extremes across various sub-regions and offers a framework for integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) to build long-term resilience.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises findings from the IPCC SREX report specifically for the water sector. It examines how climate extremes—such as floods and droughts—interact with human vulnerability and exposure to create disaster risk, and provides a framework for integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) to build long-term resilience in water management systems.

The Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL) is a tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute to calculate net climate impacts for individuals rather than regional averages. By comparing climate damages against the savings gained from not investing in emission reductions, CIEL demonstrates that while some individuals are currently 'net winners,' the vast majority of the global population will become 'net losers' by 2100 and 2150 as damages outpace savings.

This 2010 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the integration of ecosystem-based approaches into climate change adaptation and national development planning in Belize. It identifies key climatic and socio-economic drivers of change, develops future scenarios for 2050, and assesses the current state of Belize's governance system across four clusters: institutions and networks, strategies and policies, regulations and laws, and capacity and resources.

This workshop report details a Participatory Scenario Development (PSD) process conducted in January 2010 to identify future development pathways and climate change adaptation strategies for the Bras d’Or ecosystem in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The process involved stakeholders developing three distinct scenarios for the year 2060—status quo, best case, and worst case—to analyze the synergies and trade-offs between regional development priorities and climate resilience.

This fact sheet presents GIS-based estimates of populations in the conterminous United States living in coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surges, specifically those residing within 1 km of the coast or below 3 meters in elevation.

This fact sheet describes research by the Louisiana State University and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) using GIS to estimate the population of the continental United States living in coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise and storms.

This research paper by Sives Govender examines the information requirements for climate change adaptation in Africa, categorizing needs into responsive, proactive, and robust policy frameworks. It highlights the critical role of early warning systems, satellite-based monitoring, and the integration of socio-economic data to mitigate vulnerabilities in water, food security, and coastal infrastructure.

This 2009 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute assesses the economic impacts of climate change in Kenya, the costs of adaptation, and the potential for low-carbon growth. It finds that existing climate variability already imposes significant costs, while future climate change could lead to annual GDP losses of approximately 2.6% by 2030. The report estimates immediate adaptation needs at $500 million per year for 2012, potentially rising to $1-2 billion per year by 2030. It also identifies a low-carbon development pathway that could reduce energy-related emissions by 22% by 2020, with over 80% of these options available at a net negative cost.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the critical role of ecosystem services in buffering human populations against climate change and the risks associated with the loss of ecological resilience. It highlights how environmental degradation, combined with climate stressors, increases human vulnerability—particularly for poor and marginalised groups—and may trigger large-scale forced migration and humanitarian crises.