Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines the use of blended finance in Colombia to address a structural funding gap for Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and the bioeconomy. It highlights that while mobilizing private capital is essential, previous blended finance efforts have been limited by a lack of standardization and a focus on isolated transactions rather than structural solutions. The study utilizes 17 semi-structured interviews, a multi-stakeholder dialogue with approximately 40 participants, and a review of global reports to determine how international cooperation, government, and the private sector can effectively mobilize capital.

The document outlines the drivers of saltwater intrusion, including sea-level rise and groundwater extraction, and details its impacts on agriculture, human health, and ecosystems. It suggests reporting strategies such as using visual tools to identify 'ghost forests' and distinguishing between 'solutions' and 'strategies' for adaptation.

The document explains that biofuels are intended to reduce, rather than replace, fossil fuel use, particularly in hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and shipping. It distinguishes between three generations of biofuels: first-generation (food-based), second-generation (waste-based), and third-generation (algae-based). While they can reduce emissions if produced sustainably, first-generation fuels can increase deforestation and biodiversity loss. The guide highlights regional production patterns in the Americas, noting Brazil's leadership in sugarcane ethanol and Colombia's role in palm oil biodiesel.

The study finds a significant disconnect between the design and implementation of water, energy, and food policies in four Sub-Saharan African countries. While policies appear aligned on paper, particularly regarding water management, fragmented energy market instruments and sustainable agriculture policies create regulatory uncertainty that hinders investment and resource management.

The report identifies key challenges for Senegal, including undiversified exports and climatic hazards, while highlighting the potential of manufacturing, education, and governance to raise incomes. It argues that a holistic development strategy aligned with Agenda 2063 could increase GDP by 86% by 2043 compared to the current path. Specific recommendations include diversifying cash crops, managing emerging oil and gas revenues, leveraging wind power for rural electricity, and implementing constitutional reforms to strengthen the judiciary and legislature.

The inventory identifies nature-based solutions (NbS) in Zimbabwe, focusing on reforestation and wildlife corridor conservation in biodiversity hotspots like Hwange and Zambezi National Parks. These projects integrate traditional knowledge with modern practices across sectors such as water management and sustainable agriculture to combat droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and rising temperatures.

The IEU report for February to May 2026 outlines the progress of several independent evaluations, including those on gender, the Project Preparation Facility, and the private sector. It highlights the ongoing Third Performance Review (TPR) and the LORTA impact evaluation programme, which supports 23 evaluations. The Unit also reports on its strategic engagement with other multilateral climate funds, the use of AI in evaluation synthesis, and its budget expenditure, which stood at 19% (USD 1.5 million) of the annual budget as of 30 April 2026.

The inventory details nature-based solutions (NbS) in Namibia, emphasizing community-based natural resource management and the integration of biodiversity conservation with climate adaptation. It highlights the critical need for NbS due to Namibia's high vulnerability to arid conditions, recurrent droughts, and land degradation, which threaten agriculture, tourism, and rural livelihoods.

The report argues that a just energy transition in Africa requires the concurrent development of non-fossil fuel revenue sources and employment to avoid destabilising public finances. Focusing on Angola, Senegal, and Tanzania, it identifies alternative sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, mining of critical minerals, and tourism. It recommends the adoption of Just Transition Investment Plans (JTIPs), the implementation of 'sunset policies' to end new fossil fuel licensing, and the use of fossil revenues as a temporary financing mechanism for green industrialisation. The report specifically advocates for strict conditions on any remaining gas use, including a ban on export-oriented LNG and a requirement to ringfence 50% of revenues for renewable energy.

The report provides a detailed inventory of 11 nature-based solutions (NbS) projects in Namibia, focusing on ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to combat drought, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. It highlights the central role of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern conservation. Key interventions include agroforestry, sustainable rangeland management, and the development of biodiversity-based livelihoods such as beekeeping and eco-tourism. The document details project locations across nine regions, their intended beneficiaries, and the specific climate and biodiversity risks they address, serving as a resource for government officials and practitioners to identify synergies and gaps in NbS implementation.

The 2026 US National Grasslands Survey reveals that while 71% of Americans are likely to support grassland conservation, grasslands are perceived as the seventh most threatened ecosystem. The report segments the population into five groups—Passionates, Leisures, Environmentalists, Materialists, and Indifferents—and finds that providing information significantly increases the perceived importance of grasslands, moving them from the fourth to the first most important ecosystem among respondents.

The report analyzes multiple development scenarios for Burundi, finding that while all scenarios improve GDP per capita over the 'Current Path', the Agriculture and Governance scenarios are most effective at reducing extreme poverty. It highlights a critical risk where the full implementation of the AfCFTA could potentially increase poverty to 75.8% by 2043 if not supported by complementary domestic policies. Environmental trade-offs are noted, as agricultural modernization and trade scenarios are projected to result in the highest carbon emissions by 2043.

The report finds that while significant financial flows enter the Cerrado, the current financial architecture fails to align agricultural funding with sustainability and zero-deforestation goals. Subsidized sustainable credit represents only 5.7% of total rural credit in the biome between 2020/21 and 2023/24, and is highly concentrated among large producers and a few financial institutions. The Matopiba region is particularly vulnerable, concentrating over 55% of the biome's deforestation (2013–2022) while relying heavily on Constitutional Financing Funds (FCFs), which often lack transparent sustainability criteria. Blended finance instruments show potential through risk mitigation and flexible terms but remain limited in scale compared to the economic incentives driving land conversion. The authors recommend improving transparency via the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy (TSB), expanding the role of sustainable credit, and fostering financial innovation to mobilize private capital.

The 'Enhancing Women’s Land Tenure through Shea Tree Mapping' project uses geo-tagging to record shea trees and link them to women producers in Ghana, Togo, and Benin. This digital visibility addresses the lack of formal proof of assets, which has historically hindered women's access to financial services for productive equipment like motorised tricycles. By mapping over 16,000 trees and 3,500 producers, the initiative aims to transition informal women's co-operatives into recognized enterprises and protect shea parklands.

The report concludes that Africa's path to economic development lies in transitioning from a reliance on global export markets to a focus on domestic food self-sufficiency. It emphasizes the need for coordinated government support for smallholder farmers, investment in AgTech, and the adoption of sustainable, indigenous farming practices to mitigate the severe impacts of climate change, particularly in the Sahel region.

The FORECCSA+ project is a scaling-up initiative designed to strengthen community resilience to climate change in Ecuador, specifically targeting the Food Sovereignty, Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (SAG) sector. With a total investment of $35,667,034 USD, the project aims to benefit 347,482 direct and 630,377 indirect beneficiaries across 11 provinces. The program is structured around three outcomes: implementing adaptation measures and climate services, improving market access and financial inclusion for rural producers (especially women and youth), and strengthening local governance and territorial planning. It builds on the 2011–2018 FORECCSA project, integrating lessons on participatory decision-making and gender-responsive implementation to address structural barriers such as limited finance, technological gaps, and insecure land tenure for women.

The report analyzes the integration of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) into trade policies to enhance market access for developing countries. It identifies two primary forms of integration: direct mandatory compliance and voluntary influence on national policies. Through case studies in Mozambique (cotton), Namibia (horticulture), Suriname (fisheries), and Vietnam (forestry), the report highlights that while VSSs can improve product quality and reputation, implementation is often hindered by high certification costs, limited institutional capacity, and market volatility.

The report assesses gender disparities in Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, and Peru to inform the EcoEnterprises Partners IV investment strategy. It identifies systemic barriers—including financial exclusion, limited land rights, and climate vulnerability—that disproportionately affect rural, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant women. The document details a 'gender-lens' investment approach, utilizing a proprietary toolbox of 32 tools and alignment with the 2X Challenge to promote women's leadership and economic empowerment in MSMEs and sustainable agriculture.

The statement urges WTO ministers at MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to prioritize sustainable development within the WTO reform agenda and consolidate momentum on environmental initiatives. It highlights the need for a course-correction in WTO reform to address climate change, nature loss, and pollution, while calling for the full implementation of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and the advancement of dialogues on sustainable agriculture and plastic pollution.

The document highlights a significant shortfall in agricultural methane mitigation, noting that while the Global Methane Pledge aims for a 30% reduction by 2030, current NDCs and national plans may only achieve an 8% reduction. It argues that dietary shifts and sustainable farming are essential to avoid a 2°C warming impact driven by food consumption patterns.