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The document outlines ten key recommendations from South Asian experts for the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, focusing on community monitoring, peer reviews, climate-compatible management, and the inclusion of marginalized groups.

The document highlights the synergies between climate change mitigation and the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), identifying key areas for multisectoral intervention. It emphasizes that shifting to clean energy, promoting active transport, and adopting sustainable food systems can reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and NCD risk factors like air pollution and physical inactivity. The briefing advocates for policy coherence across government ministries and a whole-of-society approach to achieve these health and environmental co-benefits.

The document highlights the intersection between climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), identifying air pollution, physical inactivity, and poor diet as shared risk factors. It proposes 'co-benefit' solutions across four key sectors: air quality (clean stoves), energy (transition to renewables), transport (active mobility), and food systems (plant-based, local diets). The brief emphasizes that integrated policies—particularly at the municipal level—can provide immediate health improvements and economic savings while contributing to long-term climate goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The report finds that the COVID-19 lockdown led to a significant reduction in air pollution in Bengaluru, primarily due to a sharp decline in motorized transportation. Analysis of 26 monitoring stations showed an average 28% drop in PM2.5 levels, while satellite data indicated a 40% reduction in NO2. The most significant decrease occurred near Bellandur Lake (75%), attributed to the halt of construction and vehicular movement. Conversely, the lowest reduction was seen near Halasuru Hospital (14%), likely due to continued essential hospital visits. The study concludes that the transportation sector is the primary driver of air pollution in the city and recommends shifting to electric vehicles, enhancing public transport, and promoting non-motorized transportation to maintain breathable air quality.

The document outlines the structure of COP28, including its constituent meetings (COP28, CMA5, CMP18, SBI 59, and SBSTA 59) and the three main goals of the Paris Agreement: limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C, adapting to climate change, and aligning finance flows. It details the thematic program from November 30 to December 12, 2023, the role of the Youth Climate Champion, and the significance of the first-ever Global Stocktake, which found the world is far from achieving Paris Agreement goals. The text also describes the distinction between the Blue Zone for negotiations and the Green Zone for public engagement.

The guidelines establish that 'secondary cities' eligible for the SAP must have a population between 1 and 3 million. The GCF prioritizes integrated, cross-sectoral projects focusing on decarbonization of energy, building energy efficiency, mobility, urban form, climate adaptation, circular economy, waste management, and water/sanitation. To achieve a 'paradigm shift,' projects must move away from carbon-intensive urbanization through technological and institutional leapfrogging. The document specifies that construction of new housing, roads, or bus rapid transport systems are 'NON SAP-ABLE' due to environmental and social safeguard (ESS) standards. Impact measurement must be quantitative and aligned with the GCF's integrated results management framework, utilizing sex-disaggregated indicators where possible.

The document outlines the criteria and technical guidelines for cities to access the Green Climate Fund's Simplified Approval Process (SAP). It defines eligible 'secondary cities' as those with populations between 1 and 3 million, emphasizing the need for integrated, cross-sectoral approaches to decarbonization and resilience. The guide details eligible sectors—including energy, building efficiency, mobility, urban planning, adaptation, circular economy, waste management, and water/sanitation—while explicitly excluding new construction projects for housing, roads, or rapid transit systems. It provides a framework for measuring impact using quantitative indicators and offers three project scenarios: LED street lighting, district cooling networks, and integrated waste management.

The document outlines the technical requirements and eligible sectors for urban projects seeking funding through the Green Climate Fund's Simplified Approval Process (SAP). It defines eligible 'secondary cities' as those with populations between 1 and 3 million inhabitants and identifies key sectors for intervention, including energy decarbonization, building efficiency, mobility, and waste management. The guide emphasizes a multisectoral, integrated approach to achieve a 'paradigm shift' away from carbon-intensive urbanization, providing specific indicators for measuring impact and examples of activities that do and do not qualify for the SAP.

Mongolia's progress toward a green economy was ranked 3 out of 10 in a 2018 report. The country faces significant environmental hurdles, including air pollution, land degradation, and water mismanagement, with 70% of its land lacking groundwater access. While the government has implemented the National Green Development Policy and Sustainable Development Vision 2030, a gap remains between official narratives and actual implementation. Transition efforts involve tax exemptions for renewables, the operation of 12 renewable energy sites (wind, hydro, and solar), and international support from entities like the Green Climate Fund and ADB to develop low-carbon eco-districts in Ulaanbaatar.

The document examines the struggle of Ghana's MMDAs to transition from basic service provision to facilitating broad-based local economic development. It highlights a critical gap in fiscal decentralisation, noting that MMDAs are heavily dependent on unreliable central government transfers, specifically the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), while internally generated funds remain too low to cover recurrent expenditures. The brief argues that certain central government initiatives, such as the "one-constituency, one-million dollar" program, undermine decentralisation by bypassing MMDAs through special development authorities. To address these issues, the document recommends that MMDAs expand their revenue bases, create business-friendly environments for start-ups, and foster collaborations with the private sector and civil society to reduce poverty and unemployment.

The briefing outlines the systemic failures of traditional municipal service delivery in South Africa, where over 7.32 million households in approximately 4,298 informal settlements face severe constraints. It proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a paradigm shift based on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasizing decentralization and public-private partnerships. The document establishes a framework of technical, social, and financial 'best practice norms' to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Through case studies like Peco Power (energy), Kaloola (sanitation), Regenize (waste), and Gcwalisa (food/waste), it demonstrates how off-grid and community-led solutions can provide interim services while working toward long-term goals. It concludes by recommending a systems approach to integrate ASD into provincial planning and calling for flexible policy and funding mechanisms.

The document presents Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) as a method to maximize food yield using indoor facilities and climate-regulated systems. It identifies key drivers for CEA adoption in South Africa, including severe water scarcity, soil loss, and high rates of urbanization. The study highlights benefits such as year-round production, reduced food mileage through vertical farming, and improved pest control. To scale the industry, the document argues for increased access to affordable financing and dedicated resources for research, development, and skills training.

The document defines non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS) as reticulation-free systems where human excreta are stored on-site for treatment or disposal. It highlights the economic return of water and sanitation investments, noting a USD 2.5 - 5 return in reduced healthcare costs for every dollar spent. In South Africa, NSSS are presented as solutions to water scarcity, aging infrastructure, and rapid urbanization, with a potential R4.7bn investment opportunity in metropolitan projects and a R3.4bn government allocation for school sanitation over two years. Globally, the document projects that water infrastructure costs will rise from USD 6.7 trillion by 2030 to USD 22.6 trillion by 2050, with Sub-Saharan Africa leading in annual costs to achieve basic and safe sanitation.

The document argues that traditional vector control is insufficient and advocates for a transdisciplinary approach that combines climate science with community co-creation to anticipate outbreaks and improve the sustainability of prevention policies in vulnerable urban areas.

The Mexican government, via the Instituto Nacional de Ecología, proposes three primary research lines for the IAI: integrated assessments of climate variability and its impacts on health, agriculture, tourism, and ecosystems; the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and forestry sectors; and the study of co-benefits from reducing local and global emissions on human health and urban ecosystems.

The document argues that traditional vector control for dengue is insufficient in Latin America due to climate change, urbanization, and social inequality. It advocates for a transdisciplinary approach that combines statistical climate models with community co-creation to develop sustainable, culturally relevant prevention strategies.

The document examines the rapid rate of urbanisation across Africa, highlighting that while urban growth can drive economic diversification, unplanned growth in developing economies often leads to slums and infrastructure stress. It focuses on Nigeria, where rapid urban population growth has outpaced planning, resulting in high slum residency and significant shortages in housing, water, and sanitation. The briefing notes that Nigeria's inability to manage this growth and integrate its large informal economy limits national economic contributions and increases the risk of political and social instability.

The Western Cape is currently caught in a middle-income trap, characterized by slow GDP per capita growth and significant inequality in access to basic services. The document evaluates three scenarios: an 'Inclusive Economy' focusing on basic services and education, a 'Vibrant Economy' focusing on high-level skills and business environment, and an 'Enterprising Cape' which combines both. The analysis finds that while isolated interventions provide some gains, a comprehensive approach is necessary to significantly raise GDP per capita, improve the Human Development Index (HDI), and accelerate the transition to high-income status by the mid-2030s.

Africa is experiencing rapid population growth and urbanisation, with a projected population of over 1.8 billion by 2035. While the continent shows a positive overall trend, growth is heterogeneous and often outpaced by population increases, leading to a projected rise in the number of people living in extreme poverty. The report highlights a 'demographic dividend' that remains delayed due to high fertility rates, and notes that while global democratic trends are declining, popular support for democracy in Africa remains strong despite fragile foundations. Security is shifting from large-scale interstate conflicts toward more complex, lower-fatality violence, including urban riots and terrorism. Economic growth is hindered by a lack of structural transformation and a significant infrastructure deficit, particularly in basic services like water and sanitation, which the report argues are more critical for poverty reduction than traditional trade infrastructure.

This report provides a spatial analysis of disaster incidence in Central America and the Dominican Republic between 1950 and 2020. It identifies that hydrometeorological events, specifically floods and landslides, are the most recurrent threats, often coinciding with high-density urban areas and coastal zones. The study highlights a significant increase in recorded disasters since 1990, peaking in 2010. It further correlates disaster risk with physical variables, noting that 70.7% of records occur below 1,000 meters above sea level and that a high percentage of critical territories are located in areas with medium to high population density. The analysis also observes a decline in forest cover and an increase in pasture land from 1990 to 2018, linking these land-use changes to increased disaster vulnerability.