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Climate change is increasing the risk and severity of droughts globally and across Canada, leading to significant economic losses in agriculture and hydroelectricity, increased wildfire risk, and public health threats. In Canada, the southern Prairies and interior British Columbia are particularly vulnerable, with 2025 seeing 85% of the country abnormally dry. The document advocates for proactive drought response plans, water conservation, and strengthened agricultural resilience to mitigate these impacts.

The CC Asia Climate Fund (CC-ACF) is a proposed USD 150 million private equity fund targeting growth-stage companies in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. Managed by CC Global Services Holdings Limited (CC GSH), the fund seeks USD 37.5 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to act as a first-loss tranche, catalyzing USD 112.5 million in co-financing. The fund focuses on five priority sectors: renewable energy, resource efficiency/industry decarbonization, weather-resilient buildings, water conservation, and climate-smart agriculture. It aims to reduce GHG emissions by 8.21 million tCO2eq over a 25-year lifespan and reach approximately 464,396 direct and indirect beneficiaries. The strategy emphasizes technology transfer, active board stewardship, and the demonstration of commercial viability for climate-smart investments to shift these carbon-intensive economies toward low-carbon development.

WWF's Food Waste Warriors (FWW) program aims to eliminate food waste in US K–12 schools, noting that nearly 40% of food served in schools is wasted, totaling 530,000 tons and $1.7 billion in lost value annually. The program focuses on three pillars: engaging students through standards-aligned education, expanding edible food recovery via share tables and refrigerators, and diverting waste from landfills through composting. FWW reports that up to 90% of school food waste can be recovered or recycled, with some participating schools achieving a 70% reduction in waste. The report details success stories from Maryland, Maine, Tennessee, and Georgia, and proposes a national data-collection platform and recognition program to scale these efforts.

The report advocates for the scaling of farmer field schools (FFS) in Uganda to address gaps in the national agricultural extension system and improve the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus. Based on a 2023 collaborative learning school (CLS) in the Buikwe District, the document argues that FFS can empower farmers through hands-on experimentation and social cohesion, reducing the burden on overstretched government resources. It identifies key barriers such as trust deficits and uneven geographic distribution, and recommends integrating FFS into national policy through university partnerships and financial incentives.

WEAP is a comprehensive software tool for integrated water resources planning used by over 50,000 users in nearly 200 countries. It functions as a database, forecasting tool, and policy analysis system that balances water demand—including use patterns and allocation—with supply factors like streamflow and groundwater. The software features a GIS-based graphical interface and supports scenario-based analysis to evaluate the impacts of climate change, demographic shifts, and policy changes on water systems. It has been applied in diverse global contexts, including projects in China, Rwanda, Colombia, India, Nepal, and California, to support stakeholder dialogue and evaluate environmental flows.

The report details how climate change is accelerating in Nevada, leading to increased drought, extreme heat, and erratic precipitation. It outlines the resulting economic burdens, including the costs of wildfire suppression, water conservation efforts to protect Lake Mead, and the need for infrastructure upgrades to mitigate flooding and heat-related health risks.

The GCF Water Project Design Guidelines offer a framework for creating climate-resilient water projects, covering domains from water conservation to climate-resilient WASH. The guidelines include actionable insights for addressing climate risks, reducing emissions, and integrating sanitation with socioeconomic goals, alongside step-by-step proposal development guidance.

The briefing examines the global trend of shrinking lakes and reservoirs, highlighting a study that found 53% of nearly 2,000 lakes experienced significant storage declines between 1992 and 2020. It distinguishes between anthropogenic drivers, such as unsustainable consumption seen in the Aral Sea, and climate drivers, such as increased evaporation in Mongolia. The author argues that this attribution allows policymakers to choose between demand management and behavioral changes for overuse, or infrastructure resilience and conservation for climate-driven losses.

The document details how integrating solar energy with agriculture (agrivoltaics) and ecosystem functions (ecovoltaics) can reduce water use, diversify farm income, and support biodiversity. It highlights specific benefits for disadvantaged communities and provides recommendations for financing, pilot projects, and permitting to encourage adoption over traditional solar installations.

The document compares current US law with the May 2024 House Agriculture Committee's proposed changes to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Key proposed modifications include expanding the definition of precision conservation management planning to include the acquisition of technology, increasing payment limits for organic production transitions to $200,000 for 2025-2029, and adding carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction as criteria for state-determined high-priority practices. It also details existing funding from the 2018 Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated $8.45 billion for EQIP through 2026.

The document analyzes environmental mobilization in the Balkans, specifically focusing on the protection of the Vjosa River in Albania and the Jadar Valley in Serbia. It compares the grassroots, campaign-led approach in Albania, which led to the creation of a national park, with the mass protests and political integration seen in Serbia, which forced the withdrawal of mining permits. The text also highlights the European Union's inconsistent support, noting its strong backing for river conservation versus its more cautious approach to lithium mining due to the EU's energy transition needs.

South Africa faces a projected 17% gap between water supply and demand by 2030, driven by climate change, population growth, and poor governance. The country's water infrastructure is at significant risk of failure due to reactive maintenance and maladministration, with 41% of municipal water classified as non-revenue water. Governance failures have led to critical risks in wastewater treatment and public health crises, such as the 2023 cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal. The document recommends implementing water conservation measures, developing climate adaptation plans, enhancing governance legislation, and prioritizing infrastructure investment in rural areas.

The authors identify a category of 'risks of response' where climate policies trigger security dynamics, exemplified by widespread farmer protests across Europe. These protests, driven by grievances over fuel subsidies and environmental regulations, have escalated into violence and provided opportunities for far-right parties to foment instability. The text warns that this 'green backlash' could slow the transition and increase global security risks if not managed with better risk assessments and ameliorating measures.

The document argues that scaling reusable packaging is a critical strategy to reduce the global plastic pollution crisis, which is expected to see plastic production quadruple by 2050. WWF advocates for a circular economy where reuse systems outperform single-use alternatives in environmental, social, and economic metrics. Key recommendations include a target for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies to deliver 30% of their portfolios through reuse by 2030 and the necessity of achieving a 'breakeven' point where the number of uses offsets the higher material intensity of durable packaging. The paper emphasizes the need for supportive policy frameworks to achieve cost parity between reuse and single-use options and highlights the role of cities as ideal scaling hubs. It also distinguishes between 'refill' and 'return' modalities, noting that both are necessary for a comprehensive transition.

The document outlines how to make school catering procurement more sustainable in Estonia, aligning with European Commission guidelines and the 'Farm to Fork' strategy. It provides specific technical descriptions and evaluation criteria across several key areas: organic food, low-climate-impact sourcing (short supply chains and seasonal produce), plant-based diets, waste reduction, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, energy and water efficiency, and food education. For each area, it suggests how to set minimum requirements in technical specifications and how to award additional points during the bid evaluation process to incentivize higher environmental standards.

The document argues that financial service providers (FSPs) often avoid agricultural investments in developing countries due to perceived risks, but that VSSs can mitigate these risks by requiring sustainable practices and better governance. While VSSs show high coverage of legal compliance, soil and water conservation, and labour rights, they lack sufficient criteria regarding economic viability, transparency, and climate adaptation. The brief provides recommendations for FSPs, VSS providers, and governments to better align sustainability standards with financial requirements to close the investment gap.

The document argues that financial service providers (FSPs) often avoid agricultural investments in developing countries due to perceived risks. It finds that while voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) provide high coverage for legal compliance, labor rights, and forest conservation, they lack sufficient criteria for economic viability, transparency, and climate adaptation. The brief recommends that FSPs integrate VSS into ESG due diligence and that governments provide land tenure and financial incentives to support VSS-compliant farmers.

The document argues that financial service providers (FSPs) often avoid agricultural investments in developing countries due to perceived risks. It examines 12 Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and finds that while they provide high coverage for legal compliance, labor rights, and basic environmental conservation, they lack sufficient criteria regarding economic viability, transparency, and climate adaptation. The brief recommends that VSS incorporate more business-oriented criteria and that FSPs use these standards for ESG due diligence and structuring financial products to increase funding for sustainable farming.

The report analyzes the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in the South Asian cotton sector, specifically in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It identifies that while VSSs can improve agrochemical use, water conservation, and incomes for farmers and workers, the regional policy landscape needs strengthening through national legislation and trade agreements to maximize these benefits. The document provides specific recommendations for VSS bodies to improve training and traceability, and for policy-makers to update labor and environmental policies and establish organic seed banks.

The report examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in the South Asian cotton sector, specifically in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It identifies three primary sustainability challenges: excessive synthetic pesticide use, severe water depletion, and volatile farmer incomes. The analysis finds that VSSs like Better Cotton, Organic, Fairtrade, and the REEL Cotton Code have significant market potential, particularly those allowing genetically modified (GM) cotton, which dominates the region. Spatial analysis indicates that VSSs are largely implemented in high-need areas, though gaps remain in regions like Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. The report concludes that while VSSs provide a framework for sustainable production, there is a lack of integrated regional policy or trade agreement provisions to scale these benefits, recommending stronger alignment between government policies and VSS requirements.