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The Rio Grande Basin is facing a severe water crisis characterized by unsustainable consumption and declining snowmelt, resulting in the loss of 85% of the river's natural flow. To address this, the author advocates for the modernization of the Rio Grande Environmental Management Program (RGEMP) via the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2026 to provide funding from 2026 to 2032 and streamlined access for local partners. Additionally, the document calls for increased funding for the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART programs to support infrastructure upgrades and drought resilience.

A national poll by IISD and Nanos Research indicates that 72.5% of Canadians view improving water infrastructure as an urgent priority. The data shows that 63.8% of the population has experienced water-related issues in the last five years, with a majority perceiving these problems as increasing in frequency. While initial awareness of 'natural infrastructure' is low, over 70% of respondents support it as an urgent priority once its role in mitigating floods and droughts is explained. The report also notes that Indigenous respondents face disproportionately greater water infrastructure challenges and that experiences vary by region.

The report details a national survey of 2,219 Canadians showing strong public demand for urgent government action on water infrastructure, with 72.5% viewing it as an urgent priority. While awareness of the term 'natural infrastructure' is low (47% have not heard it), there is high support (71.1%) for its implementation as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to grey infrastructure. The findings highlight significant regional disparities, such as high rates of water main breaks in the Prairies and seasonal shortages in British Columbia, and underscore a persistent infrastructure gap for Indigenous communities who experience disproportionately higher rates of boil-water advisories and water shortages.

The document examines the critical role of infrastructure in Africa's development, highlighting a persistent deficit that constrains GDP growth and productivity. It argues that closing this gap, which requires over US$100 billion annually, is essential for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and for shifting the continent toward a more inclusive growth trajectory.

Africa's infrastructure spending is robust relative to GDP but insufficient given population growth, with financing heavily reliant on governments and development partners. Public investment is severely constrained by high sovereign debt, with debt servicing costs often exceeding infrastructure spending. Private investment remains low due to high capital costs and risk perceptions, though specific countries like South Africa and Egypt have seen success through targeted policy frameworks. Development finance is also facing a decline due to geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures.

The research paper argues that Africa's infrastructure deficit is a cumulative result of colonial-era designs focused on extraction, post-independence mismanagement, and the impact of 1980s debt crises and Structural Adjustment Programs. It notes that colonial railways shaped current urban locations and that recent investments have often focused on prestige projects or specific corridors funded by external partners like China.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) welcomes the introduction of a licensing regime and personal liability for directors in the Water Services Amendment Bill [B24 – 2025] but warns that the Bill concentrates too much power in the Director General and lacks mandatory environmental and public health standards for licensing. The CER argues that the Bill fails to address systemic under-funding of infrastructure and climate-change resilience, and it calls for the inclusion of mandatory climate-adaptation plans and a national framework for wastewater reuse.

The document details the COMPACT Local Government Collaboration Model, which uses a five-step process—Purpose, Making Sense of the Challenge, Vision and Hope, Implementing and Adapting, and Reflection and Learning—to improve municipal governance. The model was piloted in 2025 in the Blue Crane Route and Newcastle local municipalities to address water crises and local economic development, respectively. Key findings emphasize the necessity of immersive problem-understanding, constructive problem framing, and strong local political buy-in for sustainable collaboration.

The report forecasts that COVID-19 will significantly hinder Africa's progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in eliminating extreme poverty. Depending on the recovery scenario (V, U, or L), the number of Africans living in extreme poverty by 2030 is projected to increase to between 607 million and 640 million. The analysis highlights a severe short-term shock in 2020, with an additional 14 million people falling below the US$1.90 poverty threshold. Economic consequences include an expected increase in debt by 5 to 9 percentage points of GDP and a heightened dependence on international aid due to domestic economic contraction. The most negatively affected countries are identified as Nigeria, the DR Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, and Tanzania. Other SDG targets, including undernutrition, infant mortality, and education completion rates, are also expected to deteriorate or miss targets further.

The policy brief examines how water scarcity empowers non-state armed groups, delegitimizes state authority, and fuels transboundary disputes, while proposing that the US utilize its technological leadership and mediation experience to maintain geopolitical stability.

The document describes how securitization—pooling assets like loans into securities via special purpose vehicles—increases liquidity and capital recycling for low-carbon transportation, buildings, water, and renewable energy. It details commercial and public examples, the role of technical assistance, and the capacity requirements for issuers and regulators to scale these instruments.

The document outlines how climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' for water scarcity, noting that nearly two-thirds of the global population faces severe water shortages at least one month per year. It highlights that freshwater demand is projected to exceed supply by 40% by 2030, exacerbated by agricultural use and outdated infrastructure. The guide suggests reporting on solutions such as wastewater reuse, sustainable agriculture, and transboundary cooperation, while providing specific examples of water crises in the United States, Mexico, and South Africa.

The document outlines how climate change and mismanagement are exacerbating global water scarcity, noting that freshwater demand is projected to exceed supply by 40% by 2030. It highlights the role of water scarcity as a 'threat multiplier' for conflict and suggests that journalists explore solutions such as infrastructure updates, sustainable agriculture, and international cooperation.

The document examines how rapidly growing cities in India and Kenya rely on informal, decentralized water solutions—termed 'gridless water configurations'—to bridge gaps in failing or insufficient centralized infrastructure. It highlights the risks of unregulated groundwater extraction and social inequality, while proposing that water authorities formally recognize and co-design these systems with local communities to create more resilient and equitable urban water governance.

The document outlines the drivers of water scarcity at the US-Mexico border, including climate change and mismanagement, and suggests specific areas for local reporting such as urban-agricultural competition and disparities in water access.

The report assesses the nascent green bond market in Africa, which has raised approximately USD 9.6 billion through 76 issuances since 2013. While the market is growing, it remains a niche segment constrained by high issuance costs—up to 5% of total deal value compared to 0.9% in Europe—and macroeconomic instability. The analysis finds that green bonds provide financial additionality for issuers through faster capital raising and access to diverse investors, but primarily fund mitigation projects, with only 7% of proceeds going to pure adaptation. Social inclusion and gender considerations are generally absent from design but occur as indirect co-benefits, such as job creation. The report recommends the development of an African Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, the mandatory inclusion of 'Do no harm' and gender provisions, and the use of project preparation facilities to make adaptation projects more bankable.

The report evaluates federal funding programs in Canada, finding that while most allow for natural infrastructure, few incorporate the full range of criteria needed to make it a mainstream alternative to grey infrastructure. It recommends integrating specific enabling criteria, improving access for rural communities, and increasing funding for proactive adaptation.

The study finds that human-induced warming from burning fossil fuels made peak January Fire Weather Index (FWI) conditions 35% more probable and 6% more intense. It also notes that the dry season has lengthened by approximately 23 days, increasing the overlap between available fuel and the Santa Ana winds. While climate models show varying results on precipitation trends, the overall evidence indicates that climate change has increased the likelihood of devastating fires in the region, with disproportionate impacts on elderly, disabled, and lower-income populations, including Black residents in Altadena.

The paper argues that drought impacts on Mexican urban water systems are mediated by infrastructure and management rather than being direct effects. It proposes 'adaptive water management' focused on demand as the primary mitigation strategy, identifying the lack of reliable information systems for tracking water loss, consumption, and billing as the main obstacle for water agencies.

The Latino Climate Justice Framework 2025-2028 outlines systemic inequities facing Latino/a/e communities, including higher energy burdens, exposure to fossil fuel pollution, and lack of access to nature. It proposes specific policy objectives across energy justice, climate resilience, worker protections, and migration rights, while warning against 'false solutions' like carbon capture and storage. The framework emphasizes the need for equitable clean energy transitions, the protection of climate-displaced persons, and the liberation of Puerto Rico from restrictive energy and economic policies.