Search Climate Insights Directory

The report evaluates 10 water retention projects in Manitoba's Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District, finding that such projects generally provide positive economic returns, particularly for livestock producers. While upfront construction costs are the primary expense, benefits include flood and drought protection, improved water quality, and operational efficiencies. A cost-benefit analysis indicates an average benefit-cost ratio of 3.16 for livestock producers over a 20-year period, though crop-only operations showed lower returns due to high initial costs and fewer on-farm co-benefits.

The report details a comprehensive water management plan for the Pampa Huari Basin, utilizing a Robust Decision Support (ADR) framework to address vulnerabilities in water quality, quantity, and sanitation. It identifies critical pressures from mining and climate change, proposing five strategic lines of action including ecosystem restoration, sustainable water supply, irrigation modernization, mining impact mitigation, and institutional strengthening, with a total estimated investment of 145,537,813 Bs.

A laboratory study on the Eastern Gotland Basin found that reoxygenating anoxic sediments releases several metals into the water column, particularly redox-sensitive elements like manganese, uranium, and molybdenum, which appeared in higher concentrations than previously recorded in the region.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by cyanobacteria are increasing globally due to warming temperatures, heavier rainfall, and nutrient pollution. These blooms produce toxins that cause acute illnesses in humans, long-term organ damage, and death in wildlife. Mitigation requires reducing carbon emissions and nutrient runoff from agricultural and urban sources.

ClientEarth submits that while ELMS has potential, it cannot replace mandatory agri-environmental regulations. The organization warns that withdrawing 'cross compliance' without a successor framework will create significant protection gaps in soil and water quality, as the voluntary nature of ELMS and the poor enforcement record of the Environment Agency are unlikely to maintain basic environmental standards.

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe is challenging the Biden administration's decision to maintain Trump-era coal leasing policies on public lands. The Tribe asserts that coal mining causes air and water pollution, destroys sensitive species habitats, and damages sacred cultural sites. While the administration promotes a transition to clean energy, the Tribe notes that coal consumption in the U.S. rose 14% in 2021. The author calls for a shift toward renewable energy projects—such as wind, solar, and storage—and remediation efforts that provide employment for Tribal members and mine workers.

ClientEarth argues that the UK government is trending toward deregulation after Brexit, replacing mandatory environmental rules with voluntary schemes and guidance. The submission highlights critical gaps in regulating nitrogen pollution, ammonia emissions, and pesticides, and warns that the shift away from enforceable regulation threatens the 'Green Brexit' goals and the health of England's rivers and air.

The research utilizes a scalable decision support model to evaluate 64 combinations of policy interventions, including fees and water use restrictions, to address salinity pollution in the San Joaquin River. Findings indicate that while surface water restrictions increase salinity loads due to higher groundwater reliance, the implementation of fees for imported water and market-based pollution permits can help farmers maintain profitability and lower salinity levels.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) surveyed 16 member countries to identify priorities and barriers regarding global environmental change. Climate action is the top current priority, while energy security and human health are key emergent priorities. Major barriers to using scientific data in decision-making include a lack of inter-sectoral collaboration and a shortage of non-technical information, while multilateral agreements and international funding are seen as primary opportunities.

Wildfires in the western United States are increasing in size and severity due to climate change and historical fire suppression, posing significant risks to water resources. High-severity fires destroy vegetation and alter soil chemistry, leading to increased streamflow, flooding, and the contamination of drinking water with sediments, toxins, and carcinogens. The document advocates for a combination of emissions reductions, active forest management—including prescribed and Indigenous cultural burns—and investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure to mitigate these threats.

The document outlines a comprehensive methodology for developing Basin Health Report Cards (BRCs), emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that integrates ecological, social, economic, and governance metrics. It categorizes indicators into six major areas—Water Quality and Quantity, Landscapes and Ecology, Management and Governance, Economy, Social and Cultural, and Health and Nutrition—and distinguishes between prescriptive and adaptive, as well as leading and lagging indicators. The guide details a four-step selection process involving stakeholder values, data scrutiny, threshold setting, and final aggregation. It also highlights emerging innovations, such as the integration of gender perspectives, Indigenous knowledge, and Environmental Justice Indices, to ensure more inclusive and equitable water resource management.

A coalition of organizations and businesses urges New York State to pass legislation instituting a two-year moratorium on fossil fuel permits for proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining to protect the state's climate goals and vulnerable communities.

The report describes the creation of a groundwater monitoring network in Brackenfell, Western Cape, commissioned by WWF South Africa and implemented by GEOSS South Africa. Following a significant increase in borehole drilling during the 2015-2019 drought, the project conducted desktop assessments and a hydrocensus of 111 properties to identify groundwater use patterns. The study found that most boreholes were drilled between 2016 and 2020, targeting the Tygerberg Formation. Four Solinst Leveloggers were deployed in private and public boreholes to track water levels, with data integrated into the Table Mountain Water Source Area Groundwater Dashboard. Key stakeholder concerns identified include high iron content in the water and risks of over-abstraction.

The report details the creation of a groundwater monitoring network in Noordhoek, Western Cape, commissioned by WWF South Africa and implemented by GEOSS South Africa. Following a drought from 2015 to 2019, the area saw a surge in private boreholes and wellpoints. The project involved a desktop study, a hydrocensus of 158 properties, and the deployment of four Solinst dataloggers in private boreholes. Key findings highlight stakeholder concerns regarding E-coli contamination from soakaway systems and the potential for seawater intrusion. Data from the network is integrated into the Table Mountain Water Source Area Groundwater Dashboard to provide public visibility of water level trends and seasonal fluctuations.

The report details the creation of a citizen-science groundwater monitoring network in Scarborough and Kommetjie, Western Cape, commissioned by WWF South Africa. Following a significant increase in borehole drilling during the 2015-2019 drought, the study employed desktop searches and a hydrocensus of 105 properties to identify groundwater users and monitoring sites. Four Solinst Leveloggers were deployed to track water levels and temperature, with data integrated into the Table Mountain Water Source Area Groundwater Dashboard. Findings indicate that borehole depths range from 1 to 60 metres, with water levels between 2.5 and 4 mbgl and electrical conductivity values between 54.8 and 150.7 mS/m. The report recommends continued stakeholder engagement and quarterly data downloads to ensure sustainable groundwater management.

The document outlines key water security issues in mining—quality, quantity, and social impacts—and proposes a comprehensive approach for governments to manage these risks. It reviews international monitoring frameworks from Canada, the EU, Australia, New Zealand, and the US, highlighting the Canadian Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) program as a detailed model. A central theme is the value of Participatory Monitoring Programs (PMPs) and Community-Based Water Monitoring (CBWM) in reducing power imbalances and building social license. The report concludes with five key actions for governments: establishing clear monitoring requirements, defining baseline conditions, setting response thresholds through adaptive management, implementing rigorous reporting, and engaging stakeholders through PMPs.

The Table Mountain Water Source Partnership project implemented a multi-layered approach to groundwater management in Cape Town, combining public awareness campaigns, citizen-science monitoring, and policy analysis. Key achievements include the launch of a public groundwater dashboard on 24 March 2022, the installation of dataloggers in four new residential areas, and the integration of groundwater data into the City of Cape Town's Bulk Water Decision Support System. The project culminated in the formal launch of the Table Mountain Water Source Partnership on 15 November 2021, consisting of nine founding members from government, academia, and the private sector to ensure sustainable groundwater governance.

The policy brief advocates for a shift from short-term competitive grants to 5-year core funding for community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada. It highlights that 100 of Canada's 167 watersheds lack sufficient data for health scores and warns that a lack of long-term monitoring threatens insurance actuarial models and ESG scores for Canadian businesses. The author proposes that the Canada Water Agency coordinate a horizontal initiative to integrate monitoring across federal, provincial, and local levels to reduce redundancy and improve data interoperability.

This policy brief advocates for a shift from short-term competitive grants to five-year base funding for community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada. It highlights critical gaps in Canada's watershed knowledge—noting that 100 of 167 watersheds lack health scores—and argues that CBWM is a cost-effective method (> 3:1) to collect rigorous long-term data. The brief recommends a five-year pilot project to strengthen local capacities and suggests the Canadian Water Agency as a coordinator to improve data interoperability across federal, provincial, and local levels.

The report presents a business case for investing in community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada, highlighting its cost-effectiveness and scientific rigour compared to conventional public sector monitoring. It identifies a critical data gap, noting that 100 of Canada's 167 sub-watersheds lack sufficient data to report on health. Through case studies in the Lake Winnipeg basin, the Kaska Dena ancestral territory, and the Annapolis River, the document demonstrates that CBWM can reduce costs (e.g., a 3.4:1 expense difference in the Lake Winnipeg case) and integrate Traditional Knowledge. The author argues that the current 'non-profit starvation cycle'—driven by short-term, competitive grants—is incompatible with the long-term nature of environmental monitoring and recommends a 5-year core funding model to ensure data continuity and support Canada's climate and conservation targets.