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The SEI Initiative on City Health and Wellbeing focuses on the intersection of urban growth, environmental quality, and resident wellbeing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Using case studies in Nakuru, Kenya, and Udon Thani, Thailand, the initiative employs a multi-disciplinary approach to study the impact of urban forms, co-design citizen science monitoring, analyze urban metabolism through participatory modelling, and examine governance for urban equity. The goal is to generate evidence that informs holistic decision-making and sustainable urban planning, integrating health and wellbeing with climate change mitigation and resilience.

The report details the ecological and physical vulnerability of the Central Tian Shan in the Kyrgyz Republic. It finds a general trend of glacier retreat and shrinking lakes, which threatens the region's role as the 'water tower of Central Asia' and impacts hydropower security. Biodiversity is at risk, particularly the endangered snow leopard, due to habitat shifts and prey instability, although some species have expanded their range. Future scenarios project significant temperature increases and a long-term decrease in surface runoff by 2100. The document advocates for the expansion of protected areas and the implementation of climate-smart livelihoods, such as yak breeding and ecotourism, to build community and ecosystem resilience.

The author welcomes Ikea into the Champions 12.3 coalition, noting the company's goal to halve its own food waste by 2020. The text frames food loss and waste as a global crisis responsible for significant economic loss and 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that corporate leadership is essential to meeting Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.

The document introduces the CARIWIG portal, which provides downscaled regional climate projections, historical data, and simulation tools for tropical storms and drought to help Caribbean decision-makers integrate climate risk into planning. It emphasizes that while these tools provide high-resolution data relevant to national levels, the process of downscaling increases uncertainty, necessitating a shift toward 'robust' adaptation strategies and 'no regret' options.

The report assesses current and future climate risks in Myanmar, projecting significant temperature increases, variable rainfall changes, and rising sea levels by mid-century. It highlights vulnerabilities across biodiversity, health, agriculture, and infrastructure, while demonstrating how the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA) uses vulnerability assessments in the Ayeyarwady Delta and Central Dry Zone to guide local adaptation planning.

An open letter from multiple organisations requesting a UN investigation into the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam in Panama, citing unnotified reservoir flooding, lack of compensation for displaced families, and the risk of forceful evictions following a Supreme Court ruling.

Nepal is addressing its high vulnerability to climate change through a combination of national policies, such as the 2010 National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and the 2011 Climate Change Policy, and decentralized, bottom-up initiatives like Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPAs). The country faces significant risks from increasing temperatures, rainfall variability, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), particularly affecting agriculture, water resources, and energy. While the Government of Nepal has demonstrated strong political leadership in establishing coordinating bodies like the Climate Change Council, there remains a gap in adaptation efforts for public health and urban settlements. Adaptation is heavily supported by international finance, with a strong focus on community-based projects in the agriculture and water sectors, though private sector participation remains minimal.

The report analyzes six snow leopard landscapes in high Asia, finding that while habitat is often well-protected (averaging 50%), critical gaps in connectivity exist. It highlights that climate change will cause warming of 1.7°C to 3.6°C by mid-century, potentially shifting 60-80% of Eastern Himalayan habitats from alpine grasslands to forest ecosystems. The study also identifies the Central Tien Shan as a key 'water tower' providing essential spring runoff to downstream communities, while noting that all landscapes face risks from permafrost melt and shortened winters.

The report analyzes six snow leopard landscapes in Bhutan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan, finding that while many habitats are protected, critical gaps in connectivity and significant vulnerabilities to climate change persist. Key risks include treeline shifts reducing alpine grasslands, permafrost melt, and increased flood risks from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The study emphasizes the necessity of transboundary management and adaptive planning to maintain metapopulation connectivity as warming temperatures shift ecological zones and human land-use patterns.

Friends of the Earth International expresses solidarity with water protectors at Standing Rock, condemning the Dakota Access Pipeline for threatening Native American sacred territories and drinking water. The statement denounces the use of military tactics and weapons by U.S. security forces against peaceful protesters and calls for the U.S. government to withdraw permits and for global banks to cease financing the project.

The report assesses Nepal's approach to climate change adaptation, highlighting the country's leadership in country-driven planning and the effectiveness of the Local Adaptation Plans for Action process in promoting decentralized, inclusive planning across sectors such as agriculture, water, energy, health, and urban planning.

The document argues that poor environmental governance by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) leads to systemic violations of environmental rights in South Africa's mining sector. It highlights severe impacts on water resources, including acid mine drainage and the depletion of aquifers, and notes the destruction of strategic water source areas (SWSAs). The CER identifies critical failures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, citing insufficient timeframes for public participation and a lack of independence among practitioners. It recommends transferring environmental regulation of mines from the DMR to environmental authorities, implementing free prior and informed consent (FPIC) for communities, and establishing 'no-go' areas for mining in ecologically sensitive zones.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is convening a National Hearing on 13-14 September 2016 to investigate socio-economic challenges in mining-affected communities across South Africa. Following consultations in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, the Commission identified systemic issues including non-compliance with legal and environmental obligations, failures in enforcement, insufficient community consultation, and limited social upliftment. The SAHRC has invited the Centre for Environmental Rights to provide submissions specifically regarding the efficacy of environmental compliance monitoring, the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Management Plans (EMPs), and the impact of mining on water resources and ecosystems.

Jamaica employs a hybrid approach to climate adaptation, combining national-level mandates from Vision 2030 and the 2015 Climate Change Policy Framework with sector-specific strategy development. Coordination is managed through the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change (MWLECC), supported by a network of 27 focal points across government agencies. Sectoral integration varies, with some sectors creating stand-alone plans and others updating existing strategies, all intended to eventually merge into a national adaptation strategy and action plan.

Mali is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on agriculture, low development levels, and political fragility. While the government has established a comprehensive policy framework—including the National Climate Change Policy and the Mali Climate Fund—integration of climate risks into sectoral and sub-national policies remains weak. Adaptation efforts are heavily concentrated in the agricultural and livestock sectors, with significant gaps in support for the fishing sector and pastoralists in the northern regions. Most adaptation projects are funded by international donors and focus on institutional capacity building and food security.

The report analyzes India's high climate sensitivity, driven by its geography and agrarian economy. It details the transition from stand-alone sectoral actions to integrated development planning, centered on the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). While progress is noted in water and agriculture, the document identifies critical gaps in adaptation for the northeast, Indian Ocean islands, the Sundarbans, and regarding gender and health. It also highlights a significant imbalance in international climate finance, which heavily favors mitigation over adaptation.

The assembly brought together approximately 55 representatives from ministries, donors, and civil society to discuss the PNACC, which was slated for finalization in early 2017. The event focused on transitioning from sector-specific to multi-sectoral climate approaches and mapping current and future activities of technical and financial partners (PTFs) across six priority vulnerable sectors: energy, agriculture, human settlements and health, water resources, coastal erosion, and land use/forestry. Participants agreed on the need to finalize activity mapping to revise the PNACC budget and ensure its integration into the National Development Plan (2018-2022).

Central Asia faces significant environmental, social, and political vulnerabilities due to the loss of common governance frameworks and the persistence of unsustainable agricultural and resource-based practices. These risks are compounded by the potential impacts of climate change, particularly indirect effects transmitted across borders through shared water resources, supply chains, and population movements.

The report estimates that the cost of inaction regarding climate change in Uganda's agriculture, water, energy, and infrastructure sectors will range between US$273 billion and US$437 billion from 2010 to 2050. These costs are estimated to be 24-46 times greater than the proposed adaptation budget. The study identifies water and energy as the sectors with the highest costs of inaction, while infrastructure is expected to require the most adaptation investment in the long term. Key recommendations include prioritizing the government's Costed Implementation Strategy and mainstreaming climate adaptation into national and district development plans.

The report details a survey of US broadcast meteorologists, finding that over 90% believe climate change is occurring and most believe it has already influenced local weather, water resources, and agriculture. While many feel it is appropriate to report climate science, they face obstacles such as lack of time in newscasts. The survey also highlights a gap between the meteorologists' perception of scientific consensus on human-caused climate change and the actual consensus reported in literature.