Search Climate Insights Directory
142 results
Climate change adaptation strategies for smallholder farmers in the Brazilian Sertão
The document analyzes climate vulnerability in the Bacia do Jacuípe, a poor region in the Brazilian Sertão, where temperatures have risen by approximately 2 °C and rainfall has decreased by about 350 mm since 1962. This environmental shift has led to a decline in average milk productivity, contrasting with overall increases in Bahía and Brazil. To address this, the Adapta Sertão coalition tested various farm-level interventions, finding that efficient irrigation systems and balanced animal diets can reduce production's dependence on climate, suggesting these are viable adaptation strategies for larger-scale implementation in semi-arid regions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Evaluation of CFSR climate data for hydrologic prediction in data-scarce watersheds: an application in the Blue Nile River Basin
The study compared CFSR climate data against conventional weather data using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to simulate streamflow in the Lake Tana basin. While conventional data performed better overall, CFSR data is identified as a valuable alternative for hydrological predictions in remote, data-scarce areas where gauges are unavailable.
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Document type: Research paper
South Africa – Fracking: another chip at our democracy
An anti-fracking coalition in South Africa opposes Minister Susan Shabangu's plan for shale gas exploration in the Karoo, describing it as an extractive process that benefits a small elite while threatening the natural environment and ignoring the needs of local residents for agrarian transformation and basic services.
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Document type: Statement
Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model
The author contends that Greece's current tourism strategy, characterized by unplanned infrastructure and the legalization of illegal developments, is eroding the natural landscapes that attract visitors. The text criticizes recent legislative efforts to promote large holiday compounds and remove protections from forests, while proposing an alternative model based on the renovation of abandoned buildings and the sustainable management of natural and cultural heritage.
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Document type: Statement
The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report What’s in it for Africa?
The document outlines that Africa is experiencing significant warming and increased extreme weather, which threatens food security, health, and economic growth. It argues that while Africa has contributed little to historic emissions, it is highly vulnerable and must integrate adaptation and mitigation into long-term development planning. Key opportunities for the region include adopting decentralized renewable energy, implementing conservation agriculture, and planning low-carbon urban growth to avoid fossil fuel lock-in.
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Document type: Report
CLEANED – a new comprehensive framework for ex ante assessment of environmental impacts of livestock and aquaculture system interventions
The CLEANED framework provides a participatory, rapid assessment tool for evaluating the environmental footprints of livestock and aquaculture interventions across the entire value chain. It focuses on four main impact categories: water availability and quality, soil and land health, biodiversity, and greenhouse gas emissions. Designed for use in developing countries, the tool combines public global datasets with local participatory GIS data to provide scores (adverse, positive, or static) for specific spatial units. A pilot application in Tanzania's dairy sector demonstrated the tool's ability to visualize how increased milk demand could expand fodder production areas.
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Document type: Briefing
Gender, development and sustainability
The document argues that women's disproportionate vulnerability to climate change and environmental stress is driven by social constraints and unequal power relations rather than inherent traits. It highlights that gender-blind policies in sectors such as fisheries, disaster risk reduction, and sanitation often disadvantage women or widen existing gender gaps. The briefing emphasizes that gender intersects with age and class, meaning vulnerability is multi-dimensional. To be effective, the document asserts that interventions must move beyond simple legal changes or stereotypes and instead adopt multi-faceted strategies across household, community, and national levels.
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Document type: Briefing
Managing environmental systems: supporting sustainable urbanization
The document details SEI's efforts to support sustainable urbanization through the development of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission tracking frameworks, and the promotion of ecological sanitation. It highlights specific projects in cities such as Bangalore, Seattle, and Leeds, while emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement and the co-benefits of urban green infrastructure.
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Document type: Briefing
Testing of Climate Risk Assessment Methodology in Kyrgyzstan
The report identifies floods and flash floods as the most damaging climate-related disasters in Kyrgyzstan, with significant risks concentrated in the south-western Oblasts of Batken, Jalal Abad, and Osh. It finds that Batken Oblast faces the highest overall risk when combining monetary damage and livelihood impacts. While broad correlations between precipitation and disasters were not found, a strong link exists between the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and cereal yields in Chui and Talas Oblasts. The assessment also highlights gender-specific vulnerabilities, noting that women in certain regions experience higher livelihood impacts from landslides and snowfall. A perception survey in Suusamyr Valley revealed a gap between local and expert understandings of climate risks, with residents prioritizing immediate economic needs over long-term climate mitigation.
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Document type: Report
Environmental Rights Blog: Bulldozing environmental rights by fast-tracking infrastructure development will cost us dearly
The Centre for Environmental Rights criticises the draft Infrastructure Development Bill for omitting references to sustainable development and imposing a strict 250-day authorisation timeline for special infrastructure projects (SIPs). The author contends that these fast-tracked processes bypass necessary scientific assessments and public consultations, potentially violating constitutional rights to a healthy environment and just administrative action. The document warns that inadequate environmental planning for projects like mines and power stations will lead to long-term state liabilities and disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Statement
Estudo de Caso da Avaliação Empresarial de Serviços Ecossistêmicos: Walmart Brasil
Walmart Brasil used the five-step Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) to mitigate risks in its beef supply chain in the Amazon. The assessment identified critical dependencies on soil quality, water purification, climate stability, and freshwater provision. In São Félix do Xingu, the company found that deforestation—driven by poor pasture management and infrastructure-led demand—threatens these services. To meet its 2015 goal of zero-deforestation beef, Walmart Brasil is exploring strategies including a dedicated 'zero-deforestation' brand, investment in monitoring tools for land tenure and the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), and collaborations with partners like The Nature Conservancy to promote sustainable intensification of cattle ranching.
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Document type: Case study
SREX: Lessons for the water sector
The document serves as a thematic summary of the IPCC SREX report, focusing on the science and societal implications of climate extremes for the water sector. It is designed to assist policy-makers and planners in understanding why extreme events are critical for water management, how the sector is affected, and what actions can be taken to build resilience.
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Document type: Policy brief
Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Water Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report
The document translates the IPCC SREX report's findings into actionable insights for the water sector, emphasizing that disaster risk is increasing due to both climate extremes and rising human vulnerability. It highlights the high confidence that climate changes will seriously affect water management systems and argues for a shift from incremental to transformational changes in governance and infrastructure. The brief advocates for 'low regrets' adaptation strategies and the integration of disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) to build long-term resilience.
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Document type: Briefing
Making Investment Work for Africa: A parliamentarian response to “land grabs”
The report examines the surge of foreign direct investment in African farmland and water, often termed "land grabs," and its negative impacts on local communities, human rights, and food security. It identifies three main types of investors: food-insecure states, western agribusinesses, and financial sector actors. The document highlights systemic failures, including lack of transparency, weak land tenure laws, and the marginalization of women. It proposes a role for parliamentarians as watchdogs and legislators to ensure free, prior and informed consent and transparency. Key recommendations include land tenure reform, the potential for a moratorium on large-scale land acquisitions, and the adoption of inclusive business models to align investment with national development strategies and the Maputo Declaration.
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Document type: Report
Logrando que las inversiones trabajen para África: Una Respuesta Parlamentaria al “Acaparamiento de Tierras”
The document details the consequences of a surge in foreign land acquisitions in Africa, driven by global food and energy demands. It highlights the erosion of local land rights, lack of transparency in contracts, and the marginalization of women. It proposes a parliamentary roadmap including land reform, mandatory community consent, and a potential moratorium on large-scale land acquisitions to ensure investments benefit local populations.
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Document type: Report
Comment investir efficacement en Afrique: Réponse parlementaire à « l’accaparement des terres »
The document analyzes the surge of foreign direct investment in African farmland and water, often termed 'land grabbing', highlighting the systemic lack of transparency and the violation of local land rights. It identifies three types of investors—food-insecure states, agribusinesses, and financial speculators—and examines the legal frameworks that often prioritize investor protections over community rights. The report advocates for a parliamentary role in ensuring social inclusion, promoting inclusive business models, and implementing the Maputo Declaration's agricultural goals. It concludes with a draft resolution calling for a moratorium on large-scale land acquisitions until a proper governance framework is established.
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Document type: Report
Viabilização do Investimento em África: Uma Resposta parlamentar à desapropriação de terras
The document details the outcomes of a July 2011 seminar on foreign investment in African arable land and water. It identifies the drivers of 'land grabbing'—including biofuel demand and food insecurity in Gulf and Asian states—and analyzes the negative impacts on rural populations, particularly women. The report highlights a systemic lack of transparency in investment contracts and the weakness of national land laws, which often allow governments to allocate land despite existing community use. It proposes a parliamentary roadmap focusing on legislative oversight, the requirement of free, prior, and informed consent, and the potential for a moratorium on large-scale land acquisitions until robust governance frameworks are established.
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Document type: Report
Kufanya Uwekezaji kuwa wa Manufaa kwa Afrika: Jibu la Mbunge kuhusu “Unyakuzi wa Ardhi”
The document details the outcomes of a July 2011 seminar on 'land grabs' in Africa, highlighting how large-scale foreign investments often undermine local land rights, water access, and gender equality. It argues that current investment models frequently lack transparency and fail to deliver promised socio-economic benefits. The report calls for a temporary moratorium on large-scale land acquisitions, the adoption of the Maputo Declaration's 10% budget allocation for agriculture, and a stronger role for parliamentarians in overseeing contracts and protecting community rights.
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Document type: Report
Comment Investir Efficacement en Afrique?
The document examines the surge of foreign investment in African agricultural land and water, driven by demand for food and biofuels. It highlights systemic failures in governance, including the disregard for local land rights, lack of community consultation, and the absence of environmental impact assessments. It argues that the current legal landscape—dominated by investor-centric international treaties and contracts—often undermines local food security and environmental protection. The briefing urges parliamentarians to demand transparency, access to investment contracts, and a role in the ratification and monitoring of these deals to ensure sustainable development and the protection of vulnerable populations, particularly women.
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Document type: Briefing
The Gravity of Relations Between Juba and Khartoum
The document examines the complex interdependence between Northern and Southern Sudan as the South moves toward independence. It highlights the critical role of oil co-management, as Southern Sudan derives 98% of its income from oil exports that must travel through Northern infrastructure. The author argues that while the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) provided a path to secession, significant risks remain, including unresolved border disputes in Abyei, the potential for continued insurgency in the North, and the fragile internal governance of the South. Regionally, the document notes the potential for a new independent South Sudan to shift the balance of power within the Nile Basin Initiative, potentially challenging Egypt's historical dominance over Nile water rights.
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Document type: Research paper