Search Climate Insights Directory

The document analyzes conflict patterns in Asia from 1989 to 2022, noting that while state-based battle-related deaths declined in 2022 due to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, violence escalated in Myanmar following its 2021 military coup. It details the prevalence of state-based conflicts as the deadliest type in the region, the emergence of interstate tensions between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and the rise of communal non-state violence in Papua New Guinea. The brief also highlights persistent one-sided violence against civilians by both state and non-state actors in Myanmar, Afghanistan, India, and the Philippines.

The document examines the limitations of traditional gender-blind cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) in transport planning and proposes a framework for integrating gender-disaggregated data and qualitative dynamics. Using a case study of a Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) plan in Coimbatore, India, it demonstrates how gender-sensitive mapping can reveal links between infrastructure, women's time poverty, and access to education. The author recommends that planners identify gender-specific dynamics via causal loop diagrams, improve the collection of disaggregated data, and monetize gender-specific outcomes to ensure investments do not inadvertently reinforce existing inequalities.

The author asserts that while climate change threatens to reduce global GDP by 14% by 2050, investments in clean energy could boost global GDP by 4% by 2030. The text emphasizes the need for a nine-fold increase in clean energy investment relative to fossil fuels by 2030 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It highlights the role of Temasek in funding technology-based and nature-based solutions and closing financing gaps for sustainable infrastructure in Asia through Pentagreen Capital. The author calls for visionary government policies to provide the clarity needed for private sector investment in renewables, electrification, and energy efficiency.

Climate Central's analysis of 242 U.S. locations from 1979 to 2022 shows that 71% of these sites experienced an increase in annual mosquito days, averaging a rise of 16 days. The Southeast and South currently have the highest number of mosquito days, while the Ohio Valley and Northeast saw the largest region-wide increases. The report links these trends to warming spring and fall temperatures and discusses the expanding risk of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and dengue, as suitable habitats shift northward and the season length for transmission increases.

The assessment finds that data transparency in Asia is generally insufficient, with 24 out of 39 economies scoring poorly. While high-income nations and a few lower-middle income economies like India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka show better transparency, the region overall struggles with publishing lags, geographical granularity, and time granularity. Only seven economies provide hourly data, and 75% of economies fail to make data available in a timely manner, hindering the analysis required for a renewable energy transition.

The report identifies New Zealand, Australia, and India as leaders in power data transparency, evaluating them across six criteria: time granularity, publishing lag, geographical granularity, fuel breakdown, ease of access, and additional data. It specifically examines the partnership between India's NITI Aayog and the Vasudha Foundation to create a centralized, open-access data platform for the country's energy transition. The document concludes with recommendations for improving data transparency across Asia, emphasizing machine-readable formats, unique identifiers, and the removal of access restrictions.

The document argues that high-quality, open power sector data is essential for the coal-to-clean electricity transition in Asia, a region containing 80% of global coal generation. It details a research methodology used to evaluate data transparency in 39 economies across East, Southeast, South, Central, and West Asia, as well as Oceania, by assessing 74 data sources against criteria such as time and geographical granularity, publishing lag, and ease of access.

The Asia Data Transparency Report 2023 finds that over half of the surveyed Asian economies have poor or insufficient power sector data transparency, affecting the electricity needs of 684 million people. While high-income economies generally score better, some lower-middle income nations like India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are demonstrating good practice. The report emphasizes that granular, real-time, and open-access data is essential for grid optimization and evidence-based policymaking to meet decarbonisation targets. It highlights a successful public-private partnership in India between NITI Aayog and the Vasudha Foundation and provides nine practical recommendations for improving data governance, including the use of machine-readable formats and unique identifiers.

The document outlines the benefits, scoping, and implementation of corruption-oriented situation analyses within conservation projects. It emphasizes the importance of understanding local power dynamics, social norms, and legal vulnerabilities to design effective interventions. The guide provides a framework for stakeholder identification, data collection, and the formulation of recommendations, while highlighting critical considerations such as security, confidentiality, and gender perspectives. Three case studies from Latin America, Asia, and Europe illustrate the application of these analyses in fisheries, community forestry, and land-use planning, demonstrating how such studies can shift organizational mindsets toward a more systematic approach to anti-corruption work.

The document outlines a methodology for conservation practitioners to analyze how corruption impacts natural resource management. It details the benefits of such analyses—including improved understanding of power dynamics and local perceptions of corruption—and provides a step-by-step approach to defining scope, identifying stakeholders, and collecting sensitive data. The guide emphasizes a non-conflictual approach with governments and the importance of security and confidentiality. It includes three case studies: one in Latin America focusing on fishing permits, one in Asia on community forestry governance, and one in Europe on land-use planning, demonstrating how these analyses lead to systematic anti-corruption integration in conservation programming.

The document outlines a framework for conducting corruption-oriented situation analyses in conservation, emphasizing the benefits of understanding local power dynamics and perceptions of corruption. It provides guidance on defining scope, identifying stakeholders, and managing safety and confidentiality. Through three case studies in Latin America, Asia, and Europe, it demonstrates various methodologies—including vulnerability mapping, governance scoring, and legal framework analysis—to identify corruption risks in fisheries, community forestry, and spatial planning.

This briefing from the IAI Directorate provides an update on the partnership between the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Belmont Forum, detailing the IAI's role as a member and co-Chair, and its participation in several Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs).

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) updates the Conference of the Parties on its partnership with the Belmont Forum and its involvement in Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs) to address global change challenges in the Americas.

The global electricity sector is the largest CO2 emitter and must reach net zero by 2040 to facilitate the decarbonisation of other sectors. Following the IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario, wind and solar are identified as the primary drivers of this transition. By 2030, wind and solar must increase to 41% of global electricity generation, while coal and gas generation must decrease by 54% and 24% respectively. By 2040, unabated coal must be phased out globally, and unabated gas should provide only 0.3% of electricity. This transition is essential to support rising electricity demand in developing regions and the electrification of transport, heating, and industry.

The document defines greenwashing in the financial sector as false or misleading representations of environmental impact and warns that it can misallocate capital and undermine the Paris Agreement. It outlines five categories of evolving regulation—disclosure, labelling, ratings, taxonomies, and net zero integrity—and classifies enforcement actions into brand, product, financing, and reporting greenwashing. To mitigate risk, the guide proposes 'five pillars' of guarding against greenwashing: screening claims, ensuring transparency, aligning internal actions with public image, monitoring regulatory changes, and adhering to fiduciary duties.

The document assesses the role of nature restoration in climate mitigation, citing a University of Melbourne study to demonstrate that land-based carbon removals cannot substitute for the phase-out of fossil fuels. While nature restoration provides ecological benefits and can remove 100 GtC by 2100, this only offsets 15% of the 650 GtC projected to be released under current government policies. The brief emphasizes that the lag time for land sequestration means these activities have minimal impact on peak temperatures, which are expected within 10–20 years. To achieve the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, the author argues for prompt fossil fuel emission reductions of 85%–98% alongside nature restoration and the halting of deforestation.

The document explains the mechanics of the GloBE rules, which aim to ensure a 15% minimum effective tax rate (ETR) for large multinational enterprises (MNEs) with consolidated revenues of €750 million or more. It outlines three primary policy responses for developing countries: implementing a Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (QDMT) or a general national minimum tax, revising existing tax incentives that lower the ETR, or focusing on other priorities if the impact is minimal. The guide also provides a step-by-step methodology for countries to assess their exposure using country-by-country (CBC) reports and analyzes legal obstacles, such as fiscal stabilization clauses in investment contracts and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), that may hinder tax reforms.

The report evaluates how Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka integrate human rights and gender equality into disaster management. Using the FIRE framework, it finds that while national policies often recognize these rights, implementation at local levels is uneven and frequently lacking. Key barriers include restrictive social norms, lack of disaggregated data, and under-resourced institutions. The authors provide ten recommendations to improve inclusivity, emphasizing the need for meaningful participation of marginalized groups and stronger collaboration between disaster management agencies and human rights institutions.

The document analyzes the transition of poverty conceptualization from a moralistic, legal status to a functional, multidimensional experience. It details the influence of Enlightenment optimism, Cold War-era development theories, the neoliberal 'Washington Consensus', and the eventual shift toward human-centric and intersectional frameworks.

Damilola Ogunbiyi's keynote speech at the 9th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue emphasizes the critical need for equitable financing and industrialization in the Global South. She highlights the severe disparity in renewable energy investment, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa received less than 1.5% of global investment between 2000 and 2020. To address this, she promotes the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) to generate carbon credits and revenue, and the Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (REMI) to foster green industry in Africa and Asia. Ogunbiyi advocates for whole-economy energy transition plans (ETPs), citing Nigeria's plan which estimates a cost of USD 1.9 trillion to reach net-zero by 2060.