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The global ocean economy reached USD 2.6 trillion in gross value added in 2020, yet investment in its sustainable transition remains critically low. While tracked ocean finance flows grew to USD 9.18 billion in 2023, this represents less than 2% of the estimated USD 550 billion needed annually by 2030. Financing is heavily reliant on official development assistance (ODA), which accounted for 55% of flows in 2023, but recent ODA cuts by major donors like Germany, the US, the UK, Japan, and France threaten progress. Most funding has historically targeted maritime transport, fisheries, and marine protection, while decarbonisation and adaptation sectors, such as offshore energy and disaster preparedness, remain underfunded. Despite this, investing in the ocean-climate nexus could reduce the 2050 emissions gap by 35% on a 1.5°C pathway and yield global benefits five times the value of the investment.

The Living Planet Report 2026 documents a 73% average decline in monitored vertebrate populations between 1970 and 2022. It identifies the energy, food, and financial systems as the primary drivers of this loss. The report introduces a framework of 'positive tipping points'—thresholds where beneficial change becomes self-amplifying—to accelerate the transition to a nature-positive economy. While the energy sector is already in an 'accelerating phase,' the food and finance sectors remain in the 'enabling phase.' The report emphasizes that achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets by 2030 requires coordinated global action, subsidy reform, and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in governance.

The document explores Debt-for-Climate Swaps (DFCS) as a tool to break the 'Climate Crisis-Sovereign Debt Doom Loop' in Emerging Markets and Low-Income Developing Countries. It details bilateral and multipartite DFCS structures, analyzing their advantages, costs, and the role of credit enhancements. The report proposes a quantitative model to identify suitable countries across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, and outlines how the GCF can intervene through financial support, technical assistance, and stakeholder coordination.

As of 31 August 2024, the GCF pipeline consists of 274 concept notes and 65 funding proposals requesting USD 16.7 billion in GCF funding. The Secretariat is implementing optimization measures to address an 'aged pipeline' where a significant portion of proposals have shown no progress for over six months. The report also details the status of the Project Preparation Facility, the Simplified Approval Process, and the Project-Specific Assessment Approach pilot.

The document outlines key drivers of change in Asia and the Pacific, focusing on the dual nature of artificial intelligence, the risk of losing traditional ecological knowledge, and the influence of power relations on environmental outcomes. It proposes a transition away from consumerist economic models toward systems prioritizing planetary health, alongside the need for robust governance and the protection of the rights of nature and marginalized groups.

The document outlines discussions from a foresight workshop involving 42 academics and practitioners from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific. It identifies key drivers of change—specifically artificial intelligence, cultural values, and economic power relations—and their potential impacts on the environment and society. The briefing recommends transforming economic systems away from GDP-centric models, enhancing governance through AI ethics and transboundary cooperation, and centering rights and justice to protect marginalized groups and the environment.

The Living Planet Report 2024 documents a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations from 1970 to 2020, with freshwater species suffering the most (85%). The report warns that cumulative pressures from habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change are pushing ecosystems toward irreversible tipping points, such as the potential collapse of the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs. It argues that current national commitments for biodiversity and climate are insufficient, and calls for a systemic transformation of the global food system (the leading cause of habitat loss), the energy system (the primary driver of climate change), and the financial system (which currently provides almost US$7 trillion annually in nature-negative flows).

The Living Planet Report 2024 reveals a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020, with freshwater species suffering the most (85%). The report warns that cumulative pressures from habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change are pushing ecosystems toward irreversible tipping points, such as the collapse of the Amazon rainforest or coral reefs. It argues that current national commitments are insufficient to meet the 1.5°C climate goal or the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets. To avoid catastrophic failure, the document calls for a systemic transformation: shifting to nature-positive food production, tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, and redirecting the $7 trillion in annual harmful subsidies toward nature-based solutions.

The Community Resilience Partnership Program (CRPP) is a regional initiative managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen the climate resilience of approximately 3.2 million poor and vulnerable people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. The program is structured into two components: a Trust Fund (TF) for upstream capacity building and knowledge generation, and an Investment Fund (IF) for downstream implementation of adaptation measures. The IF focuses on three primary outputs: improving climate risk information systems, implementing climate-resilient pro-poor livelihoods, and constructing pro-poor climate adaptation infrastructure. The program emphasizes transformational adaptation, gender equality, and the use of nature-based solutions to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized populations.

The Community Resilience Partnership Program (CRPP), managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aims to strengthen the climate resilience of approximately 3.2 million poor and vulnerable people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. The program is structured into two interlinked components: a Trust Fund (TF) for upstream capacity building and knowledge research, and an Investment Fund (IF) for downstream implementation of adaptation measures. The GCF is requested to provide USD 120 million (USD 100 million in grants and USD 20 million in loans) to co-finance the Investment Fund, leveraging an additional USD 555 million from ADB and USD 75 million from bilateral donors. Key interventions include improving climate information services, implementing resilient pro-poor livelihoods, and constructing adaptive infrastructure such as ecosystem-based defenses and multipurpose emergency shelters. A central pillar of the program is a dedicated Gender Window within the Trust Fund to address structural inequalities and empower women in resilience-related decision-making.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).

The document identifies that girls and young women in Asia and the Pacific employ diverse strategies for climate advocacy, ranging from grassroots action to digital mobilization, but face significant structural barriers including restrictive gender and age norms, shrinking civic spaces, and 'youthwashing'. It recommends that international and regional policymakers institutionalize inclusive youth-engagement mechanisms and protect the rights of young women to freedom of expression and assembly.

The report examines how girls and young women in Asia and the Pacific navigate climate vulnerability and advocate for climate justice. It highlights their efforts to challenge risky circumstances and influence community and policy changes despite facing barriers to being heard. The findings are based on a snapshot of perspectives from 30 girls, young women, and stakeholders across three countries, supplemented by an online survey, literature review, and social media listening exercise to understand their use of advocacy tools and their response to a "shrinking civic space".

The document outlines a framework for operationalizing the environment-health nexus in Asia and the Pacific, supporting a regional application of the 2022 global One Health Joint Plan of Action. It emphasizes the need for integrated decision-making across health, biodiversity, food systems, and climate action to protect human well-being and ecosystems. The text also highlights the increasing involvement of civil society health organizations in global biodiversity governance, specifically noting their participation in the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) to prioritize environmental determinants of health.

The document examines the 'digital divide' facing approximately 38 developing countries in the WTO e-commerce JSI, highlighting gaps in infrastructure and information asymmetry. It argues that current cooperation provisions are too focused on regulatory alignment and recommends a hybrid Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) model—combining elements of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and GATS—to provide enforceable capacity building and flexible implementation periods.

The document highlights a significant digital divide and information asymmetry that hinder developing countries and LDCs from effectively participating in and benefiting from the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce. It argues that current cooperation efforts are too focused on regulatory alignment and lack targeted technical assistance. The report proposes a hybrid model of Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) and a comprehensive support framework—including negotiation facilitation and multi-stakeholder consultations—to ensure that e-commerce rules serve as inclusive development tools.

The report examines the state of women's entrepreneurship in Africa, contrasting the 'market women' in the informal sector with a small cadre of successful formal entrepreneurs. It criticizes South Africa's proposed Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, arguing that enforced numerical parity is an ineffective approach to empowerment. Instead, the author advocates for improving general business environments, prioritizing girls' education, and reforming laws regarding property and inheritance rights to support all entrepreneurs.

The 'Voices from the Frontline of Covid-19' project, led by CDKN and ICCCAD, documented 50 stories from June 2020 to October 2021 to understand how vulnerable communities navigate the combined impacts of the pandemic and climate change. The project emphasizes the role of spontaneous community organizing, particularly leadership from women and young people, in maintaining progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including food security, health, and climate action. The document urges policy-makers to devolve decision-making to the local level, co-fund micro-finance mechanisms, and partner flexibly with local civil society organizations to build resilience against future shocks.

The 2nd IAI Science-Policy Workshop brought together researchers and policymakers to discuss the intersection of science and policy in the Americas. Key discussions included the IPBES regional assessment, the implementation of an Open Data Project, and the development of a new 25-year strategic plan for the IAI. The workshop also explored the role of science diplomacy and shared experiences from the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). Participants emphasized the need for better communication of scientific uncertainty to policymakers and the importance of incorporating traditional and indigenous knowledge into data systems.

The document examines how population growth and resource-intensive meat production increase pressure on forestland, arguing that REDD+ must compete with the profitability of livestock and grain production to effectively and equitably address deforestation.