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The report advocates for a shift in the role of hydropower within global energy grids, moving away from high-impact dams toward a mix of wind, solar, storage, and low-impact hydropower. It demonstrates through modeling in Chile and Uganda that protecting free-flowing rivers and national parks has minimal impact on system costs. The document highlights the Mekong River basin as a critical area where strategic planning could prevent the loss of migratory fish biomass and delta sediment. It concludes that achieving this vision requires system-scale planning, regulatory reform, and redirected financial flows from multilateral development banks and institutional investors.

The document investigates the risks of arsenic entering the human food chain through rice consumption in Cambodia, driven by the increasing use of groundwater for dry season irrigation. While arsenic in drinking water is a well-known issue, the paper finds limited awareness of rice as an exposure pathway among stakeholders. It highlights that rice grown in the Mekong River floodplain, particularly in Kandal province, shows higher arsenic levels, and suggests that the Cambodian government should shift toward surface water irrigation and higher-value crops to mitigate health risks and protect export markets.

Mighty Earth criticizes Michelin for failing to lead the tire industry in ending deforestation and land-grabbing caused by rubber harvesting in Southeast Asia and Africa, calling for the inclusion of civil society in the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber.

The briefing examines the risks associated with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Southeast Asia, particularly regarding carbon-intensive energy projects and hydropower dams. It argues that current investment patterns may lead to carbon lock-in and ecological damage. To mitigate these risks, the authors propose a decision-making framework based on transparency, stakeholder participation, and adherence to international sustainable finance standards.

The 'Life on the Frontline 2018' report presents findings from a global survey of 4,686 patrol rangers across 17 countries, highlighting critical gaps in health, safety, training, and equipment. The data reveals that rangers face excessive risks, including inadequate medical care, lack of communication devices, and exposure to infectious diseases like malaria, while often being underpaid and under-appreciated. The document argues for the professionalization of the ranger service through improved training curricula, guaranteed insurance, and better community relations to ensure the effective protection of global biodiversity.

The Innovations for Resilience Convening, co-hosted by the Global Resilience Partnership, WFP, UNDP, and 1BC, focused on the role of technology and cross-sector partnerships in building community resilience. The report identifies key barriers to scaling innovations—such as rigid funding cycles and risk aversion—and showcases specific projects including satellite-based credit in the Horn of Africa, drone mapping in the Maldives, and hydroponics in Algeria. It emphasizes the need for 'disruptive change' and a 'fail fast' mindset to move from gradual development improvements to exponential growth in resilience.

The document highlights Cambodia's efforts to integrate adaptation priorities into national programs through public finance, emphasizing the importance of political leadership and the need for better monitoring and evaluation frameworks. While domestic funding has increased, the report notes that a lack of finance remains a critical barrier and that international climate finance continues to be essential for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan.

The report identifies three categories of barriers to the growth of adaptation and resilience companies in developing countries: context barriers (policy, institutional, and market environments), business model barriers (uncertainty of value-add, high costs, and lack of technical capacity), and internal capacity barriers (management and operational gaps). Through case studies of Planalytics and JBA Consulting, and a mapping of 41 TA facilities, the authors recommend a TA facility structure consisting of three support lines: Preparation (technology transfer and business planning), Partnerships (market development and stakeholder linkages), and Resilient Systems (policy studies and impact methodologies). This framework is applied to the design of the CRAFT Resilience Accelerator, a proposed USD 20 million facility linked to a USD 500 million private equity fund.

The research assesses how smallholder rural households in four Asian countries adapt to climate pressures such as changing rainfall, droughts, and floods. Based on interviews with nearly 600 people, the authors identified 36 key indicators of adaptive capacity to determine why some households are better equipped to secure their livelihoods than others.

The report examines a variety of low-cost and sustainable cooling technologies, such as evaporative coolers and solar refrigeration, to reduce food loss and improve vaccine delivery in energy-poor regions. It argues that while technical solutions are abundant, the primary barriers to scaling are the enabling environment, including financing, policy alignment, and tailored business models for low-income consumers. The document also highlights the potential of using waste cold from LNG terminals and liquid nitrogen to decarbonize refrigerated transport, particularly in India and China.

As of 31 January 2018, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) had accredited 59 entities, with a pipeline of 198 entities having created accounts on the Online Accreditation System. The report highlights a strategic shift toward prioritizing direct access entities, which now constitute a larger share of those completing the accreditation process. It also details the ongoing support provided to direct access entities through readiness programs and gap assessments, and tracks the progress of accredited entities in fulfilling specific fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender conditions. Additionally, the document notes a temporary lack of quorum in the Accreditation Panel (AP), which delayed new accreditation recommendations for the nineteenth Board meeting.

The report identifies Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia as high-impact regions for clean energy investment, with a subset of eight countries offering over USD 360bn in potential by 2030. It argues that while clean energy costs are falling, private investment is hindered by off-taker, currency, and policy risks. The authors recommend shifting blended finance from covering viability gaps to providing risk-mitigation instruments like guarantees and local currency hedging, and creating liquid, tradable assets through securitization to attract institutional investors.

The document outlines a methodology for identifying high-impact clean energy markets in developing economies based on private sector attractiveness, energy access, and climate relevance. It identifies Tier 1 countries—including India, South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda—and analyzes their specific investment barriers, such as off-taker risk in India and currency volatility in South Africa. Additionally, it provides case studies on blended finance structures, ranging from project-level interventions like the Lake Turkana Wind Farm to fund-of-funds like GEEREF, illustrating how concessional capital and guarantees are used to leverage private investment.

Nepal is currently in the formulation phase of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), utilizing an integrated, multidisciplinary approach across seven thematic areas and two cross-cutting issues. The process emphasizes inclusivity, stakeholder engagement, and scientific rigor, building upon previous frameworks like the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPA). Key challenges include aligning the NAP with ongoing government restructuring and ensuring meaningful participation of marginalized groups. Future priorities focus on engaging provincial and local governments, developing a formal NAP framework, synthesizing local vulnerability data, and creating a comprehensive financing strategy to transition from planning to implementation.

The NAP Global Network provided technical assistance to over 30 countries between November 2017 and November 2018, focusing on seven key themes including financing, gender, and monitoring and evaluation. The Network facilitated peer learning through Targeted Topics Forums and South-South exchanges, and worked to align bilateral donor support with national priorities, notably through a Donor Symposium in Barbados.

The document argues that global agricultural production has declined by 1-5% per decade over the last 30 years due to climate change, necessitating an urgent transition to climate-resilient systems. It identifies critical risks, including heat stress, extreme weather, and pests, which disproportionately affect smallholder farmers and women in the tropics. The authors propose a roadmap based on five pillars: promoting resilient and low-emission technologies, expanding digital climate information, mobilizing innovative finance, strengthening farmer organizations, and delivering enabling policies. The paper highlights successful examples of 'no regret' options, such as stress-tolerant crop varieties and sustainable intensification, and emphasizes the need for context-specific, participatory approaches to scale these solutions.

The Greater Mekong region, comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, has lost a third of its tree cover since the 1970s and faces further loss due to industrial agriculture and infrastructure. The report highlights the critical role of forests in providing ecosystem services, such as water filtration and climate regulation, and their importance for biodiversity, including tigers and elephants. WWF advocates for a 'landscape model' that balances economic development with conservation. Key solutions include establishing Community Protected Areas (CPAs), promoting FSC-certified sustainable products like rattan and acacia, and transitioning to deforestation-free rubber supply chains. The report emphasizes that empowering local communities and integrating natural capital into government policy are essential for long-term forest stability.

The report finds that there is no single 'good practice' model for investment laws in ASEAN, as their functions vary significantly by country—ranging from managing entry approvals to granting incentives. Some members, such as Singapore, have no specific investment law, relying instead on general and sector-specific legislation. A key distinction is made between national investment laws and investment treaties; the report notes that ASEAN investment laws generally lack the vague, broad investor rights (such as 'fair and equitable treatment') and the general consent to investor-state arbitration typically found in treaties. The author argues that investment laws cannot be evaluated in isolation and must be understood as part of a broader national regulatory regime.

The briefing highlights the potential of urbanisation to improve lives through innovative governance and decentralisation. It uses examples from Nordic cities, Asia, and North America to demonstrate how city-level action can bypass national delays in implementing SDGs. For Africa, the text suggests that adapting these global urban successes to local contexts—while addressing specific challenges like poverty and instability—can catalyse sustainable development.

The report analyzes the critical role of sediment in the Mekong River Basin and the threats posed by human activity and climate change. It finds that hydropower dams and riverbed mining are drastically reducing sediment loads, which threatens the productivity of the Mekong Delta and Tonle Sap, impacts fisheries and agriculture, and increases coastal erosion. The authors recommend enhanced regional monitoring, better data sharing between China and Lower Mekong countries, and the integration of sediment management into the entire hydropower lifecycle.