Search Climate Insights Directory

The report finds that while most NAPs recognize the importance of ecosystems and include EbA or NbS actions, there is a significant disconnect between climate adaptation planning and national biodiversity strategies. Most countries prioritize ecosystems linked to productive economic sectors, such as forests and fisheries, while urban and mountain ecosystems remain underrepresented.

The report identifies several climate-smart water technologies for rice cultivation in the Mekong Region, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Modern Irrigation Systems (MIS), which can significantly reduce water consumption. It analyzes the policy landscapes of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, noting that while national strategies exist, adoption is hindered by financial barriers, technical gaps, and insecure land tenure. The document recommends strengthening policy frameworks, increasing access to credit, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance agricultural resilience and food security.

The textile and garment sector is a major global emitter, with estimates ranging from 2% to 10% of annual global GHG emissions. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to both the physical impacts of climate change—risking millions of jobs in hubs like Bangladesh and Vietnam—and the transition risks posed by new sustainability regulations in consumer markets. The document highlights the potential for border carbon adjustments (BCAs) and the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to create non-tariff trade barriers. It also addresses the environmental crisis of textile waste dumping in Africa and South America. To ensure a just transition, the author argues for the inclusion of the sector in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), increased international financial and technical support, and a coordinated approach via the WTO to prevent protectionism.

ASEAN's electricity demand grew by 3.6% in 2023, a rise entirely met by fossil fuels, leading to a 6.6% increase in power sector emissions. While solar and wind costs are falling, the region remains heavily dependent on coal and gas, and hydropower has become less reliable due to climate-induced droughts. The report argues that scaling renewable capacity by 3-5x by 2035, implementing direct power purchase agreements, and expanding the ASEAN Power Grid are essential to meet rising demand and climate goals. It also highlights the potential for a regional compliance carbon market and the importance of a just transition to secure social acceptance.

The Thailand Country Programme (TCP) 2024 outlines a framework to align national climate strategies with GCF funding for the 2024-2027 programming cycle. Thailand aims for carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065, with the energy sector identified as the largest GHG contributor. The programme identifies five priority areas: mitigation strategies and technologies, knowledge enhancement in agriculture and waste, advanced adaptive technologies, strengthening climate financing mechanisms, and awareness raising. To meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), Thailand estimates a need for THB 5,000 billion for unconditional targets and THB 7,000 billion for conditional targets. The TCP also details a readiness plan to strengthen National Designated Authority (NDA) capacity and accredit Direct Access Entities (DAEs) such as Kasikorn Bank and the Environment Fund.

Since 2023, Chinese firms have committed over US$100 billion in outbound foreign direct investment (OFDI) across at least 130 major cleantech transactions, spanning solar, wind, batteries, and new energy vehicles (NEVs). This 'going global' strategy is driven by domestic overcapacity, which has caused solar module prices to drop 60% and battery prices 50% year-on-year, and a need to circumvent trade barriers from the US and EU. The report highlights China's dominance in the global battery supply chain, where it holds over 80% of manufacturing capacity, and its expansion into markets like Morocco, Brazil, and Thailand. For Australia, the report notes that Chinese OFDI reached a multi-decade low of US$613 million in 2023, and argues that Australia should clarify its foreign investment rules to attract Chinese private capital for onshore value-adding in critical minerals and renewable energy infrastructure.

The fact sheet examines the crisis of food insecurity in South Africa, asserting that while the country is food secure at a national level, millions of households suffer from hunger due to income poverty. It advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a direct mechanism to ensure all adults can afford basic nutrition, contrasting this with the limitations of current targeted grants and the paternalism of food vouchers. The document also highlights the long-term economic and health costs of malnutrition and argues that a UBIG should be part of a broader strategy including a 'just food transition' to address systemic agricultural issues and climate change risks.

The fact sheet examines the crisis of food insecurity in South Africa, noting that while the country produces enough food, millions lack the income to access it. It highlights the severe health and economic consequences of malnutrition, particularly for children, and argues that existing targeted grants are insufficient. The document proposes a UBIG as a direct mechanism to eliminate hunger, while cautioning that it must be part of a broader strategy including a 'just food transition' to address systemic issues and climate change risks.

The document examines the crisis of hunger and malnutrition in South Africa, asserting that while the country produces enough food, millions suffer from food insecurity due to poverty and income inequality. It advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a primary tool to ensure all citizens can afford nutritious food, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty and improving long-term economic productivity. The text contrasts cash transfers with food vouchers, arguing that cash is more efficient, less prone to corruption, and better for local economies. It also emphasizes that UBIG must be part of a broader strategy including a 'just food transition' to protect food systems from climate change.

The document examines the link between income poverty and food insecurity in South Africa, arguing that while the country produces enough food, millions lack the means to afford it. It advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a primary tool to ensure all citizens can meet basic nutritional needs, thereby reducing malnutrition, stunting, and the long-term economic costs associated with hunger. The text contrasts cash transfers with food vouchers, arguing that cash is more efficient and supportive of local economies. It also emphasizes that UBIG should be part of a broader policy response including a 'just food transition' to address climate change and systemic food system failures.

The report argues that the 'environment' pillar of One Health is often under-prioritized and proposes six key strategies—landscape immunity, wildlife trade regulation, preventive medicine, pathogen monitoring, sustainable livestock management, and behaviour change—to reduce zoonotic spillover and spillback. It emphasizes transdisciplinary collaboration, gender equity, and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to create resilient ecosystems and improve public health outcomes.

The report examines how climate change and socio-economic factors drive labour migration and affect children in Southeast Asia, specifically in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam. Based on 92 personal stories and expert interviews, it aims to inform policies and interventions by World Vision and other partners to ensure safe and dignified migration that protects the rights and well-being of vulnerable young people in a region highly exposed to natural hazards.

The Structured Finance for Nature (SFN) instrument uses a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in Singapore to aggregate a diversified portfolio of natural assets, combining equity, mezzanine finance, and green bonds. It aims to overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and small project sizes to protect and restore one million hectares of forest and wetlands. The pilot project in Agusan del Sur, Philippines, focuses on protecting 91,000 hectares of forest, with future expansions planned for Cambodia, Bhutan, and Indonesia. The model emphasizes high-integrity carbon credits, a 20% minimum benefit-sharing allocation for local and Indigenous communities, and real-time monitoring via a proprietary dashboard.

The NAP Global Network Peer Learning Strategy establishes a framework for South-South knowledge exchange to enhance the development and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in developing countries. Moving away from one-off events, the strategy prioritizes sustained, continuous learning through four primary activity types: Peer Learning Forums, Peer Exchanges, Peer Learning Cohorts, and 1:1 Peer Learning Partnerships. The approach integrates technical, relational, reflexive, and experiential components, while emphasizing gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). The strategy also links peer learning with national-level action and knowledge generation to create a 'value chain' of support for adaptation practitioners.

China has positioned itself as a leader in green technology transfer to the Global South, utilizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund to deploy renewable energy, green agriculture, and electric vehicle technologies. While achieving significant scale—including exporting photovoltaic modules to over 100 countries—the brief identifies critical challenges: a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, deficiencies in ESG disclosure, geopolitical tensions, and limited local operational capacity. To improve sustainability, the document recommends enhancing transparency, aligning with global ESG standards, and fostering locally led innovation ecosystems through active partner ownership and capacity building.

The report identifies six distinct climate audiences—Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive—across a global survey of 139,136 Facebook users. It finds that the 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 77% of the surveyed areas, with the highest concentrations in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries. Conversely, the 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' groups are most prevalent in the Netherlands, Norway, and Libya. The analysis highlights a correlation between lower per-capita emissions and income and higher levels of climate alarm, while noting that the United States has a lower proportion of 'Alarmed' respondents compared to other top carbon-emitting nations.

China has positioned itself as a leader in green technology innovation, utilizing aid, trade, and investment to support the energy transition in the Global South. Through mechanisms like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, China has deployed renewable energy, electric vehicles, and sustainable agricultural technologies across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. However, the effectiveness of these partnerships is hindered by gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, geopolitical tensions with Western nations, and difficulties in meeting global ESG standards.

The Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the Collaborative R&DB Programme aims to integrate gender mainstreaming into climate technopreneurship across five ASEAN countries. It defines specific criteria for 'women-owned SMEs' and 'women-led JVs', requiring that at least 50% of invested joint ventures (JVs) meet these priority conditions or implement a gender mainstreaming commitment plan. The plan provides sector-specific guidelines for renewable energy, agriculture, water, waste management, and early warning systems, focusing on reducing barriers to entry, improving occupational health and safety for women, and ensuring inclusive communication and leadership roles for women in climate adaptation and mitigation projects.

A World Weather Attribution study found that human-induced climate change significantly increased the frequency and intensity of April 2024 heatwaves across Asia. In the Philippines, the event would have been "impossible" without climate change, while in West Asia, the probability increased by a factor of 5. In South Asia, extreme temperatures were found to be about 45 times more likely and 0.85ºC hotter. The report highlights disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups, including 1.7 million displaced people in Gaza and outdoor workers, and notes that existing heat action plans often lack mandatory workplace regulations and retrofitting for informal settlements.

The report argues that Southeast Asia is at an energy crossroads, where planned gas infrastructure expansion could lock the region into economically volatile fuels and high capital costs, while renewable energy offers a cost-competitive and sustainable alternative. It highlights that in-development gas power and LNG projects would require over $220 billion in investment and could double the region's gas-fired capacity. The document details specific national strategies in Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, noting a trend of viewing gas as a 'transitional fuel'. It further critiques the role of international finance, particularly from Japan and South Korea, and the promotion of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as potential delays to the energy transition. Conversely, it presents data showing that utility-scale solar and wind could meet nearly two-thirds of the projected increase in energy demand by 2030, provided that grid infrastructure and cross-border electricity trade, such as the ASEAN Power Grid, are developed.