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The document presents a classification of financial instruments for climate adaptation, categorised by their maturity level (mature, emerging, or pilot) and their applicability to specific sectors and regions. It identifies three main categories of instruments: debt instruments, results-based financing instruments, and financial risk management instruments.

The research examines the framing of gender in P/CVE policies from 2001 to 2017, identifying a dichotomy between a transformative approach to preventing women's radicalization and a traditionalist approach that instrumentalizes women's domestic roles as security assets. It finds that while women are heavily scrutinized as either victims or preventers, men's gendered roles are largely assumed and less analyzed, and there is a significant policy gap regarding far-right extremism in the global North.

The document examines the shift in Russian foreign policy under President Dmitry Medvedev, analyzing the tension between his proposed 'modernization' and the 'hard power' approach demonstrated during the 2008 conflict in Georgia. It explores Russia's strategic interests in the 'near abroad' (CIS), its pursuit of a multipolar world order to counter US unilateralism, and its complex relationships with the EU, China, and the US. Key themes include the use of energy as a political tool, the militarization of the Arctic, and the role of international law and institutions like the OSCE and Council of Europe.

The research examines the Central Asia Regional Security Complex (CA RSC), comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It argues that while these states share concerns regarding trans-border terrorism, extremism, and narcotics trafficking from Afghanistan, their primary security drivers are internal rivalries and the strategic balancing of global powers—specifically Russia, China, and the USA. The author contends that the 'Heart of Asia' concept fails because it underestimates inter-state non-cooperation and ignores the distinct security dynamics of sub-regions. Central Asian states employ a 'multi-vector' foreign policy to maximize benefits from competing external interests while guarding their sovereignty. Consequently, their engagement with Afghanistan is fragmented and unilateral, focused on extracting economic rent or preventing security 'bleed-out' rather than a unified regional strategy.

The report argues that transitioning from national energy self-sufficiency to an integrated regional power system in Central Asia would enhance energy security, lower electricity production costs, and accelerate decarbonization. Modelling indicates that 'Unlimited transmission' could reduce electricity production emissions intensity by approximately 3% and save 1.4 billion USD in annual costs by 2050 compared to self-sufficiency. The document highlights the potential for Kazakhstan to become a hydrogen hub (primarily via 'blue' hydrogen) and for Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to provide baseload hydropower. To achieve this, the report proposes a roadmap integrating technical, political, financial, and organizational considerations.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute describes the application of an integrated water-energy-food-ecosystems (WEFE) nexus modeling approach (LEAP-WEAP-MACRO) to the Syr Darya River Basin. It argues that integrated modeling provides more realistic results than siloed approaches and demonstrates that international cooperation among Central Asian countries can increase water availability, boost agricultural production, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to business-as-usual scenarios.

Japan committed USD 15 billion to fast-start finance (FSF), representing nearly half of the total pledged by developed countries for 2010-2012. However, the analysis finds that a significant portion of this funding may not be 'new and additional,' as it reflects pre-existing pledges and standard development finance commitments. The funding is heavily weighted toward mitigation (70%), primarily through loans for infrastructure, and includes 'clean' fossil fuel projects. Transparency is limited by disaggregated reporting, making it difficult to independently identify many projects.

The report finds that public international funding for nature-based solutions for adaptation (NbSA) is relatively small, totaling US$3.88.7 billion in 2018. This amount represents only 0.61.4 percent of total climate finance flows. Funding is dominated by grants and a small number of bilateral donors, with Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia receiving about 50 percent of the total. Key barriers to scaling NbSA include the lack of common definitions, a dearth of metrics to value benefits, and a misalignment between donor funding instruments and the long-term operational costs of projects. The authors recommend scaling and better tracking ODA, aligning funding with project needs, developing standardized valuation metrics, and supporting the development of project pipelines in developing countries.