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This policy brief examines the role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in enhancing the resilience of small-scale farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a study of six countries (Cambodia, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, and Rwanda), it finds that VSS can provide higher prices, stronger buyer relationships, and better training, which help farmers mitigate shocks. However, VSS alone cannot protect against global price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics in supply chains. The document recommends that governments complement VSS with social protection, minimum price guarantees, and policies to stimulate demand for sustainable products.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the Campoalegre river basin in Colombia to demonstrate the limitations of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) when based solely on geographic watershed boundaries. Using coffee production and hydroelectric power as examples, the document argues for a 'Water without Borders' approach that accounts for multiscalar tele-connections, such as global agricultural markets and cumulative downstream impacts, which operate beyond local basin limits.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the role of National Development Banks (NDBs) in financing climate-smart urban infrastructure. It identifies significant gaps in current NDB mandates and proposes a 'maturity model' consisting of 12 dimensions across strategic, financial, business, and operational parameters to help NDBs better support municipalities. The document provides recommendations for International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to support NDBs through technical assistance, innovative capital access, and de-risking instruments to bridge the urban climate investment gap.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute examines the role of nature-based solutions (NBS) as carbon offsets within corporate climate mitigation strategies. It argues that while NBS are critical for achieving global net-zero goals by 2050, their use as offsets is controversial due to risks of 'greenwashing' and technical challenges regarding credit quality. The authors advocate for a 'both/and' approach where companies combine aggressive direct fossil fuel abatement with high-quality NBS investments, emphasizing the need for robust standards to ensure environmental and social integrity.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution of global development goals, from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). It analyzes the lessons learned from the MDGs, the expanded scope of the SDGs, and how the 2030 Agenda can serve as a framework for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 'Agua Sin Límites' (Water Without Limits) initiative by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) proposes a new agenda for sustainable water management. It aims to address the limitations of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) by focusing on tele-connections beyond the basin, multi-scale participatory approaches to address social inequalities, and the early integration of ecosystem needs into planning.

This report synthesises 50 'Voices from the Frontline' stories from June 2020 to October 2021, documenting how local communities in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean coped with the compounding effects of Covid-19, climate change, and socioeconomic vulnerability. It examines these experiences through the lens of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting grassroots resilience and the need for external actors to support locally-led solutions.

This annex to the 2021 NYDF Goal 7 Progress Report provides technical and economic mitigation potential estimates for forest-related activities, analyzes the ambition of forest targets in National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and estimates the global finance needs and public finance flows for forest mitigation.

The COP26 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines key messages and future directions for climate adaptation and resilience, emphasizing the need for locally led action, diversified finance, and the integration of nature-based solutions. It synthesizes findings from the Resilience Hub's activities at COP26, focusing on three pillars (urban, coastal, and rural) and ten thematic areas to guide action toward COP27.

This policy brief analyzes the fiscal implications of the gradual phase-out of coal production in Colombia, focusing on the role of royalties and the economic vulnerability of producing regions like Cesar and La Guajira. It examines production trends, international trade dynamics, and the impact of the General Royalties System (SGR) reform, concluding that current policy measures are insufficient to offset the projected decline in coal demand and revenue.

This policy brief by Transforma argues for a planned, inclusive phase-out of coal mining in Colombia using a 'just transition' framework. It highlights the vulnerability of the national and regional economies to declining global coal demand and recommends diversifying the economy toward low-carbon assets, addressing historical socio-environmental liabilities, and expanding social protections beyond simple employment metrics to include regional development and climate justice.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection and sustainable development. For the 2021 tax year, WRI reported total revenue of $193,968,394 and total expenses of $183,476,237, focusing its efforts on global challenges including climate, energy, food, forests, water, oceans, and sustainable cities.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement condemning systematic violence in Colombia, specifically targeting social movements, human rights defenders, and marginalized communities. The organization calls for international solidarity and government accountability for massacres, targeted killings, and the failure to implement the 2016 peace agreements.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International condemning systematic violence, selective assassinations, and impunity in Colombia, specifically targeting social movements, human rights defenders, and marginalized communities.

A statement from World Resources Institute President & CEO Andrew Steer regarding the Climate Ambition Summit, noting progress in net-zero commitments from various nations and non-state actors while criticizing the lack of bold 2030 emission targets and insufficient financial support for developing countries.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical technical and political areas that UN negotiators must resolve by COP26 in November 2021. It reviews the outcomes of the 2020 Climate Dialogues and highlights significant gaps in the Paris Agreement rulebook, climate finance commitments, and mechanisms for loss and damage and adaptation.

This case study examines the challenges Colombia faces in decarbonising its building sector amidst rapid urbanisation and increasing electricity demand. It proposes using an Article 6 pilot of the Paris Agreement to implement Net Zero Energy Buildings in the social housing sector as a mechanism to reduce emissions and energy poverty while aligning with NDC commitments.

The outcome document of the Latin America Regional Resilience Dialogue outlines strategies to build urban and rural resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean following the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes the need for a regenerative economy, nature-based solutions, and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern science to address climate-related disasters and food insecurity.

This report by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) analyzes the role of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) in the region, arguing that they drive a capitalist system based on exploitation and the violation of peoples' sovereignty. The document details how TNCs use 'corporate capture' to influence governments and the 'architecture of impunity'—specifically Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms—to avoid accountability for human rights and environmental abuses. It examines specific impacts across agribusiness, forestry, mining, energy, and services, highlighting the disproportionate burden on women and the criminalization of land defenders.

This report by Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe (ATALC) analyzes the role of transnational corporations (TNCs) in the accumulation of capital and their impact on human, environmental, and collective rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. It details how TNCs utilize 'corporate capture' to influence governments and legal systems, creating an 'architecture of impunity' that protects their interests over popular sovereignty. The document characterizes the impacts of TNCs across extractivist sectors—including agribusiness, forestry, mining, and energy—and services, while advocating for a legally binding UN treaty to regulate TNCs and a systemic shift toward popular sovereignty and economic justice.