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The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region generates 19% of its electricity from wind and solar, exceeding the global average. While nearly half of the 33 LAC countries have pledged net-zero emissions by 2050, an implementation gap persists. The region possesses a third of global lithium, copper, and silver reserves, though investment has historically favored extraction over local manufacturing. Recent trends show a rise in electric vehicle sales and a shift in Venezuela toward solar generation to improve grid stability.

The IAI Directorate has advanced several strategic mandates between June 2025 and January 2026, including the expansion of its Associate network with the WMO and AGU, and the operationalization of the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC). Key efforts focused on science diplomacy in preparation for UNFCCC COP30, the launch of transdisciplinary research programs on climate-health and ocean science, and the development of the IAI Science Diplomacy Center. The Directorate also expanded its educational reach through virtual courses on remote sensing and health adaptation, while pursuing new member state adhesion, specifically with El Salvador.

The document outlines a three-goal approach for climate finance vehicles to manage climate risk and build resilience. Goal 1 focuses on a five-step process to identify and manage physical climate hazards to align with international standards like the ISSB and Paris Agreement. Goal 2 guides the creation of an evidence-backed adaptation thesis to secure investor commitments, particularly for those targeting Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) funding. Goal 3 provides a methodology for designing impact measurement frameworks, including theories of change and indicator tables, to track resilience outcomes and avoid maladaptation.

The report examines the challenges of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), noting their tendency to prioritize donor agendas and techno-economic frameworks over local social needs. It proposes South-South cooperation (SSC) as a vital complement to address these gaps through peer learning and context-specific solutions. Using South Africa and Colombia as case studies, the document identifies specific areas for collaboration, including mine closure, green industrialization, and the integration of peace-building experiences into transition planning.

The report examines country platforms (CPs) as vehicles to integrate climate finance with national development goals in emerging economies. It argues that CPs must be country-led and grounded in macro-fiscal analysis to avoid debt vulnerabilities and ensure social inclusivity. Using the South African Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) as a primary example, the document outlines criteria for effectiveness—including whole-of-government approaches and credible project pipelines—and proposes a four-quadrant analytical framework to guide their design. It also highlights the role of philanthropy in funding early-stage technical work and the necessity of overcoming structural path dependencies to achieve genuine economic diversification.

The report analyzes the challenges and opportunities for financing nature-based solutions (NbS) in Indian cities, noting a heavy reliance on public funds and a lack of bankable project pipelines. It maps a wide array of financial and business mechanisms—ranging from green bonds and CSR funds to land value capture—and provides early recommendations to improve the enabling environment, project bankability, and the diversification of funding sources to enhance urban climate resilience.

The document addresses the financing gap for urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in India, where investment remains heavily dependent on public funds. It proposes a three-step guidance framework: identifying the enabling policy environment, leveraging financial and business mechanisms, and applying a nine-factor project evaluation framework. The guide maps existing Indian national and sub-national policies—including forestry, water, and infrastructure schemes—that can be leveraged for NbS. It also catalogues various financial instruments (such as municipal bonds, green bonds, and blended finance) and business models (including carbon credits and user-pay systems) to improve project bankability. A repository of nine global and domestic case studies, such as Chennai's municipal bonds for stormwater drainage and Chicago's Tax Increment Financing for green roofs, illustrates replicable approaches for Indian urban contexts.

The document outlines a framework for the ethical application of Indigenous Knowledge in nature-based solutions and climate adaptation. It emphasizes the necessity of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), the recognition of Indigenous women's leadership, and the shift toward direct funding for Indigenous-led initiatives. The brief draws on global frameworks like the Rio Conventions and specific regional protocols to bridge the gap between policy principles and the practice of engaging Indigenous Knowledge Holders.

The Resilient Coasts – Caribbean Sea project, led by the Stockholm Environment Institute, uses 'living labs' in the Dominican Republic and Colombia to test nature-based solutions for coastal resilience. The project focuses on rehabilitating mangroves and coral reefs to reduce wave energy, prevent erosion, and support local economies through fishing and tourism, while developing sustainable financing models and community-led rehabilitation strategies.

The Varadero Living Lab, part of the Resilient Coasts – Caribbean Sea project, focuses on rehabilitating the coral reef near Cartagena, Colombia. The initiative employs technical demonstrations of nature-based solutions to protect against climate change impacts while empowering the local community through conservation-linked livelihoods. Expected outcomes include the use of emerging technologies for storm and erosion protection and the creation of a replicable blueprint for coral restoration and community adaptation.

The report identifies key pillars for integrating non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing the need for long-term state policies, proactive system planning, and updated regulatory frameworks. It highlights successful models in Uruguay, Chile, and Brazil, while contrasting these with challenges in Colombia, particularly regarding the lack of multi-party political consensus and coordination between generation and transmission planning.

The report argues that Colombia's electrical framework is outdated, designed for a hydro-thermal system and creating barriers to the integration of solar and wind energy. It proposes a structural shift toward a 'energy plus attributes' model, where systemic services like inertia and voltage control are explicitly valued. Key recommendations include reforming the reliability charge (Cargo por Confiabilidad), optimizing transmission capacity allocation to prevent 'hoarding', and transitioning to a more proactive planning role for the UPME. Technical evidence suggests Colombia could operate with over 95% renewable energy by 2038 if these regulatory and market bottlenecks are resolved.

The report argues that accelerating the deployment of non-conventional renewable energy sources (FNCER) in Colombia does not require structural legal reforms, as existing laws provide the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG), and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) with sufficient powers to implement necessary changes. It provides a detailed roadmap of actionable recommendations across five strategic lines: efficient use of transmission capacity, modernization of reliability schemes, integration of synchronous condensers and thermal asset conversion, long-term contracting and auctions for FNCER, and adjustments to short-term market and dispatch rules. The document emphasizes that the primary challenge is the strategic and coordinated activation of existing administrative instruments—such as decrees, resolutions, and planning documents—rather than the creation of new laws.

The document argues that Colombia's previous energy auctions, which focused exclusively on price, failed to account for social risks, leading to significant project delays and cancellations, particularly in La Guajira. It proposes a three-phase transition from a price-only model to a multi-criteria evaluation system. This transition includes introducing basic documentary requirements, then structured community relationship and capacity-building plans, and finally requiring verifiable territorial evidence and community co-ownership as eligibility criteria. The report emphasizes that these co-benefits should complement, not replace, existing legal obligations like prior consultation and environmental licensing.

The Atlas of Energy Soils of Barrancabermeja identifies solar energy as the most viable renewable resource for the municipality due to high and homogeneous irradiation levels. While the resource is abundant, 62% of the territory is restricted by environmental and regulatory factors, primarily related to the region's complex hydrological network and protected areas. The analysis validates four planned solar farm polygons (Galias 1, 2, 3, and El Tiburón) as being located in unrestricted areas. The document recommends updating the municipal Land Use Plan (POT) to formally integrate energy planning and the identified solar potential.

The policy brief assesses the macroeconomic, financial, and labor risks associated with Colombia's energy transition, particularly for five vulnerable departments. It warns that a disordered transition could lead to the loss of 448,000 jobs by 2035 and increased country risk. To mitigate this, the authors propose an integrated policy package comprising macro-fiscal-financial measures to lower capital costs, territorially differentiated labor protections, and a productive-territorial strategy focusing on 'lever sectors' like electric energy, efficient construction, and agroecology to create sustainable local employment.

The report positions democratic communication as a critical infrastructure for climate justice, asserting that environmental policies often fail when disconnected from local social and cultural systems. Through three case studies, it illustrates how community radio in Colombia's páramos, public dialogues on hydropower in Nepal, and community-led data collection in Nigeria's Niger Delta empower marginalized populations. These initiatives combat disinformation, validate indigenous expertise, and transform communities from passive recipients of climate policy into active participants and producers of evidence. The document concludes that investing in independent journalism, community media, and digital inclusion is a strategic necessity for effective and equitable climate action.

The report 'Filling the Infrastructure Gap' asserts that climate justice cannot be achieved without 'information justice,' arguing that independent and grassroots communication systems are critical infrastructure. Through case studies, it shows how community radio in Colombia's páramos, public dialogues in Nepal's hydropower regions, and community-led data collection in Nigeria's Niger Delta empower frontline communities to challenge disinformation, produce evidence of environmental harm, and hold decision-makers accountable. The document concludes that investments in local media, digital inclusion, and Indigenous communication are strategic climate justice interventions necessary for equitable environmental governance.

The report provides a comparative analysis of how 16 countries and territories are operationalising OECMs through five primary legal and policy pathways: ministerial instruments, national guidelines, administrative procedures, sector-based recognition, and mechanisms for areas beyond national jurisdiction. It finds a high degree of global convergence and alignment with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision 14/8 criteria, while noting that countries adapt these standards to fit their specific governance and legal contexts. The document highlights the rapid growth in OECM reporting between 2021 and 2025 and provides recommendations for scaling these frameworks globally.

The report analyzes how 16 reporting jurisdictions and several others in development operationalize OECMs through five primary pathways: ministerial instruments, national guidelines, administrative procedures, sector-based recognition, and mechanisms for areas beyond national jurisdiction. It finds a strong global convergence toward the terminology and criteria of CBD Decision 14/8, while noting that most countries prefer non-legislative policy tools over new laws to achieve conservation outcomes.