Search Climate Insights Directory

The assessment finds that green finance for forests is severely insufficient, totaling under USD 22 billion since 2010, and represents only 1.5% of total climate mitigation commitments from developed countries and multilateral institutions. While some domestic initiatives and Green Climate Fund projects show progress, private sector investment remains dominated by traditional 'grey finance' with few mandatory safeguards to prevent deforestation in commodity supply chains.

The report finds that while nearly USD 4.7 billion in results-based finance has been committed since 2010, only 35% has been disbursed as of April 2019. It highlights the slow pace of negotiating Emission Reductions Payment Agreements (ERPAs) and a critical funding gap in the implementation phase of REDD+ activities. While forest carbon markets show some growth in voluntary demand, they remain a small fraction of global deforestation emissions. The document also details domestic payment mechanisms in Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica, and outlines various forms of support for jurisdictional-sourcing initiatives.

The document examines how 'migration' and 'development' are defined and measured in quantitative research, highlighting a gap in evidence regarding migration aspirations, failed attempts, and involuntary immobility. It discusses the challenges of establishing causal links due to endogeneity—specifically reverse causality, self-selection, and omitted variables—and evaluates experimental and non-experimental methods to address these biases. The paper advocates for a holistic, multi-dimensional approach to development that moves beyond economic metrics to include social, institutional, and environmental outcomes.

The authors propose a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) based on three pillars: non-proliferation of new reserves, disarmament of existing infrastructure, and financing low-carbon alternatives. This proposal addresses the gap in the Paris Agreement, which does not mention fossil fuels despite their role as the primary cause of the climate crisis. The authors highlight that 80% of coal, oil, and gas reserves are un-burnable if warming is to be kept below 2°C, and they point to existing national moratoria in countries like New Zealand and France as evidence of growing political momentum for supply-side climate policy.

The Sustainable Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) Coffee of Honduras programme seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resilience of 4,000 small coffee producers and 80 coffee mills. With a total indicative cost of USD 39,623,400, the initiative focuses on introducing agroforestry systems, improving fertilizer use, and implementing solar technologies for coffee drying. The programme proposes a dual financial mechanism consisting of a non-reimbursable Coffee Fund and a reimbursable Coffee Credit Line, managed by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). Key goals include a mitigation impact of 320 GgCO2e by 2023 and the establishment of a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to track emissions reductions.

The memorandum establishes a partnership between SP/OTCA and IAI to strengthen regional capacities and scientific research in the Amazon Biome, focusing on climate change, biodiversity, and the rights of indigenous and local communities.

The SB-50 negotiations in Bonn were characterized by persistent political deadlocks, particularly regarding the IPCC 1.5ºC report and Article 6 mechanisms. While there was an increase in countries advocating for human rights-based social safeguards in market mechanisms, deep divisions remain. The session also advanced reviews of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and the Gender Action Plan, while highlighting the importance of procedural rights and the Escazú Agreement for civil society participation.

This written submission by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) analyzes the 'Zero Draft' of a proposed UN legally binding instrument to regulate transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises in regarding human rights. FoEI argues that the Zero Draft is too weak, lacks direct obligations for corporations, and fails to provide effective mechanisms to end corporate impunity, calling for a revised version that prioritizes human rights over commercial interests.

The project achieved a 'Satisfactory-Highly Satisfactory' rating for its objectives, successfully strengthening national policies and engaging nine local communities in mangrove restoration and conservation. Key achievements include the update of national regulations in Panama and Ecuador, the development of a National Mangrove Plan in Ecuador (February 2019), and the creation of fisheries management plans in El Morro, Ecuador. While regional coordination through the CPPS was effective, the final regional strategy awaited official endorsement. Sustainability is rated as 'moderately likely' due to risks regarding long-term funding for on-the-ground activities.

The IAI Directorate Science-Policy has worked to bridge the gap between scientific research and public policy in the Americas. Key activities include drafting Rules of Procedure for the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), establishing cooperation with multilateral environmental agreements, and developing a project for decarbonization and climate resilient governance in South American megacities. The report highlights the impacts of the third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3), where projects have influenced national inventories for GHG emissions in Brazil, changed mining policies in Ecuador, and informed water management reforms in Mexico. The Directorate is seeking to formalize mechanisms for Parties to present scientific results to decision-makers and identify priority research needs for global change policy.

The IAI Executive Directorate is implementing a multifaceted approach to improve the provision of scientific information to governments in the Americas. This includes drafting procedural regulations for the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), establishing links with multilateral environmental agreements, and strengthening the capacity of member states to integrate science into public policy. The report highlights the conclusion of the third round of Cooperative Research Networks (CRN3), detailing how specific projects on nitrogen cycles, tropical dry forests, water security, and marine ecosystems have influenced national policies and management plans in countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and Mexico.

The IAI Executive Directorate reports on its capacity-building efforts, including the São Paulo School of Advanced Science and partnerships with the AAAS and OAS to integrate science and policy. It outlines ongoing initiatives like the STeP Fellowship and Seed Grant programs, while seeking CoP support for future implementation subject to external funding.

The report details the conclusion of the CRN3 program, which involved 17 projects across 15 IAI Parties, and the launch of the SGP-HW program, which selected six projects focused on ecosystem services and human well-being. It also outlines the planning for the fourth round of Cooperative Research Networks (CRN4), emphasizing transdisciplinary research, regional priorities, and the pursuit of co-financing through entities like the Belmont Forum.

The IAI Directorate reports on the completion of the Third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) program, which involved 17 projects across 15 IAI Parties and leveraged US$ 15.36 million in additional funding. The report details the transition toward the SGP-HW small grants program, which emphasizes transdisciplinary co-design with stakeholders and the implementation of an Open Data Policy. It also outlines the preliminary planning for the fourth iteration of the Collaborative Research Network (CRN4), recommending alignment with the Belmont Forum to secure co-funding and a focus on Party-driven priorities.

The statement argues that the escalation of murders and persecution of social movement leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean is a result of 'neoliberalism’s programmatic fundamentalism' and an 'architecture of impunity'. It claims that transnational corporations and imperialistic forces drive this violence to protect profits derived from 'economic and environmental corporatization and financialization'. The signatories call for the creation of an 'internationalist front against fascism' to protect defenders of territories and fundamental rights and to end the cycle of impunity where perpetrators remain unidentified.

The statement denounces a 'systematic policy of extermination' against social actors and defenders of territories and people's rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. It attributes this violence to a neoliberal model of 'privatization and financialization' driven by imperialist forces and multinationals, which results in the spoliation of environmental heritage and the murder of activists. The authors highlight a pervasive 'architecture of impunity' where perpetrators remain free, and they call for the construction of an international front to combat this 'fascism' and protect the lives of those defending common goods and fundamental rights.

A collective call for solidarity and justice following the murders of activists in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Brazil, attributing the violence to a neoliberal model and a 'cowardly architecture of impunity' supported by imperialist forces and transnational corporations.

The report analyzes 38 ISDS cases brought by mining companies against Latin American states, highlighting a systemic bias that favors corporate profits over human rights and environmental laws. It documents how these suits often target government measures resulting from community resistance or environmental regulations, creating a 'chilling effect' on public policy. The document details specific cases in countries such as Colombia, El Salvador, and Venezuela, and proposes a fundamental shift toward a legal framework that prioritizes human rights and environmental protection over investor rights.

The document is a statement by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) condemning the murder of Sergio Rojas, a Bribri indigenous defender in Costa Rica. Rojas was shot 15 times in his home on March 18, 2019, shortly after filing complaints regarding land usurpation by non-indigenous people. The organization highlights the lack of effective state protection despite precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and demands an end to impunity and the recognition of indigenous autonomy to prevent further violence.

Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) has issued a statement condemning the murder of Sergio Rojas, a Bribri indigenous defender in Costa Rica. Rojas was shot 15 times at his home on March 18, 2019, shortly after filing complaints regarding the seizure of indigenous land by non-indigenous persons. The organization highlights that the killing occurred despite precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in 2015. ATALC demands that the Costa Rican government identify the perpetrators and address the systemic impunity and lack of protection for indigenous peoples fighting for territorial autonomy.