Search Climate Insights Directory

Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) condemns the murder of Sergio Rojas, a defender of the Bribri people's territory in Costa Rica. The statement highlights that Rojas was killed shortly after filing a complaint regarding land appropriation by non-indigenous people, despite existing precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). ATALC calls on the Costa Rican government to end impunity and protect the autonomy and self-determination of indigenous peoples.

The project aims to address climate-driven water scarcity, food insecurity, and ecosystem degradation in seven countries. It proposes a multi-scale approach targeting landscapes (forest and wetland restoration), enterprises (climate-resilient agricultural practices), and households (water-efficient technologies). The initiative is supported by three financial mechanisms: a grant fund (FOGESIA), a guarantee fund, and a dedicated EbA credit line. Key goals include the restoration of approximately 36,000 hectares of ecosystems and the direct benefit of 1.75 million people.

The Legal Resources Centre and Natural Justice call for the full adoption and strengthening of a UNEA resolution to protect women environmental rights defenders, noting that women face acute risks including sexual assault and discriminatory laws while defending land and territory.

This document is a report on the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-26) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Antigua, Guatemala, from 20 to 21 June 2018. It details the proceedings, administrative and financial discussions, and the adoption of 45 decisions concerning the IAI's strategic plan, funding, science-policy initiatives, and organizational structure.

The Kigali First Movers (KFM) project seeks to shift the air conditioning (AC) market in Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Ghana away from high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and energy-inefficient models toward 'green AC' (defined as having GWP < 10 and utilizing best available technology for energy efficiency). The project is structured in two tranches: Tranche 1 focuses on Costa Rica (2020-2026), and Tranche 2 covers Indonesia and Ghana (2022-2028), supported by a global component. It targets a total mitigation impact of 37 MtCO2eq over its 20-year lifespan (2020-2040), with the bulk of reductions expected in Indonesia. The project addresses five main barrier categories: policy and regulatory frameworks, consumer behavior, technical capacity, technology availability, and finance. Key interventions include updating Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), training and certifying RAC technicians, implementing green public procurement, and providing financial mechanisms such as on-bill financing and installation subsidies. The total indicative cost is USD 133.4 million, with USD 43.7 million requested as GCF grants and USD 85.7 million in co-finance.

The document examines the intersection of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and gender equality in agriculture. It analyzes five major standards—Fairtrade International, IFOAM Organic, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified, and the 4Cs—across six thematic areas: household food security, rights to productive resources, education, unpaid domestic labour, decision-making/empowerment, and decent work. The guide finds that while VSSs can improve wages and working conditions, they risk exacerbating inequalities if they prioritize cash crops over women's subsistence farming or increase women's unpaid labour burdens without providing childcare or gender-transformative training.

The document analyzes the intersection of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and gender equality in agriculture. It evaluates five major standards—Fairtrade International, IFOAM (Organic), Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified, and 4Cs—across six key themes: household food security, access to productive resources, education, unpaid domestic work, decision-making/empowerment, and decent work. The guide finds that while VSS can indirectly improve women's status through increased income and sustainable practices, they can also inadvertently exacerbate inequalities if local gender dynamics are ignored, such as by prioritizing commercial crops over women's subsistence farming or increasing women's unpaid labor to meet certification quality requirements. It provides specific recommendations for development organizations to implement 'gender-transformative' approaches, including providing childcare during training and supporting women's land rights.

The report argues that wealth and wellbeing depend on natural capital—the stock of renewable and non-renewable resources that provide essential ecosystem services. It highlights that natural capital can account for 30% to 50% of national wealth in various countries, yet traditional GDP measures fail to capture this value. The document outlines how governments can generate societal returns (e.g., poverty reduction and public health), economic returns (e.g., business resilience and green infrastructure), and environmental returns (e.g., ecological resilience). To scale these benefits, the report proposes twelve specific levers for government action, ranging from implementing UN-SEEA accounting frameworks and creating public-private partnerships to mainstreaming natural capital into macro indicators and implementing mandatory non-financial disclosures.

The document examines the reciprocal relationship between climate change and land in Latin America, highlighting how land degradation and desertification threaten livelihoods and food security. It advocates for sustainable land management, integrated governance, and gender-equitable policies to enhance resilience and achieve climate goals.

The document examines the reciprocal relationship between climate change and land in Latin America, highlighting how land degradation and desertification threaten food security and livelihoods. It advocates for sustainable land management, gender-inclusive policies, and integrated governance to mitigate climate risks and enhance regional resilience.

The report examines the evolving relationship between human rights and the international climate regime, specifically the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. It identifies a trend of increasing explicit and implicit references to human rights in COP decisions, though it notes these are often disproportionately linked to adaptation rather than mitigation. The document details how procedural rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, gender equality, and the right to food are being integrated into climate policy. It also reviews national-level implementation through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national communications, finding that while many countries reference human rights, there is a lack of harmonized guidance. The report argues that a rights-based approach is essential to increase climate ambition and protect vulnerable populations from both climate impacts and poorly designed climate responses.

The green bond market in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is growing, with USD 12.6 billion issued since 2014. Brazil, Chile, and Mexico dominate the market, with Chile leading the region in sovereign green bond issuance. While energy is the most funded sector, LAC shows a higher proportion of funding for land use and industry compared to global trends. The report highlights significant opportunities for growth in sustainable agriculture and the 'blue economy' (ocean-based resources), while noting that public sector entities and financial institutions have substantial untapped potential for future green issuances.

The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) green bond market experienced a strong recovery in 2019, largely driven by Chile's first sovereign green bonds. While Brazil, Chile, and Mexico dominate the market, the region shows significant potential for expansion in green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and ocean-based 'blue' finance. The report highlights a high prevalence of USD-denominated issuance and a strong reliance on external reviews, though post-issuance reporting varies by issuer size and type.

The green bond market in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) experienced a strong recovery in 2019, driven largely by Chile's first sovereign green bonds. While Brazil, Chile, and Mexico dominate the regional volume, the market is characterized by a high prevalence of US dollar-denominated debt and a significant reliance on private placements. Energy remains the most funded sector, though LAC shows a uniquely high allocation toward land use and industry compared to global trends. The report highlights substantial untapped potential in sustainable agriculture and the 'blue economy' (ocean resources), suggesting that sovereign issuance and multilateral development bank support are key to scaling these markets.

The report examines the global sugarcane market, noting that while demand is growing in Asia and Africa, it is stagnating in developed countries due to health concerns. It highlights the rise of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs), which grew at a compound annual growth rate of about 52% from 2008 to 2016, though sales have not kept pace with production. The document identifies significant sustainability risks, including land grabbing, forced labor, and greenhouse gas emissions from field burning, and suggests that expanding VSSs in low human development countries like Sudan and Uganda could catalyze development benefits.

The document argues that private sector engagement is essential for climate adaptation in developing countries, as businesses and investors drive economic growth and provide necessary products, services, and financing. It identifies four key enabling factors—information exchange, financing, institutional arrangements, and capacity development—that governments must address to overcome barriers to private sector participation. The guide outlines specific entry points for engagement across the three phases of the NAP process: planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). It also provides case studies from countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Jamaica to illustrate successful public-private collaborations in adaptation.

The document highlights a 'production gap' where current fossil fuel extraction trajectories far exceed carbon budgets for 1.5°C and 2°C scenarios. It advocates for a combination of supply-side measures—such as exploration moratoriums and subsidy removals—and demand-side policies to achieve cost-effective emission reductions and a just transition for affected workers.

The 2019 Production Gap Report reveals that global fossil fuel production plans are significantly incompatible with the Paris Agreement goals. By 2030, planned production is projected to be 50% higher than consistent with a 2°C pathway and 120% higher than a 1.5°C pathway, with the largest gap occurring in coal. The report identifies that this gap is wider than the global emissions gap because governments continue to support production through subsidies, direct investment, and ambitious national targets. It examines 10 key producer countries and suggests 'supply-side' policies—such as extraction bans, subsidy reform, and just transition plans—to close the gap. The report emphasizes that international cooperation through the UN climate process and financial institutions is essential to manage an equitable decline in fossil fuel extraction.

The report advocates for a shift in the role of hydropower within global energy grids, moving away from high-impact dams toward a mix of wind, solar, storage, and low-impact hydropower. It demonstrates through modeling in Chile and Uganda that protecting free-flowing rivers and national parks has minimal impact on system costs. The document highlights the Mekong River basin as a critical area where strategic planning could prevent the loss of migratory fish biomass and delta sediment. It concludes that achieving this vision requires system-scale planning, regulatory reform, and redirected financial flows from multilateral development banks and institutional investors.

The Climate Action Tracker reports that global warming projections remain largely unchanged, with Paris Agreement commitments likely leading to 3.0°C of warming and real-world policies leading to 3.3°C. While some countries like Norway, Costa Rica, Chile, India, and South Africa show progress in decarbonisation and energy planning, others like China and Brazil show regressions in coal use and forest protection.