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The report argues that Haiti is characterized by a 'phantom state' where a small economic elite maintains power through symbiotic relationships with security forces and external actors, particularly from the United States. This structure has led to extreme inequality, the marginalization of the poor, and a chronic lack of public services in health, education, and energy. The analysis highlights a dramatic decline in voter turnout in recent elections, suggesting a crisis of political legitimacy for presidents Michel Martelly and Jovenel Moïse. It further details the environmental degradation caused by a heavy reliance on biomass energy, the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to climate shocks and trade liberalization, and the prevalence of organized crime, including child trafficking through private orphanages. The report also examines the role of international actors, noting that aid often bypasses the Haitian state, further weakening its capacity.

The document argues that global agricultural production has declined by 1-5% per decade over the last 30 years due to climate change, necessitating an urgent transition to climate-resilient systems. It identifies critical risks, including heat stress, extreme weather, and pests, which disproportionately affect smallholder farmers and women in the tropics. The authors propose a roadmap based on five pillars: promoting resilient and low-emission technologies, expanding digital climate information, mobilizing innovative finance, strengthening farmer organizations, and delivering enabling policies. The paper highlights successful examples of 'no regret' options, such as stress-tolerant crop varieties and sustainable intensification, and emphasizes the need for context-specific, participatory approaches to scale these solutions.

The document argues that emerging energy technologies—including solar PV, wind, battery storage, and microgrids—are now cost-competitive and more resilient than traditional fossil-fuel-based systems. It highlights that while the 2017 hurricanes caused the longest sustained outage in U.S. history, the resulting damage provides an opportunity to rebuild the grid using distributed resources that can be deployed quickly and reduce reliance on expensive imported fuels.

The Santa Cruz Declaration, issued by the Green Economy Coalition, asserts that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing climate vulnerabilities. The declaration highlights that SMEs constitute 95% of the world's private enterprises and 60% of private sector employment, positioning them as the primary engines for disruptive innovation and social transformation. It calls on governments, civil society, and academia to partner with green SMEs to build sustainable livelihoods and rethink systems that hinder sustainable business models.

Between 2010 and 2015, US$ 1,477 million in climate finance was committed to Caribbean SIDS, representing approximately 6% of total reported aid flows. The analysis reveals a heavy reliance on bilateral sources (85%), with a significant concentration of funds in a few countries and sectors. While 48% of finance targeted mitigation and 32% adaptation, the report highlights a critical gap in funding for resilience-essential sectors like health and education. Furthermore, a low regional disbursement ratio of 39% suggests significant implementation challenges compared to non-climate aid.

The document outlines the assessment of Rwanda's mining policy framework conducted by the IGF. The process involves evaluating national and international frameworks across six themes—Legal and Policy Environment, Financial Benefit Optimization, Socioeconomic Benefit Optimization, Environmental Management, Post-Mining Transition, and Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM)—to measure the country's readiness to implement international best practices. This assessment serves as the first phase of a project that leads to the development of a government capacity-building program aimed at leveraging mining for sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

The paper identifies 'Knowledge of climate change' and 'Belief in anthropogenic CC' as the primary predictors of climate change opinion, which are further modulated by 'Risk aversion' to determine policy acceptance. It highlights the role of traditional media in polarizing opinion and the influence of political and religious orientations on beliefs. The authors argue that developed nations often perceive climate risks as distant due to higher mitigation and adaptation capacities, whereas more vulnerable, less wealthy communities exhibit higher risk awareness.

The assessment finds that Rwanda possesses a strong legal and regulatory framework for mining, particularly in permitting and the formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). However, it identifies significant gaps in the implementation of these policies, specifically regarding environmental monitoring, socioeconomic impact assessments, and mine closure planning. While the government shows a strong willingness to improve the sector, the report highlights a lack of technical capacity and a need for better integration between the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA).

The CAMBio II programme, implemented by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), focuses on enhancing the climate resilience of agricultural MSMEs in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. The initiative employs a three-pronged approach: providing innovative financial mechanisms through intermediary financial institutions (IFIs), offering capacity building and technical assistance, and implementing an incentive scheme called 'Adapt-Award' to promote ecosystem-based adaptation. The programme leverages a Global Credit Line (GCL) to distribute loans for sustainable resource management. A previous iteration of the project (CAMBio) demonstrated that while financial intermediation is successful, reaching the most vulnerable small-scale farmers remains a challenge due to conservative banking practices and high perceived risks in rural areas.

The IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report details its 2016-2017 activities, including the election of Edwin Castellanos as chair and participation in climate-related dialogues in Bonn and the Dominican Republic. The committee proposed a two-part 25th-anniversary publication strategy consisting of a general public booklet and a peer-reviewed special issue in the journal Environmental Management. The report also addresses the transition to a new IAI director and recommends diversifying the SAC's future membership to include more social scientists and representatives from Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report details its administrative transitions, including the election of Edwin Castellanos as president and the resignation of Trevor Platt. It outlines plans for a 25th-anniversary publication and a special edition of the Journal Environmental Management, both focused on the IAI's impact and interdisciplinary research. The SAC also reports on its participation in the SBSTA Research Dialogue in Bonn and a professional development seminar in the Dominican Republic on transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability. Finally, the committee recommends expanding the social science and geographic representation of its membership, specifically within the Americas and the Caribbean.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) reported a strengthened financial position as of April 30, 2017, with cash balances 179.8% higher than the previous year. While total revenues reached US$1,424,975, the institute faces ongoing challenges with unpaid contributions from some member countries, totaling US$1.31 million. Budget performance through February 2017 showed expenses 13.1% lower than the budget, though salaries were higher than expected. Administratively, the IAI implemented new accounting software and continues to work toward the full implementation of Tripartite Agreements in Argentina and Brazil.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is requesting USD 265 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF)—USD 250 million for an investment vehicle and USD 15 million for a technical assistance facility—to launch GEEREF NeXt. Structured as a fund-of-funds, the programme aims for a total size of USD 750 million, blending GCF public seed capital with USD 500 million in private sector finance. The programme targets the development, construction, and operation of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) projects in emerging markets, expecting to finance over 200 projects and add up to 18 GW of clean energy capacity. By using a two-tier capital structure with a 'first-loss' mechanism for public capital, GEEREF NeXt intends to mitigate risk for private investors and achieve a projected 50x multiplier, potentially mobilising USD 30 billion in total project financing. The programme will be managed by the EIB Group, leveraging the experience of its predecessor, the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF).

The Global NDC Conference 2017 brought together over 250 participants from 80 countries to exchange best practices on advancing low-carbon resilient development. The report identifies integrated governance, multi-dimensional financing strategies, and the Enhanced Transparency Framework as the three pillars necessary for the successful implementation of NDCs. Key recommendations include the need for high-level leadership to break down sectoral silos, the translation of NDCs into bankable project pipelines to attract private investment, and the institutionalization of data systems to build trust and accountability.

The Reporting for Results-based REDD+ (RRR+) project is a joint initiative by the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) running from 2017 to 2019. It aims to help 21 tropical and subtropical forest countries develop the technical and institutional capacity to create accurate greenhouse gas inventories for the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sectors. This capacity is essential for countries to submit reports to the UNFCCC and unlock results-based REDD+ payments. The project provides tailored training based on IPCC methods, supports the submission of National Communications and Biennial Update Reports, and promotes gender equality in natural resource management.

The report finds that a significant portion of Peruvian timber exports are high-risk or illegal, despite being accompanied by official Transport Guides (GTF). Analysis of 2015 export data reveals that exporters strategically direct 'green-listed' (low-risk) timber to strictly regulated markets like the US and EU, while sending 'red-listed' (high-risk) timber to markets with weaker regulations, such as China and Mexico. The study highlights a shift toward using Native Community permits and Local Forests to launder illegal wood, noting that 66% of analyzed GTFs were either not supervised or lacked critical traceability data like the harvest year (zafra).

The report analyzes 855 Visual Inspection Certificates and 2,364 Forest Transport Permits (GTFs) from the Port of Callao in 2015 to trace the supply chain of Peruvian timber. It finds that a significant portion of exports are high-risk or illegal, with exporters strategically directing 'red list' timber to countries with weak import laws, such as China and Mexico, while sending 'green list' timber to the US and EU. The study highlights a shift toward using Forest Permits in Indigenous Communities and Local Forests to circumvent oversight, as these modalities often lack supervision or exhibit high rates of illegality.

EarthSpark International has deployed a 93 kW solar microgrid in Les Anglais, Haiti, providing 24-hour clean power to approximately 2,000 people. The project demonstrates that microgrids can bridge the gap between small solar home systems and traditional grid extension, enabling industrial use and reducing household energy costs by 80%. To overcome technical gaps, EarthSpark developed 'SparkMeter' for customized tariffs and prepay services. Despite logistical hurdles and a lack of clear regulatory frameworks in Haiti, the model aims to scale to 80 microgrids serving 200,000 people over five years.

The document argues that 'communication rights' extend beyond simple freedom of expression to include the right to be heard and receive responses from power-holders. It provides evidence of this framework's utility through case studies: community radio in Guatemala and Bosnia and Herzegovina, citizen journalism in the Dominican Republic, gender-focused media monitoring in Benin, and migrant advocacy in Hong Kong. Additionally, it examines the threats to privacy posed by big data analytics and the 'Internet of Things,' arguing that these technologies can create unjust power differentials and facilitate surveillance.

The report argues that migration is driven by a complex chain of mechanisms—including aspirations and infrastructure—rather than simple 'root causes' like poverty. It finds that economic development often increases migration in the short term (the 'migration hump') and that poverty eradication has had marginal impact on reducing migration. The authors caution that reorienting humanitarian and development aid to meet migration-control objectives may reduce the primary effectiveness of those policies and risk serving donor self-interest over beneficiary needs.