Search Climate Insights Directory

The document highlights Peru's vulnerability to climate events, citing the severe impacts of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the high economic risks of climate change. It advocates for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to build resilience in priority sectors including water, agriculture, fisheries, forests, and health.

The report highlights that illegal harvesting of CITES-listed species occurs in over 25% of all natural and mixed World Heritage sites, threatening biodiversity and the 'outstanding universal value' of these areas. It identifies a gap in the current approach: the World Heritage Convention is site-focused, while CITES operates at the national level. To address this, the report proposes a coordinated value-chain response involving source, transit, and consumer countries, alongside the integration of monitoring and reporting systems. Case studies from Indonesia, Madagascar, the DRC, and Thailand illustrate the devastating impact of poaching and illegal logging, as well as the potential for success through community engagement and inter-agency cooperation.

CIEL opposes the EU's proposal for a Multilateral Investment Court (MIC), arguing that it merely improves the institutional aspects of dispute resolution without addressing the substantive treaty provisions that prioritize investor rights over the public interest. The document asserts that an MIC would entrench the flawed investor-state arbitration regime, potentially chilling government regulation on environment and health. CIEL recommends alternatives such as requiring the exhaustion of domestic remedies, limiting jurisdiction to uncompensated direct expropriation, and exploring the complete removal of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in favor of state-state consultations or strengthened domestic courts.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for governments to manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It is structured into three phases: preparation (establishing working groups and analyzing context), strategy development (creating a vision and categorizing mining types), and implementation (executing plans and monitoring outcomes). The guide emphasizes integrating informal mining into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms, such as child labor and mercury use.

The document outlines a three-phase framework for governments to manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Phase 1 focuses on preparation, including forming a working group, establishing stakeholder consultation forums, and conducting context analysis. Phase 2 details the creation of a national ASM vision and the development of tailored management strategies based on the type of mining operation, utilizing both economic and impact-based approaches. Phase 3 covers the practical implementation, including legislative updates, the establishment of ASM zones, and the creation of monitoring and evaluation systems. The guide emphasizes the integration of informal ASM into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms.

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 document outlines the challenges and best practices for implementing the 2030 Agenda in Latin America, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral institutional structures, subnational engagement, and improved data disaggregation. It highlights the vulnerability of SDG implementation to political cycles and the difficulty of aligning the 2030 Agenda with the Paris Agreement. Key recommendations include incorporating medium-term goals to bridge government cycles and mobilizing private sector resources to fill funding gaps caused by regional recessions.

The document outlines the challenges and best practices for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Latin America, focusing on institutional harmonization, inter-sectoral cooperation, local ownership, and financing. It highlights the risk of political instability affecting long-term goals and the need for better data disaggregation and multi-stakeholder dialogue to move beyond central government control.

The document argues that development often exacerbates disaster risks due to poor decision-making and trade-offs. It introduces a typology of five trade-offs (power, equity, temporal, risk, and aggregation) to help decision-makers identify and manage these risks. The brief applies this typology to the 'Building Back Better' approach to post-disaster recovery, suggesting that inclusive, long-term, and holistic planning can lead to more resilient development.

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) and Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) have issued a statement condemning the request by Ecuador's Internal Affairs Vice Minister, Dr. Diego Torres Saldaña, to close and dissolve the social organization Acción Ecológica. The statement highlights Acción Ecológica's long-term efforts in Latin America to defend the rights of nature and promote 'buen vivir'. FoEI and ATALC call for global support for the organization and urge the Ecuadorian government to ensure a democratic dialogue to resolve the situation.

Friends of the Earth International (ATI) and Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) have issued a statement of support for Acción Ecológica after the Ecuadorian government, specifically Vice Minister of Internal Security Dr. Diego Torres Saldaña, initiated administrative proceedings to close the organization. The statement highlights Acción Ecológica's history of defending the rights of nature and calls for a democratic dialogue to resolve the situation.

The GCF Board's fourteenth meeting resulted in the approval of 10 funding proposals totaling approximately USD 788 million and the accreditation of 8 new entities. Key outcomes include the appointment of Mr. Howard Bamsey as Executive Director, the adoption of a strategy for accreditation prioritization, and a performance review of the World Bank as Interim Trustee, which highlighted a challenge regarding direct cash transfers to non-accredited executing entities.

As of 31 October 2016, the GCF pipeline consists of 46 funding proposals requesting USD 3.2 billion and 169 concept notes requesting USD 7.9 billion. The portfolio includes 27 approved projects, with varying levels of progress in fulfilling conditions for the execution of Funded Activity Agreements (FAAs). The document also tracks the progress of direct access entities and a pilot programme for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which has shortlisted 7 concept notes for funding up to USD 100 million.

The letter argues that the owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline are complicit in human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples in Standing Rock, North Dakota, and asserts that corporate and financial entities have an affirmative duty to prevent such impacts.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) welcomes the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, noting its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate agreement. WRI emphasizes the role of cities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advocates for a prioritized implementation plan with measurable goals to ensure sustainable mobility, road safety, and affordable housing.

The report examines Colombia's struggle to transition toward green growth while remaining heavily dependent on oil and coal exports. It highlights a fragmented state where ministries tied to extractive industries often oppose environmental regulations. While the country has a low-carbon electricity grid dominated by hydropower, it is vulnerable to climate-induced droughts, leading to a push for thermal power and fracking. The report suggests linking renewable energy incentives to post-conflict rural development and leveraging a vanguard of sustainable private sector companies to drive a national transition.

The Global Campaign advocates for a legally binding UN treaty to hold transnational corporations (TNCs) accountable for human rights violations. The proposals include establishing an International Tribunal on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights, enforcing extraterritorial obligations on home states, extending liability across TNC supply chains, and reforming the international trade and investment regime by ending the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism. The document also calls for the accountability of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) like the IMF and World Bank and the recognition of the rights of affected people to access justice without financial barriers.

The document argues for a legally binding international treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) regarding human rights violations. It proposes the creation of an International Tribunal on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights to counter the 'architecture of impunity' created by private arbitration systems like ICSID. The proposals emphasize the extraterritorial obligations of home states, joint and several liability across corporate value chains, and the need to reform International Financial Institutions (IFIs) like the IMF and World Bank. It further advocates for the supremacy of human rights over investment treaties and the establishment of accessible, free legal remedies for affected communities.

The document argues for a legally binding international treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) and dismantle their systemic power. It proposes the creation of an international tribunal for TNCs and human rights, the establishment of joint and several liability across corporate value chains, and the reform of international financial institutions and trade regimes to prioritize human rights over investor profits. The text emphasizes the need for extraterritorial obligations for home states and the guarantee of free, collective, and swift legal recourse for affected communities.

The Union of Concerned Scientists evaluated several global beef buyers using a 100-point scorecard to measure their efforts to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. The assessment focused on five categories: ambition of commitments, time-bound implementation plans, compliance protocols, transparency, and traceability/verification. Results varied significantly, with Walmart achieving the highest score of 52, followed by McDonald's at 48 and Mars at 37. Several companies, including Burger King, Pizza Hut, Kroger, and Conagra, received a total score of 0, indicating a lack of documented commitments or practices meeting the scorecard's criteria.