Search Climate Insights Directory

The "Migration and Conservation in the Great Lakes Region" project developed a methodology, policy recommendations, and a toolkit to help conservation practitioners manage the impacts of human migration on biodiversity. Research conducted in Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda highlighted that in the Bale Mountains ecosystem, migration significantly drives land conversion and resource overexploitation.

This report examines the impacts of human migration on ecosystems in the Great Lakes Region of East and Central Africa, focusing on case studies in Uganda, Ethiopia, and the DRC. It finds that while migration is not the sole driver of environmental degradation, it exacerbates existing issues such as overfishing in Lake Albert, deforestation in the Bale Mountains and Misotshi–Kabogo, and land-use conflicts. The report recommends that conservationists implement migration-sensitive strategies, including inclusive governance and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods for both migrants and host communities.

This reference manual, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2016, provides a detailed framework for countries to plan the implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. It is structured into five core modules: governance, mitigation, adaptation, finance, and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV). The guide offers a step-by-step approach to identifying institutional gaps, designing policies, mobilizing funding, and establishing tracking systems, supplemented by international case studies to illustrate best practices in climate action planning.

This briefing by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) outlines the political and economic requirements for countries to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris climate agreement. It emphasizes the need for 'climate compatible development' that balances emission reductions with poverty eradication and sustainable development, particularly in developing nations.

The 2016 GreenCape report details the growth of South Africa's utility-scale renewable energy sector via the REIPPPP, which procured over 6,300 MW. It highlights a sharp decline in wind and solar PV costs, the importance of local content requirements for industrialization, and the Western Cape's emergence as a greentech hub. The report also identifies expansion opportunities across the SADC region and other African nations like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, while noting infrastructure constraints at Eskom.

This 2016 research paper reviews Ethiopia's climate change adaptation efforts, noting a historical temperature rise of 1.3°C (1960-2006) and projected further warming. It identifies high vulnerability among pastoralists and smallholder farmers and evaluates national strategies like the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy, while noting gaps in adaptation for the health, energy, and transportation sectors.

The Migration and Conservation Toolkit, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2016, provides a four-phase framework for conservation practitioners to assess and address the impacts of human migration on critical ecosystems. The guide emphasizes a participatory approach to understand the links between migration drivers, livelihood choices, and biodiversity loss, offering specific tools for mapping, stakeholder analysis, and the design of migration-sensitive interventions.

This directory, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) with financial support from Denmark, provides an inventory of assistance and capacity-building programmes available to African states in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) areas. It details the offers of nearly 50 states, various international and regional organisations, and civil society entities, primarily within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and other international non-proliferation treaties.

This policy brief describes a study conducted between 2011 and 2015 by the Stockholm Environment Institute and national councils in Tanzania and Uganda. The study examined agricultural bioscience and agro-processing innovation systems, concluding that while the public sector is the primary driver of bioscience innovation in Eastern Africa, structural and policy constraints—rather than technical knowledge—hinder the transition of research into market-ready technologies for smallholder farmers.

This research paper analyzes three major Chinese foreign policy initiatives—the Maritime Silk Road, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and expanded UN peacekeeping contributions—and evaluates their implications for Africa and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The author argues that while China is increasing its infrastructure and security investments in Africa, particularly on the east coast, the continent remains secondary to China's strategic interests in Asia and Europe.

This guide by the World Resources Institute provides a glossary of terms used in COP21 climate negotiations to define long-term emissions-reduction goals. It distinguishes between various technical terms such as decarbonization, carbon neutrality, and climate neutrality, while outlining the requirements for these goals to effectively operationalize the target of limiting warming to below 2°C or 1.5°C.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) analyzes the use of fiscal instruments within Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted to the UNFCCC by November 20, 2015. The review identifies trends in how countries employ fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR), clean energy subsidies, and carbon pricing to support low-carbon development and GHG mitigation.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities and challenges of the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) leading into 2016. It focuses on the AU's shifting emphasis toward human rights, the upcoming 2016 elections for the PSC and AU Commission, and the council's mixed success in managing conflicts in Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, and Burkina Faso. The document also explores the persistent linguistic divide between anglophone and francophone member states and the evolving partnership between the AU and the United Nations.

This research paper examines implementation methods for the "Food Security in a Climate Perspective strategy 2013-15," focusing on private sector development and public-private partnerships (PPP) in agriculture, climate change, and food security across five African nations.

This policy brief, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in September 2015, outlines a strategic resource mobilisation approach for National Climate Change Funds (NCCFs). Based on a study by Dalberg Global Development Advisors involving 30 interviews and a literature review, the document identifies why NCCFs have historically struggled to attract capital and proposes a three-pillar framework—vision and strategy, institutional capacity, and systematic investor engagement—to improve their financial sustainability.

This report, commissioned by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network and drafted by Dalberg Global Development Advisors, provides design options for the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) MSME Program. It identifies barriers preventing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries from accessing climate finance and proposes solutions across policy, knowledge, and financial product design. The report emphasizes the need for intermediaries to deliver finance efficiently and suggests a pilot phase to test these approaches before full-scale implementation.

This research paper evaluates the economic potential of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), a proposed joint customs union between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Through econometric analysis and interviews with decision-makers in South Africa and Kenya, the authors assess trade complementarity, intensity, and the role of transregional infrastructure in driving industrialization and poverty reduction.

This research paper examines strategies to address biomass scarcity in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on moving from cycles of over-exploitation and degradation to sustainable production. Using the Lake Tana sub-basin in Ethiopia as a case study, the authors analyze the impact of supply and demand strategies, emphasizing the importance of soil productivity and integrated natural resource governance.

This policy brief examines the impact of human migration on the Bale Mountains ecosystem in southeast Ethiopia, specifically focusing on the Harenna Forest. By comparing the woredas of Harenna Buluk and Delo Mena, the document analyzes how political pull factors and economic push factors drive migration, leading to accelerated deforestation, biodiversity loss, and a shift from traditional pastoralism to profit-oriented crop farming. The authors propose several policy interventions, including the regulation of informal land markets, the use of flagship species for conservation, and the development of sustainable livelihoods such as tourism.

This report by Dalberg Global Development Advisors, commissioned by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), evaluates the resource mobilisation strategies and sustainability of National Climate Change Funds (NCCFs). It defines NCCFs as national-level entities that collect and channel climate finance to mitigation and adaptation projects. The report identifies significant funding gaps in developing countries, analyzes the performance of 13 operational NCCFs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and provides a best-practice handbook for NCCFs to define their vision, build institutional capacity, and engage investors.