Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of the G20 in supporting Africa's energy transition and climate financing. It critiques the Indonesian and Indian G20 presidencies for failing to address Africa's specific needs, noting a significant gap between the continent's climate funding requirements and actual inflows. The document proposes a strategic agenda for the upcoming Brazilian and South African presidencies, focusing on increasing the flow and quality of climate finance, reforming debt treatments, and enhancing participation in carbon markets.

This research paper examines the adoption of electricity markets in Indian states to facilitate the clean energy transition. It finds that while real-time markets are growing, overall market penetration remains low (7% of demand) due to inflexible long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), unpredictable pricing, and poor forecasting. The paper highlights that states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu could achieve significant cost savings by shifting toward day-ahead markets and recommends PPA renegotiation, the introduction of ancillary services, and coordinated resource adequacy planning.

This training manual, developed by the Ministry of Planning and Development (MoPD) of Ethiopia with support from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), provides a comprehensive guide for facilitators to integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) into the design and implementation of national development and climate change initiatives. It outlines a structured eight-session training module covering basic GESI concepts, gender analysis tools, gender-responsive budgeting, and organizational transformation, with a specific focus on the intersection of gender and climate change resilience.

This stocktaking report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Convergence examines the intersection of blended finance, gender equality, and the energy transition in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It analyzes market trends, identifies systemic barriers to gender-responsive climate finance, and provides case studies of financial vehicles that integrate gender outcomes into clean energy projects.

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report, published by IEEFA and Ember, assesses the progress of 21 Indian states across three dimensions: Decarbonisation, Readiness and Performance of the Power Ecosystem, and Market Enablers. The report identifies Gujarat and Karnataka as consistent top performers, while highlighting structural challenges in states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. It recommends strengthening state-level regulatory frameworks and developing specific state-level transition plans to accelerate the shift toward clean electricity.

This briefing note by the Global Resilience Partnership and Transitions Research examines the landscape of urban resilience solutions in informal contexts across the Global South. Based on a review of approximately 130 solutions, the report identifies a significant gap in urban climate investment—where only 1.2% of urban climate finance flows to adaptation and resilience—and highlights that most non-governmental solutions are still in early development stages. It provides recommendations for municipalities, funders, and policymakers to scale these innovations through better coordination, hybrid financing, and the integration of informal settlements into city planning.

The INVESTING IN RESILIENCE Project Portfolio 2024 outlines the activities of the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), which identifies and scales locally-led resilience innovations in the Global South through challenge fund competitions. The document highlights several active projects focusing on climate adaptation, food security, and sustainable finance across Africa, Asia, and South America, while detailing the funding requirements needed to scale these initiatives.

The 2024 Regional Resilience Hubs virtual summit emphasized the necessity of locally-led adaptation (LLA), flexible and decentralized climate finance, and the meaningful inclusion of marginalized groups. Key discussions focused on integrating nature-based solutions, addressing the gendered burden of unpaid care work, and ensuring that climate investments protect human rights and land tenure to prevent the displacement of vulnerable populations in regions including Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

This webinar summary, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, details a regional dialogue on the intersection of global ageing and climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. It examines the specific vulnerabilities of older adults to climate hazards, the systemic exclusion of their perspectives from policy, and the potential for older persons to contribute to climate resilience through traditional knowledge and community-led action.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of the G20 in supporting industrialisation in Africa. It argues that while industrialisation is essential for improving living standards and creating youth employment, recent G20 summits in 2022 and 2023 lacked a central focus on this goal. The document outlines a policy framework for structural transformation and recommends that future G20 presidencies adopt a cohesive strategy to bolster Africa's manufacturing sector, agricultural productivity, and digital infrastructure.

This report evaluates how China, India, and Vietnam translate their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) into national transport strategies and policies, emphasizing the need for better coordination across governance levels and policy areas to achieve decarbonization.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative and E3G analyzes the financial interactions and Paris Agreement alignment of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and National Development Banks (NDBs) in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies a lack of comprehensive documentation on climate finance flows between these institutions and highlights significant divergence in how MDBs and NDBs mainstream climate considerations into their operations. The report provides recommendations to optimize operating models, clarify institutional mandates, and share technical expertise to scale up climate-related on-lending.

A December 2023 briefing by Global Energy Monitor reporting on the global expansion of gas transmission pipelines, highlighting that Asia accounts for over 80% of current construction costs and length.

This report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the potential for climate finance to advance the electrification and climate-proofing of healthcare facilities in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. It establishes a climate rationale for investing in low-carbon and resilient technologies, quantifies potential GHG emissions and cost savings, and maps the landscape of available climate finance sources and the barriers to accessing them.

This report by Ember analyzes the investment and capacity requirements for India to align its renewable energy targets with the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Net-Zero Emissions (NZE) pathway by 2030, comparing these needs against the targets set in India's 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14).

This report by Ember analyzes the underreporting of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, finding that global emissions may be up to twice as high as government figures reported to the UNFCCC. It highlights systemic failures in monitoring, noting that 97% of reported emissions rely on general emission factors rather than direct measurement, and recommends mandatory direct monitoring, satellite verification, and international support for low-income countries to mitigate this potent greenhouse gas.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the role of the UNFCCC in addressing fossil fuel subsidies, specifically focusing on opportunities at COP 28 and beyond. It highlights the gap between government rhetoric and the record USD 1.3 trillion in subsidies provided in 2022, arguing that the UNFCCC can strengthen global commitments through clear deadlines, improved transparency in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and integration into climate finance discussions.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics argues for a rigorous, science-based definition of 'unabated fossil fuels' to prevent the use of weak policies and inadequate technologies from undermining the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. It highlights that while the term has become central to G7, G20, and UN climate negotiations, the lack of a consensus definition allows for interpretations that may include low carbon capture rates or ignore upstream emissions.

The Energy Transition Dialogues Communique outlines India's climate commitments, including its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the significant financial investment required to reach its 2030 and 2070 net-zero targets.

The 2023 update report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes projected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 2030 for 25 countries, comparing current policy outcomes against Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While aggregated emissions projections remain stable, the report identifies significant shifts in individual countries and a persistent gap between current policies and the 43% reduction required for Paris Agreement alignment.