Search Climate Insights Directory

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, offering a flexible framework to address gender inequalities in climate adaptation. It details specific 'entry points' within the NAP cycle—from launch and vulnerability assessment to implementation and monitoring—where gender considerations can be integrated. The toolkit emphasizes that climate impacts are not gender-neutral and that failing to address gender dynamics can inadvertently increase social inequality. It provides practical tools for gender analysis, inclusive facilitation, multi-criteria analysis for prioritization, and gender-responsive budgeting. Case studies from countries such as Peru, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Fiji illustrate the application of these principles in national planning and the use of international finance, such as the Green Climate Fund, to empower women as agents of change.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, arguing that climate change impacts are not gender-neutral and that adaptation effectiveness depends on addressing gender inequalities. It outlines specific 'entry points' within the NAP cycle—from preparatory work and vulnerability assessments to implementation strategies and monitoring—where gender considerations must be integrated. The toolkit defines key concepts such as gender equality, equity, and intersectionality, and provides six essential tools: gender analysis, gender-responsive facilitation, multi-criteria analysis, gender mainstreaming, gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and gender-responsive budgeting. It includes case studies from countries such as Peru, Guinea, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Fiji, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Kenya to illustrate the practical application of these principles.

The document examines the trade-offs for African nations joining the AIIB, noting that while the bank offers a new source of low-cost finance to address an annual infrastructure deficit of $68 to $108 billion, its lack of technical capacity-building and specific instruments for low-income countries outside Asia limits its appeal. It concludes that middle-income African countries are better positioned to benefit from membership than low-income countries.

The report finds that the world is not on track to meet the Goal 1 target of halving natural forest loss by 2020. Between 2014 and 2018, average annual global gross tree cover loss increased by 43 percent compared to a 2001-13 baseline. Carbon emissions from tropical tree cover loss also rose, averaging 57 percent higher than before the declaration. While Indonesia saw a significant decline in primary forest loss in 2018, tropical Africa experienced the highest percent increase in loss. The report highlights that primary forests are particularly critical due to their carbon storage and the fact that they cannot be restored within the NYDF timeframe.

The assessment finds that green finance for forests is severely insufficient, totaling under USD 22 billion since 2010, and represents only 1.5% of total climate mitigation commitments from developed countries and multilateral institutions. While some domestic initiatives and Green Climate Fund projects show progress, private sector investment remains dominated by traditional 'grey finance' with few mandatory safeguards to prevent deforestation in commodity supply chains.

The report examines South Africa's historical and recent involvement in Burundi, highlighting a transition from significant military and diplomatic leadership during the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement to a more peripheral role following Burundi's 2015 political crisis. While South Africa has provided tangible support in electoral capacity building and civil service training, the report finds that bilateral agreements have been implemented in a fragmented manner. It emphasizes the value of 'citizen diplomacy' through civil society and academic exchanges, particularly in supporting Burundi's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The authors argue that South Africa should leverage its remaining political capital and technical expertise through a holistic strategy that navigates complex regional dynamics involving the East African Community (EAC) and the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

The document examines how 'migration' and 'development' are defined and measured in quantitative research, highlighting a gap in evidence regarding migration aspirations, failed attempts, and involuntary immobility. It discusses the challenges of establishing causal links due to endogeneity—specifically reverse causality, self-selection, and omitted variables—and evaluates experimental and non-experimental methods to address these biases. The paper advocates for a holistic, multi-dimensional approach to development that moves beyond economic metrics to include social, institutional, and environmental outcomes.

The August 2019 Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) struggle to define 'unconstitutional changes of government' in the context of popular uprisings in Algeria and Sudan. It highlights the risks of increasing foreign military presence, particularly in the Horn of Africa, and the resulting rivalry between global powers like the US and China. The report also advocates for the inclusion of women in Sudan's peace process and warns of potential political instability in Côte d’Ivoire ahead of the 2020 elections. Finally, it discusses the limited access civil society organizations have to AU and regional economic community structures.

The report examines the actions of 14 African countries at the UN Human Rights Council in 2017. It finds that the African Group is no longer a unified voting bloc, with significant divergence in how members approach human rights. Botswana, Ghana, and Rwanda are identified as the strongest defenders of international human rights among the group, while Burundi, Egypt, and Nigeria are characterized as the most antagonistic. The analysis highlights a recurring tension between the principle of national sovereignty and the universality of human rights, particularly regarding 'item 4' resolutions that mandate investigations into specific countries without their consent.

Mighty Earth expresses concern over the Ivorian government's plan to empty protected areas of inhabitants to combat deforestation, noting that 1.5 to 2 million people in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana live in such areas. The organization highlights a history of abuses during evictions and argues that the global chocolate industry, which funded illegal cocoa production, has a moral responsibility to compensate expelled farmers.

The document examines the material risks climate change poses to global supply chains and the current state of private sector adaptation. It argues that while companies recognize climate risks, they often misdiagnose them by focusing on exposure rather than underlying vulnerability. Using the cotton industry as a detailed example, the paper proposes a resilience framework based on six capital assets—natural, human, social, physical, financial, and political—and provides recommendations for companies to commit to science-based resilience strategies and gender-transformative empowerment of women workers.

The document provides a comparative overview of National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes in multiple countries, detailing their specific strategic approaches, priority sectors, and implementation milestones. It emphasizes the integration of climate adaptation into national development planning, the importance of cross-sectoral coordination, and the mobilization of climate finance to build resilience against diverse hazards such as sea-level rise, droughts, and extreme weather events.

The Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM) report for early 2019 details its operational status, including the adoption of new Procedures and Guidelines and the development of a Case Management System. While no formal complaints or reconsideration requests were received during the period, the IRM conducted a preliminary inquiry into a project in Peru regarding potential mis-categorization and lack of free, prior, informed consent. The IRM also focused on capacity building for direct access entities and outreach activities in Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, and China.

African cities face a 'triple challenge' of rapid population growth, urban expansion, and poor waste management, which threatens urban sustainability and marine ecosystems. The report advocates for a transition from linear 'take–make–dispose' models to a circular economy that prioritises resource efficiency and waste removal. Key recommendations include integrating the informal waste sector, implementing municipal composting, and leveraging regional policy frameworks like Agenda 2063 to foster green entrepreneurialism.

The document argues that voluntary industry commitments have failed to stop deforestation and child labour in the cocoa sector, calling for the EU to regulate agricultural commodity imports.

The document responds to a United Nations report on biodiversity loss, asserting that the primary drivers of ecological collapse are decisions made by governments and corporate boardrooms. It identifies the meat and cocoa industries as major contributors to biodiversity loss and deforestation, specifically citing the impact of meat production on greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, and the role of cocoa farming in deforestation in West Africa. The author encourages individuals to support Mighty Earth's campaigns to pressure companies like McDonald's and Whole Foods to implement sustainable sourcing standards and to choose responsibly produced chocolate to protect endangered species such as chimpanzees and African elephants.

The NAP Global Network has supported gender analyses in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, and Togo since 2018 to ensure climate adaptation investments generate equitable benefits for women and men. The briefing outlines the approach taken and identifies common themes and lessons learned to inform the formulation and implementation of these national plans.

The report examines how West African nations, particularly Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, have prioritised military and securitised responses to terrorism over rule-of-law frameworks. This shift has led to widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention, often facilitated by emergency legislation and a lack of judicial oversight. The author argues that such approaches may fuel further radicalisation and recommends long-term criminal justice reform, the strengthening of civilian oversight, and the alignment of counter-terrorism efforts with international human rights standards to achieve sustainable peace and development.

Côte d’Ivoire is currently in the development phase of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which began in 2015. The process focuses on strengthening institutional arrangements, including the creation of a National Commission to Combat Climate Change to integrate climate measures into development planning. Key climate threats identified include sea-level rise, increased temperatures, and rainfall variability, with priority adaptation sectors spanning agriculture, water, health, coastal zones, and land use planning. Significant milestones include the 2012 INDC submission and the February 2019 approval of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) NAP Readiness proposal.

The document outlines a framework for integrating gender considerations into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) based on experiences in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, and Togo. It argues that generic gender integration often focuses solely on women, whereas targeted analysis reveals nuanced differences in vulnerability and capacity between men and women. The proposed approach combines policy, institutional, and technical analyses to provide specific process and technical recommendations. Key findings highlight that while legal frameworks for gender equality exist, they are rarely linked to climate policies, and women remain significantly under-represented in decision-making for climate-vulnerable sectors.