Search Climate Insights Directory

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research has received nominations for two SAC vacancies from Argentina, Brazil, Jamaica, and Mexico. Accredited Parties are invited to vote for two candidates via email by 19 August 2020, while other SAC and SPAC elections will be conducted during the virtual CoP-28 on the same date.

The IAI Executive Directorate's 2019-2020 report details progress in transdisciplinary research, capacity building, and open science, while noting significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program in Argentina and the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Organization of American States (OAS). The report also highlights efforts to align scientific agendas with human systems and the development of a flexible funding mechanism for the Americas in collaboration with the Belmont Forum.

The report addresses the vulnerability of energy infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to extreme weather, arguing that while solar PV is a cost-effective alternative to imported fossil fuels, it requires specific engineering and policy standards to survive Category 5 hurricanes. Based on field analyses of failures from 2017–2019, the authors recommend moving away from shared top-down clips toward through-bolting and dual post piers for ground systems, and prohibiting ballasted-only rooftop systems. Implementing these resilience measures is estimated to increase engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs by approximately 5%, a cost offset by avoiding total system rebuilds. The report emphasizes multi-stakeholder collaboration and the integration of high-wind standards into local building codes to ensure long-term energy security.

Prof. Michael Taylor of the University of the West Indies conducts 'climate SMART workshops' for technocrats from various small island nations to bridge the gap between global climate science and local decision-making. These workshops employ interactive methods, such as games and role play, and utilize local science and simplified messaging to make IPCC findings relevant and actionable for sector workers.

The report evaluates Jamaica's mining policy framework, noting that while the sector contributes 2.2% of GDP and employs 6,000 workers, most minerals beyond bauxite/alumina are in early development stages. It aims to align the sector with the Vision 2030 national development plan by optimizing financial and socioeconomic benefits and improving environmental management.

The assessment identifies that while Jamaica has strong mechanisms for bauxite revenue generation and environmental permitting, its overall mining legal framework is outdated and fragmented. Key gaps include limited public access to geological data, inadequate post-mining transition planning, and a lack of local content policies to increase domestic value addition.

The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process is a strategic framework established in 2010 under the Cancun Adaptation Framework to help developing countries identify and address medium- and long-term climate adaptation priorities. It moves beyond ad hoc projects to embed adaptation into national development planning, budgeting, and decision-making. The process consists of three broad phases—planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)—supported by enabling factors such as financing and capacity development. It is distinct from National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), which focused on urgent short-term needs, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), though it can operationalize the adaptation commitments within NDCs. The document emphasizes that a NAP is both a process and a document, and that effective processes must be country-driven, gender-responsive, and inclusive of the private sector and sub-national actors.

The document defines the NAP process as a strategic approach for countries to identify and respond to medium- and long-term climate adaptation priorities. It outlines the transition from short-term project-based interventions to systemic integration of adaptation into national development planning and budgeting. The process consists of a continuous cycle of planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E), supported by technical guidelines from the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LDCEG). The text emphasizes that a NAP is both a document and a process, highlighting the importance of vertical integration between national and subnational levels, gender responsiveness, and private sector engagement. It further clarifies the synergy between NAPs, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The document identifies the Technical Assistance (TA) Facility for the Global Subnational Climate Fund as a Category I-2 environmental and social safeguards project. It lists target countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean, and confirms that an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) has been disclosed in multiple languages to comply with requirements.

The toolkit outlines a strategic framework for governments to integrate the private sector into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), emphasizing that private actors are not only sources of finance but also key implementers of adaptation options. It structures engagement across four elements: laying the groundwork, preparatory elements, implementation strategies, and reporting/monitoring. The document argues that early engagement is critical for sustainability and provides a business case for private sector participation based on risk management, new market opportunities, and regulatory compliance.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC technical guidelines, outlining how to integrate private companies and financiers into the four main elements of the NAP process. It argues that private sector involvement is critical for financing, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation efforts. The guide details a step-by-step approach: analyzing the national context, establishing communication, creating enabling environments (addressing information, finance, and capacity gaps), and integrating private sector data into monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. It emphasizes the importance of including MSMEs and women-led businesses to ensure gender-responsive and inclusive adaptation outcomes.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, arguing that private sector involvement is essential for funding, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation. It outlines a four-element framework—preparatory work, preparatory phase, implementation strategies, and monitoring/review—to integrate private companies and financiers into national strategies. The toolkit emphasizes the 'business case' for adaptation, highlighting risk management and new market opportunities as primary drivers for private sector participation, while stressing the need for gender-responsive approaches to ensure inclusive resilience.

The IAI and CLARA have entered into a non-binding agreement to promote regional scientific capacities through the use of advanced networks, focusing on data management, open publications, and technological infrastructure for global change research in Latin America.

The statement argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for governments to focus all resources on public health, specifically the procurement of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines. It calls for the immediate suspension of trade and investment negotiations at the WTO, bilateral, and regional levels, asserting that such activities divert critical resources and personnel. The authors highlight that intellectual property rules under the WTO's TRIPS agreement and free trade agreements may obstruct the affordability and accessibility of life-saving supplies. The document demands the removal of all trade barriers and unilateral sanctions that hinder medical procurement and urges a fundamental rethink of trade rules that encourage monopolies and limit healthcare access.

Friends of the Earth International and a broad coalition of global endorsers call for an immediate cessation of trade and investment treaty negotiations. They argue that governments, particularly in developing and least developed countries, lack the resources to engage in these negotiations while managing the COVID-19 health crisis. The statement demands that trade negotiators focus exclusively on removing obstacles, such as intellectual property rules and unilateral sanctions, that hinder access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.

The document explores the challenges of maintaining a free and independent media in a datafied society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes the rise of state surveillance in Latin America, the failure of health communication in India, and the struggle for media sustainability. It also advocates for linguistic rights and a new 'digital social contract' to reclaim data ownership from global corporations.

The report details how the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) integrates climate change into its monitoring of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC). It analyzes the CRC's use of General Comments, State reporting procedures, and the communications procedure to hold States accountable for protecting children from climate harms. Key findings highlight a growing trend of climate-related recommendations, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and a strong emphasis on children's procedural rights to participation and education. The document also notes a landmark 2019 Joint Statement by five human rights treaty bodies asserting that failure to prevent foreseeable climate-related human rights harm could constitute a violation of State obligations.

The report finds significant progress in positioning women as adaptation stakeholders and using gender analysis for planning, but notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder engagement platforms and gender-equitable institutional arrangements. It emphasizes that while more countries are recognizing the link between gender and climate change, sustained investment in capacity development, vertical integration, and gender-responsive finance is required to ensure equitable adaptation outcomes.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, identifying significant progress in positioning women as stakeholders and using gender analysis for planning. However, it notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder participation platforms and gender-responsive institutional arrangements. The document advocates for increased investment in capacity building, vertical integration between national and sub-national levels, and gender-responsive adaptation financing to ensure equitable climate resilience.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, identifying significant progress in the positioning of women as stakeholders and the use of gender analysis. However, it notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder engagement mechanisms and gender-responsive institutional arrangements. The document emphasizes the need for increased capacity building, vertical integration between national and subnational levels, and gender-responsive adaptation finance to ensure equitable climate resilience.