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The document examines the impact of COVID-19-related food export restrictions on vulnerable importing nations. It identifies high-risk areas in Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa, noting that many affected countries already suffer from high undernourishment and calorie production deficits. The authors argue that because global food stocks remain plentiful, countries should refrain from banning staple food exports to prevent hunger and potential famines.

The document outlines a strategic roadmap for the Green Climate Fund's Private Sector Facility (PSF), based on demand and supply analyses of climate finance. It identifies significant barriers to private investment in developing countries, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). To address these, the Secretariat proposes five new modalities: targeted endowments for adaptation, local currency funding pilots, climate-focused centres of excellence for early-stage innovation, co-investment solutions for institutional investors, and a direct investment approach to bypass accreditation bottlenecks.

The document argues that public participation is essential for achieving sustainable development goals, as it provides local knowledge and increases the legitimacy of decisions. It distinguishes between 'invited spaces' (formal state-led processes) and 'created spaces' (citizen-led mobilization), noting that these often interact to influence policy. However, the authors warn that without intentional design to address social injustice, participation can reinforce existing inequalities and be hindered by technocratic exclusion.

The research paper analyzes the shift in Turkey's diaspora policy from treating migrants as a liability to viewing them as strategic assets for 'nation-branding' and public diplomacy. It focuses on Germany as a primary hub for these interactions, detailing how the AKP government uses institutions like the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Diyanet to mobilize loyalists while monitoring and suppressing dissidents. The authors argue that these extraterritorial measures, including transnational election campaigns and surveillance, have strained Turkey's diplomatic relations with European host countries and exacerbated polarizations within the diaspora community.

The assessment finds that Kyrgyzstan has a generally favourable fiscal regime and updated primary mining laws, but suffers from outdated Soviet-era technical instructions, an unpredictable tax administration, and significant gaps in mine closure legislation and artisanal mining regulation. While socioeconomic and environmental impacts are nominally integrated into permitting, the report identifies a lack of integrated understanding and inconsistent community engagement. The government is actively managing uranium legacy sites with international support, but lacks a comprehensive framework for the post-mining transition of active sites.

The Defenders in Development Campaign urges states and development finance institutions (DFIs) to integrate human rights protections into development projects, noting that defenders of land and environmental rights face extreme risks of violence and criminalization.

At its 21st meeting in October 2018, the GCF Board approved 19 new projects and programmes totaling USD 1.04 billion in GCF investment to support over USD 4 billion in climate action across more than 50 countries. The Board also accredited 16 new entities, appointed the World Bank as the Fund's Trustee, and launched the process for the GCF's first formal replenishment to be concluded by October 2019. Governance updates included the establishment of a Performance Oversight Committee and the appointment of Javier Manzanares as Executive Director ad interim.

The report evaluates the mining policy framework of the Kyrgyz Republic against international best practices. It identifies strengths in the tax regime and the availability of geological information, but highlights significant gaps in mine closure regulations, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) oversight, and the predictability of the fiscal environment. The assessment recommends prioritizing the optimization of socio-economic benefits and the development of robust financial guarantees for mine closure.

The Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM) report details its operational progress between February and May 2018, focusing on staffing, outreach, and the development of procedures. The IRM is now fully staffed and operational, though it received no new complaints or reconsideration requests during the reporting period. Key activities included civil society outreach in Mongolia, participation in Structured Dialogues in Mali and Vietnam, and the development of a custom Case Management System. The IRM is currently finalizing its Procedures and Guidelines for Board adoption in October 2018 and has provided capacity-building training to 84 participants from direct access entities.

The OSCE has struggled to implement its 2004 Gender Action Plan due to increased political polarisation, a consensus-based decision-making rule that grants all 57 participating States veto power, and budget constraints. While conservative states and the Holy See have resisted the 'gender' agenda, the document argues that the OSCE's field missions provide a critical opportunity to implement gender-oriented policies on the ground, provided their autonomy is protected from political turmoil.

The report details the ecological and physical vulnerability of the Central Tian Shan in the Kyrgyz Republic. It finds a general trend of glacier retreat and shrinking lakes, which threatens the region's role as the 'water tower of Central Asia' and impacts hydropower security. Biodiversity is at risk, particularly the endangered snow leopard, due to habitat shifts and prey instability, although some species have expanded their range. Future scenarios project significant temperature increases and a long-term decrease in surface runoff by 2100. The document advocates for the expansion of protected areas and the implementation of climate-smart livelihoods, such as yak breeding and ecotourism, to build community and ecosystem resilience.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for snow leopard landscape management, emphasizing the integration of climate change projections, participatory stakeholder engagement, and 'green' economic development. It provides a step-by-step strategic planning process using the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, including threat rating matrices and the development of socio-economic-ecological models. The guide details methods for stakeholder analysis to identify areas of convergence and divergence, and proposes governance structures such as landscape-level foundations and coordination committees to harmonize conservation and development. It also lists best practices for mitigating human-wildlife conflict, such as predator-proof corrals and livestock insurance, and provides technical guidance on using GIS for habitat modeling, corridor design, and mapping water provision services. Finally, it advocates for 'smart green infrastructure' to ensure that economic development, such as hydropower and roads, does not fragment critical habitats.

The document provides a collection of research abstracts focusing on the intersection of climate change and snow leopard conservation. Key themes include the loss of potential habitat due to rising temperatures, the importance of ecosystem-based adaptation for mountain communities, and the role of community-led initiatives in reducing poaching and human-wildlife conflict. It also details genetic research identifying three snow leopard subspecies and explores the economic valuation of ecosystem services in high-mountain landscapes to incentivize conservation.

The WWF Asia High Mountains (AHM) Project has implemented population surveys, GPS collaring, and community-led conservation initiatives to protect snow leopards and their habitats. Key achievements include the first population surveys in Bhutan's Wangchuck Centennial National Park and North Sikkim, India, and the collaring of four snow leopards in Nepal to track transboundary movements. The project also addressed threats through a national jaw-trap removal campaign in Mongolia and the installation of predator-proof corrals in Pakistan. Globally, the project supported the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) and a TRAFFIC report which found that over 150 snow leopards are poached weekly, with 55% of poaching occurring in five of the twelve range countries.

The AHM project implemented climate-smart strategies in Asia's high mountains to protect snow leopard habitats and improve community resilience. Key actions included conducting climate vulnerability assessments, developing watershed management plans, and diversifying local livelihoods through ecotourism and alternative income sources to reduce pressure on fragile ecosystems.

The 2017 Green Economy Barometer reports a dual reality: while renewable energy capacity is growing and green technologies are hitting mass markets, the 'brown economy' remains dominant, biodiversity is in crisis, and financial systems continue to subsidise fossil fuels. The document argues that the transition is gathering speed but risks failure if it does not address the needs of rural economies, informal workers, and the youth unemployment crisis.

The report analyzes six snow leopard landscapes in high Asia, finding that while habitat is often well-protected (averaging 50%), critical gaps in connectivity exist. It highlights that climate change will cause warming of 1.7°C to 3.6°C by mid-century, potentially shifting 60-80% of Eastern Himalayan habitats from alpine grasslands to forest ecosystems. The study also identifies the Central Tien Shan as a key 'water tower' providing essential spring runoff to downstream communities, while noting that all landscapes face risks from permafrost melt and shortened winters.

The report analyzes six snow leopard landscapes in Bhutan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan, finding that while many habitats are protected, critical gaps in connectivity and significant vulnerabilities to climate change persist. Key risks include treeline shifts reducing alpine grasslands, permafrost melt, and increased flood risks from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The study emphasizes the necessity of transboundary management and adaptive planning to maintain metapopulation connectivity as warming temperatures shift ecological zones and human land-use patterns.

The document argues that sustainable public procurement is essential for deploying infrastructure that optimizes value for money (VfM) across the entire asset life cycle. It details the roles of governments, development banks, and private investors in managing environmental and social risks, and examines the legal instruments—such as UNCITRAL and EU directives—that enable the integration of sustainability into tendering. The paper also discusses the importance of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and the use of financial incentives like green bonds and accelerated depreciation to encourage green innovation.

The GCF-EBRD SEFF co-financing Programme aims to mobilize private sector climate finance by providing credit lines and technical support to local partner financial institutions (PFIs). The programme targets 13 countries, with an initial focus on Egypt, Georgia, Morocco, Tajikistan, and Tunisia, to finance over 20,000 projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. With a total budget of USD 1,538.5 million, the initiative seeks to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 29 million tonnes over its lifetime and create around 11,500 green jobs.