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The IAI Work Plan for July 2013 to June 2014 focuses on institutional restructuring, including the implementation of a tripartite structure with offices in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and São José dos Campos. Research priorities include the implementation of CRN3 projects to better integrate natural and human sciences, and the continuation of a MacArthur Foundation project on climate change impacts in the tropical Andes. Capacity-building efforts involve training events in Chile and Guatemala, the development of policy briefs on urban responses to climate change in Latin America, and a capacity development program for interdisciplinary research.

The document identifies two contradictory trends in tropical land tenure: a 'global land rush' where agricultural land is transferred from governments and communities to corporate control, and a simultaneous increase in forestland tenure granted to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The author argues that while agricultural land transfers are driven by economic factors—such as rising food prices, changing diets, and biofuel demand—forestland transfers are primarily political, driven by rights campaigns and the financial incentives of national-scale REDD+ programs. The paper notes regional disparities, with community tenure increasing significantly in Latin America, while corporate land-grabbing is most prevalent in Africa.

The report assesses how carbon pricing affects the competitiveness and investment strategies of energy-intensive industries (EIIs). It finds that while carbon costs are a factor, they are often secondary to energy and raw material prices. The analysis highlights the risk of carbon leakage, where production shifts to regions with lower emissions costs, particularly as demand grows in Asia. The report emphasizes that current short-term policy horizons, such as the EU's 2020 targets, are insufficient for the 20- to 40-year investment cycles typical of these sectors, suggesting a need for longer-term regulatory certainty and support for breakthrough technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the drivers and challenges associated with Climate Compatible Development (CCD), defined as a "development first" approach that minimizes climate harm while maximizing human development opportunities in a low-emissions, resilient future. Drawing on experience from over 40 countries, the paper identifies key sociopolitical drivers—such as national resilience needs, energy security, and economic opportunities—and outlines significant barriers, including high implementation costs, political resistance, and institutional capacity gaps.

The paper identifies five key drivers for CCD: national adaptation needs, energy security and resource efficiency, new economic opportunities, access to climate finance, and strong government leadership. It also outlines seven primary challenges, including high implementation and opportunity costs, opposition from vested interest groups, lack of trusted data, short-term political thinking, limited state capacity, institutional constraints, and technological uncertainties. The authors argue that managing the political economy of CCD is essential for overcoming these barriers.

The document examines Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a cost-effective, low-carbon alternative to private car-based transport in rapidly growing cities. It details the hardware and software components of BRT, analyzes the value chain and organizational roles (owner, manager, and asset manager), and discusses the political economy challenges, such as resistance from informal transport operators and car owners. The report emphasizes that while BRT is a mature technology, its success depends on local context, institutional capability, and integration with broader transport networks.

The Green Economy Coalition (GEC) met in February 2013 to establish its 2013-2015 strategy. The coalition aims to counter 'green growth' narratives that ignore equity and ecological limits by engaging with the G20, World Economic Forum, and national governments. Its work plan consists of three core activities—dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collective influence—and five thematic projects: Measuring What Matters, Financial Sector Reform, Greening Economic Sectors, Investing in People, and Managing Natural Systems. The GEC intends to transition into a network of collaborating partners, expanding its membership to include more developing countries and private sector entities.

The paper assesses the technical parameters used to calculate emission reductions for improved cookstoves, specifically focusing on biomass fuel consumption, the fraction of non-renewable biomass, and emission factors. It identifies significant uncertainties in current Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Gold Standard methodologies, noting that reliance on laboratory tests like the Water Boiling Test often fails to reflect real-world performance. The authors argue that current accounting may under-credit projects by ignoring non-CO2 gases and black carbon, and by using fossil fuel emission factors as surrogates for biomass. The document recommends incorporating uncertainty accounting, refining monitoring through data loggers, and developing more localized, sub-national assessments for non-renewable biomass.

The document outlines a framework for businesses to eliminate tropical deforestation from their supply chains through public pledges, transparent sourcing, and the promotion of sustainable goods. It identifies palm oil, wood/paper, and meat (specifically beef) as key drivers of forest loss and provides sector-specific recommendations, such as strengthening RSPO standards for palm oil and reducing beef in processed meats to lower land-use pressure.

The 2013 Climate Knowledge Brokers (CKB) workshop brought together 35 participants from 17 organisations to enhance the sharing of climate and development information. The event focused on evaluating seven collaborative projects, sharing lessons on user engagement and internet marketing, and discussing the future governance and funding of the CKB Group. Key technical outputs highlighted include the reegle Tagging API and the Knowledge Navigator widget, both designed to reduce information duplication and improve content discoverability. Participants identified a critical need to move beyond 'one way communication' and better integrate local and indigenous knowledge to reach diverse stakeholders in developing countries.

The project aims to support Colombia's national climate change response by providing Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales (CARs) with analytical tools to manage water allocation and adaptation strategies. It focuses on the coffee-growing region, emphasizing the role of high-elevation páramo ecosystems in regulating water supply. Key activities include developing WEAP models for the Río La Vieja and Alto Magdalena watersheds, integrating hydrology and water quality data, and applying the RAND Corporation's XLRM framework for robust decision-making. The project also seeks to enhance WEAP software functionality regarding spatial scale articulation, floodplain inundation, and ecological limits of hydrologic alteration to better understand the cumulative effects of local adaptation on the basin-scale Magdalena-Cauca system.

The report uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate two scenarios: a reduction in global beef consumption and a combined scenario of reduced beef and increased poultry/pork consumption. The findings indicate that reducing beef consumption leads to significant declines in cattle production and pasture land, particularly in the US, Latin America, and Australia. In the US, a beef-only reduction would decrease cereal grain acreage by 4% (3.5 million acres) and pasture land by 16% (100 million acres). The combined scenario shows that while beef production falls, poultry production increases significantly in regions like India (166%) and the US (36%), with global pasture land reductions totaling millions of acres across several regions.

The document outlines a study by IRENA focused on scaling up renewable energy in developing countries through a global analysis of finance flows and the design of national policy frameworks. It emphasizes that mobilizing finance requires a holistic, locally tailored approach combining transparent regulatory frameworks with targeted government interventions. The study suggests that international climate finance should be utilized to reduce investment risks, leverage private finance through public-private partnerships, and provide capacity building for project developers and public officials.

The document details CDKN's support for Bangladesh in advancing the 'Loss and Damage' agenda within the UNFCCC, including the creation of case studies and training for officials. It also highlights the development of a participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tool for community-based adaptation (CBA) by the ARCAB partnership, which has been scaled up to Somalia and Ethiopia. Additionally, it mentions research on climate-induced displacement in Bangladesh conducted by the University of Sussex and the University of Bangladesh.

The document presents a screening exercise that identified 26 NAMA concepts for Trinidad and Tobago across six UNFCCC sectors. It analyzes the country's high per-capita emissions driven by the petrochemical industry and proposes specific mitigation measures in energy, industry, transport, agriculture, forestry, and waste to support a transition to a low-carbon economy.

The paper examines 38 PES schemes in Latin America, finding that most are local initiatives driven by NGOs and focused on improving extractive water supply through forest conservation. It highlights a significant disconnect between payment levels and market-based data, noting that payments are typically decided top-down and based on inputs (actions) rather than verified ecosystem outputs.

The report examines China's agricultural investment strategy, noting a transition from market dependence to foreign direct investment. While China remains largely self-sufficient in staple grains, it requires imports of soybeans, cotton, and palm oil for its industrial and energy sectors. The document details various investment models, including aid-driven demonstration farms, joint ventures, and direct land acquisitions. It confirms 54 Chinese projects covering 4.8 million hectares across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while cautioning against the social and environmental risks associated with large-scale land acquisitions.

The authors find substantial support for the existence of democratic waves, arguing that they are driven by a combination of economic development, democratic diffusion from neighboring countries, the 'stickiness' of consistent institutional configurations, and systemic shocks such as world wars and the creation of new states.

The global atmosphere is at a critical stage, with climate change identified as the most pressing issue. While successful international cooperation has phased out ozone-depleting substances and lead in petrol, progress on particulate matter and tropospheric ozone is mixed, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Despite the availability of low-carbon technologies, greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, leaving a gap of several billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between current pledges and the targets needed to limit global warming to 2°C. The document advocates for an integrated approach to atmospheric protection and the use of short-lived climate forcers as a complementary strategy to CO2 reduction.

The report is a joint product of the Southern Voices capacity building programme, incorporating experiences from over 20 climate networks and their member organisations. It provides case studies and policy analyses regarding civil society advocacy on climate change across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific to share lessons and recommendations for advocates.