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As of the end of 2022, Colombia's GSS+ debt market totaled USD 2.4 billion, with green bonds being the most prominent segment at USD 1.3 billion. The market is characterized by a strong sovereign presence and a growing regulatory framework, including the pioneering Colombian Green Taxonomy. While the market is primarily domestic, there is significant potential for growth in hard-to-abate sectors through sustainability-linked bonds and in nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. The report recommends scaling sovereign issuance, establishing green securitization facilities, and expanding the taxonomy to include biodiversity and circular economy objectives.

This briefing provides an update on the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative (LACI), an effort by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to strengthen climate risk assessments and capacity building for adaptation and mitigation in the region.

The report outlines the progress of the LACI initiative, which aims to strengthen climate risk assessments to support local and regional decision-making. Following a scoping phase involving 14 countries to identify priorities and map capacities, the initiative has entered a pilot co-design phase with four specific projects focusing on El Salvador, regional data interoperability, Amazonia, and Jamaica.

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) Advisory Board met in March 2023 to refine the Center's strategic framework and identify flagship activities. The SDC aims to enhance the capacity of IAI member states to address global change through a science diplomacy knowledge hub, regional training for policymakers, and improved science-policy communication. Proposed priority actions include landscape analyses of scientific information flow in government and the development of training courses on negotiation and science diplomacy. The SDC intends to co-design its three-year working plan with member states, utilizing engagement at CoP 31 to ensure initiatives meet regional needs.

The Scientific Diplomacy Center (SDC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is establishing a framework to strengthen the science-policy interface across the Americas. The center aims to provide member states with scientific evidence to address global change challenges, including food security, water resources, and disaster risk management. Key proposed initiatives include developing a scientific diplomacy knowledge hub, creating training courses for policymakers and negotiators, and conducting outreach to analyze how scientific information is translated into policy. The SDC plans to co-design its three-year priority activities with IAI member states, with a specific engagement plan for COP 31 to ensure these initiatives meet regional needs.

The report indicates that while the global coal sector is generally declining, China is significantly increasing its coal capacity, contrasting with a sharp drop in new projects elsewhere. Most of the world's operational coal capacity is now within the scope of national neutrality targets, though the current pace of retirement remains insufficient to meet Paris Agreement objectives. In Latin America and the Caribbean, coal development has slowed significantly, with notable retirements in Chile and Peru, though Argentina and Brazil maintain some capacity in development.

The document explains the mechanics of the GloBE rules, which aim to ensure a 15% minimum effective tax rate (ETR) for large multinational enterprises (MNEs) with consolidated revenues of €750 million or more. It outlines three primary policy responses for developing countries: implementing a Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (QDMT) or a general national minimum tax, revising existing tax incentives that lower the ETR, or focusing on other priorities if the impact is minimal. The guide also provides a step-by-step methodology for countries to assess their exposure using country-by-country (CBC) reports and analyzes legal obstacles, such as fiscal stabilization clauses in investment contracts and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), that may hinder tax reforms.

The statutes of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) define the organization as a non-profit association headquartered in Vienna, dedicated to advancing SDG7 and the Paris Agreement. Its primary activities include data collection, technical research for energy access, and professional training for women and youth in the clean energy sector. The organization is governed by a General Assembly, a Board, and a Chief Executive Officer, with a membership structure comprising sovereign states, international organizations, and private entities. Financial resources are derived from voluntary contributions, grants, and asset sales, and must be used exclusively for the organization's non-profit purposes.

As of 31 December 2022, the GCF has approved 209 funding proposals totaling USD 11.4 billion, with 182 projects under implementation. The portfolio maintains a near-equal balance between mitigation (51%) and adaptation (49%) in grant equivalent terms. The Readiness Programme has approved 649 grants totaling USD 468 million. While cumulative disbursements for funded activities reached USD 3 billion, the GCF reports implementation delays primarily attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and other operational challenges. The report also details the status of condition fulfillment for approved projects and identifies specific activities requiring restructuring or cancellation.

The document outlines a human rights-based framework for the loss and damage fund, emphasizing the need for inclusive public participation, non-discriminatory access to finance, and the use of grants rather than loans to avoid increasing debt in developing nations. It proposes that funding be based on the 'polluter pays' principle and that the fund provide comprehensive reparations, including restitution and compensation, while ensuring strong social and environmental safeguards.

The report details the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) overall pipeline as of January 2023, which consists of 422 projects with a total value of $72,320M (including co-financing). The pipeline is divided into Funding Proposals (76 projects) and Concept Notes (346 projects). Geographically, Africa represents the highest total value in the overall pipeline at $25,021M. Thematically, cross-cutting projects hold the highest total value at $45,194M. The report also tracks impact potential for the Funding Proposal pipeline, estimating 534,471,213 total beneficiaries and a reduction of 1,957,383,173 tCO2eq.

The IAI's Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) Advisory Board met in Uruguay in November 2022 to define the Center's strategic framework. The Center aims to facilitate regional collaboration on global change challenges, specifically prioritizing 'Climate Action' as a common ground for member states. Key recommendations include developing a Strategic Communication Plan to provide policymakers with jargon-free scientific reports and exploring sustainable funding through grants, donations, or matching fund structures. The Center will also seek synergies with the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program to build regional capacity in science diplomacy.

The report finds that while global climate finance reached USD 1.3 trillion in 2021–2022, adaptation finance is diminishing in relative importance, accounting for only 5% of total flows. Developing countries face a significant funding gap, needing approximately USD 212 billion annually by 2030. In Africa, adaptation finance grew modestly by 14% to USD 13 billion annually, yet remains far below the estimated need of USD 53 billion per year. The analysis highlights an over-reliance on debt as the primary financial instrument and a critical lack of robust, adaptation-specific commitments from public financial institutions. Furthermore, it reveals a disconnect between adaptation finance and humanitarian aid, noting that the most fragile African states depend on emergency response funding because they struggle to access proactive adaptation finance.

The Centro de Movilidad Sostenible (CMS) is a non-profit technical partner providing expertise in transport decarbonization across Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization focuses on public policy development, electrification roadmaps, and technology evaluations for fleets and infrastructure. CMS manages several high-profile international projects, including the GEF 7 Electric Mobility Programme's LATAM platform, the ZEBRA initiative in Chile, and the Drive Electric campaign. Its technical capabilities include big data analysis for vehicle modelling, emission inventories, and the design of fuel economy standards.

The 2023 Annual Monitoring Review marks the conclusion of SEforALL's 2021-2023 Business Plan, reporting the overachievement of cross-organizational KPIs. Key results include the mobilization of over USD 8 billion towards energy access and clean energy transitions, the facilitation of 26,669 new energy access connections, and the support of 31 countries in 2023. The report details achievements across four thematic areas: Energy Diplomacy and Advocacy, Energy Access and Closing the Gap, Energy Transitions and Climate, and the Intersection with other SDGs. Notable outcomes include the spearheading of UN Energy Compacts with USD 1.3 trillion in commitments and the deployment of the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) in five countries.

The document examines the challenges and opportunities for establishing green jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in rural areas affected by COVID-19. It highlights a significant gap between 'environmental jobs' and 'green jobs' due to high informality and the lack of decent work standards. Through case studies in Colombia (bioeconomy and nature tourism in Guaviare) and Chile (agroecology in La Serena), the brief argues for a territorial approach that combines public policy with community-led initiatives to foster resilience and a just transition. It concludes with recommendations for governments to institutionalize green job definitions, improve statistical tracking, and provide targeted financial and technical support to vulnerable populations, including women and youth.

The document analyzes the vulnerabilities of rural indigenous populations in Mexico and Colombia, specifically regarding health, food security, and economic stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. It details two pilot projects—one in the Sierra Norte de Puebla (Mexico) focusing on productive strengthening and community savings, and another in the Resguardo El Refugio (Colombia) focusing on ancestral knowledge and youth entrepreneurship. The brief argues that resilience is best achieved through decentralized decision-making, intersectional policy design, and the integration of youth and women into leadership roles.

The document examines the potential for creating approximately 15 million green jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2030, particularly in the energy, forestry, transport, and ecosystem restoration sectors. It highlights the challenge of high labor informality, which hinders the establishment of 'decent' green employment. Through case studies in Colombia (Amazonian bioeconomy and tourism) and Chile (agroecology in Coquimbo), the brief argues for the need to institutionalize green job definitions, improve statistical data, and provide targeted financial and technical support to rural organizations and women entrepreneurs to ensure a just transition.

The document examines the vulnerabilities of rural indigenous communities in Mexico and Colombia, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and proposes a resilience-based approach to public policy. It details two community projects: one in the Sierra Norte of Puebla, Mexico, focusing on productive strengthening, food security, and community savings; and another in the Guaviare department, Colombia, focusing on ancestral knowledge recovery (chagras), poultry entrepreneurship, and sustainable training. The brief argues that resilience requires delegating decision-making to communities, adopting an intersectional lens to support women and youth, and moving away from paternalistic, assistance-based government models toward long-term productive development.

The document examines the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and environmental crises on women in Latin America and the Caribbean, specifically focusing on socioeconomic gaps, reproductive health, and water scarcity. Through case studies in Puebla (Mexico) and the Valparaíso Region (Chile), it argues for a three-dimensional approach to resilience—community, institutional, and policy-based—to ensure that decarbonization and recovery processes are inclusive and gender-just.