Search Climate Insights Directory

The Livable Caferağa project, part of WRI's Deep Dive Cities Initiative, uses a community-led approach to transform a high-traffic district in Istanbul into a more sustainable urban environment. Following a successful pilot at Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Square in September 2023, the project is implementing five core strategies: prioritizing pedestrian space with wider sidewalks and greenery, expanding bike lane networks from 18 km to 58 km by 2050, launching the 'ModaBüs' local shuttle service in late 2025, implementing sustainable parking management, and transitioning delivery services toward cargo bikes. These efforts align with Kadıköy's goals of a 40% GHG emission reduction by 2030 and full climate neutrality by 2050.

The report emphasizes that grid capacity is now a primary driver for data centre investment in Europe. To avoid downgraded forecasts and remain competitive in the global AI race, the author recommends that governments treat grids as strategic infrastructure. Key proposals include the creation of priority AI zones outside congested capital cities, joint spatial planning to locate demand nodes near clean energy sources, and the implementation of non-firm grid connection options to reduce queues. Additionally, the document calls for increased research into data centre flexibility and improved data availability regarding demand profiles and grid capacity maps to inform planning and policy.

The report argues that proactive grid planning is essential for Europe to meet its goal of tripling data centre capacity and capturing the economic benefits of AI. It highlights a shift in investment from traditional hubs (FLAP-D markets) to regions with lower grid congestion, such as the Nordics and Southern Europe. The analysis suggests that innovative connection agreements, data centre flexibility, and strategic spatial planning can significantly reduce connection wait times and infrastructure costs.

The report argues that while the EU aims to triple data centre capacity within five to seven years, grid congestion in traditional hubs like Dublin, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam is creating a primary barrier to growth. This is shifting investment toward markets with better grid preparedness, such as the Nordics and Belgium. Data centres are identified as unique grid challenges due to their large, localised, and continuous loads. Despite their economic benefits—including GDP growth and job creation—forecasts suggest the EU will likely only double its capacity by 2030, falling short of its target.

Climate Central analysis indicates that human-caused climate change has significantly increased the risk of sub-optimal temperatures (21°C or higher) that impair elite soccer performance during the 2025 UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Comparing current data to the 1970s, the likelihood of such heat has risen for all 23 analyzed stadiums, with the most dramatic increase occurring at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, where the risk increased by 800%. This temperature threshold is critical because research shows that players cover less total distance, sprint less, and perform fewer high-intensity efforts when temperatures reach or exceed 21°C.

Barnet Council convened a Citizens’ Assembly in 2023 involving 60 residents to generate sustainability recommendations and support the borough's goal of reaching net zero by 2042.

The 2025 Impact Report details the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative's progress in securing diplomatic support, engaging subnational governments, and conducting research to create a 1.5ºC-aligned mechanism for phasing out fossil fuels. Key achievements include the announcement of the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels for April 2026, the addition of Cambodia and Saint Kitts and Nevis to the participating nations, and a resolution in support of the treaty passed by the IUCN. The initiative has grown to include 18 participating countries from the Global South, over 140 cities, and 4,200 civil society organizations.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) launched its 2024-2029 Strategy and secured a four-year agreement with Sida to drive transformative change and locally-led innovation. Key 2024 activities include the expansion of the Resilience Hub to Climate Week NYC and London Climate Action Week, the growth of the PREPARE initiative with 39 participating companies, and the creation of the Resilient Planet Initiative (RPI) to democratise climate and adaptation data. Regional efforts include the Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE), the Resilient Agricultural Innovations for Nature (RAIN) Challenge in East Africa, and the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA).

Climate justice activist Joshua Omonuk, representing the Agape Earth Coalition, calls for a fundamental shift in how climate adaptation finance is delivered to Africa. Highlighting that Africa receives only about 2% of total global climate funds, the author demands that COP29 establish a fairer system characterized by direct access for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a preference for grants over loans to avoid debt, and increased accountability for private sector polluters. The document also details a European tour conducted by the coalition to build political alliances with MEPs and NGOs to amplify these demands ahead of the summit.

The briefing highlights that active travel is a common part of daily life for most people in Britain, with strong public support for investment in walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure, even if it reduces road space for cars. While active travel is associated with freedom for one third of respondents, there is a significant gap in perceived safety compared to car travel, with only 19% associating active travel with feeling safe versus 52% for cars. Geographic disparities exist, with a higher proportion of people in Wales reporting they rarely travel actively compared to those in London.

The document examines the complexities of the dialogue between science, policy, and society in addressing global environmental change (GEC). It highlights that effective policy responses require integrating political, scientific, and technical considerations, while scientific relevance depends on attributes such as credibility, practicality, and accessibility. Based on an IAI-SCOPE assessment, the brief argues for early engagement between scientists and policymakers, the involvement of social scientists, and the need for funding mechanisms that encourage interdisciplinary work and societal accountability.

ClientEarth's response to CP24/12 advocates for mandatory climate disclosures aligned with TCFD and ISSB standards, specifically calling for an 'atmospheric viability test' for mineral companies to prevent stranded asset risk. The organization argues against voluntary sustainability-labelled debt disclosures, urging for contractually binding commitments to prevent greenwashing, and cautions against reducing issuer liability for forward-looking climate statements.

The policy brief outlines three core principles for the implementation of the EU's Social Climate Fund (SCF): ensuring meaningful public participation, prioritising structural solutions over temporary relief to avoid fossil fuel lock-ins, and mobilising additional financing beyond the mandatory 25% contribution. It argues that the SCF's budget of EUR 65 billion is insufficient to tackle the root causes of energy and transport poverty and calls for the redirection of ETS revenues and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies to support vulnerable households.

The document argues that Oregon should adopt consumption-based emission targets to account for its full carbon footprint and avoid displacing emissions to other regions. It contrasts sector-based emissions (territorial) with consumption-based emissions (life cycle of goods and services) and notes that while Oregon's sector emissions have decreased, consumption emissions continue to rise. The paper provides case studies from cities like San Francisco, London, and Paris, and countries like Sweden, to illustrate different target-setting approaches. It proposes four specific frameworks for Oregon: aligning with existing sector goals, targeting minimum well-being standards, using global carbon budget scenario analysis, or applying a 'fair share' equity-based approach.

The paper explores adaptations for UK energy network regulation to address net zero uncertainties, drawing on adaptive regulation theories, experiences from water and airport regulators, and a consultation with 41 stakeholders.

Reclaim Finance has called on Lloyd's of London managing agents to stop providing stamp capacity for new thermal and metallurgical coal mines, thermal power stations, oil and gas fields, and LNG terminals by January 1, 2025. The organization argues that current commitments are "insufficient" and that continued support for fossil fuel expansion contradicts the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Net Zero Emissions Scenario, which requires a halt to new fossil fuel developments and a ten-fold increase in energy transition investments relative to fossil fuel spending by 2030.

The report evaluates the Paris 2024 climate strategy, noting that while efforts in construction and food supply are robust, other sectors like transport and energy lack transparency and detailed methodology. It criticizes the evolution of public claims from 'carbon neutrality' to 'climate positive' as misleading and highlights a lack of transparency in carbon credit purchases. The authors argue that future games must downscale or decentralize to align with the 1.5°C goal and should avoid partnering with companies whose climate pathways are incompatible with the Paris Agreement.

The report analyzes the Paris 2024 climate strategy, noting that while efforts in construction and food procurement are robust, there is significant opacity regarding carbon credit purchases, energy sourcing, and the overall carbon budget. It criticizes the evolution of public communication from 'carbon neutrality' to 'climate positive' as misleading and highlights the incompatibility of many official sponsors with the Paris Agreement. The document argues that incremental improvements are insufficient and proposes a radical redesign of the Olympic model, such as distributing events globally to reduce international air travel and infrastructure needs.

The FSD Africa Travel & Expense Policy (Version 4.0) outlines the standards for transportation, accommodation, and reimbursable expenses for all staff, board members, and consultants. It prioritises economy travel and virtual conferencing to minimise CO2 emissions and maintain operational travel costs within 2% of the overall budget. The policy allows for business class on specific long-haul flights and sets a general hotel reimbursement limit of £200 per night. It also includes safety protocols for emergencies and a commitment to monitoring the organisation's carbon footprint.

The proposal seeks USD 400,711 over 18 months to address the Central Bank of Ecuador's (BCE) lack of capacity to manage climate-related financial risks. Key activities include training BCE personnel on ESG standards, developing systems for green statistics and climate risk assessment, creating an ESG Roadmap and Action Plan, and facilitating the BCE's membership in the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). The project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE).