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The report argues that UN IDDRS recommendations—specifically the separation of minors from adult soldiers and the insistence on family reunification—often fail to account for gender and conflict context, potentially causing trauma and socio-economic hardship. Through case studies of FARC-EP in Colombia and the PLA in Nepal, the author finds that many minors joined voluntarily to escape poverty or violence and experienced high levels of gender equality within the armed groups, which contrasted sharply with the traditional, 'machista' or caste-based societies they returned to. The report concludes that minors' agency is frequently neglected by international and state actors, and recommends a more flexible, context-specific approach to DDR that prioritizes the minors' own choices and needs.

The report identifies that 1.12 billion people across 76 countries are at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling, with the COVID-19 pandemic increasing this number by approximately 50 million in 2021. It highlights critical gaps in rural and urban poor populations, particularly in Africa and Asia, and examines the urgent need for sustainable cold chains for vaccine distribution. The document also promotes National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) and showcases passive and solar-powered cooling solutions in countries like Colombia, Rwanda, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

The report argues that a significant 'urban services divide' exists in the global South, where over 1.2 billion people lack reliable access to housing, water, sanitation, energy, and transport. This divide creates a cycle of poverty and environmental degradation. To break this cycle, the authors propose seven transformations: prioritizing the vulnerable in infrastructure design, partnering with alternative service providers, improving local data through community engagement, supporting informal workers, innovating financing and subsidies, promoting transparent land management, and creating diverse governance coalitions. The report emphasizes that these shifts can yield cascading economic and environmental benefits, including reduced GHG emissions and improved public health.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and UNEP analyzes the synergies between SDG targets in Colombia and the department of Antioquia. Using a cross-impact matrix and network analysis, the study identifies 'catalytic' goals—those that most positively influence others—to inform the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND) 2018-2022. Key findings highlight that while national priorities focus on sustainable production and urban impact, regional priorities in Antioquia center on sustainable agriculture, demonstrating that SDG interactions are highly dependent on local contexts.

WRI supported the procurement of electric bus fleets in Santiago, Bogotá, and Medellín to reduce emissions and operating costs. By developing scalable contractual and procurement mechanisms with partners like C40 and the Inter-American Development Bank, WRI helped these cities overcome the high upfront costs of e-buses. Santiago and Bogotá are procuring the two largest e-bus fleets globally outside of China, with Medellín adding 64 vehicles.

The report advocates for the use of nature-based solutions (NBS) in South African municipalities to address the dual crises of COVID-19 economic devastation and climate vulnerability. It highlights that while national green recovery plans exist, they often require high skills and long lead times. In contrast, NBS—particularly urban tree planting and the removal of invasive alien plants—can provide immediate, low-skill employment for vulnerable populations while mitigating urban heat islands, managing flood risks, and improving public health. The document identifies significant barriers to implementation, including municipal funding shortages, difficulties in quantifying the economic value of natural assets, and rigid public procurement processes.

The commentary asserts that bold climate action is not a trade-off with economic growth but an engine for it, potentially delivering $26 trillion in net global economic benefits by 2030. It advocates for 'people-centered climate action' that uses inclusive processes to unlock benefits for marginalized groups, such as recycling carbon pricing revenues to support low-income households. The text provides sector-specific opportunities in energy, urban planning, and food systems, while emphasizing that adaptation investments of $1.8 trillion could yield $7.1 trillion in benefits. It highlights real-world examples from Indonesia, Canada, and Spain to demonstrate how low-carbon transitions can reduce poverty and create millions of green jobs.

The report details a participatory framework developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to identify synergies and conflicts between SDG targets in Colombia. It outlines a 7-point scoring system to evaluate first-order (direct) and second-order (indirect) interactions, which are then analyzed using network analysis to inform policy prioritization. The methodology will be piloted through workshops in Bogotá and Antioquia, focusing on a preselected set of 20 targets with a particular emphasis on water management as a transversal element. The goal is to provide a systemic tool for national and subnational decision-makers to ensure that progress in one area does not hinder another.

The document analyzes how Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), a hybrid public-private utility company, contributed to reducing violence and inequality in Medellín through financial support for social urbanism and the creation of participatory public spaces. It highlights the symbiotic relationship between EPM and the municipal government, noting that EPM's investments in vulnerable areas improved both city security and the company's own operational profitability.

The report examines the strategies of Colombian businesses during the transition from armed conflict to peace, based on 53 interviews with business leaders. It finds that while many firms viewed the formal end of the FARC conflict as having little impact on their specific operations—often because they had already adapted to security gains between 2005 and 2014 or operated in urban areas—a minority of firms actively pursued new markets in previously off-limit territories. The study highlights that corporate engagement is heavily influenced by CEO leadership, sectoral and regional variations, and the availability of state incentives and risk-sharing mechanisms. It concludes that the 'logic of the firm' varies significantly, with some companies viewing peace as a long-term investment opportunity while others remain skeptical due to slow implementation and continuing insecurity.

The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with rail infrastructure being a primary driver. The document highlights the growing role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US, and advocates for the green bond market to reach $1 trillion in annual issuance by 2020 to meet Paris Agreement targets.

The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe as of mid-2017, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with China Railway Corp being the largest single issuer. The document highlights the growing importance of municipal and sovereign green bonds, particularly in the US and Europe, and provides a detailed analysis of Brazil's potential to expand its green finance market to meet its Paris Agreement targets. It concludes by advocating for a global green bond issuance target of $1 trillion per year by 2020.

The report identifies a $895 billion universe of climate-aligned bonds, including $221 billion in labeled green bonds. It highlights the dominance of the transport and energy sectors and the critical role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US. The document argues for a massive acceleration of green bond issuance to reach $1 trillion annually by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The document reports that 25 land defenders were killed in Colombia within the first 65 days of 2017, following approximately 80 deaths in 2016. It highlights specific victims, including José Antonio Anzola Tejedor, Luz Angela, and Ruth Alicia López Guisao, and argues that these killings are linked to private and transnational interests seeking territorial control for capital accumulation, extractive projects, and 'green economy' initiatives. ATALC calls on the Colombian government to end impunity and on the international community to develop concrete protection strategies for social and environmental defenders.

The document reports a surge in the killing of territory defenders in Colombia, noting 25 murders in the first 65 days of 2017 and 80 in 2016. It identifies the drivers of this violence as interests opposed to environmental justice and agents seeking capital accumulation through extractive and 'green economy' projects. ATALC demands that the Colombian government implement legal mechanisms to stop these attacks and identify perpetrators to end impunity.

The document outlines the challenges of rapid urbanization in the Global South, where a growing proportion of the poor live in cities with limited financial resources. It proposes a framework to categorize cities by economic productivity and population growth, focusing on 'struggling' and 'emerging' cities. The authors argue that prioritizing equitable access to core services—housing, water, sanitation, energy, and transportation—is a critical entry point for transformative urban change, citing the examples of Medellín and Surat as cities that achieved broad transformation through targeted reforms and strong political coalitions.

The document argues that the current trajectory of urbanization in the Global South—characterized by rapid population growth outpacing economic growth and the 'urbanization of poverty'—risks locking cities into unsustainable patterns. It proposes a new categorization of cities based on economic productivity and population growth, focusing on 'struggling' and 'emerging' cities. The authors contend that providing equitable access to core services (housing, water, sanitation, energy, and transport) is the essential entry point for broader transformative urban change. Using case studies from Medellín and Surat, the paper illustrates how solving a 'seminal problem' can trigger a virtuous cycle of improvement across governance, finance, and planning, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all residents.

The authors contend that current 'business-as-usual' urbanization, characterized by car-oriented infrastructure, leads to high greenhouse gas emissions, economic losses from congestion, and safety risks. They advocate for 'smart urban mobility'—which combines technology with coordinated planning—to 'leapfrog' car-centric development. Examples of successful interventions include Mexico City's Metrobús BRT, Beijing's low emission zone, and Medellín's Metrocable. The document highlights 2015 as a pivotal year due to the finalization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, upcoming climate negotiations, and the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety.

The SAEMC project focuses on improving air quality management in South American megacities by establishing operational chemical weather forecasting and developing regional emission and climate change scenarios. Key achievements include the creation of an online emission database for cities such as Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Lima, Medellín, Santiago, and São Paulo, and the implementation of chemical weather forecasting for Santiago by the Chilean Weather Office. The project has also operationalized a linked climate modeling system for South America and is developing traffic and aerosol emission inventories for Bogotá, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo.

The ADAPTE project uses GIS to map the interaction between air pollution and extreme weather (heat and cold waves) to identify health risks in Latin American cities. Findings indicate that PM10 and NOx levels in Mexico City, Santiago, and Bogota significantly exceed WHO standards. The project identifies varying relative risks (RR) for respiratory and cardiovascular mortality based on season and age group, such as higher respiratory risk for children in Bogota during the cold season.