Search Climate Insights Directory

The project aims to address water insecurity in Mexico City caused by climate-driven precipitation variability. It proposes installing 10,500 rainwater harvesting systems in poor neighborhoods, providing capacity building for local stakeholders, and operationalizing a financial mechanism through the Public Environment Fund to ensure long-term sustainability and access for women-led households.

The STeP Fellowship Pilot Program is a strategic initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in Latin America and the Caribbean. The program places scientists in host institutions for two years, providing them with professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy. The IAI manages the training and networking, while host institutions provide stipends and define national priority areas. Initial cohorts were launched in Argentina and Mexico in 2020, with the program utilizing a model based on the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships.

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 document advocates for a shift from stationary water management—which relies on historical data—to a resilience-based approach that combines robustness and flexibility to address the deep uncertainties of a changing climate. It proposes an Action Framework for Climate-Resilient Water Management across four domains: governance and participation, information and learning, system diversity and connectivity, and infrastructure and technology. The authors emphasize that water is a systemic resource linking food security, public health, and energy, and argue that economic and financial tools, such as green bonds and index-based insurance, must be updated to value resilience over short-term cost-optimization.

The document argues that 20th-century infrastructure paradigms are ill-suited for 21st-century climate extremes and that current 'sustainable' infrastructure efforts focus too heavily on low-carbon goals while neglecting nature-based resilience. It highlights a critical gap in 'upstream' strategic planning, where natural capital is often ignored until the project approval stage. Through case studies in Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, and South Africa, the report demonstrates the value of integrating ecosystem services and climate scenarios into land-use planning. It introduces the 'Visioning Futures' framework, which emphasizes defining spatial scope, identifying future objectives, and performing sensitivity testing under various climate scenarios to avoid environmental risks and optimize infrastructure siting.

The Changing Markets Foundation found that Unilever fails to fortify its basic Maizena Natural cornflour in Mexico despite claims that its cornflour products in Latin America are fortified. Furthermore, laboratory tests of 84 samples revealed that flavoured Maizena atole mixes often contain lower levels of iron and zinc than stated on their labels, suggesting a gap between the company's global nutrition commitments and its product reality.

The Changing Markets Foundation analyzed 84 samples of Unilever's Maizena products in Mexico, finding that the company's claims of regional fortification are not reflected in its products. While Unilever asserts that its cornstarch products in Latin America are fortified, the 'Maizena Natural' product in Mexico contains no micronutrients. Furthermore, laboratory tests of 'Maizena Sabores' (flavored mixes) revealed that levels of iron and zinc were consistently lower than those declared on the packaging, suggesting a gap between the company's global nutrition pledges and its commercial practices.

The report finds that the vast majority of industrially produced breads and tortillas in Mexico fail to meet the minimum iron and zinc levels mandated by the NOM-247-SSA1-2008 regulation. Testing revealed that only 14% of bread products and 1.5% of tortilla products were adequately fortified. Furthermore, 84% of both product types were suspected of using elemental iron, a less-bioavailable source not recommended by the regulation or WHO guidelines. The report highlights a regulatory loophole where the law mandates fortification for flour producers but does not explicitly require food processors to procure and use that fortified flour. Major companies like Grupo Bimbo and Gruma were specifically analyzed, with Gruma's tested products failing to meet any minimum requirements for iron or zinc.

The report finds a widespread failure by food processors and supermarkets in Mexico to ensure that industrially produced breads and tortillas are adequately fortified with iron and zinc, despite legal requirements for the flours used to make them.

The report finds a widespread failure in the Mexican flour industry to adhere to mandatory fortification laws, with only 7% of tested pre-packaged flours meeting both nutrient level and iron-compound requirements. Maize flour, which holds 72% of the cereal market share, is particularly critical as no tested brands were adequately fortified. The study highlights that even government-distributed flours for vulnerable populations, such as those from Diconsa and DIF Chiapas, fail to meet legal standards. The authors argue that the industry's negligence exacerbates 'hidden hunger' and anemia, and they call for the Mexican government to implement stricter monitoring and sanctions.

The report finds that only 7% of tested flour products in Mexico are adequately fortified, with maize flours performing particularly poorly. It highlights a systemic failure by the food industry to comply with regulation NOM-247-SSA1-2008, including failures in government-funded social welfare programmes like Diconsa and DIF Chiapas.

The document analyzes the evolution of bicycle-sharing schemes (BSS) across four technological generations, moving from simple free-bike models to sophisticated dockless and electric systems. It provides a comprehensive guide for city officials on planning, regulatory frameworks, financing, and safety, emphasizing the need for proactive governance to manage the risks and opportunities of the 'fourth generation' of bike sharing.

The paper examines the decline of urban accessibility in the global South due to rapid urbanization and motorization. It introduces an access-mobility framework to categorize under-served residents and proposes three priority action areas: building safe, democratic street networks; developing integrated, user-oriented transport services; and managing private vehicle demand. The authors emphasize that these actions require capable governance and sustainable funding models to move cities from a vicious cycle of car-dependency to a virtuous cycle of balanced, multimodal transport.

The report finds that many major maize flour brands in Mexico use non-recommended iron sources, such as electrolytic iron, which have low bioavailability in nixtamalized flour. While most refined wheat flours follow recommendations, wholegrain varieties often do not meet WHO standards. The authors call for updated legislation and stricter government monitoring of production and imports to combat widespread iron deficiency.

The report finds that many major flour brands in Mexico, particularly for nixtamalized corn flour, use iron compounds with low bioavailability, such as electrolytic iron, despite recommendations from the WHO and Mexican law. This failure in fortification is highlighted against a backdrop of rising anemia rates in Mexico, where corn represents 72% of cereal consumption. The study calls for updated legislation, stricter government monitoring, and better industry labeling to ensure effective micronutrient delivery to the population.

The report proposes the PAYS for Clean Transport instrument to address the high upfront costs of electric buses, which can be up to 40% higher than diesel alternatives. Under this model, utilities invest in batteries and charging infrastructure and recover costs through a fixed charge on the bus service provider's (BSP) electric bill. This approach shifts capital expenditure from the BSP's balance sheet to a monthly operating expense, reducing the need for grants and leveraging private finance. Modeling for a 100-bus fleet in Santiago, Chile, indicates that PAYS can make electric buses cheaper than diesel over their lifecycle and leverage over 70 dollars of private investment for every grant dollar provided.

The report outlines a variety of passive and active cooling strategies for urban environments, ranging from nature-based solutions like tree planting and green roofs to technical interventions such as cool pavements and district cooling systems. It emphasizes the importance of integrated urban planning, the implementation of Heat Action Plans to protect vulnerable populations, and the use of diverse policy incentives and business models to scale these solutions.

The document details how the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ), supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), developed a climate vulnerability study to inform its urban development plans. It highlights the importance of participatory indicator design, intersectoral coordination, and aligning technical evidence with political priorities to ensure institutional ownership and the implementation of adaptation measures.

The report documents an upward trend in American concern about global warming, with 71% believing it is happening and 47% feeling certain of it. While 54% attribute it to human activity, only 15% are aware of the high scientific consensus. Emotional responses are predominantly negative, with high levels of disgust and helplessness. Perceived risks are increasing, with 44% reporting personal experience of its effects and 42% believing people in the U.S. are being harmed 'right now.' Most Americans view global warming as an environmental or scientific issue and believe it is affecting U.S. weather, though confidence in the human ability to successfully reduce it remains very low at 5%.

The October 2017 survey indicates an upward trend in American concern about global warming, with 71% believing it is happening and 47% feeling certain of it. While 54% attribute it to human activity, only 15% are aware of the strong scientific consensus. Emotional responses are predominantly negative, with 55% feeling disgusted and 52% feeling helpless. Perceived risks are at record highs, with 44% reporting personal experience of its effects and 42% believing people in the U.S. are being harmed "right now." Despite this, optimism for a human-led solution remains low, with only 5% confident that humans can and will successfully reduce global warming.