Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) advocates for "subsidy swaps," the process of redirecting government financial support from fossil fuels to clean energy. It argues that while removing fossil fuel subsidies can reduce emissions, a swap is necessary to ensure permanent reductions and provide economic, social, and health benefits. The document analyzes the global context of these shifts and provides case studies from India, Indonesia, Zambia, and Morocco to demonstrate the feasibility of reallocating resources to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This research paper examines the implementation of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in Africa, using Zambia as a primary case study. It analyzes the benefits of trade facilitation for landlocked lower-middle-income countries, the role of the TFA Facility and donor assistance, and the specific challenges and successes of trade facilitation reforms at four of Zambia's strategic border posts.

This research paper examines the implementation, transfer, and upscaling of the nexus approach—an integrated method for managing land, water, and energy—through five case studies in Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco.

The April 2019 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical stability challenges across Africa, focusing on the fragility of peace deals in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, the trend of constitutional amendments to extend presidential terms, and the escalating crises in Cameroon and Sudan.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of taxonomies—systematic classifications of green assets—in supporting the growth of the green bond market. It discusses the challenges of identifying eligible assets, the emergence of national and regional guidelines, and the development of comprehensive frameworks by the European Commission and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of the Contournement de Rabat (Rabat bypass) road project in Morocco. Using system dynamics and project finance modelling, the study evaluates the financial viability of the 41.1 km toll road across six risk scenarios and incorporates the valuation of four key externalities: discretionary spending from labour income, social cost of carbon, value of time saved, and the cost of accidents.

This report applies the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to the Rabat bypass road project in Morocco, a 4.1 km toll road including the Mohammed VI bridge. The analysis evaluates the project's financial viability and the impact of various operational risks and external factors, such as carbon costs and accident rates, over a 50-year service life.

This report analyzes the increase in irregular migration from the Maghreb region to Europe, noting a shift from the region acting as a transit zone to becoming a primary zone of departure. The author argues that domestic economic decline and structural inequality are driving this trend, which in turn complicates diplomatic migration agreements between North African states and European nations.

This briefing tracks the integration of human rights into UN climate governance from 2010 to 2019. It highlights the progression from the Cancun Agreements to the Paris Agreement, where human rights, health, and the rights of indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups were explicitly recognized. The document details how COP decisions have mandated human rights considerations in capacity building, gender action, and loss and damage. It also reports that by December 2017, 76 Parties had referenced human rights in national reports and 24 countries had included them in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

This guide, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), translates the findings of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land specifically for African policymakers. It examines the bidirectional relationship between land and climate, the risks of desertification in arid zones, and the resulting impacts on food security and poverty. The document outlines sustainable land management techniques, the importance of gender-inclusive policies, and the need for integrated governance to enhance resilience across the continent.

This guide distils the 2019 IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land for African decision-makers. It highlights the critical link between land degradation and climate change, noting that desertification affects 46 African nations and threatens food security. The report advocates for integrated governance, the empowerment of women and marginalized groups, and the adoption of sustainable land management practices—such as those seen in the Great Green Wall initiative—to build resilience and mitigate emissions.

This briefing document provides context for the 2019 Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Global Meeting in Cape Town. It reviews the state of the global green transition in 2018, outlines the GEC's ten-year history and mission to champion inclusion, equity, and environmental limits, and defines the meeting's focus on ensuring 'everyone gets a stake' in the transition through participation, livelihoods, and ownership rights.

The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool, developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), is a simulation-based methodology designed to integrate environmental, social, and economic risks and externalities into the financial valuation of infrastructure assets.

A report by NewClimate Institute, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, and IIASA analyzing whether 25 major emitting countries and regions are on track to meet their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by 2030 based on current policies.

The 'People Power Now!' Energy Manifesto, published by Friends of the Earth International in November 2018, calls for a systemic overhaul of the global energy system to achieve climate justice and energy sovereignty. The document argues that the current economic model, driven by corporate profit and the commodification of nature, is unsustainable and must be replaced by a people-centered system based on 100% renewable energy, energy sufficiency, and social equity.

This manifesto by Friends of the Earth International calls for a systemic transformation of the global energy system to achieve energy sovereignty and climate justice. It argues that the current economic model, based on privatization and the commodification of nature, has led to ecological and social crises. The document outlines ten key demands, emphasizing that energy should be treated as a common good rather than a commodity, and advocating for a transition to 100% renewable energy that is decentralized, community-controlled, and socially just.

This manifesto by Friends of the Earth International calls for a radical transformation of the global energy system, moving away from a profit-driven model toward 'energy sovereignty' and climate justice. It advocates for energy to be treated as a common good, the universal right to energy sufficiency, and a transition to 100% renewable energy that is decentralized, community-controlled, and equitable between the Global North and South.

A fact sheet detailing a MAD355m (USD38m) green bond issued by Casablanca Finance City on September 24, 2018, to fund the construction of LEED-certified buildings.

This briefing note provides background for an IISD webinar on the development and negotiation of model bilateral investment treaties (BITs). It examines why countries are revising their investment governance frameworks, the shift toward more transparent consultation processes, and the substantive changes in new-generation models aimed at protecting the right to regulate and promoting sustainable development.

This report analyzes the conditions necessary for African states to achieve a demographic dividend, noting that most are currently several decades away due to high youth dependency and slow fertility declines. It argues that while global growth is slowing due to aging populations, Africa's expanding working-age population offers a comparative advantage if coupled with investments in contraception, female education, and basic infrastructure. The report warns that without these interventions and significant job creation, Africa will continue to diverge from global averages in income and health.