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The report finds that while electricity finance in 20 high-impact countries reached a record USD 36 billion in 2017, it remains far below the USD 51 billion annual requirement for universal household access. Clean cooking finance saw a critical decline, dropping 73 percent in 2017 compared to the 2015-16 period. The analysis highlights a systemic failure to direct funds toward the most vulnerable, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and emphasizes the need for innovative financing mechanisms like results-based financing and pay-per-service models to bridge the gap.

The report finds that while electricity finance reached a high of USD 36 billion in 2017, only one-third benefited residential users, and clean cooking finance plummeted by 73% compared to 2015-16. It highlights severe underinvestment in Sub-Saharan Africa and the need for innovative financing to reach vulnerable groups, including women and displaced persons.

The toolkit argues that while Savings Groups consistently improve women's economic independence, achieving broader social empowerment requires integrated gender programming and more holistic measurement systems. It proposes a framework covering seven domains: economic independence, decision-making, confidence and self-worth, voice and leadership, time use, mobility, and health. The document provides guidance on developing Theories of Change for different intervention types, selecting standardized and customized indicators, and using data segmentation to understand how empowerment varies across different groups of women.

The GEC 2019 briefing reviews the global transition to green economies, noting that while renewable energy and green finance grew in 2018, biodiversity loss and inequality remain critical. The document outlines the GEC's mission to champion inclusion, equity, and environmental limits through financial reform, natural capital accounting, and just transitions. It emphasizes that environmental protection is dependent on improving human livelihoods, citing specific examples of community-led success and the need for structural economic reform.

The NAP Global Network's 2018-2019 progress report outlines its efforts to enhance national adaptation planning in developing countries through peer learning, technical assistance, and donor coordination. Key achievements include supporting Fiji's first NAP launch, facilitating gender-responsive planning in Africa, and promoting private sector engagement in Ghana, Saint Lucia, and Vietnam. The Network provided technical support to 33 countries this year and continues to focus on aligning NAPs with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to foster climate-resilient development.

The study finds that internal armed conflict generally leads to a net negative change in women's labour rights during and immediately after conflict. While some qualitative literature suggests conflicts can create opportunities for women's employment, this large-n analysis indicates that negative mechanisms—such as post-conflict insecurity, violence, and a return to traditional gender roles—outweigh potential gains.

The report finds that while electricity financing reached a record $36 billion in 2017, only about one-third benefited households, and clean cooking finance plummeted by 73% compared to 2015-2016. It highlights severe underinvestment in Sub-Saharan Africa and for vulnerable groups, while suggesting innovative financial mechanisms like results-based financing and crowdfunding to bridge the gap.

The report finds that while electricity finance reached a record USD 36 billion in 2017, it remains far below the USD 51 billion annual requirement for universal household access, with only one-third benefiting residential users. Clean cooking finance saw a severe decline, dropping 73 percent to USD 32 million in 2017. Sub-Saharan Africa remains critically under-invested, and the report highlights a lack of targeted funding for vulnerable groups, particularly women and displaced persons.

Finance for energy access in 20 high-impact countries remains significantly below the levels required to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030. While electricity finance reached a peak of USD 36 billion in 2017, only one-third benefited residential users. Clean cooking finance saw a dramatic 73% drop in 2017 compared to the 2015-16 average. The report highlights a critical under-investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and a reliance on large-scale grid projects over decentralized solutions. It also examines the specific barriers faced by women and displaced persons and explores innovative financing mechanisms like Result Based Financing and securitization to bridge the investment gap.

The document analyzes the financial and social implications of Morocco's butane gas subsidies, which cost approximately USD 967 million in 2017. It proposes a 'swap' strategy to transition from fossil fuel subsidies to investments in solar energy to mitigate the impact on low-income households and small farmers while meeting Paris Agreement goals.

The report details a workshop focused on aligning National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It argues that while NDCs set high-level goals, NAPs provide the technical and operational framework for implementation. Key findings highlight that most participating countries lack a direct link between these two processes and face challenges such as institutional silos, conflicting interests between mitigation and adaptation, and a lack of common monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks. The document proposes a path toward 'systematic alignment' where NDC adaptation content is derived directly from the NAP process.

The report details a workshop focused on aligning National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It argues that while NDCs set high-level goals, the NAP process serves as the operational mechanism to implement these goals at subnational and local levels. The document identifies significant institutional gaps, as many countries operate these processes in parallel without coordination. Key recommendations include establishing joint technical working groups, creating shared monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and developing technical guidelines to move from informal to systematic alignment.

The project aims to promote integrated landscape management (ILM) to conserve globally significant forests and wildlife in Nepal's Terai Arc Landscape (TAL). It addresses barriers such as inadequate cross-sectoral coordination, lack of technical capacity for forest and land management, and increasing human-wildlife conflict. The strategy involves four components: strengthening national and state-level coordination, improving participatory planning for buffer zones and corridors, implementing sustainable forest management and HWC mitigation in the Banke-Bardia complex, and establishing knowledge management and monitoring systems. The project targets the restoration of 4,050 hectares of land and the mitigation of 1,270,919 metric tons of CO2e.

The document argues that while individual CVF countries have low emissions, their collective impact is significant, equivalent to the world's fifth largest emitter. It provides a 'menu of options' for updating NDCs across key sectors—energy, transport, forests, and agriculture—while emphasizing the need for enhanced international finance, technology transfer, and robust national legal frameworks to implement these ambitions.

The Defenders in Development Campaign urges states and development finance institutions (DFIs) to integrate human rights protections into development projects, noting that defenders of land and environmental rights face extreme risks of violence and criminalization.

The 'Life on the Frontline 2018' report presents findings from a global survey of 4,686 patrol rangers across 17 countries, highlighting critical gaps in health, safety, training, and equipment. The data reveals that rangers face excessive risks, including inadequate medical care, lack of communication devices, and exposure to infectious diseases like malaria, while often being underpaid and under-appreciated. The document argues for the professionalization of the ranger service through improved training curricula, guaranteed insurance, and better community relations to ensure the effective protection of global biodiversity.

The briefing contends that the distinction between adaptation and development projects is counter-productive and that adaptation should be viewed as 'doing development differently in response to climate change.' It proposes a framework for maximizing the impact of scarce adaptation finance by establishing strong climate rationales, building national adaptive capacity across four key areas, and shifting toward devolved decision-making to empower local communities.

The project aims to reduce climate-related disaster risks in Nepal's West Seti sub-river basin by implementing integrated sub-watershed adaptation and management plans (SWAMPs) and enhancing the resilience of large-scale infrastructure. It seeks USD 25 million from the Green Climate Fund to benefit approximately 494,116 people, with a total project cost of USD 40 million. Key activities include forest restoration, the installation of solar micro-grids and improved cook stoves, and the establishment of a performance-based climate resilience grants system for local governments.

The Innovations for Resilience Convening, co-hosted by the Global Resilience Partnership, WFP, UNDP, and 1BC, focused on the role of technology and cross-sector partnerships in building community resilience. The report identifies key barriers to scaling innovations—such as rigid funding cycles and risk aversion—and showcases specific projects including satellite-based credit in the Horn of Africa, drone mapping in the Maldives, and hydroponics in Algeria. It emphasizes the need for 'disruptive change' and a 'fail fast' mindset to move from gradual development improvements to exponential growth in resilience.

The AHM Project implemented an integrated model of biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation across 10 demonstration sites in Bhutan, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan. Key achievements include bringing 1.4 million hectares of land under improved management, training 26,966 people in conservation and adaptation, and supporting the 12-nation Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Program. The project focused on reducing threats like poaching and pasture degradation while addressing climate-driven risks to water security and rural livelihoods through interventions such as water-smart irrigation, predator-proof corrals, and alternative income generation.