Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing note, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and CUTS International, Geneva, examines the challenges faced by developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) within the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-commerce. It highlights a significant digital divide and capacity gaps that hinder these nations' ability to participate in negotiations and implement future agreements. The document proposes shifting from a narrow focus on regulatory cooperation toward a comprehensive approach that includes 'enabling issues' such as infrastructure and technical assistance, and suggests adopting a hybrid Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) model based on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) to ensure capacity-building commitments are enforceable.

This 2004 research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the relationship between international investment agreements (IIAs) and sustainable development. It argues that the traditional model of IIAs, which focuses heavily on investor protections, has failed to empirically prove its ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and often conflicts with the regulatory needs and development priorities of host states. The paper advocates for a 'Southern Agenda' that balances private investor rights with public goods, transparency, and the specific needs of developing countries.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the historical evolution of Brazil's regional identity and its transition toward becoming a regional power. It argues that Brazil historically distinguished itself from 'Latin America'—which it viewed as synonymous with Spanish America—and has only recently shifted its foreign policy focus toward active engagement and leadership within South America.

This scoping paper analyzes the progress, challenges, and best practices in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across 13 Latin American countries. It focuses on three primary dimensions: the mainstreaming of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into national policies, the operationalization of these goals through institutional and budgetary frameworks, and the level of ownership among diverse social actors. The document identifies a significant diversity in progress, ranging from initial set-up phases to the establishment of advanced monitoring systems, while highlighting systemic barriers such as short-term political cycles, lack of cross-sectoral coordination, and budgetary constraints exacerbated by economic recessions.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) has launched the Initiative on Producer to Consumer Sustainability (P2CS), a platform designed to improve the sustainability of international trade by analyzing production-to-consumption systems (PCSs). The initiative combines innovative supply chain modelling with multidisciplinary governance analysis to increase transparency and identify opportunities for sustainable trade practices.

This policy brief summarizes the outcomes of a regional retreat held in October 2017 in Colombia, organized by the Government of Colombia and the Independent Research Forum (IRF). The event brought together policy-makers from 12 Latin American countries to share experiences and identify strategies for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The brief focuses on five key themes: mainstreaming the SDGs into national policy, building cooperation and partnerships, monitoring progress, financing the agenda, and creating spaces for dialogue and learning.

This policy brief by the Latinoamérica Sostenible alliance (comprising Espacio Público, Transforma, and Ethos) analyzes the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, green jobs, and rural indigenous communities in Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. It argues that the pandemic exacerbated structural inequalities and that regional recovery strategies must prioritize social inclusion, gender equity, and environmental sustainability to be just and resilient.

This case study by the World Resources Institute examines how Chile can integrate the non-carbon biophysical effects of forests—such as albedo, evapotranspiration, surface roughness, and aerosols—into its national climate policies. The document argues that while Chile has ambitious climate goals, its current frameworks primarily focus on carbon, overlooking the significant local cooling and rainfall regulation provided by forests. It suggests specific improvements for Chile's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Long-Term Climate Strategy, and REDD+ programs to better account for these biophysical benefits.

This case study by the World Resources Institute examines how Chile can integrate the non-carbon biophysical effects of forests into its national climate policies. It argues that while carbon sequestration is the primary focus of climate strategies, biophysical processes—such as albedo, evapotranspiration, surface roughness, and aerosols—significantly influence local and global temperatures and precipitation. The document analyzes Chile's forest loss, the resulting local temperature increases, and provides specific recommendations for enhancing the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the Long-Term Climate Strategy, and REDD+ frameworks to account for these effects.

This report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) examines how Chile can integrate the non-carbon biophysical effects of forests into its national climate policies. It argues that forests influence climate stability through processes like albedo, evapotranspiration, surface roughness, and aerosols, which can significantly impact local and regional temperatures and rainfall beyond the global carbon cycle. Using Chile as a case study, the document identifies opportunities to enhance the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), long-term climate strategies, REDD+ frameworks, and subnational development plans to better account for these biophysical cooling effects and mitigate the warming caused by deforestation.

This report by the World Resources Institute argues that current carbon markets systematically undervalue tropical forests by focusing exclusively on greenhouse gas emissions and ignoring critical non-carbon biophysical effects that contribute to global, regional, and local climate stabilization.

This report by the World Resources Institute argues that current carbon market crediting systems systematically undervalue tropical forests by focusing exclusively on carbon sequestration and ignoring critical non-carbon biophysical effects that contribute to global climate stability.

This report by the World Resources Institute argues that current carbon credit markets systematically undervalue tropical forests by focusing exclusively on carbon sequestration and ignoring critical non-carbon biophysical effects that contribute to global, regional, and local climate cooling.

This report by the World Resources Institute argues that current carbon credit systems systematically undervalue tropical forests by focusing exclusively on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ignoring non-carbon biophysical effects that contribute to global cooling and climate stability.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) argues that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) must account for the non-carbon biophysical effects of forests to effectively address climate stability. The authors explain how forests influence temperature and rainfall through albedo, evapotranspiration, surface roughness, and aerosols, noting that tropical deforestation contributes significantly more to global warming than carbon-only metrics suggest. The document proposes six specific pathways for UNFCCC Parties to integrate these biophysical impacts into national reporting, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), REDD+ finance, adaptation planning, the Global Stocktake, and the IPCC's 7th Assessment Report cycle.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute explains how forests influence the climate through non-carbon biophysical processes and argues that the UNFCCC should integrate these effects into its policies, reporting, and financing to better support climate mitigation and adaptation.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) explains how forests influence climate stability through non-carbon biophysical processes and argues that the UNFCCC should integrate these effects into its policies. The document details four primary biophysical processes—albedo, evapotranspiration, surface roughness, and aerosols—and proposes six specific pathways for UNFCCC parties to account for these effects in national reports, NDCs, REDD+ financing, adaptation planning, the Global Stocktake, and IPCC assessment reports.

This executive summary, authored by Alice Gerow and Frances Seymour for the World Resources Institute, outlines the material risks that non-carbon biophysical effects of tropical deforestation pose to the private sector. It argues that while many companies focus on carbon emissions and reputational risks, the loss of forests directly threatens agricultural productivity and worker health through changes in local temperature and regional precipitation, thereby destabilizing global supply chains.

The WRI Results Framework is a strategic document that maps the organization's goals, intervention targets, and impact indicators across three primary human systems: food, land & water; energy; and cities. It establishes a hierarchy of results from global targets (by 2030) to WRI intervention targets (by 2027) and specific country-level targets, all designed to improve human well-being, protect nature, and tackle climate change.