Search Climate Insights Directory

This report marks the 40th anniversary of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), detailing its evolution from a small group of activists into a global federation of 76 member groups with over 2 million members. It outlines the organization's mission to achieve environmental and social justice by resisting neoliberal economic models and promoting sustainable alternatives such as food sovereignty and climate justice.

The 'Guía Práctica de Uso de la Orina en la Producción Agrícola' is a comprehensive guide published by the Stockholm Environment Institute that provides technical, economic, and institutional frameworks for using human urine as a sustainable agricultural fertilizer. It details the nutrient composition of urine, application strategies, risk management based on WHO guidelines, and case studies from various global regions to support the transition toward productive sanitation systems.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of safeguards and the pursuit of 'multiple benefits' within the REDD+ mechanism established by the Cancun Agreements. It explores how safeguard systems can move beyond a 'do no harm' approach to actively promote sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and biodiversity conservation. The document analyzes various international safeguard standards, reviews how developing countries are integrating these into their Readiness Preparation Proposals (R-PPs), and discusses the institutional and financial challenges of creating a transparent information-sharing system for monitoring compliance.

This fact sheet summarizes the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' report, a global map-based analysis of threats to coral reefs led by the World Resources Institute. It details the prevalence of local and global pressures, the socioeconomic vulnerability of coastal communities, and the effectiveness of current marine protected areas.

This fact sheet describes the Global Connectivity Program of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which focuses on the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the 'global connectivity system' in advancing sustainable development.

The REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report documents a January 2011 gathering in Manila, Philippines, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and ASB-ICRAF. The meeting aimed to build policy capacity for developing country negotiators and land managers to ensure that Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) mechanisms deliver a 'Development Dividend'—balancing robust greenhouse gas reductions with sustainable development benefits, equity, and quality safeguards.

The report details the activities and outcomes of the China Node for Sustainable Sanitation (CNSS) from November 2008 to May 2011. Established as the first node of the EcoSanRes-2 program and hosted by the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), CNSS aimed to promote ecological sanitation (ecosan) through public awareness, urban planning integration, and international knowledge exchange. The initiative focused on overcoming traditional taboos regarding sanitation in China and creating a platform for experts, NGOs, and government decision-makers to collaborate on sustainable wastewater and excreta management.

This 2011 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between urban sanitation system trends in developing regions and the disposal of menstrual absorption materials. It identifies that menstrual products, particularly those with super-absorbent materials, frequently cause blockages in water-borne sewerage systems and accelerate the filling of on-site pit latrines. The report argues that menstrual management is largely ignored in sanitation design and advocates for the integration of women's needs and the promotion of solid waste disposal routes for menstrual materials.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in November 2010, analyzes the regional implications for Asia of the recommendations made by the Advisory Group on Climate Finance (AGF). It examines Asia's climate exposure, emissions profile, and the financial requirements for mitigation and adaptation, while evaluating the opportunities and risks posed by proposed global climate finance mechanisms.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International argues that tree plantations are monoculture agricultural systems, not forests, and that they cause significant biological, social, and cultural damage globally. The document criticizes the use of plantations as carbon sinks under the Kyoto Protocol and denounces the role of international organizations like the FAO in legitimizing these systems.

This research paper by Oxfam America, published as part of the 2010 World Resources Report, examines how civil society organizations (CSOs) can support and hold national governments accountable in integrating climate change risks into policy. The authors argue that while CSOs are vital for emergency disaster response, their most significant contribution lies in addressing long-term climatic risks through mutual partnership with states and communities. Using research from seven countries, including Cambodia, the paper highlights the risks of top-down fund management and advocates for transformative citizen participation to ensure climate finance reaches the most vulnerable populations.

A statement from Friends of the Earth written during international climate negotiations in Bangkok, criticizing the United States for obstructing progress toward a strong international climate treaty.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides an overview of the status of international climate change negotiations as of September 2009, focusing on the outcomes of the Bonn II and Bonn III talks. It details the progress and divergences across the four pillars of the Bali Action Plan—mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing—as member countries of the UNFCCC worked toward a post-2012 emission reduction regime to be adopted at COP 15 in Copenhagen.

This report by Friends of the Earth International examines how the Asian Development Bank (ADB) finances projects that contribute to climate change and increase vulnerability in the Asia Pacific region. Through case studies in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, the report argues that the ADB's support for fossil fuels and destructive development projects outweighs its climate mitigation initiatives.

This document contains the proceedings of a two-day workshop held in August 2009 by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and EcoSanRes. The workshop focused on the legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks required to promote the sustainable reuse of nutrients from wastewater, human excreta, and greywater across various global regions.

Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder issued a statement arguing that oil dependence is dangerous and contributes to the climate crisis. He cited several recent spills, including a 1.4 million gallon spill by a Japan-bound tanker, a 528,000 gallon spill in the Philippines, a leak contaminating 60 miles of the Lebanese coast, and leaks in BP's Alaskan pipeline. Blackwelder called for the replacement of oil with clean energy and improved efficiency to avoid air and water pollution and severe health consequences.

This research paper examines the role of product energy performance standards and processes and production methods (PPMs) in mitigating climate change and their interaction with international trade law. It argues that while energy efficiency standards are highly cost-effective and should be supported by trade regimes, PPM-based measures are more legally complex and controversial, particularly regarding their impact on developing country exporters and their consistency with WTO rules.

This research paper examines the role of product standards, energy labelling, and processes and production methods (PPMs) in addressing climate change and their interactions with international trade law and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This research paper examines the role of transnational organised crime networks and 'middlemen' in fueling African conflicts through the illicit trade of weapons and natural resources. Using the case studies of Leonid Minin and Victor Bout, the document highlights the sophistication of these networks, their use of front companies and tax havens, and the systemic failures of international law enforcement and national legislation to prosecute sanctions-busting activities.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the role of 'soft components'—social and institutional investments—in agricultural water management (AWM) interventions at the mesoscale (community or sub-catchment level). Through meta-analyses and case studies across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, the report argues that high initial social capital and participatory methodologies are critical for the sustainable adoption of AWM technologies. It highlights a significant gap in the monitoring and economic valuation of these soft components and their long-term environmental and social impacts.