Search Climate Insights Directory

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that food insecurity in South Africa is driven by income poverty, not food scarcity. It proposes a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) to ensure all adults can afford a basic nutritional diet, noting that current targeted grants are insufficient. The document highlights the severe health and economic costs of malnutrition and argues that a UBIG, combined with a 'just food transition' and systemic food system reforms, can break intergenerational poverty cycles without causing significant inflation.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that food insecurity in South Africa is primarily a result of income poverty rather than food scarcity. It advocates for a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) to ensure all citizens can afford a nutritious diet, highlighting the severe health, social, and economic costs of malnutrition and the limitations of current targeted social grants.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that hunger and food insecurity in South Africa are primarily driven by a lack of income rather than a lack of food production. It proposes a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a key mechanism to ensure all citizens can afford nutritious food, thereby breaking cycles of poverty and malnutrition.

Ember analysis indicates that global solar capacity additions will reach 593 GW in 2024, a 29% increase over 2023. This growth is driven by continued dominance in China and the US, as well as emerging markets like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, significantly exceeding several industry forecasts.

This report provides a comparative analysis of how central banks manage physical climate risks, offering a phased roadmap for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It examines case studies from six central banks—Banco Central do Brasil, Bank of England, Bank Negara Malaysia, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and South African Reserve Bank—to identify common challenges in data availability, technical capacity, and modelling. The document emphasizes a 'phased approach' and the 'principle of proportionality' to help regulated entities (REs) build capabilities before implementing mandatory capital requirements or reporting standards.

This report, prepared for the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, analyzes 12 case studies of blended finance instruments designed to overcome barriers to investment in Nature-based Solutions (NbS). It explores how a combination of concessional capital, technical assistance, and risk-mitigation tools like guarantees can mobilize private investment across sectors including restoration, conservation, bioeconomy, agroforestry, and ocean/water management.

This report by Ember analyzes national wind capacity targets for 2030, finding that while current targets aim for a doubling of global capacity, they fall short of the tripling required to maintain the 1.5C climate goal. The report highlights a significant implementation gap outside of China, where most countries are projected to miss their targets, while China is expected to over-deliver.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) analyzes the 2023 activities of UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding states' human rights obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related references in state reporting procedures and examines specific themes such as fossil fuel extraction, the right to a healthy environment, loss and damage, and intergenerational equity.

This methodological note describes a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for a proposed mass rapid transit (MRT) system in Pampanga, Philippines. The document outlines the SAVi framework, which integrates system dynamics, multi-criteria analysis, and project finance modelling to evaluate the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the project compared to a 'no action' scenario.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to disseminate this technology. It analyzes the achievements of initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, while identifying critical challenges including gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the causal link between fossil fuel emissions and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. It details the role of 'Carbon Majors' in global emissions, the financial disparity between industry profits and climate damages, and the growing use of litigation to hold these companies accountable. The document argues that a managed phase-out of fossil fuels, through both supply and demand reductions, is essential to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The 'Assessing National Enabling Framework Conditions for Urban Climate Finance' is a guide and tool developed by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It provides a standardized framework for national governments to evaluate and improve the regulatory, institutional, and financial conditions—referred to as Enabling Framework Conditions (EFCs)—that facilitate subnational governments' access to climate finance.

The 'Assessing Subnational Enabling Framework Conditions for Urban Climate Finance' guide, developed by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), provides a tool for subnational governments to evaluate and improve the regulatory, institutional, and financial environments necessary to scale urban climate finance.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes trade frictions arising from national and subnational plastic pollution measures implemented by WTO members. By examining Specific Trade Concerns (STCs) and Trade Policy Review (TPR) questions, the authors identify six primary types of regulatory issues—timing, transparency, stakeholder engagement, proportionality, justification, and discrimination—and provide recommendations to help policy-makers design measures that minimize trade disruptions.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to support sustainable development. While China has established numerous bilateral agreements and funds, the document identifies significant challenges including a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

A statement delivered by Hon. Kerrie D. Symmonds, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, on 26 June 2024, calling for the immediate entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and the conclusion of negotiations on overcapacity and overfishing.

This case study examines a results-based loan incentive used to accelerate the retirement of units 14 and 15 of the Tocopilla coal plant in Chile. In 2021, IDB Invest and Engie Energia Chile (EECL) closed a deal to finance the 151 MW Calama wind farm, utilizing a blended finance package that reduced the interest costs for EECL based on the volume of carbon emissions abated through the early decommissioning of the coal units.

In 2022, Starwood Energy Group accelerated the retirement of the Logan and Chambers coal plants in New Jersey by 30 months. This was achieved through a three-part strategy: renegotiating PPAs with Atlantic City Electric to save ratepayers $30 million, refinancing $200 million in debt via MetLife to fund the transition, and planning the redevelopment of the sites into grid-scale battery storage (876 MWh and 960 MWh). The move is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 3.9 million tons.

This case study examines the managed phaseout of the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation (SLTEC) coal plant in the Philippines. In 2022, ACEN Corporation sold its equity in the plant to a special purpose vehicle (SPV), reducing the plant's operating life by 25 years to a retirement date of 2040. The transaction utilized a structure based on the Asian Development Bank's energy transition mechanism to lower the cost of capital and facilitate ACEN's transition toward 100% renewable energy by 2025.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) 2020-2023 Synthesis Report details the organization's progress in advancing climate resilience through three primary pillars: innovation, knowledge, and policy. During this period (Phase II), GRP expanded its network to over 80 organizations and shifted toward a more diverse Secretariat spanning 14 countries. Key achievements include the incubation of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), the growth of the Resilience Evidence Coalition, and the establishment of the Resilience Hub at COP26, COP27, and COP28 to amplify Global South voices in climate policy.