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The report evaluates Rwanda's progress on climate adaptation indicators for human settlements and transport. Key findings include an increase in rural households in planned settlements to 65.4% and the implementation of stormwater-inclusive master plans in 16 districts. However, urban informal settlements remain at 61.3%, and urban green space (19.89%) falls short of the 30% target. The transport sector has developed comprehensive resilience guidelines and expanded scheduled bus routes to 14,475 km, though road vulnerability assessments show significant risks in the Western, Northern, and Southern Provinces.

The report evaluates three primary climate adaptation indicators in Rwanda: the proportion of rural populations in clustered settlements, access to water and sanitation services, and the reduction of road vulnerability to floods and landslides. It finds that while planned rural settlements have increased to 65.4% and water access has improved, significant gaps remain in sanitation coverage and road resilience. The document highlights the effectiveness of engineering solutions like gabions and terracing for road stability and the social benefits of Integrated Development Programme (IDP) model villages, while recommending increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure and better inter-sectoral coordination.

The EPAFLEC project aims to restore 6,000 hectares of degraded smallholder forests in North-West Rwanda by organizing farmers into Private Forest Management Units (PFMUs) and linking them to professional wood value chains. The project seeks to reduce pressure on forests by shifting 35,000 households—20,000 in Kigali and 15,000 in rural areas—from traditional charcoal and three-stone fires to wood pellets and improved cookstoves (ICS). It integrates private sector investment from SEAL and BioMassters Ltd to create a sustainable supply of raw materials for high-value wood products and clean fuels. The initiative also includes developing alternative incomes like beekeeping and establishing community revolving funds funded by carbon credits to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience for local communities.

The report applies a 'nexus toolkit' to analyze the interactions between agricultural transformation, energy transition, and natural resource use in Rwanda, specifically within the Akagera Basin. Using policy coherence mapping and scenario modelling (Reference, Pessimistic, and Optimistic) up to 2050, the study finds that high population growth and climate change create severe pressure on water and biomass. Key findings indicate that ambitious national plans for irrigation and hydropower may be physically impossible to meet due to water scarcity, and that the transition to peat for electricity will increase GHG emissions despite reductions in cooking-fuel emissions. At the district level, the report identifies critical needs for improved water management, off-grid energy solutions, and a shift away from urban charcoal demand to combat deforestation.

The document examines the tension between Rwanda's national development goals—such as becoming a middle-income country by 2020—and the resulting pressure on natural resources at the district level. Focusing on Rutsiro, Bugesera, and Kirehe, it identifies widespread scarcity of woody biomass and clean water, driven by urban demand for charcoal and traditional farming practices. It argues that while national strategies like the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy exist, there is a gap in translating these into local action, necessitating tailored district-level solutions and national policy incentives to shift urban energy demand away from charcoal.

The project focuses on the Akagera Basin in Rwanda, addressing the increasing competition for water, energy, and food resources driven by population growth and economic transformation. By utilizing the Stockholm Environment Institute's WEAP and LEAP modelling tools, the initiative aims to identify sustainable development pathways and avoid sector-based plan incompatibilities. Key goals include producing 25 technical reports and policy briefs, engaging over 2,000 stakeholders, and supporting over 15 Nature Based Community Enterprises (NBCEs) to enhance climate resilience in the districts of Bugesera, Kirehe, Ngororero, and Rutsiro.