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The 2017 Global Landscape of Climate Finance report finds that global climate finance peaked at $437 billion in 2015 before declining by 12% to $383 billion in 2016. The 2015 surge was primarily driven by private renewable energy investments in China, the U.S., and Japan. While solar and wind investments are largely on track for 2°C goals, other sectors like energy efficiency and adaptation remain significantly underfunded. Public finance is increasingly focused on energy efficiency, while multilateral development finance institutions (DFIs) are progressing toward their 2020 targets. The report highlights a strong preference for domestic investment, with 79% of finance remaining within the country of origin during 2015/2016.

The paper examines the governance of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, arguing that while integrated approaches are essential for climate compatible development, they are often hindered by siloed government structures, political contestation over mandates, and limited local capacity. Using evidence from Indonesia, Kenya, and the Amazon basin, it highlights that horizontal and vertical coordination are critical but can be undermined by power imbalances between central and local governments. The author suggests a pragmatic approach to nexus governance, focusing on strengthening the technical and administrative capacities of local government institutions rather than striving for an impractical ideal of total comprehensiveness.

The paper examines interactions between six specific SDGs (1, 2, 3, 5, 9, and 14) using a seven-point scale to categorize relationships as reinforcing, enabling, or constraining. It finds that positive interactions generally outweigh negative ones, particularly for gender equality, which acts as a lever for multiple other goals. However, it highlights significant institutional barriers to integrated implementation, as most governments operate through sectoral ministries that lack joint agendas. The author argues for the creation of an international open knowledge platform to systematize SDG interaction analysis and suggests that 'mission-oriented innovation' and strategic foresight mechanisms can help overcome short-termism in infrastructure and industrial policy.

The report analyzes the climate pledges of 18 Asian countries, finding that while energy and transport are primary mitigation focuses, there are significant gaps in quantified climate finance requirements and the integration of gender and social inclusion. It highlights a regional disparity in disaster risk reduction planning, with South Asian countries generally showing higher levels of integration than their South-East Asian counterparts.

The report identifies a diverse but fragmented ecosystem of 174 initiatives aiming to integrate gender diversity and social inclusion into the sustainable energy transition. While significant activity exists—particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia—the sector is hindered by a lack of multi-year funding, limited technical capacity among women, and restrictive social norms. The document argues that empowering women is a catalyst for energy access, noting that women influence 80% of household energy purchasing decisions, and calls for a shift toward rights-based approaches and strategic cross-sector partnerships to achieve universal energy access by 2030.

The report introduces the Energy Access Dividend (EAD) framework to help policymakers quantify the benefits of rapid electrification. By analyzing Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Kenya, it demonstrates that decentralized renewable energy can provide faster access than centralized grids, leading to significant household savings, increased study time for children, and reduced carbon and black carbon emissions. The model links these dividends to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), arguing that delays in energy access result in lost investments in human and economic development.

The document identifies a gap in sustainability efforts regarding gender and social equity, particularly within SMEs. It argues that gender acts as a 'social stratifier' that limits women's access to education, finance, and leadership, which in turn hinders overall economic and environmental progress. The brief provides a business case for gender equality, noting that closing gender gaps in agriculture and employment could significantly boost GDP and food security. It suggests that the 'green economy' risks excluding women if technical roles in renewable energy and construction remain male-dominated. Recommendations include implementing family-friendly workplace policies, repealing discriminatory laws, and adopting public procurement policies that target female-led micro- and small enterprises.

The document outlines five key strategies for building effective local climate partnerships: strategic partner selection, the inclusion of marginalised and opposing groups, leveraging local actors with clear spheres of influence, ensuring mutual benefit through co-design, and employing a trusted facilitator or knowledge broker.

The document outlines five key strategies for local governments to build effective climate partnerships: choosing partners strategically beyond the environmental sector, involving marginalised and opposing groups, leveraging local actors while understanding their spheres of influence, ensuring mutual benefit through co-design, and employing a trusted facilitator or knowledge broker. It illustrates these points with examples such as solar energy initiatives in Pakistan and Indonesia, climate-smart agriculture in Nepal, and coastal management in Belize.

The author contends that traditional attempts to control water through artificial solutions have created vulnerabilities that are now being exposed by a changing climate. The document advocates for a 'resilience mindset' in water management, particularly within humanitarian and development funding, moving away from short-term recovery toward long-term capacity for communities to thrive despite recurrent water challenges. This approach emphasizes the use of predictive models, early warning systems, and the integration of indigenous knowledge. To implement this, the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has focused on the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and South and Southeast Asia, and has launched a Water Window Challenge with a $10 million commitment from the Z Zurich Foundation to fund innovative flood-resilience solutions.

The report advocates for a paradigm shift in sanitation and wastewater management, moving from a disposal-centric model to a circular economy approach that recovers water, nutrients, and energy. It details the technical, institutional, and financial frameworks necessary to implement sustainable systems that protect human health and the environment while providing economic benefits.

The document argues that the current trajectory of urbanization in the Global South—characterized by rapid population growth outpacing economic growth and the 'urbanization of poverty'—risks locking cities into unsustainable patterns. It proposes a new categorization of cities based on economic productivity and population growth, focusing on 'struggling' and 'emerging' cities. The authors contend that providing equitable access to core services (housing, water, sanitation, energy, and transport) is the essential entry point for broader transformative urban change. Using case studies from Medellín and Surat, the paper illustrates how solving a 'seminal problem' can trigger a virtuous cycle of improvement across governance, finance, and planning, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all residents.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the scale and distribution of Chinese finance for overseas coal power projects, highlighting China's role as a major provider of finance and the potential impact of its 2015 commitment to control public investment in high-carbon overseas projects.

The paper examines how urban development decisions regarding buildings and transport infrastructure can 'lock in' future greenhouse gas emissions. By comparing a reference scenario with an aggressive 'urban action' scenario, the authors estimate that urban policy-makers can avoid committing approximately 45 Gt CO2 of cumulative future emissions by 2030 through energy-efficient technologies and compact urban design. The analysis emphasizes that current infrastructure already commits roughly 800 Gt CO2, meaning the 1,000 Gt CO2 global carbon budget for limiting warming to 2°C could be exceeded before 2020 if current trends continue.

The document details the creation of the first comprehensive Heat Action Plan in South Asia, implemented by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2013. The plan focuses on an early warning system, public awareness, and healthcare capacity building to protect vulnerable populations from heat-related morbidity and mortality.

The report argues that climate change acts as a "threat multiplier" in fragile states, exacerbating existing conflict drivers like poverty and weak governance. It proposes a framework for "climate-resilient peacebuilding" based on six principles, including integrated context analysis and a forward-looking approach to planning. The document identifies specific entry points for integration across five peacebuilding dimensions: basic safety and security, political processes, basic services, government functions, and economic revitalization. It also reviews existing international guidance, noting that while some tools integrate climate risks, many others lack this perspective, suggesting that practitioners should integrate climate resilience into existing resources rather than creating new toolkits.

The research estimates that 27–34% of woodfuel harvested in the tropics was unsustainable in 2009, contributing 1.0–1.2 Gt CO2e per year to global emissions. It identifies approximately 275 million people living in depletion 'hotspots' primarily in South Asia and East Africa and suggests that the deployment of 100 million improved stoves could reduce these emissions by 11–17%.

The document serves as a 'who's who' and event guide for ODI and CDKN staff attending the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2015. It lists researchers and officers focusing on disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate resilience, and humanitarian action, detailing their specific goals for the conference, such as influencing the post-2015 DRR framework and discussing finance and governance. The briefing also provides a schedule of presentations and panels on topics including gender equality in DRR, fragile contexts, and measuring disaster resilience.

The SEI Strategy 2015–2019 establishes a framework to bridge science and policy through three primary delivery areas: scientific research, policy engagement, and capacity development. The institute aims to shift from traditional reporting toward a more integrated approach that includes behavioral science, geopolitics, and targeted communication. Central to this strategy is the launch of 'SEI Initiatives'—specialized research hubs focusing on critical issues like climate finance, fossil fuels, and the water-energy-food nexus. The document also details the enabling infrastructure required for these goals, including the PMEC monitoring system and a suite of analytical tools such as LEAP and WEAP, while emphasizing the need to engage 'hard-to-reach' stakeholders in the private sector.

The Asian elephant is vulnerable to climate change due to high freshwater requirements, sensitivity to extreme heat, and low adaptive capacity caused by habitat fragmentation and slow reproductive rates. While generalist feeding habits provide some resilience, the species faces significant threats from invasive plants, disease, and human-elephant conflict, which may be exacerbated by climate stressors. Recommended strategies include securing freshwater sources, maintaining connected habitats, and supporting human adaptation to reduce encroachment and conflict.