Search Climate Insights Directory

The study analyzes 285 conflict episodes to determine how natural resources affect the duration of postconflict peace. It identifies three primary mechanisms: distribution, financing, and aggravation. The findings indicate that while natural resource conflicts generally show shorter peace periods bivariately, only conflicts driven by disagreements over the distribution of resources and revenues significantly increase the risk of recurrence in a multivariate analysis. This suggests that resource-related grievances are a more persistent driver of conflict relapse than the mere opportunity to finance warfare.

The document argues that the India-Pakistan conflict is the core security dynamic of the South Asia Regional Security Complex (RSC), with Afghanistan serving as an 'insulator' or buffer zone. While India possesses greater aggregate power, the rivalry remains durable due to 'truncated power asymmetry'—where local parity in nuclear capabilities and territorial disputes in Kashmir offsets India's global superiority. The author contends that both nations project their internal insecurities and mutual mistrust onto Afghanistan, using it as a zone for proxy competition rather than a core security priority. Pakistan's engagement is driven by a need for 'strategic depth' and fears of Pashtun nationalism, while India uses economic aid to project regional leadership and counter Pakistani influence. The paper concludes that stabilization in Afghanistan is unlikely as long as the core insecurities within the South Asia RSC remain unresolved.

This fact sheet outlines RMI's history of developing market-based solutions for energy efficiency and climate protection. Key achievements include the creation of the Hypercar concept to reduce oil dependence, the development of the Natural Capitalism framework for sustainable business, and the establishment of the LEED green building rating system. The organization has also worked extensively on military energy security, water efficiency, and the promotion of decentralized low-carbon power generation over nuclear energy.

This research paper by Jodie Keane explores the nature of intra-Commonwealth value chains using a mixed-methods approach. It analyzes trade intensity, shifts in intermediate goods sourcing, and firm-level data to determine how Commonwealth members integrate into regional versus global value chains (GVCs). The findings suggest a prevalence of additive value chains and a specific tendency for Small Island Developing States to export within the Commonwealth.

The Powering Healthcare Africa Project (2021-2023), supported by Power Africa and led by SEforALL, seeks to close the energy access gap in healthcare facilities across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The project focuses on equipping governments with evidence and solutions to reach universal health facility electrification by 2030 through six key activity areas: data and mapping, coordination and collaboration, thought leadership on clean energy solutions, advocacy, innovative finance, and country-level strategic advisory.

The Mini-Grid Emissions Tool, developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), addresses the lack of standardized carbon tracking in the mini-grid sector. Unlike previous methods that rely on a single default emissions factor and total energy generated, this tool calculates emissions avoided based on actual energy consumed and the diverse range of previous energy sources used by customers. It incorporates specific data for different household energy access tiers, kerosene lamp types, and fossil fuel generator efficiencies to provide a more accurate estimate of climatic benefits.

The report identifies a critical gap in electricity access for health-care facilities in low- and middle-income countries, estimating that nearly 1 billion people are served by facilities with no or unreliable power. It argues that reliable electricity is a fundamental enabler of universal health coverage, essential for life-saving services such as maternal care, immunization, and emergency response. The document provides a comprehensive framework for electrification, emphasizing decentralized renewable energy—particularly solar PV—as a cost-effective and climate-resilient alternative to grid extension. It estimates an urgent investment need of US$ 4.9 billion to bring facilities in 63 assessed countries up to minimal electrification levels. Key recommendations include moving from an 'install and forget' to an 'install and maintain' approach, integrating health and energy sector planning, and utilizing geospatial tools for precise needs assessments.

The document examines the critical link between reliable electricity and the quality of healthcare in resource-constrained settings. It highlights that unreliable power affects nearly 60% of health facilities in 46 low- and middle-income countries, leading to equipment failure and reduced service capacity. The factsheet advocates for off-grid solar solutions as a cheaper and more reliable alternative to grid extension or diesel generators, citing significant improvements in maternal health, disease diagnosis, and staff and patient satisfaction in countries like India, Uganda, Ghana, and Zambia.

The document highlights that over three billion people rely on traditional solid fuels, causing significant indoor air pollution and contributing to 1.6 million annual deaths. It notes that black carbon from these fuels accounts for 18% of global GHG emissions. The brief advocates for 'source' interventions, such as LPG, ethanol, and improved stoves, and emphasizes the need for consumer choice analysis to ensure technology adoption, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The fact sheet outlines three scenarios: a Baseline scenario (BAS) where business-as-usual leads to a 98% likelihood of temperatures increasing by more than 2°C; a Basic Energy Access scenario (BEA) that provides basic energy for all while limiting global GHG emissions to 1,300 Gt CO2; and a Shared Development Agenda scenario (SDA) which aims for a more balanced global income distribution with per capita incomes of at least $10,000 for all nations by 2050.

Dr. Juan Declet-Barreto highlights that nations with the lowest contributions to the climate crisis, particularly in the Global South and Small Islands, suffer disproportionately due to exposure and inequitable development. He asserts that marginalized groups based on income, race, ethnicity, gender, or colonization will continue to face the most severe losses and damages. He calls for policymakers to prioritize equitable solutions, integrate Indigenous and local knowledge, and demands that wealthy nations, specifically the United States, provide financial reparations for historic emissions.

The We Mean Business coalition argues that corporate climate leadership must integrate three pillars: Ambition (setting science-based targets), Action (transforming core business strategies and value chains), and Advocacy (pushing for pro-climate government policies). The report emphasizes that to avoid the sharply growing costs of temperature rises above 1.5°C, global emissions must halve by 2030, and businesses must transition to net-zero by 2050 at the latest. It highlights the necessity of independent verification, executive accountability, and a 'just transition' that considers social equity and workforce reskilling. The framework also stresses the importance of consistency in lobbying, urging companies to ensure their trade associations do not undermine their public climate commitments.

The report establishes a risk assessment framework for the commercial real estate sector in South and Southeast Asia, focusing on the financial impacts of energy insecurity, water scarcity, and climate change. It highlights that while these risks are increasing due to infrastructure limitations and physical vulnerability, green building investments can mitigate these risks and achieve net positive returns within three years. The analysis specifically examines commercial office buildings in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, with a primary focus on India.

The report highlights the growing vulnerability of the power sector in South and Southeast Asia to water-related risks, noting that 74 GW of existing and planned capacity for major power companies is located in water-scarce or stressed areas. It argues that while regulatory protections have historically shielded shareholders from the financial impact of water-related outages, these protections may become unsustainable as climate change and demographic pressures intensify water shortages. The document also notes a trade-off between water mitigation and carbon emissions, as technologies like dry cooling reduce water dependency but increase carbon emissions per unit of power output.

The document analyzes the HighNoon project, which began in 2009 to assess the impacts of Himalayan glacier retreat and monsoon changes on water resources in Northern India. It focuses on how modeled climate and hydrological data, combined with stakeholder perspectives, can be used to recommend response strategies for hydrological extreme events and guide government investments in information systems.

The analysis identifies 105 cities with populations over one million across 34 Global South countries where electrification is currently a viable low-carbon strategy. Suitability is determined by a minimum 90 percent urban electricity access rate and a carbon intensity of electricity supply below 600 tCO2e/GWh. While all South American cities meet these criteria, suitability is significantly lower in sub-Saharan Africa (3 out of 40 cities) and South and East Asia (26 out of 202 cities).

The report argues that climate adaptation must shift from small-scale, time-bound pilots to larger activities that inform policy and benefit more people. It introduces a scaling framework that requires dedicated financial and human resources at the project design phase. Based on an analysis of twenty-one projects and four deep-dive case studies in rainfed India, the report identifies coordination, knowledge sharing, and community ownership as critical enabling conditions for success. It specifically highlights the urgency of adaptation in rainfed areas of India to prevent significant yield decreases and revenue losses in South Asia.

The document analyzes the development of Nepal's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) in September 2010, focusing on how the Ministry of Environment navigated a lack of crucial evidence and information for climate change adaptation decision-making. It notes that these challenges occurred during a period of political transition, federal restructuring, and post-conflict peace processes, with climate change adding further stress through extreme events and weather variability.

The report finds that public international funding for nature-based solutions for adaptation (NbSA) is relatively small, totaling US$3.88.7 billion in 2018. This amount represents only 0.61.4 percent of total climate finance flows. Funding is dominated by grants and a small number of bilateral donors, with Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia receiving about 50 percent of the total. Key barriers to scaling NbSA include the lack of common definitions, a dearth of metrics to value benefits, and a misalignment between donor funding instruments and the long-term operational costs of projects. The authors recommend scaling and better tracking ODA, aligning funding with project needs, developing standardized valuation metrics, and supporting the development of project pipelines in developing countries.

The document examines the challenges of producing and using climate adaptation information in South Asia, noting that information is often supply-driven by researchers rather than tailored to user needs. It outlines the objectives of a regional workshop convened by the World Resources Institute and Development Alternatives to identify investment priorities and improve dialogue between information producers and users.