Search Climate Insights Directory

This fact sheet from the International Institute for Sustainable Development lists the top 15 tea-producing countries in 2016, referencing data from the FAO and other sources regarding harvest areas and Voluntary Sustainability Standard (VSS) compliance.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the financial and environmental impact of butane gas subsidies in Morocco and proposes a 'swap' reform. This strategy involves reducing fossil fuel subsidies and reinvesting the savings into clean energy technologies, specifically solar pumping for agriculture and solar water heaters for households, to facilitate a socially acceptable energy transition.

This report analyzes the environmental impacts of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) on the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), with a specific focus on Cambodia. It examines how tariff reductions have driven trade flows and the resulting pollution intensity, noting that while some countries experience 'pollution gains' by importing dirty goods, this often shifts environmental degradation to the producer, primarily China. The report also highlights the risk of natural resource depletion, particularly deforestation and overfishing in Cambodia, driven by increased demand for wood, rubber, and fish.

This policy brief examines China's expanding economic role in the Mekong region, specifically its investments in natural resources, energy, and infrastructure in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It highlights China's strategic shift toward securing foreign resources to fuel its domestic industrial growth and the resulting environmental and social challenges in host countries.

This policy brief outlines the importance of democratic governance at local levels for the effective disbursement of climate change funding in developing countries. It references a September 2010 civil society meeting in Cape Town where experts discussed national and subnational experiences with the Adaptation Fund, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).

This report documents a seminar held on 1 October 2008 in Pretoria, featuring a presentation by General Martin Luther Agwai, the UNAMID Force Commander. General Agwai discusses the complexities of the conflict in Darfur, the transition from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), and the significant operational and logistical challenges facing the mission.

This policy brief, published by the Institute for Security Studies in June 2011, examines the governance of climate change funds—specifically the Adaptation Fund, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)—across several developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It highlights systemic issues regarding accountability, stakeholder representation, and the risk of private sector interests overriding local needs.

This guide provides a framework for communities to implement a Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) to engage with external actors, raise awareness, participate in decision-making, and resolve conflicts regarding their territories and resources.

This guide provides a framework for Indigenous peoples and local communities to use biocultural community protocols as tools for engaging with external actors, participating in decision-making, and resolving conflicts. It details strategies for proactive communication, raising awareness through participatory media, and navigating national and international legal processes to protect customary rights and territories.

This August 2016 discussion paper by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Natural Justice proposes a set of draft conservation standards to protect the human rights of indigenous peoples. The authors argue that while international law provides a broad framework, there is a lack of practical, rights-based guidance for conservation actors, leading to documented cases of evictions and abuses in the name of biodiversity protection.

A letter dated February 24, 2014, addressed to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim from a coalition of 168 organizations and individuals, urging the revival of B-SPAN, the Bank's Internet-based webcasting system.

This document is a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, provided by a coalition including Natural Justice and Forest Peoples Programme. It outlines the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in biodiversity conservation, highlighting successful local practices, systemic barriers such as 'fortress conservation' and non-recognition of land rights, and the increasing risks faced by environmental defenders.

This e-learning guide by Natural Justice introduces the international legal frameworks that recognize and support the traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use of biodiversity by Indigenous peoples and local communities, with a primary focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides an introduction to the international legal frameworks that recognize and support the traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use of biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities. It focuses primarily on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), detailing specific articles, voluntary instruments, and other international declarations that grant rights and responsibilities to communities and governments.

This report documents a thematic workshop held in February 2020 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, focused on integrating a human rights-based approach into the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Co-convened by several organizations including Natural Justice and UN Environment, the workshop aimed to provide text proposals and strategic options to ensure that biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing are aligned with international human rights standards.

This report chapter outlines the 'Hypercar' concept—an ultralight, hybrid-electric vehicle designed to drastically reduce resource consumption and environmental impact. It argues that by combining carbon-fiber composites, aerodynamic streamlining, and hydrogen fuel cells, the automotive industry can move beyond the 'Iron Age' of steel-based manufacturing. The text further asserts that technological efficiency must be paired with urban planning and land-use reforms to reduce overall dependence on driving and mitigate social costs like congestion and sprawl.

This report chapter explores 'green development,' demonstrating how the integration of resource efficiency, environmental sensitivity, and human well-being can lead to superior financial performance in real estate. Through various case studies of commercial buildings, residential developments, and hotels, the text argues that intelligent design reduces operating costs, increases labor productivity, and enhances property value while restoring community and ecological health.

This working document, compiled by the Network of Southern Think Tanks (NeST), proposes a conceptual framework to define, account for, and measure the quality and impact of South-South co-operation (SSC). It seeks to establish a common narrative and methodological approach for Southern partners to track development co-operation independently of the OECD-DAC's Official Development Assistance (ODA) standards.

This policy brief examines the impact of Chinese investments in Tanzania's plastic recycling industry and the subsequent effects of China's 2018 import ban on waste materials. It highlights how Chinese firms have facilitated technology transfer and local business growth, while also noting significant environmental and health risks and a potential decline in local waste sourcing due to the import of cleaner waste from Europe and the US.

This report analyzes the energy consumption and efficiency opportunities within Thailand's dairy cold chain, focusing on raw milk transportation, pasteurized milk processing, and the School Milk Programme. It identifies significant potential for energy savings through the adoption of best practices, electrification of transport, and the integration of renewable energy.