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Carbon Market Watch evaluated several greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing proposals for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), scoring them based on criteria such as emission reduction potential, support for vulnerable nations, and revenue use for R&D. The analysis finds that while some proposals, such as those from Canada and Belize et al., show strength in levy levels and support for vulnerable nations, others, like the Bahamas et al. proposal, are insufficient as they do not function as robust market-based measures. The document argues that meeting the IMO's net-zero goals by or around 2050 requires ambitious levies and strong enforcement to incentivise zero-emission technologies.

The letter urges states to phase out offshore oil and gas production to protect coastal and Indigenous communities, citing a UN report on fisheries and the right to food. It argues that these activities degrade marine biodiversity and threaten the food security of small-scale fishing communities, while contributing to global temperature rise.

The document explores the transition from electronic money to CBDCs, focusing on China's e-CNY as a tool for renminbi internationalisation and its potential impact on Africa. It details the technical differences between cryptocurrencies and CBDCs, the specific two-tier design of the e-CNY, and the risks associated with privacy and financial disintermediation. For Africa, the paper highlights opportunities for financial inclusion and more efficient remittances, while cautioning against the risks of digital divide and state surveillance. It concludes with recommendations for African civil society and policymakers to engage in the design and standard-setting of digital currency frameworks to maintain monetary autonomy.

This report details the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate from 1 July 2023 to 13 October 2023. It focuses on the implementation of decisions from the 31st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-31), specifically regarding research programs on climate-health and ocean systems, science diplomacy, and the expansion of institutional associations.

The IAI Executive Directorate has advanced several strategic mandates from CoP-31, including the launch of a climate, environment, and health research program, the establishment of an Oceans, Islands, and Coastal Regions Committee, and the expansion of scientific diplomacy initiatives. Key achievements include the distribution of initial grants to 12 research teams across 15 countries, the development of partnerships with the University of the West Indies and the Global Change Research Center in Paraguay, and the implementation of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship with 45 fellows. The Directorate is also coordinating regional efforts on the Amazon and tropical forests, as well as enhancing gender and indigenous inclusion through new advisory committees and targeted funding for underrepresented researchers.

The Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub (MCHH) aims to leverage natural salt domes for large-scale, long-duration green hydrogen storage to safeguard energy security. Domestically, the hub is positioned to supply critical sectors in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, potentially serving 52% of US refining, 44% of shipping, 19% of steelmaking, and 17% of heavy-duty trucking capacity. It also seeks to bolster US fertilizer security by transporting green hydrogen feedstock via the Mississippi River to the Midwest. Internationally, the MCHH intends to establish green shipping corridors to help the EU diversify away from Russian fossil fuels and provide backup energy to climate-vulnerable nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The report argues that an initial public investment of $500 million could unlock billions in private capital by 2026, creating a national strategic hydrogen reserve and reducing industrial losses from power outages.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is seeking GCF Project Preparation Facility (PPF) funding to design the BlueCo Caribbean Umbrella Coordination Programme. This 24-month preparatory phase involves 11 key activities, including baseline assessments, the creation of a Regional Blue Economy Framework, and the design of a Regional Coordination Mechanism. The programme intends to establish a long-term project pipeline to attract sustainable finance for a climate-resilient blue economy across multiple Caribbean SIDS, starting with an initial set of three to four high-impact projects. The request is supported by no-objection letters from several participating countries, including Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Great Blue Wall (GBW) is a proposed regional programme for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) designed to create a network of regenerative seascapes. Led by the IUCN and targeting nine countries, the initiative seeks to combine nature-based solutions with innovative financing to protect critical blue ecosystems—such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs—while fostering a regenerative blue economy. The programme requests USD 200 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), with an additional USD 100 million in co-financing, to implement a four-component strategy focusing on policy frameworks, market development, capital flow acceleration, and regional coordination. Key goals by 2031 include the protection of 2 million km² of the ocean in the WIO and the creation of 2 million jobs.

The UN 2023 Water Conference, held in New York, focused on accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) through the Water Action Agenda. The event resulted in approximately 700 voluntary commitments totaling USD 300 billion and the announcement of a UN Special Envoy for Water. Discussions emphasized the water-food-energy nexus, the human right to water and sanitation, and the need for innovative finance and improved global water data. While the conference generated significant political momentum and new partnerships, analysis suggests that many pledges lack quantifiable targets and that the international community must quadruple its efforts to meet 2030 goals.

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) is seeking USD 199,966 from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to align its project development processes with the new Integrated Results Management Framework (IRMF). The proposal aims to address human resource constraints within the CCCCC's Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU) to accelerate the flow of climate finance to the Caribbean. Key activities include updating the CCCCC's Project Formulation and Monitoring manuals, delivering capacity-building workshops for 15 PDMU staff, and providing technical support to finalize two critical funding proposals: the Dominica Community Resilience Enhancement Project (DOMCREP) and the Climate Actions for Building Resilience in Coastal communities in the Caribbean (CABRIC Caribbean). The project is slated for a 12-month implementation period.

The policy brief argues that most recovery packages in Latin America and the Caribbean are 'inertial' and environmentally negative, prioritizing short-term economic growth over long-term climate sustainability. It highlights a significant gap between national climate commitments (NDCs) and actual recovery spending, noting a trend toward fossil fuel subsidies and increased deforestation. The document recommends integrating social justice, gender equity, and systemic resilience into recovery plans, while urging governments to adopt green taxonomies and align financial incentives with the 1.5°C goal.

The proposal seeks to address barriers to climate action in the Caribbean, including outdated policy frameworks and limited access to climate science. It aims to revise the Regional Framework's Implementation Plan, update the CARIWIG data portal, support the revision of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and develop four bankable project concept notes for the Green Climate Fund.

The GFCR Investment Window is a proposed $500 million fund, with $125 million requested from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a first-loss equity position. Managed by Pegasus Capital Advisors, the fund targets 'climate refugia'—reefs most likely to survive warming oceans—by investing in sustainable ocean production, ecotourism, and sustainable infrastructure to reduce local stressors. The program aims to protect 29,000 hectares of reef, create over 12,700 direct jobs, and benefit over 35 million people indirectly. It utilizes a dual-window model, pairing the Investment Window with a Grant Window to provide technical assistance and pipeline incubation.

The document argues that progress on loss and damage (L&D) finance has been stalled by disagreements over liability and compensation. It proposes a near-term 'solidarity-based' approach to unlock funding without requiring strict legal liability, while advocating for the eventual creation of a formal L&D mechanism within the UNFCCC. The authors emphasize that L&D finance must be additional to mitigation and adaptation funding and should be distributed based on a needs-based approach prioritizing the most vulnerable populations.

The document is a formal reporting form submitted by Pegasus Capital Advisors (PCA) to the Green Climate Fund regarding the environmental and social safeguards (ESS) for the CRAFT project. The project is classified as Category I-2 and targets several developing countries. It confirms that an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) was disclosed on September 1, 2021, in multiple languages, including English, Arabic, French, Malay, Portuguese, and Spanish, to ensure accessibility in the target countries and for National Designated Authorities.

The document examines the existential threats faced by small island developing states (SIDS), highlighting their extreme vulnerability to sea-level rise and economic shocks despite contributing less than 1% of global carbon emissions. It advocates for a transition from seeing themselves as 'small islands' to 'large ocean states' by leveraging their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) through the 'blue economy.' The brief emphasizes the need for innovative financing, such as blue bonds and debt-for-climate swaps, and the urgent transition to domestic renewable energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has established a four-year work programme (2020-2023) to scale up climate finance for its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs). The strategy focuses on three main areas: public sector investment in water security, renewable energy, and resilient infrastructure; leveraging the private sector through financial sector transformation; and enhancing institutional capacity through GCF Readiness support. The pipeline includes regional programmes for financial transformation, Integrated Utilities Services (IUS) for energy, and water security, alongside single-country projects in The Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada. The CDB emphasizes the need for concessional financing to address high public debt levels exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The document provides a comprehensive synthesis of the 2018 Global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference's Science and Research Symposium. It argues that a sustainable blue economy—defined as the productive and sustainable use of oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers—must be grounded in multidisciplinary science and public-private partnerships. Key focus areas include the sustainable extraction of deep-sea minerals, the mitigation of climate change through blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses, and seaweed), and the modernization of maritime transport through AI and robotics. The report emphasizes the need for capacity building in the Global South, particularly in Africa, and proposes the establishment of a Global Blue Economy Investment Facility to mobilize finance and technology transfer.

The document outlines a project preparation request to address severe climate threats to The Bahamas' water sector, which relies on fragile groundwater lenses. It proposes a three-component strategy: establishing a national water Decision Support System (DSS) for evidence-based planning, strengthening governance through a new national water resources agency and independent regulator, and scaling up infrastructure investments on highly vulnerable islands. The project seeks to mitigate risks from sea-level rise, decreasing rainfall, and intense storms while overcoming public fiscal constraints and data gaps.

The proposal addresses the vulnerability of the Caribbean agricultural sector to climate change and its historical lack of prioritization in climate finance. It aims to increase the sector's profile by improving the collection and analysis of agricultural data, strengthening institutional capacities for GCF programming, and developing a pipeline of bankable, low-emission, and climate-resilient projects. Key activities include regional scoping studies on NDCs, the creation of a knowledge management portal, and the development of occupational competency standards for youth in climate-smart agriculture.