Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper compares a 'Combined scenario'—integrating eight sectoral improvements—against a 'Current Path' forecast and the targets of Rwanda's Vision 2050. The analysis projects significant economic growth, poverty reduction, and health improvements under the Combined scenario, though it notes a trade-off with increased carbon emissions and a failure to meet specific inequality targets.

The Nature-Based Solutions Inventory for Zambia, published in June 2026 by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), documents 13 nature-based solutions (NbS) projects implemented across eight provinces of Zambia. The report details how these projects address climate and biodiversity crises through ecosystem restoration, sustainable land management, and the integration of gender-responsive and community-led governance to enhance the resilience of vulnerable populations and critical ecosystems.

This report examines the integration of urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry (UPAF) into climate change action plans, focusing on case studies from the Western Province of Sri Lanka and Rosario, Argentina. It argues that UPAF can address the 'triple challenge' of climate change mitigation, adaptation, and the provision of basic services like food security for vulnerable urban populations.

This briefing describes how the Western Province of Sri Lanka is integrating urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry into its climate change adaptation strategies to mitigate flood risks, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve food security.

This executive summary distils findings from the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report specifically for South Asia. It details observed climate changes, projected risks to food and water security, and the necessity of integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies into regional development to protect vulnerable populations and economic growth.

This report chapter examines the legal framework, organizational capacity, and public perception of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Zambia. It highlights significant challenges regarding the office's independence, lack of geographic representation, and the reliance on untrained police officers for lower court prosecutions. The document details a draft national criminal prosecution policy from 2000 that remains unimplemented and provides recommendations to enhance the autonomy and transparency of the prosecutorial service.

This report examines the customary criminal justice system in Zambia, a plural legal framework where informal traditional courts operate parallel to the state's formal judiciary. While the system is valued for its accessibility, speed, and restorative focus, it lacks official state recognition and often conflicts with constitutional human rights, particularly regarding gender equality and the rights of women and children.

This report chapter examines the nature and extent of crime in Zambia, highlighting systemic issues in the criminal justice system, pervasive corruption in public institutions, and the challenges of combating drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal migration.

This research paper analyzes the evolution of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in Zambia from its 1990 origins as a civil society coalition to its role as the ruling party for 15 years. It examines the party's internal structure, funding mechanisms, policy implementation, and the factors—including ethnic tensions and internal schisms—that led to the erosion of its national support base.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the aftermath of Kenya's 2007 post-election violence, focusing on the challenges of implementing electoral reforms and transitional justice. It analyzes the findings of the Kriegler and Waki Commissions and the political tensions within the Grand Coalition Government regarding the prosecution of perpetrators versus the granting of amnesty.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the role of ethnic identity and identification documents during periods of violence in Kenya, specifically following disputed elections. It discusses how naming conventions and physical characteristics are used to target individuals despite identity cards not explicitly listing ethnicity, and suggests systemic reforms to national identification and governance to reduce ethnic cleavages.

This report analyzes the Zambian livestock sector, identifying that rising food prices are driven by high fuel and feed costs, disease outbreaks, and poor infrastructure. It highlights a significant gap between agricultural potential and actual land/water utilization, and critiques the implementation of the National Agriculture Policy and the Fertilizer Support Programme.

This report chapter examines the incidence and nature of crime in Zambia, focusing on the challenges of data collection, high levels of perceived corruption, drug and human trafficking, and the complexities of illegal migration. It highlights a systemic failure in the criminal justice system, where reporting and conviction rates vary significantly by province, and identifies corruption as a pervasive issue across public institutions, particularly within the police service.

This report examines the judicial system of Zambia, detailing its dual legal structure, the hierarchy of its courts, and the systemic challenges affecting the delivery of justice. It focuses on issues of judicial independence, the administration of the death penalty, the fragmented state of juvenile justice, and the barriers preventing poor and rural populations from accessing legal aid and formal courts.

This report examines the customary criminal justice system in Zambia, a plural legal system where informal customary laws of 73 ethnic groups operate parallel to a formal statutory system. While the state does not formally recognize traditional courts administered by chiefs, these systems remain viable and preferred by many rural populations due to their accessibility, use of vernacular languages, and restorative approach to justice. However, the system faces significant challenges, including a lack of codification, gender-based discrimination, and friction with state-administered local courts.

This report examines the legal framework, capacity, and operational challenges of the Zambia Prison Service. It highlights severe overcrowding, chronic underfunding, and human rights concerns, while detailing the service's efforts toward offender management and agricultural self-sufficiency.