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This research paper by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) examines the relationship between escalating sovereign debt in Africa and the subsequent erosion of human rights. The authors argue that high debt-servicing obligations force governments to implement austerity measures and cut spending on essential public services, thereby compromising basic needs and hindering the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The paper analyzes debt trends, the impact of various relief initiatives, and the role of civil society, ultimately calling for a human rights-based approach to debt management and the cancellation of debts for highly indebted countries.

This policy brief by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development examines resource-backed loans (RBLs) and the collateralisation of mineral resources in African countries. It explores how these financial mechanisms can unlock infrastructure funding for resource-rich but capital-poor nations, while warning of significant risks including debt sustainability crises, lack of transparency, and the erosion of competitive public procurement processes.

The 'Regional Research Call – Africa START' document outlines a funding initiative managed by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to support research on 'Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security' across Africa. The program focuses on the sustainability of ecosystem services, aiming to provide policy-relevant research, build regional research capacity, and facilitate knowledge sharing. The call is co-financed by the US National Science Foundation and the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) programme.

This guide describes the mission, strategic themes, and operational approach of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), an alliance managed by six organizations to help developing countries implement climate-compatible development activities.

This fact sheet describes the mission, strategic themes, and operational achievements of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), an alliance of six organisations dedicated to helping developing countries implement climate compatible development.

This fact sheet describes the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), an alliance of six organizations providing research, advisory services, and knowledge sharing to help developing countries implement climate-compatible development. The CDKN focuses on four strategic themes: climate-compatible development strategies, improving access to climate finance, strengthening climate resilience through disaster risk management, and supporting climate negotiators from Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

This strategic framework, developed by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), provides a phased approach for African nations to integrate water security and climate resilience into their national development planning and investment decision-making processes.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of economic growth and climate change, specifically focusing on the needs of developing countries. It argues for 'climate compatible development'—a strategy that minimizes climate harm while maximizing human development opportunities. The document outlines ten propositions, asserting that while growth is an imperative for poverty reduction in poor nations, it must be transitioned toward low-carbon models to be sustainable. It emphasizes the need for national strategies, the leveraging of private finance, and the creation of political consensus to manage the disruptive shifts in global production and markets caused by climate policy.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law provides an overview of the risks and persecution faced by land and environmental rights defenders in 2013. It details how individuals protecting natural resources and indigenous rights are targeted by state forces and non-state actors, including corporations and organized crime, often in the context of large-scale investment projects and extractive industries.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the intersection of lead pollution and human rights, detailing the severe health impacts on children and adults and how these impacts violate international legal standards regarding the right to life, health, housing, and information.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the severe health impacts of lead contamination and its implications for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, health, adequate housing, and access to information. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of children and workers, particularly in developing countries, and identifies key sources of exposure such as leaded fuel, paint, and battery manufacturing.

This synthesis note, published by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, examines how United Nations human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) use their state reporting procedures to define the obligations of States to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights in the context of climate change. The report focuses on the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) up to December 2017.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) outlines the obligations of States under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) regarding climate change. It details how the CEDAW Committee addresses the disproportionate impact of climate change on women—particularly rural and older women—and emphasizes the necessity of gender-responsive climate policies, the participation of women in decision-making, and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions to protect women's human rights.

This briefing, produced by a coalition of climate litigation practitioners, provides structured 'Litigation Notes' to help lawyers apply the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July 23, 2025, advisory opinion (AO) on States' climate obligations. Specifically, this note focuses on the ICJ's conclusion that the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a binding norm of international law and a necessary precondition for the enjoyment of other human rights.

This research paper examines the intersection of international environmental law and foreign direct investment (FDI), analyzing how emerging legal principles, multilateral treaties, and public financing standards influence private capital flows. It highlights the tension between global economic expansion and sustainable development, specifically addressing the risks of 'pollution havens' and the increasing trend of transnational environmental litigation against multinational corporations in their home country courts.

This research paper examines the conceptual and legal intersections between international human rights law and international environmental law, focusing on the Inter-American System of Human Rights. The author argues that while the two regimes historically differed in approach—human rights being anthropocentric and environmental law oscillating between anthropocentric and biocentric—they are increasingly integrated. The document analyzes how human rights tools, such as precautionary measures and state responsibility for the acts of third parties, are used to protect environmental rights and reviews regional jurisprudence from the Inter-American, African, and European systems to illustrate the environmental dimensions of the rights to life, property, and information.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative, produced for COP22, analyzes the growth and governance of the green bond market. It highlights the shift toward private sector issuance, the increasing role of emerging markets like China, and the necessity of reaching USD 1 trillion in annual green emissions by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The Climate Bonds Initiative provides capacity building programmes and training courses designed to accelerate the shift of capital toward climate-aligned investment through interactive, practical, and tailored learning.

This fact sheet provides frequently asked questions regarding the 'Cradle to Grave' report, which offers a global overview of the health and societal harms associated with the entire lifecycle of fossil fuels and their impact across the human lifespan.

This executive summary analyzes finance commitments for electricity and clean cooking access in 20 high-impact countries between 2013-14 and 2015-16. While electricity finance increased, it remains insufficient to meet 2030 universal access goals, with a significant geographical imbalance favoring Asia over Sub-Saharan Africa. Finance for clean cooking has decreased and remains critically low.