Search Climate Insights Directory

This guide by Friends of the Earth International explains the causes and consequences of human-induced climate change, emphasizing the concept of climate justice and the disproportionate impact on poor countries, particularly in Africa. It criticizes the failure of governments to act due to the influence of powerful corporations and proposes systemic changes to transition toward a sustainable and socially just future.

The Overarching Forest Goals Theme 1 Assessment evaluates global progress toward eliminating deforestation by 2030. It highlights that while some regions show modest declines in deforestation, current global rates are insufficient to meet the 2030 target, and net forest losses continue to outweigh gains from reforestation.

This case study describes how the BimaLab insurTech accelerator, backed by FSD Africa and the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) of Kenya, supported the startup KaroPay in developing insurance-linked credit solutions for education in Kenya.

This case study describes how Sand to Green, a tech-powered firm focused on combating desertification through agroforestry and solar desalination, accelerated its growth through financial and venture-building support from the Catalyst Fund under FSD Africa's Catalysing Climate Resilience (CCR) Programme.

This case study describes how the FSD Africa-supported BimaLab insurtech accelerator helped MotiSure, a Kenyan insurtech, develop and scale an insurance product for bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) riders. Through BimaLab's support in customer profiling and ecosystem understanding, MotiSure expanded its coverage options and grew its customer base from 4,600 to over 12,000 riders.

This report by the Green Economy Coalition and Climate Vanguard maps the global Youth Climate Movement (YCM) to analyze its strategic priorities, theories of change, and needs in a post-pandemic context. Based on a stocktake of 292 groups, surveys of 52 groups, and 19 interviews, the research identifies a tension between a widespread radical analysis of root causes and a lack of coherent strategic implementation, while highlighting an emerging 'Radical Green' wing focused on systemic economic transformation.

This policy brief by the Green Economy Coalition argues that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including informal businesses, are essential for a fair and inclusive green economic transition. It highlights the significant economic contribution of SMEs in emerging economies and outlines eleven specific areas where policy support is lacking, ranging from financing gaps and legal recognition to the need for better visibility in national policy development.

The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF) is a pioneering climate finance instrument launched in January 2020 to incentivise investment in South Africa's green small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). By using an outcomes-based payment model, the GOF provides grant funding to Catalytic Finance Partners (CFPs) who deploy private capital into green SMMEs, with reimbursements triggered by the creation of verified green outcomes, primarily permanent direct jobs.

The Green Economy Climate Finance Database 2022, developed by GreenCape with support from the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), identifies over 150 finance opportunities across approximately 125 stakeholders to address information asymmetry in South Africa's green economy.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) activity plan for July 2015 to June 2016 details institutional restructuring, research initiatives focused on ecosystem services and adaptation, and a series of capacity-building seminars across Latin America and the Caribbean.

This briefing note critiques the OECD's Two-Pillar international tax framework as undemocratic and biased toward high-income nations, arguing it fails to curb tax abuse by MNEs and the super-rich. It advocates for a UN Framework Convention on International Tax and Cooperation to ensure equitable participation and revenue mobilization for developing countries. The author urges South Africa to leverage its 2025 G20 Presidency to support the UN process and establish minimum global taxation standards for High Net Worth Individuals.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) delivered a statement on 18 March 2025 to the G20's Task Force 1 on Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment, and Reduced Inequality. The statement advocates for the development of G20 High-Level Principles on Green Industrial Policy to drive a global green transition that prioritizes structural transformation, inclusive growth, and the reduction of global inequality.

This research paper examines the critical role of financial resources and technological transfer in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. It traces the evolution of international development policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to current frameworks like the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, highlighting a persistent funding gap and a digital divide that hinder progress in developing nations.

The 'Step Off the Gas' report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes international public finance for natural gas expansion in the Global South, arguing that such funding locks countries into high-carbon pathways despite the availability of cheaper renewable alternatives.

This research paper by Kitrhona Cerri and Maria Mexi examines the evolution of industrial policy in the digital age, using Kenya as a primary case study. The authors argue that without strengthened data governance, worker protections, and national value capture mechanisms, digitalization in low- and middle-income countries risks creating structural dependency and "industrial thinness" rather than inclusive development.

This research paper by Pierre Sauvé argues for the modernization of industrial policy to center on the services economy. The author contends that while current industrial policies remain rooted in 20th-century manufacturing paradigms, services now drive global innovation, productivity, and competitiveness, acting as essential inputs for all economic sectors.

This research paper by Pierre Sauvé argues for a paradigm shift in industrial policy, moving from a traditional focus on manufacturing to one that prioritizes the services economy. The author contends that services are no longer merely residual activities but are essential inputs that drive productivity, innovation, and competitiveness across all economic sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing.

This report, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), analyzes the social and environmental impacts of China's rapid economic growth within the forestry, cotton, and E-products sectors. It provides strategic recommendations for the Chinese government to transition these supply chains toward sustainable development to support the national goal of achieving a "harmonious society" (HeXieSheHui) by 2020.

This briefing note, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and CUTS International, Geneva, examines the challenges faced by developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) within the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-commerce. It highlights a significant digital divide and capacity gaps that hinder these nations' ability to participate in negotiations and implement future agreements. The document proposes shifting from a narrow focus on regulatory cooperation toward a comprehensive approach that includes 'enabling issues' such as infrastructure and technical assistance, and suggests adopting a hybrid Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) model based on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) to ensure capacity-building commitments are enforceable.

This report examines the status of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce among World Trade Organization (WTO) members as of February 2021, specifically analyzing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on these negotiations and the broader digital economy. It details the acceleration of e-commerce adoption, the persistence of the digital divide, and the progress of ten thematic small groups working toward a consolidated negotiating text for the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).