Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the current technological landscape of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the potential for emerging technologies to drive sustainable development. It analyzes the ASM life cycle—from exploration to mine closure—and identifies gaps in technology adoption, particularly regarding worker safety, environmental protection, and financial inclusion. The document highlights the dual nature of technological advancement: while it can increase productivity and recovery rates, it also risks displacing labor, especially women, and potentially increasing environmental degradation through overmining.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate, presents the report of the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The primary purpose of the meeting, held via videoconference on 26 March 2024, was to review and decide upon a proposal from Panama to host the headquarters of the IAI Directorate.

The Report of the Financial Working Group, prepared by the IAI Directorate, outlines a plan to ensure the financial stability of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) through adjusted voluntary contributions and the acceptance of in-kind support.

This report from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the activities and recommendations of the Financial Working Group. The group was tasked with developing a plan to increase voluntary contributions to the IAI's operating budget and define other forms of financial and in-kind support to ensure financial stability amidst inflation and growth in activities.

This briefing from the IAI Directorate presents the core budget request for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and preliminary requests for 2025-2027, detailing operational costs, staffing changes, and proposed increases in country contributions.

This report from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the activities and recommendations of the Financial Working Group. The group was established to develop a plan for increasing voluntary contributions to the IAI's operating budget and defining other types of financial and in-kind support to ensure financial stability amidst inflation and growth in activities.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) presents the operating budget request for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and preliminary requests for 2025-2027, detailing necessary increases in country contributions to support strategic activities and staffing.

This briefing provides a financial review of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, detailing contributions from member Parties, operational expenditures, and administrative controls as of March 31, 2024.

The report documents the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on 26 March 2024. The primary outcome of the meeting was the consensus approval of Panama's proposal to host the headquarters of the IAI Directorate.

This report documents the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on March 26, 2024. The primary purpose of the meeting was to review and decide upon a proposal from Panama to host the headquarters of the IAI Executive Directorate.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the increasing integration of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) into free trade agreements (FTAs). It analyzes the growth, types, and potential benefits of these references, while highlighting critical challenges regarding enforcement, terminology, and the risk of creating trade barriers for small-scale producers.

This reader's guide provides an overview of the core legal text of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA), a plurilateral initiative within the World Trade Organization (WTO) aimed at facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) to foster sustainable development, particularly in developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs).

This guide details the WTO's Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, which aims to increase FDI in developing countries and LDCs by improving transparency, simplifying administration, and promoting sustainable investment. It outlines a plurilateral approach where signatories commit to procedural reforms, while benefiting from Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for capacity building.

This stocktaking report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Convergence examines the intersection of blended finance, gender equality, and the energy transition in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It analyzes market trends, identifies systemic barriers to gender-responsive climate finance, and provides case studies of financial vehicles that integrate gender outcomes into clean energy projects.

This policy brief, produced by Transforma and WWF, outlines the climate adaptation challenges and opportunities for Latin America and the Caribbean in the lead-up to COP30 in Belém do Pará, Brazil. It emphasizes the need to scale adaptation financing, integrate biodiversity and human rights into national planning, and leverage Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) to build resilience in a region that is the second most exposed to climate change globally.

This policy brief, produced by Transforma and WWF, analyzes the challenges and opportunities for a Just Energy Transition (JET) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It argues that the region must move beyond simple decarbonization toward a socio-ecological transition that addresses structural inequalities, fiscal dependence on fossil fuels, and the protection of biodiversity and human rights, particularly in the context of the upcoming COP30 in Brazil.

The report details the 56th meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on 14 November 2023. The meeting focused on the election of the EC Bureau for 2023-2025, the status of the Core Budget, and progress reports on science and capacity-building activities following the 31st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-31).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 7, 2023, between the Foundation for Research and Innovation of the State of Santa Catarina (FAPESC) and the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to collaborate on science, technology, and innovation, specifically regarding global environmental change.

The document is a list of participants for the 56th Meeting of the Executive Council to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held via videoconference on 14 November 2023.

This policy brief by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines options for international trade-related cooperation to address plastic pollution, specifically focusing on single-use plastics. It analyzes existing national legislative approaches, proposes criteria for identifying problematic plastics, and outlines pathways for collective action through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the development of a global plastics treaty.