Search Climate Insights Directory

This report details the Regional Workshop on Climate, Environment, and Health held from 13 to 17 March 2023 in San Martín de los Andes, Argentina. Organized by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the event aimed to strengthen the capacity of researchers and policymakers to address the intersection of climate, environment, and human health through transdisciplinary and intersectoral approaches.

The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment evaluates global progress toward the 2030 goals of halting deforestation and restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land. The report concludes that no global indicator is currently on track to meet these targets, noting that while some regional progress exists, radical transformations in finance, governance, and production are required to shift the global forest trajectory.

The October 2022 Executive Summary of the Forest Declaration Assessment evaluates global progress toward the 2030 goals of ending natural forest loss and degradation and restoring 350 million hectares of degraded forest land. The report concludes that no global indicator is currently on track to meet these targets, highlighting significant gaps in financing, corporate accountability, and governance.

The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment executive summary evaluates global progress toward the 2030 goals of ending deforestation and restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land. The report concludes that the world is not on track to meet these targets, noting that global deforestation rates decreased only modestly in 2021 and that financial investments for forest protection remain critically insufficient.

The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment executive summary evaluates global progress toward the 2030 goals of halting deforestation and restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land. It concludes that no single global indicator is currently on track to meet these targets, highlighting critical gaps in finance, corporate action, and governance.

The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment Theme 4 report evaluates global forest governance systems and their capacity to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. It finds that while some countries have implemented effective legal tools like moratoria and inclusive policies, overall progress is insufficient, with persistent issues including widespread corruption, tenure insecurity for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and the rollback of environmental protections in several major tropical forest nations.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights reviews the activities of the UN Human Rights Committee (CCPR) regarding climate change during 2020 and 2021. It details the Committee's increasing focus on climate-related recommendations, its inquiries into fossil fuel extraction and public participation, and the implications of specific individual communications on state obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework's 'Two-Pillar Solution' to address tax avoidance and the digitalisation of the economy. It argues that the current global taxation framework is fragmented, allowing multinational corporations to avoid taxes through profit shifting and the lack of physical presence. The document highlights that developing countries, particularly in Africa, suffer disproportionate revenue losses as a share of GDP and are underrepresented in the negotiations of the global tax deal. It calls for greater transparency, fairer thresholds for profit reallocation, and the potential move of negotiations to a neutral body like the United Nations to ensure equitable outcomes for poorer nations.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework's 'Two-Pillar Solution' to address tax avoidance and the digitalisation of the economy. It argues that the current global taxation framework is fragmented, allowing multinational corporations to avoid taxes, and highlights how developing countries, particularly in Africa, suffer disproportionate revenue losses. The document criticizes the Inclusive Framework for the underrepresentation of African nations and the potential for the agreement to favor wealthy nations, recommending a shift toward more inclusive, transparent, and equitable negotiations, possibly under the UN.

This report by the World Resources Institute outlines the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) and community lands in climate change mitigation. It argues that while community lands cover approximately half of the world's land and provide immense ecosystem services and carbon sequestration, they are often legally unrecognized and underfunded. The document provides evidence that secure land tenure leads to lower deforestation rates and proposes six strategic steps to better integrate community land management into global climate action.

This briefing paper by the Forest Declaration Assessment examines how the global transition to low-carbon technologies increases the demand for minerals, thereby posing a significant threat to forest ecosystems, particularly Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) in the Amazon and Congo Basin.

This annex to the 2021 NYDF Goal 7 Progress Report provides technical and economic mitigation potential estimates for forest-related activities, analyzes the ambition of forest targets in National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and estimates the global finance needs and public finance flows for forest mitigation.

This report by the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) and Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (FAS) argues that the Amazon is 'too big to fail' and must transition from a 'deforestation economy' to an inclusive green economy. It details the systemic risks of an ecological tipping point and proposes the creation of the Amazon Green Economy Hub in Manaus to coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts, scale bioeconomy enterprises, and reform economic policies to value standing forests over land liquidation.

The report details the 27th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-27) held in Brasilia, Brazil, in June 2019. Key outcomes include the adoption of a new Strategic Plan and a revised Scientific Agenda, the renewal of the Executive Director's mandate, and the approval of the 2019-2020 operating budget. The meeting highlighted critical financial sustainability challenges due to inflation and unpaid contributions. Strategic initiatives discussed include the creation of a flexible funding mechanism with the Belmont Forum, the implementation of a science-policy fellowship program (STeP), and the expansion of open data cooperation through South-South partnerships. The IAI also expanded its network by inviting research institutes from Colombia and Panama to become associates.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) synthesizes the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) regarding climate change up to 2020. It details the Committee's use of General Recommendations, Joint Statements, and the State reporting procedure to establish that States have human rights obligations to protect women from climate-related harms and ensure their participation in climate policy.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for the integration of procedural rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and access to justice—into climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the roles of the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement in promoting environmental democracy and provides specific recommendations for the COP-25 agenda to ensure climate policies are inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) Endorser Perspectives Report evaluates progress five years after the 2014 launch of the NYDF. Based on consultations with 84 endorsers, the report finds that while many commitments have been made, global deforestation has accelerated by 44% since 2014, and the world is not on track to meet its collective forest goals. The report identifies critical barriers—including weak governance, insufficient finance, and insecure land tenure—and outlines eight key lessons to transition from high-level commitments to measurable implementation.

This report presents the perspectives of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 inception. It evaluates progress toward ten global goals to end natural forest loss by 2030, identifying systemic barriers such as weak governance, insufficient financing, and land tenure insecurity, while highlighting successful multi-stakeholder partnerships and nature-based solutions.

This report by the Forest Declaration Assessment (UNDP) evaluates the progress of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 launch. Based on consultations with 84 signatories—including governments, companies, NGOs, and indigenous organizations—the document identifies critical barriers to ending natural forest loss by 2030 and outlines eight key lessons to accelerate implementation. It emphasizes that while high-level commitments are numerous, measurable action is lagging, with tropical primary forest loss increasing by 44% between 2002-13 and the reporting period.

The report details the proceedings of the 27th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-27) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Brasilia, Brazil, from June 5-6, 2019. The meeting focused on adopting a new 25-year Strategic Plan, addressing critical financial sustainability issues, and strengthening the integration of transdisciplinary science into public policy across the Americas.