Search Climate Insights Directory

This commentary by Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), discusses the book 'On the Edge: The State and Fate of the World’s Tropical Rainforests' by Claude Martin. The text outlines the scientific history of tropical rainforest research, the primary drivers of deforestation—specifically agriculture and infrastructure—and the progress made through protected areas and remote sensing. It further examines the intersection of forest loss with climate change, carbon emissions, and the risks of species extinction.

The report details the design and pilot of the Energy Savings Insurance (ESI) instrument, aimed at stimulating energy efficiency investments for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by mitigating the risk of underperformance. It focuses on a 2015 pilot in Mexico's agro-industry sector and outlines a replication strategy for Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa.

This briefing paper by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and CARE International argues that climate change is a critical human rights challenge. It examines how climate impacts and the responses to them threaten fundamental rights and provides a set of policy recommendations to integrate a human rights-based approach into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process.

This briefing, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and CARE International, argues that climate change is the greatest human rights challenge of the current era. It calls for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to integrate human rights protections into its policies, particularly as the international community negotiated the 2015 climate agreement. The document outlines how climate impacts threaten fundamental rights and provides specific policy recommendations to ensure that climate mitigation and adaptation efforts do not further violate human rights.

This report details the 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 27–29, 2015. The meeting focused on 'The Post-Mining Transition and Environmental Management,' exploring how to integrate environmental, economic, and social planning into the mine life cycle to ensure sustainable transitions and community resilience after closure.

The 'Handbook for the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement', published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in 2015, provides a comprehensive guide for implementing Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in Latin America and the Caribbean. It advocates for shifting the procurement mindset from the lowest purchase price to optimizing value-for-money across the entire lifecycle of an asset, integrating environmental and social criteria into every stage of the procurement cycle to drive inclusive green growth.

This 2015 briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines key issues and priorities for the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) ahead of the COP 21 climate conference in Paris. It emphasizes the need for an ambitious, legally binding agreement that addresses the specific vulnerabilities of Africa, ensures equity through the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle, and closes significant financial and ambition gaps to limit global warming.

This research paper examines the role of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) in Latin America, finding that while it provides significant financing for infrastructure and capital goods, its activities are primarily market-driven and designed to support Brazilian exports rather than state-led regional integration. Between 2009 and 2013, BNDES disbursements to Latin America grew significantly, particularly to Venezuela and Cuba, though the bank faces criticism over project sustainability and the concentration of funds among a few large Brazilian firms.

This fact sheet describes the Robust Decision Support (RDS) approach developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), which integrates water systems modelling, participatory techniques, and interactive data visualization to make complex climate and water management data accessible to policy-makers and stakeholders.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the software tools, online platforms, and research activities developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. The document details specific tools for energy planning (LEAP), water resources planning (WEAP), consumption-based environmental impact accounting (REAP), and knowledge sharing for adaptation (weADAPT), while outlining SEI's strategic focus on capacity-building and the integration of these tools to address sustainable development challenges.

The Lima Declaration is a statement issued by the People's Summit against Climate Change in December 2014. It denounces the capitalist system and 'green economy' initiatives as false solutions to the climate crisis, demanding instead a transition based on social justice, the recognition of indigenous territorial rights, and the historical responsibility of developed nations toward the Global South.

This research paper by Natural Justice examines the dynamics of community-company engagements in the extractive industries, focusing on the power imbalances between corporations and indigenous or local communities. It outlines various types of agreements, evaluates the effectiveness of different engagement models (government-led vs. community-led), and provides a comprehensive overview of international human rights standards and legal frameworks that govern these interactions.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) argues against the 'financialization of nature,' which it defines as the process of turning biodiversity and ecosystem functions into financial assets and tradable instruments. FoEI contends that pricing nature leads to the privatization of the commons, marginalizes Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and allows corporations to continue destructive activities through offsetting mechanisms.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) argues against the 'financialization' of biodiversity, which it defines as the process of converting nature into financial assets and commodities. The document critiques market-based mechanisms such as biodiversity banking, natural capital bonds, and payment for ecosystem services, asserting that these tools facilitate corporate control over nature, marginalize Indigenous and local communities, and provide 'false solutions' that allow continued environmental destruction through offsetting.

The New York Declaration on Forests Action Agenda (2014) outlines a comprehensive framework for governments, companies, indigenous peoples, and multilateral institutions to slow, halt, and reverse global forest loss. It details a 'menu of key actions' for various stakeholders and reports a surge in zero-deforestation commitments from global commodity traders and consumer goods companies, alongside national pledges for forest restoration and the protection of indigenous lands.

The action list from the 38th Meeting of the IAI Executive Council details administrative decisions, the election of the Bureau, and the establishment of a committee to draft a pronouncement on adaptation for the UNFCCC CoP-20.

The document lists the actions and decisions taken during the 38th Meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on August 14, 2014, in Mexico City.

This document is a list of participants for the 38th Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held on August 14, 2014, in Mexico City, Mexico.

The minutes of the 38th Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council (EC), held on August 14, 2014, in Mexico City, detail the election of the EC Bureau, the establishment of guidelines for the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), and the drafting of a statement on climate change adaptation for the UNFCCC CoP-20.

The Action List Decisions from the Twenty-Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Mexico City on August 13-14, 2014, outlines administrative approvals, committee appointments, and policy positions regarding global change adaptation.