Search Climate Insights Directory

This issue brief examines how climate change impacts United States national security, detailing the Department of Defense's (DOD) conceptualization of climate change as a 'threat multiplier' and the resulting operational, infrastructural, and geopolitical challenges. It outlines the adaptation and mitigation strategies adopted by the DOD and other security agencies, while analyzing the role of Congressional legislation and funding in shaping these efforts.

This report maps the landscape of gender diversity and social inclusion within the sustainable energy and climate change sectors, analyzing data from 174 organizations and programs to identify systemic barriers and geographic distributions of initiatives.

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of woodfuel carbon-offset projects in reducing deforestation and emissions, finding that actual emission reductions are significantly lower than project expectations.

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) identifies five critical success factors for increasing the climate resilience of water infrastructure. Based on a review of six projects across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the paper argues that resilience requires moving beyond engineering design to include strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and institutional capacity building to avoid 'stranded assets' and protect economic growth.

This briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that sustainable development and the transition to a 'green economy' cannot be achieved without explicitly addressing gender equality and social equity, particularly within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It highlights how systemic gender-based barriers—ranging from legal discrimination to unequal access to finance—limit the potential of women as workers and entrepreneurs, thereby hindering overall economic and environmental sustainability.

A fact sheet outlining five strategic lessons for local governments to establish successful, long-lasting partnerships for climate compatible development, derived from a CDKN-ICLEI learning programme involving partners in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the scale and distribution of Chinese finance for overseas coal power projects, highlighting China's role as a major provider of finance and the potential impact of its 2015 commitment to control public investment in high-carbon overseas projects.

This 2015 briefing identifies the personnel from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) attending the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan. It details their professional focuses—such as DRR finance, gender equality, and resilience measurement—and lists their scheduled presentations and exhibition activities during the conference.

The SEI Strategy 2015–2019 outlines the Stockholm Environment Institute's framework for bridging science and policy to support sustainable development. The strategy focuses on enhancing scientific research through new 'SEI Initiatives', expanding policy engagement to include 'hard-to-reach' stakeholders like the private sector, and strengthening capacity development across individual, organizational, and institutional levels. It also details the enabling infrastructure required for delivery, including communications, ICT tools, financial management, and a custom monitoring system (PMEC).

This infographic, produced by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), serves as a succinct guide to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) specifically for decision-makers in Small Island Developing States to encourage global understanding and discussion of the report's findings.

This report documents an outreach event held on 6 August 2014 in New Delhi, India, to communicate the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) to the Indian public and decision-makers. Organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in cooperation with the IPCC and the Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the event explored the implications of AR5 for India and South Asia, focusing on vulnerability, adaptation strategies, and low-carbon development opportunities.

This research paper analyzes the shift in India's foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing for a transition from the perceived strategic confusion of the previous UPA government to a pragmatic approach. It suggests that India should prioritize regional connectivity in South Asia, address emerging security threats like climate change and cyber-attacks, and utilize BRICS and IBSA to advocate for a more equitable system of global governance.

This document is an introductory text for an infographic titled 'Future climate trends for Africa,' which serves as a succinct guide for decision-makers based on the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5).

This research paper evaluates the air quality and health co-benefits of 14 emission control measures targeting black carbon, methane, and ozone precursors, finding that full implementation could significantly reduce global PM2.5 and ozone concentrations and prevent millions of premature deaths by 2030, with the majority of benefits occurring in Asia.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) specifically for the Asia region. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and exposure, providing a framework for integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation to enhance long-term resilience in Asian countries.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines historical private-sector investment patterns to assess the potential for private finance to meet climate change adaptation needs in developing countries. The author argues that private finance is unevenly distributed across regions and sectors, often failing to align with the most pressing adaptation needs of the poorest populations.

This 2010 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how air pollution, energy production, and pesticide use threaten the ecosystem services necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It argues that the degradation of approximately 60 per cent of examined ecosystem services may prevent the eradication of hunger and poverty, particularly in developing regions.

This document introduces a series of commissioned papers for the 2010 World Resources Report, focusing on the tension between addressing immediate development needs—such as poverty and hunger—and preparing for long-term climate risks. It highlights the projected decline in water availability and crop yields in Asia and calls for new planning tools to manage the trade-offs between short-term relief and long-term resilience.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a critical, low-cost tool for enhancing ecosystem productivity and human well-being. It highlights RWH as a decentralized alternative to large-scale water infrastructure that supports rainfed agriculture, urban water security, and climate change adaptation.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the Swedish Ozone Layer Protection programme (OLP), a bilateral initiative from 1999 to 2006 designed to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in developing countries and economies in transition. The report identifies country ownership, capacity building, and stakeholder participation as critical governance factors for the successful national phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It argues that a shift from top-down regulation to bottom-up governance is necessary for sustainable implementation and provides recommendations for reforming the incentive structures of implementing agencies and the status of national ozone units.