Search Climate Insights Directory

The report analyzes national and international sustainability taxonomies to propose criteria for the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy's land-use sector. It highlights the high sensitivity of sustainable finance measurements to the chosen classification, demonstrating through a rural credit case study that alignment varies from 1% to 44% depending on the reference used. The authors recommend a technical, science-based approach with granular application levels and a gradual implementation roadmap to prevent greenwashing and attract international investment.

This discussion paper by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the financing requirements and barriers for decarbonizing the industrial sector in India, with a specific focus on the iron and steel sectors.

The document provides a roadmap for Brazil to lead international efforts in reforming the global financial architecture, promoting country platforms for investment, and addressing gaps in adaptation and nature finance. It emphasizes the need for the G20 to scale up resources for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) and suggests that Brazil lead by example by structuring its own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through a functional country platform by 2025.

This case study analyzes the sensitivity of sustainability classifications for rural credit in Brazil, comparing five different taxonomies and initiatives applied to data from the BCB's SICOR system between July 2015 and June 2023.

The report examines several classification systems used to identify sustainable investments, including the Climate Bonds Taxonomy, the EU Taxonomy, the Colombian Green Taxonomy, and the Mexican Sustainable Taxonomy, as well as domestic Brazilian initiatives from FEBRABAN and BNDES. It provides detailed breakdowns of the technical screening criteria, eligibility requirements, and mitigation and adaptation goals for agricultural and forestry activities across these frameworks. The analysis highlights the transition from general environmental objectives to specific, measurable metrics such as GHG emission reductions and carbon stock increases, while noting the varying degrees of regulatory force—ranging from mandatory EU regulations to voluntary guides in Mexico and Colombia.

The document argues that Brazil has a unique opportunity during its G20 presidency and the lead-up to COP30 to champion more equitable and effective climate finance. It identifies critical gaps in funding for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) and proposes reforms to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and the IMF. Key recommendations include the use of 'national platforms' to align NDCs with economic development, the integration of climate risks into investment portfolios, and the promotion of nature-based financing and adaptation funding.

The paper analyzes the financing gap in India's iron and steel sector, which is the country's largest industrial GHG emitter. It highlights a risk of carbon lock-in as 196 MTPA of fossil-based capacity is planned for 2021-2038. The authors propose a five-pillar framework—sectoral policies, enabling ecosystems, bankable business models, financing/derisking mechanisms, and financial sector regulations—to transition from fossil-intensive production to low-carbon technologies like green hydrogen-DRI. It details specific instruments such as Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD), blended debt funds, and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to bridge the investment gap.

The report identifies critical gaps in the governance of legal deforestation in the MATOPIBA region (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia), where agricultural expansion for soy and corn drives significant vegetation loss. It highlights a lack of clarity in legal competence between state and municipal authorities for issuing Authorizations for the Suppression of Vegetation (ASV) and the failure of the national SINAFLOR system to serve as an effective management tool. Key issues include underreporting of ASVs, a lack of public transparency regarding georeferenced data, and technical incompatibilities between state and federal systems. The authors recommend that the federal government clarify issuing competencies, improve SINAFLOR's functionality, and ensure open access to complete ASV data to support the goal of zero deforestation by 2030.

The document identifies a gap in Indonesia's top-down climate finance approach, which often prioritizes financier requirements over the needs of marginalized communities. It argues for a shift from a reliance on philanthropic funding toward commercial and blended finance to increase the scale and coverage of support. To achieve this, the report emphasizes the need to address structural barriers such as inadequate capacity, low-quality project pipelines, and regulatory uncertainty.

The report analyzes Brazil's complex legislative framework for forest restoration, concluding that current policies are designed for property-scale rather than landscape-scale implementation. It identifies three essential factors for scaling up: permitting a variety of restoration typologies within a single project, breaking barriers between public and private land tenure, and integrating both mandatory and voluntary restoration areas. The authors argue that the ongoing revision of the National Plan for Native Vegetation Recovery (PLANAVEG) is a critical opportunity to implement these changes and leverage the carbon market to achieve climate and socioeconomic goals.

The document examines the systemic failures in managing legal deforestation in Brazil's Matopiba region, highlighting the inefficiency of the Sinaflor system and the lack of transparency in ASV data. It argues that the current governance framework allows for significant underreporting of legal land conversion, which undermines the goal of zero deforestation by 2030 in the Cerrado biome.

The report identifies financial barriers as the most severe challenge to green building implementation in Indonesia, citing a lack of dedicated financing instruments and high interest rates. While national regulations like GR 16/2021 have introduced green building standards, they are limited to very large buildings and exclude the residential sector, which accounts for 83% of building energy demand. A case study in Semarang demonstrates that combining building material retrofits with high-efficiency air conditioning can reduce cooling energy use by 32% to 44%, potentially saving USD 3.19 million annually. However, meeting green building mandates in Semarang over the next decade is estimated to require USD 223.7 million in investment.

The report analyzes Brazil's complex restoration landscape, arguing that current policies are designed for property-scale rather than landscape-scale implementation. It identifies three critical factors for scaling: permitting a variety of restoration typologies within single projects, overcoming land tenure uncertainties on public lands, and integrating mandatory legal obligations with voluntary restoration activities. The authors suggest that the ongoing revision of the National Plan for Native Vegetation Recovery (PLANAVEG) is a key opportunity to implement these changes.

The report analyzes the challenges of scaling up forest and native vegetation restoration in Brazil, arguing that current public policies are designed for individual rural properties rather than landscape-scale initiatives. It identifies three essential factors for success: the adoption of multiple complementary restoration typologies, the integration of both public and private lands, and the synergy between mandatory legal restoration and voluntary initiatives. The authors highlight the potential of carbon markets and payment for environmental services to drive these efforts, while noting that regulatory contradictions—particularly regarding environmental licensing for native silviculture—remain significant hurdles.

The 2023 update on the 70 largest public financial institutions (PFIs) shows minimal progress in climate commitments, with only two institutions adding new net zero or Paris alignment targets. Analysis of smaller PFIs in emerging markets and developing economies indicates that climate mainstreaming is driven more by shareholder government support than by institutional capacity.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) mapped 52 cross-border guarantee instruments from 34 entities, including MDBs, DFIs, ECAs, and specialized institutions. The analysis reveals that while guarantees can mobilize 6-25 times more financing than loans, the current landscape is fragmented, predominantly focused on debt and commercial risks, and largely climate-agnostic. Most guarantees target middle-income countries, with a notable focus on Africa. The report identifies a lack of climate-exclusive guarantees and limited equity investment coverage, recommending further research into the cost, duration, and additionality of these instruments to help meet the estimated USD 2.4 trillion annual requirement for the green transition in EMDEs (excluding China).

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines India's climate adaptation financing, highlighting the significant funding gaps at the subnational level and proposing strategic interventions to mobilize public and private finance.

The report analyzes 52 cross-border guarantee instruments from 34 entities, finding that while guarantees are critical for mobilizing private capital in EMDEs, the current landscape is fragmented. Most guarantees are climate-agnostic and focused on commercial risk and debt instruments, with significant gaps in climate-exclusive products, equity guarantees, and coverage for political and currency risks. The study recommends increasing guarantees for low-income countries and high-emitting EMDEs, and expanding the role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in offering climate-specific instruments.

The 2023 update shows minimal progress in climate commitments among the 70 largest PFIs, with only two institutions setting new targets. However, an analysis of smaller PFIs in emerging markets and developing economies reveals that institutional size is not a primary barrier to climate ambition; instead, government prioritization and national climate goals are the strongest drivers of engagement. The report highlights that banks with general development mandates tend to be more climate-ambitious than those with narrow sectoral mandates, though successful examples exist in infrastructure and agriculture.

India faces significant climate vulnerability, with adaptation investment needs estimated between USD 14 billion and USD 67 billion annually for 2015-2030. While the government utilizes a 'co-benefits' approach—integrating adaptation into broader development goals—this makes it difficult to track specific adaptation funding. Analysis of six states' updated State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) reveals a collective annual investment need of INR 444.7 billion (USD 5.5 billion) for 2021-30. State governments are the primary drivers of adaptation finance, but their capacity is constrained by high debt levels and strict borrowing limits under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. The report recommends that the 16th Finance Commission include adaptation variables in fund devolution and suggests using Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and blended finance to attract private capital, which is currently limited by data gaps and uncertain returns.