Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio analyzes the capital requirements necessary to maximize agricultural productivity in Brazil without increasing deforestation, focusing on crop and beef output at the municipality level.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes 'Recovery Bonds' as a mechanism for sovereign nations to raise capital for climate-resilient, post-COVID-19 economic recovery, specifically focusing on sovereign green bonds and bonds linked to fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR).

The Framework for Sustainable Finance Integrity is a consultation draft by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) designed to provide guardrails, minimum benchmarks, and leadership benchmarks to ensure the financial sector's transition to net zero and sustainability is credible and impactful. It addresses the lack of universally accepted standards and the siloed nature of existing financial coalitions, proposing a structured approach to measure progress across targets, implementation, and transparency.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sovereign debt in low- and medium-income countries and proposes the use of Debt for Climate (DFC) swaps to create fiscal headroom for green recovery and climate action.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the specific characteristics of rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon biome, highlighting a heavy reliance on cattle production, limited access to credit compared to other Brazilian regions, and a lack of competition among financial institutions. The analysis suggests that these financial structures contribute to extensive land use and deforestation, advocating for a credit system better aligned with the Forest Code and sustainability indicators.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon, identifying six specific patterns that distinguish it from the rest of Brazil. The analysis highlights limited credit access, a heavy reliance on public banks, and a predominance of livestock financing, which the authors link to extensive land use and deforestation.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes how Brazil's New Bidding Law (Lei nº 14.133/2021) can be used to better prevent socio-environmental impacts in infrastructure projects. The authors argue that the law's detailed requirements for preliminary technical studies provide an opportunity to introduce a 'pre-feasibility analysis' phase, which would identify risks earlier in the project lifecycle and improve the quality of subsequent environmental studies and licensing processes.

The New Bidding Law of April 2021 in Brazil provides an opportunity to enhance infrastructure planning by detailing preliminary technical studies. CPI/PUC-Rio recommends using this framework to introduce a formal pre-feasibility analysis to filter out high-risk or infeasible projects. While the law increases transparency via a centralized website and expands the oversight role of legal advisory bodies and courts of accounts, it is criticized for reducing mandatory social participation in the bidding process.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines Results-Based Financing (RBF) as a tool to mobilize private capital for climate mitigation and adaptation, particularly as part of post-COVID-19 economic recovery. It details the mechanics of RBF, identifies high-potential sectors such as energy and urban development, and discusses implementation challenges including counterparty risk and the potential for perverse incentives.

This statement by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill (PL) no 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules for federal lands in Brazil. The analysis identifies some procedural improvements regarding inter-agency consultation and the requirement for active Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) status, but criticizes the lack of environmental safeguards and the creation of unjustified benefits for small properties, which the authors argue may reward environmental crimes.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the potential for increasing cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon. It finds that current livestock production is homogeneously low-productivity and extensive, meaning that simply disseminating existing local best practices would only yield modest gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and a crackdown on land grabbing and illegal deforestation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio analyzes the productivity of livestock farming in the Legal Amazon. It finds that the region is dominated by a homogeneous, low-productivity extensive business model, meaning that simply scaling existing local best practices would yield limited gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and the combatting of land grabbing (grilagem).

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill PL nº 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules in Brazil. The authors evaluate the proposal's impact on environmental safeguards, administrative procedures, and the alignment between land and environmental policies.

The report 'The Landscape of Climate Finance in Kenya' analyzes climate finance flows in Kenya for 2018, comparing them against the financial requirements of the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). It finds a significant funding gap, with tracked finance meeting only one third of the annual need, and a misalignment between the high proportion of mitigation funding (primarily in renewable energy) and the country's adaptation-focused needs.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2007 and 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is more widespread than clear-cutting deforestation and often serves as a precursor to it, though this relationship varies significantly by land tenure category. The authors argue that forest degradation is currently under-prioritized in public policy and should be used as an indicator for imminent environmental damage to better allocate conservation resources.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2007 to 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is a large-scale phenomenon that often precedes or occurs near clear-cut deforestation, with the relationship varying significantly based on land tenure categories. The authors argue that degradation should be a priority for conservation policy as a leading indicator of imminent environmental damage.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy conservation and efficiency efforts in Indonesia. Based on a survey of 16 respondents, including facility managers and energy efficiency business actors, the study finds that while the pandemic negatively impacted business turnover and led to the postponement of planned efficiency projects, there is general optimism for recovery. The report emphasizes the need for government support through fiscal incentives, reduced loan interest, and the implementation of efficiency measures in state-owned facilities to drive a green economic recovery.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes Bill (PL) No. 510/2021, which proposes modifications to Law No. 11.952/2009 regarding the land regularization of federal public lands. The document argues that the bill repeats setbacks from the expired Provisional Measure (MP) No. 910/2019 and introduces new provisions that benefit medium and large landholders and speculators, potentially incentivizing illegal deforestation and land grabbing (grilagem).

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the barriers and opportunities for National Development Banks (NDBs) to increase financing for climate-smart urban infrastructure. It identifies a significant gap between the potential of NDBs to act as intermediaries and the current reality, where only a small minority finance local governments. The document provides a 'City Maturity Model' consisting of 12 dimensions across strategic, financial, policy, and operational levels to help city officials improve their creditworthiness and project pipelines to better access NDB funding.