Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that the global community must transition to a 'sustainability corridor' where human welfare is improved without overexploiting natural resources. It proposes the 'provisioning systems framework' to analyze the physical, institutional, and social structures that link human needs to resource use. The authors apply this framework to climate change mitigation, comparing different provisioning systems for charging cellphones (grid electricity versus portable solar panels) and different modes of transport (air versus road) to demonstrate why policy effectiveness varies across contexts.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute outlines a framework for achieving climate-neutral cities, focusing on the identification of emission sources across three scopes and the deployment of efficiency and carbon capture technologies. It emphasizes a systems-thinking approach to urban mitigation, specifically targeting the transportation and built environment sectors while excluding large-scale electricity generation and general industry solutions.

The document examines the relationship between tropical deforestation and water use in agricultural commodity supply chains, specifically those imported into the EU. It highlights that while high-risk deforestation commodities often rely on precipitation (green water), other commodities cause significant water scarcity through irrigation (blue water). The authors warn that focusing solely on deforestation may shift environmental burdens to water-scarce regions and identify critical data gaps regarding water use for beef and wood products.

The SCF2 MEL Guidance Notes outline a two-tier results measurement system consisting of event-level monitoring managed by partners and programme-level evaluation managed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). Partners are required to use specific tools—including pre- and post-event surveys and field notes—to capture baseline and end-line data, while adhering to GDPR standards for informed consent and data pseudonymisation. The guidance also mandates ethics planning for human subject engagement and environmental assessments to track and reduce the carbon footprint of funded activities.

The paper examines how the unequal consumption of natural resources and the global carbon budget reinforces systemic inequality and accelerates climate change. It argues that current environmental frameworks, such as the planetary boundaries and the Paris Agreement, often fail to allocate responsibility equitably or address the colonial legacies of the global economic system. The authors call for a transformation of global governance to include marginalized voices and Indigenous knowledge systems, shifting away from a growth-dependent economic model toward one rooted in social justice and cultural reflexivity.

The document identifies the current global financial system as a barrier to sustainability, noting a funding gap of USD 8.4–10.1 trillion for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries. It argues that financial flows are primarily driven by perceived profitability rather than sustainability, and calls for the 'greening' of market-based investments to move from voluntary ESG initiatives to standard working practices. The author recommends that governments use fiscal measures like carbon pricing and that multilateral development institutions make sustainability norms a condition for co-financing. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the need for international harmonization of financial regulations and the equal partnership of developing countries in shaping the global sustainable finance architecture.

Estonia generates approximately 167,000 tonnes of food waste annually, with food loss (avoidable waste) accounting for 50% of this total. Households are the largest contributors, generating 81,000 tonnes of waste, while the food trade sector has seen a significant increase in unsold food waste. The report highlights that food loss is most prevalent in primary production (82%) and least prevalent in the food industry (10%), with a total estimated annual economic value of €164 million for food loss across the supply chain.

The briefing argues that nature-based solutions (NbS) are often framed as apolitical, leading to the neglect of social equity and justice. It proposes five core principles: ensuring inclusive and transparent processes, tackling root causes of marginalization, limiting the unjust redistribution of risks and costs, prioritizing at-risk communities, and using valuation tools that assess social and political change. These principles are illustrated through a case study in Kaptembwa, Nakuru, Kenya, where participatory planning is used to address flooding and lack of green space in a semi-informal settlement.

The document finds that DFIs are generally averse to letting national development plans shape their investment decisions, leading to underfunding in strategic sectors such as manufacturing in Ethiopia, healthcare and ICT in Ghana, and transport and ICT in Kenya. While DFIs contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement through clean energy investments, they often treat national agendas as risk factors rather than investment determinants. The authors propose a four-step framework—Identify, Compare, Engage, and Invest—to help DFIs better align their financial flows with country-level strategic sectors.

The report evaluates the 'action gap' since the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, noting that only about one-tenth of global environmental targets have been met. It argues that current economic systems drive planetary crises and extreme inequality, where the richest 10% of the population emitted more than half of total carbon emissions from 1990 to 2015. To unlock a better future, the authors propose redefining the human-nature relationship through biophilic urban design and indigenous knowledge, rethinking prosperity by moving beyond GDP and adopting 'function-over-product' business models, and reforming finance to bridge funding gaps in low-income countries. It calls for a new paradigm of 'technology co-development' and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that the coming decade leads to systemic transformation.

The report examines how agricultural expansion and urban development in the Chiquitano dry forest region of Bolivia are altering water resources. It highlights the proliferation of 'atajados' (artificial ponds) and groundwater wells, noting that these decentralized systems are often unregulated and not captured in current hydrological models. The authors argue that these changes reduce deep infiltration and base flow, potentially threatening downstream ecosystems and water users, drawing a parallel to similar unregulated water diversions in Northern California.

The report highlights that animal welfare is largely absent from sustainable development governance, despite evidence that current animal treatment hinders the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. It identifies critical links between industrial livestock farming and public health threats like antimicrobial resistance and zoonoses, as well as environmental degradation. The authors propose three pathways for mainstreaming: incorporating animal welfare into international legal instruments, adopting national policies to support sustainable practices (including economic and regulatory tools), and enhancing knowledge, capacity, and representation for animals.

The document argues that the current linear economy, driven by a culture of consumption and planned obsolescence, is unsustainable. It proposes a circular economy based on a systemic approach to maintain resource flows through regeneration and value retention. The authors emphasize that 100% circularity is physically impossible due to thermodynamics, but an optimum can be reached through a design mindset focused on extended life cycles and 'R' activities like remanufacturing and repair. Key barriers identified include outdated waste legislation, intellectual property laws, and consumer norms favoring ownership over access. The paper advocates for the use of public procurement as a lever to create markets for circular business models, such as functional sales where users pay for performance rather than product ownership.

The report critiques the historical failure of technology transfer in clean energy, agriculture, and health, proposing a 'co-development' model to bridge the gap between developed and developing nations.

The document examines the dimensions of a just energy transition, moving beyond the focus on fossil fuel workers to address the impacts of clean energy deployment. It identifies five types of energy justice—distributive, procedural, recognition, restorative, and cosmopolitan—and emphasizes the necessity of respecting human rights across the entire clean energy supply chain. The briefing highlights risks associated with critical mineral extraction and land use, providing case studies from Colombia and Scandinavia. It concludes that international cooperation and robust regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure that the benefits and costs of the transition are shared equitably without exacerbating existing inequalities.

The paper examines the limitations of 'green growth' and absolute decoupling, highlighting how rebound effects and problem shifting hinder environmental progress. It advocates for a transition to 'strong sustainable consumption governance' that combines technological efficiency with modal shifts and absolute reductions in high-impact consumption. The authors emphasize the need to measure consumption-based emissions—which often occur outside the borders of high-income countries—and to reconcile ecological limits with social aspirations to ensure a fair distribution of resources.

The report identifies a pervasive 'elite–citizen gap' in confidence toward international organizations, where elites consistently express higher levels of trust than ordinary citizens. Based on survey data from Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, Russia, and the US, the study finds that this gap is most pronounced for sustainable development organizations like the UN and is often underestimated by elites. The authors argue that legitimacy is driven by both organizational performance and democratic procedure, and they recommend that the UN increase awareness of this gap, communicate more effectively on its performance and procedures, and strategically engage with young people to bolster global governance.

The paper examines the dimensions of a just and equitable energy transition, moving beyond the impacts on fossil fuel-dependent workers to analyze the risks associated with clean energy supply chains. It identifies five forms of justice—distributional, procedural, recognition, restorative, and cosmopolitan—and emphasizes the necessity of respecting human rights, particularly for Indigenous peoples, throughout the energy lifecycle. The authors highlight the risks of human rights violations in critical mineral extraction and the potential for 'green' projects to cause displacement. They advocate for community benefit-sharing, quality job creation, and international cooperation to ensure that the economic benefits of the transition do not exacerbate existing inequalities.

The study reveals very low trust among Sámi respondents toward Swedish state authorities and hydropower companies regarding the protection of Sámi rights. This distrust is strongly correlated with high levels of concern over the negative impacts of hydropower on traditional land and water use, as well as perceptions of limited influence, insufficient institutional competence in Sámi rights, and poor communication. The authors argue that this trust deficit stems from a governance approach that treats the Sámi as mere stakeholders in dialogue rather than as rights-holders.

The paper argues that developing countries lack the financial sector capacity to fund the scale of investment required for low-carbon transitions. It distinguishes between 'commercially viable technologies' that need scaled-up investment and 'financially underserved technologies' that require de-risking. Proposed solutions include the creation of a Global Clean Investment Risk Mitigation Mechanism (GCI-RMM), the implementation of sustainable taxonomies and corporate disclosures, and the use of carbon pricing. The authors emphasize that multilateral cooperation is essential to harmonize these regulations and increase grant-based concessional finance to catalyze private investment.