Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment argues that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) must be strengthened to address the gendered and sex-specific dimensions of toxic exposure, which disproportionately affect women, particularly those who are racialized, low-income, disabled, or newcomers.

This working paper examines the experiences and challenges of climate change practitioners in the global South as they transitioned to online engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on a 2020 CDKN survey and interviews across Africa, Asia, and South America, the document analyzes the impact of the digital divide, evaluates various communication platforms, and provides lessons for organizing inclusive virtual events for marginalized and remote populations.

This report by the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) investigates air quality around 270 schools in Bengaluru, India, between June 2019 and July 2020. Using data from the Healthy Air Coalition's independent monitoring network, the study finds that air quality is generally unhealthy for children throughout the year, with significant spikes in PM2.5 during winter months and school departure times. The report advocates for stricter compliance with health-based air quality standards and the implementation of traffic restrictions around schools to protect children's respiratory and cardiovascular health.

This statement, submitted in April 2021 by the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), the South African Medical Association, and Amref Health Africa, provides recommendations for South Africa's updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The authors argue that the draft's emission reduction targets are insufficient to protect public health and urge the government to align targets with a 2°C goal. The document emphasizes the critical link between climate action and health outcomes, proposing a 'One Health' approach and a policy roadmap focusing on energy, food and agriculture, and transportation to maximize health and equity co-benefits.

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.

This briefing by Ember analyzes energy scenarios from the UK, EU, and US, identifying a consensus that achieving zero-carbon electricity by the 2030s is a critical milestone for meeting 2050 net-zero targets. The report details the necessary phase-out of coal and gas, the required acceleration of wind and solar deployment, and the role of system flexibility and low-carbon firm power.

This executive summary outlines policy priorities to achieve 100 percent electric vehicle (EV) sales in the United States by 2030-2035. It argues that this transition, paired with a 90 percent clean grid by 2035, would save consumers $2.7 trillion, avoid 150,000 premature deaths, and create over 2 million net jobs by 2035. Key recommendations include implementing strong national fuel economy and tailpipe standards, providing means-based incentives, investing in charging infrastructure, and enacting 'Made in America' policies for domestic battery and vehicle manufacturing. The report emphasizes that these policies must be designed with input from frontline communities and those in historically redlined neighborhoods to ensure environmental justice.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal-fired power plant development in 2020, highlighting a significant surge in China that offset retirements in other regions. While the US, EU, and several Southeast Asian nations reduced their coal capacity or planning, China's increased activity led to the first growth in global coal capacity since 2015.

The report 'Boom and Bust 2021' analyzes the global coal plant pipeline, highlighting a divergence where a surge in coal development in China offset a general global retreat. While many countries in South and Southeast Asia, the US, and the EU are retiring plants or cancelling projects, China's commissioning of new capacity led to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015.

The 2020 global coal power landscape was characterized by a sharp increase in capacity in China, which offset declines elsewhere and led to the first global increase in coal capacity since 2015. While the US and EU saw record closures, China's provincial governments accelerated coal projects as economic stimulants. Conversely, several Southeast Asian and South Asian nations began canceling planned projects due to financing difficulties and shifting policies.

The April 2021 report by Global Energy Monitor and partners tracks global coal-fired power plant plans, highlighting a divergence where a construction boom in China offset significant closures in the US and EU. While South and Southeast Asian nations are increasingly cancelling projects due to funding difficulties and renewable energy competition, China's capacity continues to expand, driven by provincial economic stimulus and central government deregulation.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal power plant trends in 2020, highlighting a stark divergence between China's rapid expansion and a general global decline. While many countries in the US, EU, and Southeast Asia are decommissioning plants or canceling new projects due to financial pressures and climate goals, China's surge in new capacity offset global reductions, leading to a net increase in global coal capacity for the first time since 2015.

The report 'YÜKSELIŞ VE ÇÖKÜŞ 2021' analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2020, highlighting a stark divergence between China's continued expansion and a general global decline. While the rest of the world saw record retirements and project cancellations—particularly in the US, EU, and Southeast Asia—China's surge in new capacity led to a net global increase in coal power. The document details the financial challenges facing coal, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on project timelines, and the gap between current national trajectories and the IPCC 1.5°C pathway.

The report 'BÙNG NỔ VÀ THOÁI TRÀO 2021' analyzes global coal power trends in 2020, highlighting a stark contrast between China's surge in new capacity and a general global decline. While many nations in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the OECD are canceling projects or accelerating closures, China's rapid development has caused total global coal capacity to increase for the first time since 2015.

This reference guide by GreenCape provides a strategic framework for water and wastewater businesses and investors seeking to enter or expand within the South African public water sector. It details the sector's governance structure, the legal requirements for public procurement, various contracting models, and strategies for forming partnerships and trialling new technologies.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines how Canadian civil society groups—including labour, environmental, Indigenous, and social organizations—can align their efforts to achieve a just transition to a low-carbon economy. Based on surveys and interviews with 48 organizations, the study identifies core tenets of a just transition, analyzes political and technical barriers, and proposes specific actions for both the Canadian government and civil society to ensure the transition is equitable and inclusive.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Sitra explores how Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) can be used to facilitate the global transition to a circular economy (CE). It identifies specific policy levers—including tariff liberalization, services market access, technical standards, investment protections, subsidy reforms, and public procurement—that can be integrated into trade agreements to promote resource efficiency and discourage linear 'take-make-waste' economic models.

This policy brief analyzes how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) helped smallholder farmers in six countries cope with COVID-19. It finds that VSSs can build resilience through higher premiums, stronger buyer relationships, market diversification, and existing training in protocols. However, VSSs do not eliminate international price volatility or the disproportionate power of buyers. The brief recommends that governments support resilience by incentivizing sustainable consumption, ensuring living incomes via minimum prices, and extending social protection programs.