For billions of people, mountain meltwater is essential for drinking water and sanitation, food and energy security, and the integrity of the environment. But today, as the world warms, glaciers are melting faster than ever, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. And because of glacial retreat, floods, droughts, …
This report identifies and analyses key risks and barriers to private-sector investment in interconnected mini-grids (IMGs) in Nigeria – and evaluates policy and financial instruments designed to address them. The report presents a toolkit of interventions tailored to the Nigerian investment environment. Employing the recommended policies and measures will allow …
This paper presents a sector-specific methodology for assessing the role of the AFOLU sector within the NDCs. It identifies five core pillars of NDCs and sub-components specific to the AFOLU sector based on a global stocktaking of NDCs and alignment with the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement. It …
This policy brief effectively reviews the policy consequences of the unprecedented set of commitments made by the international community from 2015 onwards to pursuing a sustainable future through climate change adaptation through the adoption of the Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Paris Agreement on …
This report assesses options for the effective implementation of sustainable development impact assessment, in the context of climate change mitigation mechanisms such as those of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. To ensure that these mechanisms contribute to sustainable development in the host country, it is necessary to measure this …
The European power sector is at the forefront of decarbonisation of the EU’s economy. Between 1990 and 2019 greenhouse gas emissions from the sector decreased by 44%, with a significant acceleration even before the COVID-19-induced economic crisis. This report explores the current context and opportunities for emission reduction in the …
The end of 2020 marks a fundamental change in the global governance of greenhouse gas emissions with the shift from the Kyoto Protocol era to that of the Paris Agreement. This also has implications for the future role and the feasible models of the voluntary carbon market. A critical focus …
A new report, How to anticipate a Green Swan event, outlines climate transition risk and its importance to Chinese financial institutions. The report also presents an in-depth review of current methodologies used by financial institutions and their partners to better understand climate risk in their portfolios and create more effective …
Agricultural production in East Africa is mainly rain-fed, making it highly sensitive and vulnerable to increased climate variability arising from climate change (EAC 2017a). Climate vulnerability is also exacerbated by reduced produce quality, land degradation, declining soil fertility and imperfect insurance and credit markets. Smallholder farming systems in the region …
This report is divided in three sections showcasing recent mitigation policy developments, climate-relevant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and an overview of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and long-term, low-emissions development strategies (hereafter referred to as long-term strategies or LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC. The first section of this document presents …
Through extensive research, analysis, and stakeholder consultation, the report aims to identify the high priority actions that must collectively take now, for climate change adaptation and mitigation in food systems. Taken together, these actions are the basis of the systemic transformation that is needed in food systems.
Indigenous populations of the Amazon own 210 million hectares of land and have proven to be highly skilled in the field of forest conservation: the deforestation rate is 0.8%, i.e., even less than that of protected areas (1.1%) and obviously significantly lower than that of the Amazon as a whole.However, …
Over the years, there has been a gradual recognition of the potentially important role to be played by the states in helping India achieve its renewable energy (RE) targets, with national agencies emphasising a vertical integration of the RE policy and a strengthening of state capacities. At present, states policies …
This study, part of The Council’s ongoing work under GHG Platform India and supported by the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, assesses eight policies and mitigation actions undertaken in the Indian state of Gujarat’s manufacturing sector. Gujarat has implemented numerous policies on its manufacturing sector with little or no significant impact …
The midline survey gathered information at the household-level on agricultural practices, changes made on those over time and in particular since the baseline, sources of weather, climate and agriculture related information, livelihood/agriculture/natural resource management strategies pursued and the current risk management, mitigation and adaptation practices adopted. The survey also collected …
Together, European countries have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions significantly since 1990. Achieving climate neutrality by 2050, however, will demand additional and long-lasting climate mitigation strategies. With materials management accounting for up to two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, one promising area for further reductions is the circular economy. …
The report finds that climate change and its mitigation will increasingly affect macroeconomic variables essential to the conduct of monetary policy. It highlights the need for central banks to strengthen their analytical toolkits, integrating climate risks into their economic models and forecasting tools.
The importance of seagrasses is highlighted in a new report, Out of the Blue: The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to People, released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with GRID-Arendal and UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that are found …
This policy brief was prepared following the momentous UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP25) outcome in which Parties adopted a two-year workplan for the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples’ Platform (LCIPP). The adoption of the workplan recognizes the important role and contribution of indigenous peoples as partners and agents for …
The Government of Rwanda has announced an ambitious climate action agenda that features a 38% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to business as usual by 2030, equivalent to an estimated mitigation of up to 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The climate action plan, known officially as …
Fully decarbonizing global industry is essential to achieving climate stabilization, and reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050–2070 is necessary to limit global warming to 2 °C. This paper assembles and evaluates technical and policy interventions, both on the supply side and on the demand side. It identifies measures …
