January 2021

Climate change newsletter

IIED's climate change newsletter is sent out every two months to keep you updated on our research to shape development policy and practice for climate resilience, equitable global governance and locally led adaptation to climate change.

People standing in a field with corn and palm trees. Community members in Odisha, India, cultivate kitchen gardens that provide thousands of people with a local source of fruits and vegetables.

Locally led adaption to climate change: the start of a 10-year learning journey

Collectively, the world has failed to respond to the triple crises of poverty, climate and nature at the scale and speed so desperately needed by the poorest communities. Going further and faster on climate action demands a whole-of-society response and requires more, and better quality, support

In early 2021, a fast-growing group of experts will meet in Gobeshona to define a 10-year learning agenda to advance principles for critical locally led adaption to climate change. Saleemul Huq and Clare Shakya explain the importance of this group and the journey ahead. Read their blog.

Climate change news and blogs

A pastoralist community in Northern Tanzania comes together to articulate priorities for building resilience to climate change.

News

Participatory toolkits help rural marginalised communities make their voices heard on climate change

The Pamoja Voices toolkits which were recently published in English and Kiswahili enable people and communities in Tanzania and Zanzibar to articulate their priorities for building resilience to climate change.

Find out more.

Download the toolkits:

Make Change Happen podcast episode 9

No time to lose – collective action for our common future

IIED’s ‘Make Change Happen’ podcast provides an opportunity to hear our researchers and guests discuss key global development challenges and explain what we are doing to support positive change.

In the first episode of 2021, we learn that early action, youth participation and collaborative policymaking are pivotal to making change happen and a better future for us all. Listen now.

Graphic: business as usual versus 'business unusual'.

News

IIED launches training webinar to help get climate finance to the local level

An online training webinar from IIED sets out the steps local institutions can take to access climate finance, as well as the good practices donors can follow to make sure they can get money to where it matters.

Find out more.

The intense rainfall that hit Freetown on August 14, 2017 triggered a massive mudslide and flash flooding.

Guest blog by Gabriel Kpaka

Loss and damage from climate change has pushed Sierra Leoneans far beyond their ability to adapt

Over the last 15 years, residents of Freetown, Sierra Leone have witnessed first-hand the escalating trail of destruction left in the wake of floods, sea rises, mudslides, landslides and more.

Read the blog.

People sitting on benches outside at a community meeting.

News

Raising ambition in locally led action for 2021: calling for business unusual

Four briefings and a working paper from our ‘Money where it matters’ series explore the benefits and challenges of getting development and climate finance flowing to the local level.

Read the news.

A woman wearing a facemask, handing a parcel to another woman. Pastoralist organisations such as Waso Trust Land are supporting their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case study

Engaging pastoralist communities through citizen movements to amplify their voice

This case study examines how the Pastoralists Alliance for Resilience in Northern Rangelands (PARAN Alliance) and its members engage communities and amplify the voice of pastoralist communities in climate decision making, and use traditional knowledge and climate information to build resilience in northern Kenya.

Read the case study.

Houses and trees on a hillside on The Solomon Islands.

Guest blog by Solomon Yeo

How climate change losses could open the Solomon Islands’ old wounds

Forced relocation is on the horizon as communities in the Solomon Islands face loss of freshwater and land. Guest blogger Solomon Yeo fears this could spark fresh tensions between ethnic groups – and lead the country to revisit its dark history. Read his blog now.

Gladys Habu also wrote about her personal experience of loss and damage in the Solomon Islands in the recent blog, Engulfed by the sea: the loss and damage from climate change.

Upcoming events

Online event, 18-24 January 2021

Gobeshona Global Conference 1

Hosted by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), the 1st Gobeshona Global Conference from 18-24 January will explore a broad range of themes, focusing on locally-led adaptation action across different geographical regions.

Find out more and register now.

Fishermen in Bangladesh collect the day's catch. (copyright Espen Rasmussen/PANOS)

Online event, 25-26 January 2021

Climate Adaptation Summit 2021

The online international Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, hosted by the Netherlands, will see the launch of a comprehensive adaptation action agenda that sets out clear commitments to deliver concrete new endeavours and partnerships to make our world more resilient to climate change. IIED and partners will be taking part in the summit, which takes place on 25 and 26 January.

Find out more and register to attend.

Climate change publications and jobs

Case study, 20 pages

Transitioning to a low-carbon economy: Lessons from Ethiopia’s progressive climate policy

This case study explores the foundations of Ethiopia’s ambitious climate policy, how it rose to meet national and international priorities, and what has helped this work flourish despite the challenges of implementation.

Download the case study.

Briefing

Building local impact for better access to climate finance

IIED has worked with local institutions through the pandemic, using the ‘Money where it matters’ (MWIM) framework to support their capabilities to mobilise and manage increased volumes of climate finance. Examining emerging evidence from this work and broader evidence from our MWIM research, this briefing sets out why donors and development actors should support local actors and how local institutions can develop joined-up, equitable and locally appropriate responses to the challenges they face.

Download the briefing.

IIED jobs

We're hiring

Senior researcher - climate finance: This role will lead the climate finance work of our climate governance and finance team. Find out more and apply by 17January.

Senior coordinator (part time): This role will provide comprehensive coordination support to our human settlements research group. Find out more and apply by 31 January.