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Newsletter, September

We have an event on climate change loss and damage coming up at Climate Week NYC, a new podcast and blog on forests, plus new projects and publications.

Illustrations of the participants in IIED's loss and damage animations.

Untold stories: climate activism and the brutal realities of loss and damage

People in the least developed countries (LDCs) have done the least to cause the climate crisis, yet they suffer its worst impacts. In a series of animations created by IIED and partners, the experiences of climate activists from Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Solomon Islands are brought to life. Each animation gives us insights into what motivated them to tell their story on loss and damage, and share their hopes that they will drive action.

This Climate Week NYC event at 2pm (BST) / 9am (EST) on 23 September will see these activists in the Solomon Islands, Rwanda and Sierra Leone bring their unseen stories to life. Join the activists in a dynamic viewing and discussion of their lived experience of the loss and damage caused by climate change. Register to attend now.

Make Change Happen podcast episode 13

Getting climate resilience right – the case for backing smallholder organisations

Forest and farm smallholders are fighting for their livelihoods and food security. New research shows producers’ practical measures for climate resilience have impact, but barriers remain to scaling the work up and out.

The latest episode of the Make Change Happen podcast features a discussion with IIED's Duncan Macqueen and Clare Shakya, with special guest Elizabeth Nsimadala - a smallholder farmer in Uganda and president of the Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO) - on what support smallholders need, and who should provide it.

Listen to the podcast now.

“We cannot keep lamenting because of climate change. As farmers we believe in finding solutions for ourselves because we believe we are the solutions to most of the challenges that we face.”

– Elizabeth Nsimadala

Guest blog by Hambulo Ngoma

Reconciling food production and forest conservation: priorities for the UN Food Systems Summit

In the latest blog in our ‘food year’ series, guest blogger Hambulo Ngoma of the the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center discusses the potential policy collisions between producing food to feed growing populations and conserving our forests.

Read the guest blog.

Workers on a truck from Myanmar wait to cross the border at border with Thailand in 2020.

Project

Climate-induced migration and vulnerability to modern slavery

IIED and Anti-Slavery International are exploring how climate-driven migration and displacement puts people at an increased risk of trafficking and slavery. The research will inform policy recommendations at regional, national and international level.

Find out more about the project.

Download the new paper, Climate-induced migration and modern slavery: a toolkit for policymakers.

News

Productive uses of energy support sustainable and resilient livelihoods in least developed countries

A new briefing examines how productive use(s) of energy (PUE) can support more sustainable and resilient livelihoods in least developed countries, and offers case studies showing that finance, skills development and dismantling structural issues that prevent uptake are essential to drive demand for and development of PUE.

Read the news story.

Youth volunteers raise awareness against the spread of COVID-19 among communities.

Project

Building resilience and greening the COVID-19 recovery in least developed countries

LDCs are currently dealing with multiple shocks from both climate and COVID-19-related impacts. IIED and country partners have been undertaking in-depth research to explore policy responses to build forward better from COVID-19 from the LDCs’ perspective.

Find out about the project.

Project

Rethinking humanitarian aid for refugees as investment in urban water and sanitation

This research looks at the issue of forced displacement through a new lens. It will model what could be achieved for refugees and their hosts if resources spent on camp populations were invested instead in services and infrastructure in towns and cities hosting refugees.

Read the project description.

Briefing

The case for treating long-term urban IDPs as city residents

A significant percentage of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who seek safety in towns and cities will not return home. Agencies and donors must view long-term IDPs as city residents, not just a humanitarian caseload. By engaging with municipal authorities, they could find ‘win-win’ solutions that both align with local government priorities and address the needs of IDPs.

Download the briefing.

Backgrounder

How good governance protects forests

‘Good governance’ is increasingly recognised as a factor contributing to improved protected area (PA) management and conservation outcomes. Yet how exactly governance at different levels supports or hinders successful PA management, and how this should be considered in conservation policy, planning and practice, remains insufficiently understood. This backgrounder considers how the quality of a country’s governance in general, and environmental governance in particular, may be a factor in influencing rates of deforestation in PAs in Africa.

Download the backgrounder.

We're hiring

Bid Support Manager

We are seeking a Bid Support Manager on a full-time, permanent basis. This is a great opportunity for high calibre professional with a strong background in proposal development and/or bid support to play a critical role in our Business Development team and support the delivery of our ambitious strategy.

Find out more and apply by 26 September.