This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at mini-grids as a technology for electrifying remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Renewable, decentralised mini-grids are a promising technology for electrifying remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. However, most mini-grids struggle not only to obtain a profit, but also to recover costs. This Policy...

This report from UK think tank the IIED looks at NDCs and how they should provide concrete evidence about loss and damage. Least developed countries (LDCs) are facing increasingly devastating impacts of climate change that are leading to loss and damage. As LDCs revise their climate action plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), they...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies explores the question: what is environmental degradation and what are its causes? This short paper explores the question: what is environmental degradation and what are its causes? It seems an obvious question, but it is not. The paper explores definitions of environmental degradation (and restoration),...

This report from UK think tank the IIED looks at experiences of public participation in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal. Effective climate budgeting requires meaningful participation and systematic public engagement. Without these it is difficult for governments to provide climate financing that aligns with household priorities, and households will continue to spend large amounts of money...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Development Studies looks at delivering affordable, nutritious food to low-income communities. Yet food systems are under threat from multiple stressors. During the Covid-19 pandemic, government support was directed at maintaining business activity, so understanding how this affected small food businesses offers insights for future policy design....

This report from UK think tank Chatham House looks at vote-trading as a widespread practice in Nigeria. Vote-trading has become a widespread practice in Nigeria, where democracy has struggled to be fully consolidated due to the country’s complex political landscape and its entrenched corrupt political class. Where acute socio-economic hardship persists, vote-selling traps citizens in...

This report from UK think tank the IIED presents an overview of the nature of loss and damage risks affecting low-income countries. This paper presents a detailed overview of the nature of loss and damage risks affecting low-income countries, marginalised groups and people living in poverty in the global South, and how they might be...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at food access in Peru. The Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated the food insecurity situation of people living in Latin American cities. In Peru, the most vulnerable are facing great difficulties in accessing food, while food market vendors are also struggling to keep their...

This report from UK think tank the IIED looks at how a new approach to debt could raise US$400 billion for climate and nature. Sixty per cent of low-income countries are already in or at high risk of debt distress, while the global economic and debt sustainability outlook is quickly deteriorating due to higher interest...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at how women express their political agency. This paper draws on evidence from the Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) research programme to show how women express their political agency and activism and seek accountability in repressive contexts. A4EA research looked at cases...

This report from UK think tank Chatham House looks at the Build Back Better World (B3W) partnership launched at the June 2021 G7 Leaders’ Summit. The Build Back Better World (B3W) partnership was launched at the June 2021 G7 Leaders’ Summit. The partnership was aimed at mobilizing an international response to immediate and long-term challenges...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at internal urban migration in India. Between 2001 and 2011, India’s urban population increased from almost 28 per cent to just over 31 per cent. Almost 139 million people migrated to cities (mainly Delhi and Mumbai), often bringing their children with them. Most...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Development Studies looks at why different voices and views matter. Launched in October 2020, the Covid Collective brought together the expertise of eight initial partner organisations coordinated by the Institute of Development Studies, and it currently involves 28 partners and supports 56 projects in 34 countries....

This report from UK think tank Chatham House explores China’s developing role in responding to displacement crises. In recent years, China has boosted its support for humanitarian action to assist refugees, mostly through increased funding for multilateral institutions and diplomatic engagement. China’s engagement is mainly development-focused and state-centric, although Chinese non-state actors are also advancing...

This report from UK think tank IIED looks at  COP26  and whether it has delivered mixed results for LDCs. Following a two-year hiatus in negotiations due to the pandemic and the failure of the preceding Madrid talks to deliver enough political impetus, trust in the entire UN-led process on climate action hung in the balance...