Coherence as the process of joint and integrated policy making. Lessons learned from a cross-project collaboration to analyze the implementation of global agendas in Germany.

In 2015, the global community adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, all of which have substantial areas of overlap and clear convergence of objectives related to strengthening resilience, fostering sustainable development, and reducing vulnerability to climate change and disasters.

The Sendai Framework and a number of the individual Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda mention resilience as the central aspect. Similarly, the Paris Agreement acknowledges the links between climate action and sustainable development while the 2030 Agenda highlights the role of adverse climate change impacts in undermining sustainable development. At the same time, the Sendai Framework recognizes climate change as a driver of disaster risk and that disaster risk reduction (DRR) is essential for sustainable development. Therefore, building strategic linkages and coordinating actions of the three fields could increase the effectiveness of different actions and related goals and should be promoted.

While many governments recognize the value of coherence, they struggle to understand what closer horizontal and vertical integration and coherent policy processes look like in practice and how they can be achieved. Further, research on good examples of coherent policy processes under the different agendas is limited and it does not provide any practical recommendations and lessons learned on the necessary enabling factors and mechanisms that would help create functional linkages for a coherent approach toward the systematic implementation of the global agendas.

To contribute to filling this gap and to support the international community, a cross-project team between IISD and GIZ has set out to explore emerging good practices and practical learnings on fostering coherence. The authors also analyzed the mechanisms and enabling factors that contribute to the development of a coherent approach across different levels of governance in Germany. This case study captures lessons learned and translates them into good practices, which can be applied by decisionmakers in developed and developing countries as well as emerging economies.

The case study showcases how the coherent implementation of the agendas in Germany is based upon a strong political will and underscores the fact that coherence involves considering all administrative levels. Although it has been discovered, that there is no one-fits-all approach to enhancing institutional and policy coherence, the authors identified six good practices based on the German case study, offering valuable insights into what enables post-2015 agenda coherence.

Despite the myriad ways women are involved in the mining sector, men’s participation and access to resources still overshadow women’s. Women are disproportionately burdened by the costs and impacts of the mining industry and receive only a minimal share of the benefits.

This annotated bibliography from the IGF Secretariat is aimed at governments, researchers, industry practitioners, civil society organizations, and the development community. It draws from existing data and resources to provide insights and options for stakeholders on how to strengthen governance structures to contribute to gender equality and sustainable development.

Resources included in the bibliography focus not only on literature exploring the disproportionate burden women carry when it comes to the negative effects of mining, but also certain enablers that could support women’s equitable benefit sharing in the sector.

The bibliography also serves as a tool to map possible gaps and areas for further improvement while developing new research approaches, programs, and tools.

In many countries, mining laws and regulations neither fully mainstream the principle of gender equality nor acknowledge women as active participants in the sector. This often results in women receiving only a minimal share of the benefits of the mining sector while being disproportionately affected by its environmental, social, economic, and cultural impacts.

Governments need to act proactively to remedy gender inequalities exacerbated by the sector and implement mining policy frameworks that ensure the empowerment of women, girls, and others that are negatively impacted by mining operations.

This publication is part of efforts aimed at optimizing the mining sector’s contributions to poverty reduction, inclusive growth, social development, and environmental stewardship by showcasing key policy options that can help guide governments to take action to promote gender equality in the sector.

Not only can governments undertake a regulatory role to make sure that mining-related policy frameworks support gender equality, they can also be active agents driving change by investing in gender equality in the mining sector. Governments can also use this document to support their commitments to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 5 – Gender Equality.

Federal fossil fuel subsidies in Canada reached at least CAD 1.9 billion in 2020 in part due to responses to COVID-19. This is a threefold increase compared to 2019.

The following are recommendations to government to phase out fossil fuel subsidies as Canada recovers from the impacts of COVID-19:

• Commit to not introducing new subsidies for fossil fuels unless no other viable alternatives exist.
• Transparently release information on quantified amounts of all federal fossil fuel subsidies and support.
• Provide a public update on the G20 peer review of fossil fuel subsidies with Argentina and complete the review within the first half of 2021.
• Develop and publish a roadmap to achieve Canada’s commitment to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.
• Ensure that Export Development Canada’s policies align with Canada’s climate change and subsidy phase-out commitments.
• Include fossil fuel subsidy reform as a key element of focus in Canada’s next Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement.
• Work with the provinces and territories to address fossil fuel subsidies at the subnational level.

Around the world, countries are pledging significant funding to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience through more sustainable agriculture systems.

Many countries that were already rolling out sustainable agriculture policies pre-pandemic have doubled down on these investments, acknowledging that supporting farmers to tackle the climate crisis while producing good food is a critical part of "building back better." Others have announced new roadmaps in recent months.

The countries that are most advanced in climate policy in agriculture now have clear targets, comprehensive strategies, and recognize that climate-friendly agriculture can be a pillar for both economic recovery and for addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.

Governments around the world are advancing their National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes in an effort to build resilience to the negative impacts of climate change. With increased attention to gender issues in adaptation action comes an opportunity to ensure that NAP processes take sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues into consideration.

This report explores the extent to which NAP processes recognize the linkages between climate change adaptation and the realization of SRHR, including maternal and newborn health, voluntary modern contraception, and gender-based violence. It draws on analysis of 19 NAP documents submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by low- and medium- income countries, a sample of sector-specific NAPs for the health sector, and a selection of funding proposals for adaptation planning support from the Green Climate Fund.

The analysis presented in this report explores the extent to which NAP processes recognize the impacts of climate change on SRHR, as well as how gaps in realization of SRHR exacerbate vulnerability to climate change. It aims to promote an integrated and inclusive approach that moves countries forward on the mutually supportive objectives of resilience to climate change and realization of SRHR.

Our Earth Negotiations Bulletin team unpacks the rollercoaster year—from the heady optimism of early meetings to the suspension of face-to-face meetings in March followed by the urgent shift to online spaces to rebuild momentum. The report evaluates what works and what flops in the realm of "Zoomplomacy," early understandings of what impact the pandemic had on the global environment, and what we can hope for in 2021 as vaccination efforts unfurl across the planet.

Bringing their 28 years' expertise as trusted observers inside negotiating rooms, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin team offers a frank, concise look at how the international community struggled to address existing challenges while also accounting for one of the most destructive events of our age.

What will is cost governments to end hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and protect the climate by 2030? Donors need to contribute an additional USD 14 billion per year until 2030 to end hunger and double of the incomes of small-sale producers.

Ceres2030: Sustainable Solutions to End Hunger is a unique research project that provides practical recommendations. By using the latest technology, scientists shave painstakingly investigated the most effective instruments and actions to end hunger by 2030 world wide and on a lasting basis.

National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes are a fundamental driver of the global climate action agenda. These planning processes improve coordination, set priorities for action, mobilize resources, and allow countries to track progress toward the achievement of their adaptation goals.

The NAP Global Network has been supporting developing countries with national adaptation planning and action for five years, helping them work toward achieving their development aspirations in a changing climate. During this time, we have seen significant progress within partner countries in advancing NAP processes, the lessons from which have been shared through South–South peer learning in an effort to accelerate global progress. This report shares highlights from this work, to document and share the approaches that have worked as countries navigate their often challenging—but absolutely critical—NAP processes.

The NAP Global Network hopes to use the lessons from our first five years to build on and better support countries to tackle the climate crisis through national adaptation planning and action.