Publications

The Mutual Learning Program for Enhanced Transparency (MLP), implemented and funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), aims to assist countries to prepare their Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) under the enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement through mutual learning of practices. This summary report presents the...

The year 2023 marked a concerning milestone in climate history with the global average temperature being 1.45 ± 0.12°C above the pre-industrial average. The Global Stocktake at COP28 showed that the projected temperature rise is expected to be between 2.1 - 2.8°C even if nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of all countries are fully achieved...

This study aims to investigate how urban residents interact with Urban Green Spaces (UGSs) in Nagpur, India, specifically focusing on the patterns of visitation and engagement. Data were collected via a face-to-face questionnaire survey using the Survey 123 app. The analysis included interaction (types of UGSs, visitation frequency, and UGS...

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is highly vulnerable to drought, particularly in the context of climate change. Prolonged drought during the dry season has emerged as a significant natural disaster, severely affecting agriculture and socioeconomic development in the region. To enhance water resource management and agricultural productivity, this...

India is home to 11 % of the global urban population and is ranks as the second-largest urban system in the world. This study introduces a Heat Health Risk Index (HHRI) rankings for 37 major Indian cities with more than one million residents, using geospatial and socio-ecological data to identify potential heat health risk areas. In this study, the...

Greenscaping, a key sustainable practice, helps cities combat rising temperatures and climate change. Urban parks, a pivotal greenscaping element, mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In this study, we utilized high-resolution remote sensing imagery (GF-2 and Landsat 8, 9) and in situ measurements to analyze the seasonal thermal regulation...

This study examines the spatial and temporal variations of key air pollutants in Rajsamand District, Rajasthan, from January 2015 to December 2019, using Sentinel-5P TROPOMI data. The pollutants analysed include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4), and aerosols. The findings reveal...

IGES published “ Case studies of domestic initiatives that have synergistic impacts on climate change, biodiversity and the SDGs” at the Forth Global Climate and SDG Synergy Conference held at UN Headquarters during the UN High Level Political Forum 2023. In April 2024, the research project “Synergies and Trade-offs for transformative actions...

SDGs are off track, but the HLPF’s follow-up and review (FUR) process, especially reviews of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), does not systematically examine the reasons. This paper recommends that SDG progress reviews should focus more on analysing national SDG implementation policies and budgets. Regarding the environment, for example, this...

This policy brief focuses on the international collaboration necessary to equitably progress towards the sustainable energy transition. In that context, it addresses SDG 12 - responsible consumption and production, and in particular SDG target 12.2 - achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. Based on recent research...