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22. Climate Change and El Nino Phenomenon Heat Up Malaysian Waters
- Author:
- Thaarshini Paramasivan
- Publication Date:
- 01-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Maritime Institute of Malaysia
- Abstract:
- Malaysia has recorded intense peaks of temperature due to a heatwave in the Southeast Asia region in 2024. The heatwave sweeping across the nation had a significant impact on human health, resulting in a concerning rise in heat-related illnesses. By April 2024, a total of 45 cases of heat-related illnesses, including two fatalities from heatstroke, have been reported. Alongside the health risks, significant impacts were also observed through the Malaysian waters, including a series of algae blooms and mass coral bleaching affecting the country. These events, once considered rare occurrences, are becoming more frequent and severe, largely due to the changing climate and rising sea temperatures. These issues are not just ecological concerns but have also begun to affect the economic activities tied t o t he m arine environment, such as aquaculture, specifically at the Peninsular Malaysia, which put pressure on Malaysia’s coastal economies.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, Health, El Niño, and Heat
- Political Geography:
- Malaysia and Southeast Asia
23. Addressing Climate-Induced Loss and Damage in South Coastal Bangladesh: Bridging Local Insights and National Policy Interventions
- Author:
- International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
- Publication Date:
- 01-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
- Abstract:
- This policy brief captures the key findings from Loss and Damage Policy Labs (LDPLs), a series of local and multi-level national policy dialogues held in Bangladesh in 2024. The LDPLs involved diverse stakeholders seeking to address climate-induced loss and damage (L&D) in Bangladesh, by fostering community-driven approaches and connecting local needs with the national policy landscape. The brief emphasizes local experiences in Bangladesh, particularly in its southern belt. It illustrates a case study from Barisal Division, which is representative of the wider vulnerable coastal region of Bangladesh. Addressing the climate risks threatening Bangladesh and its coastal region specifically requires a cohesive, inclusive, and evidence-based approach that integrates local perspectives into national frameworks while addressing both economic and non-economic loss and damage (NELD). Priorities include fostering community-driven, gender-sensitive solutions, enhancing capacities through training and robust assessment frameworks, and strengthening access to global climate finance through innovative mechanisms and transparent processes. By aligning local capacities, national policies, and international commitments and advocating for equitable support on global platforms, Bangladesh can pioneer effective climate resilience strategies, and serve as a model for other vulnerable nations.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Climate Finance, Resilience, and Dialogue
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
24. Environmental Kuznets curve and green regulation
- Author:
- Luca Bettarelli, Davide Furceri, Prakash Loungani, Jonathan D. Ostry, and Loredana Pisano
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In this paper, we first test the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, using a large sample of approximately 190 advanced and developing countries, over a period of 34 years (1989– 2022). We find that (CO2) emissions respond positively to increasing income per capita, up to a turning point of approximately US$25,000. In a departure from the previous literature, we allow the relationship between economic development and emissions to depend on the stringency of environmental regulation. Our results indicate that environmental policies—and particularly market-based instruments, such as carbon taxes and emissions trading systems—make the EKC lower and flatter. These results are robust to several sensitivity checks, and to the use of regional (rather than global) data. Overall, our results have important policy implications, as they identify economic development as a pathway to environmental improvements. Moreover, we show that environmental policies are an essential means to achieving decoupling of emissions and economic output over the longer term.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Carbon Tax, Decoupling, and Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
25. Surviving the storm: How climate-related disasters reshape tax morale in sub-Saharan Africa
- Author:
- Enrico Nichelatti and Abrams Tagem
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Climate-related disasters have increased over recent decades, with severe human and economic consequences. While research has examined their macroeconomic effects and impact on households’ income and consumption patterns, little attention has been given to their impact on tax morale—taxpayers’ intrinsic motivation to comply with tax obligations. This study fills this gap by estimating the impact of climaterelated disasters on tax morale in 26 sub-Saharan African countries using Afrobarometer survey data from 2011 to 2021. The analysis considers six climate-related shocks: droughts, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, floods, storms, and wildfires. We hypothesize that the impact of climate-related disasters on tax morale depends on the specific disasters considered, and that these heterogeneous effects work through two key mechanisms: economic inequality and trust in public institutions. First, they can exacerbate inequality by reducing government revenue, increasing economic hardship for vulnerable groups (through loss of livelihoods), and eliciting unequal policy responses from government. Climate-related disasters can also reduce inequality when associated with increased economic hardship for richer households (by destroying their productive assets. Second, tax morale declines when citizens perceive government responses as inadequate or unfair; conversely, it increases if citizens perceive the government to be responding adequately. Logistic regression results confirm this heterogeneity. Droughts, extreme temperatures, floods, and storms reduce tax morale, while earthquakes and wildfires increase it. Incorporating regional heterogeneity shows that the negative effects of disasters on tax morale are more profound in rural areas. Mediation analysis confirms inequality and institutional trust as key transmission channels. These findings underscore the need for inclusive tax policies and effective post-disaster governance to sustain revenue mobilization in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Tax Systems, and Economic Inequality
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa
26. The hunt for Red October in warmer oceans: Climate change and anti-submarine warfare
- Author:
- Andrea Gilli and Mauro Gilli
- Publication Date:
- 03-2025
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- NATO Defense College
- Abstract:
- Security scholars have traditionally looked at climate change from the perspective of civil wars, migrations and pervasive instability. NATO has recently started looking at climate change as one of the main threatmultipliers characterizing the current international system. Climate change can have a real impact on interstate rivalry and strategic competition, specifi cally by aff ecting water temperatures, currents and salinity, and thus sonar performance – a key asset in submarine and
- Topic:
- NATO, Climate Change, Armed Forces, Strategic Competition, Submarines, and Warfare
- Political Geography:
- Oceans
27. Fast, Fair, Funded and Feminist: A pathway to a just and transformative climate transition within and beyond the UK
- Author:
- Natalie Shortall, Chiara Ligouri, and Ruth Mayne
- Publication Date:
- 03-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The world is in the grip of a climate emergency. Urgent and equitable action is essential to prevent yet further escalating climate impacts that are devastating communities worldwide and to safeguard a liveable planet for future generations. For governments everywhere, including the UK Government, this is a defining test of leadership. But it is also a moment of opportunity—an opportunity to build economies and societies that are not only decarbonised and climate resilient, but that actively reduce inequalities, are more inclusive, and prioritise the wellbeing of people and the planet over short-term profit. In this report, we outline key steps the UK Government can take to lead the way toward a just and transformative transition—one that not only stabilises the climate but also delivers fairness and justice for all.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Government, Transition, Climate Justice, and Net Zero
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom and Europe
28. Water-Driven Hunger: How the Climate Crisis Fuels Africa’s Food Emergency
- Author:
- Giuseppe Selvaggi and Elise Nalbandian
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This paper calls for an integrated water and food security management in eight Eastern and Southern African countries—Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries, identified as Hunger Hotspots for 2025 and among the 30 most water insecure globally, are also experiencing the severe impacts of climate variability. The paper strongly recommends that multilateral bodies, governments, donors, and the private sector implement sustainable adaptation and mitigation measures—such as strengthening national hydro-meteorological forecasting systems, increasing investment in anticipatory action, ensuring access to climate finance etc. to tackle the root causes of these crises. Furthermore, it also provides insights into effective water management practices that can help national governments and policymakers adopt comprehensive policies, ultimately improving governance to tackle the triple crises of water, food and climate.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Water, Hunger, and Water Insecurity
- Political Geography:
- Africa
29. The Private Sphere Trap: Women and the climate crisis in Iraq
- Author:
- Laila Barhoum
- Publication Date:
- 06-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This Oxfam briefing paper examines the intersection of gender inequality and climate change in Iraq, focusing on the agricultural sector. Women in Iraq face systemic barriers that confine them to the "private sphere," limiting their participation in decision-making processes critical to climate adaptation and mitigation. Through qualitative research, including focus group discussions and key informant interviews, the paper highlights how social norms, economic dependency, and lack of access to resources exacerbate women’s vulnerability to climate impacts. It provides actionable recommendations to foster inclusive climate action, such as raising awareness, leveraging respected female leaders, and improving technical support for farmers. The report underscores the urgent need to dismantle male-dominated structures to build a resilient and equitable future for Iraq.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Inequality, Rural, Decision-Making, Adaptation, Livelihoods, Gender, and Social Norms
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and Middle East
30. Climate Change, Vulnerable Groups, and Data-Driven Policymaking
- Author:
- Selahattin Selsah Pasali
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Baku Dialogues
- Institution:
- ADA University
- Abstract:
- More than four in five people in Asia and the Pacific reportedly face multi‑hazard risks associated with slow or sudden onset climate events, according to the latest Asia‑Pacific Disaster Report published by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Many existing hotspots of climate‑related multi‑hazards are forecast to intensify. Individuals residing in these hotspots, often already low‑income and with limited access to basic services and infrastructure, will likely be exposed to more frequent and intense sudden‑ and slow‑onset natural disasters. Noteworthy is the assessment that migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless persons residing in many parts of these vast geographic areas reportedly face even more daunting challenges in this category, due to their vulnerable legal status, limited coping capacity, and access to basic services and opportunities.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Inequality, Displacement, and Vulnerability
- Political Geography:
- Asia