CBA19: Local solutions inspiring global action

Registration is live for CBA19!?The 19th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA19) will take place from 12-16 May in Recife, Brazil. The CBA conference series aims to bring?together a?community of?practitioners?that are?collectively seeking?to enable community-driven climate?action.?We’re very excited that the conference is coming to Latin America for the first time!?

The overarching conference question will be: how can we achieve just and equitable adaptation? And this year's conference has a new format, with two days of plenary and parallel sessions followed by a mid-week 'Dia Alternativo' which will feature project visits, tours of a local museum and other activities. We’re delighted to be working with a range of local organisations who will take participants to visit communities and projects championing locally-led action.?

Register now to?join us at CBA19!

News?and insights

Turbulent politics and the shift in global power dynamics: why context is everything

This week marks a month since Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency, reflecting a broader global trend of more inward-looking, reactionary politics. IIED’s Subhi Barakat examines the underlying causes of this trend and the implications for efforts to achieve a fairer, more sustainable world. Read the insight. ?

Climate change leaving Bangladesh migrant workers vulnerable to modern slavery

Almost every person who migrated abroad from climate-vulnerable regions of Bangladesh surveyed by IIED suffered at least one form of modern slavery while working, our new?study?reveals. We are?calling for a range of interventions, including: investment of climate finance in early warning systems and more resilient crop varieties to lessen the impact of environmental change; and regulation of recruitment agencies as part of a plan to make migration safer. Read the news. ?

Extreme inequality and housing injustice in the DRC: rebuilding ‘Kinshasa la Belle’

Past policies and programmes in the city of Kinshasa have led to little or no improvement in housing provision and affordability. A new report reveals that proposed policy approaches risk perpetuating already stark inequalities and entrenching the role of housing as an investment – rather than as a right. Read the?insight by?Paula Sevilla Nú?ez. ?

Barriers keeping women from top tables at UN climate talks

Women from the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) struggle to achieve representation in global climate negotiations, our new?research?reveals. We?surveyed and conducted interviews with people close to the UNFCCC negotiations to find out how and why women are outnumbered by men within the process, particularly in senior roles.?Some two thirds of the 143 survey respondents (64%) said there were barriers keeping women out of active roles representing their nations at the talks, while a similar proportion (66%) said women were not adequately represented at the highest levels. Find out more.

New publications

Exposed and exploited: climate change, migration and modern slavery in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, loss and damage from climate change is hitting the poorest people hardest, impacting their lives and livelihoods in catastrophic ways. For many people, migration has become an unavoidable response – a last resort for those who can no longer sustain themselves. However, rather than providing stability, migration often pushes people into deeper vulnerability, exposing them to exploitative labour conditions, modern slavery and human trafficking.

This research examines the links between climate change, migration and vulnerability to modern slavery. It looks at the drivers behind migration decisions and highlights how systemic gaps in social protection exacerbate vulnerabilities. Download the working paper. ?

Human-elephant conflict handbook: a guide to crop protection from elephant raiding

Human-elephant conflict is on the rise across Africa as people and elephants compete for space.?In Tanzania, Honeyguide Foundation has had extraordinary success in supporting farmers on the edges of community-owned and managed wildlife management areas to deal with elephants. Honeyguide is a Tanzanian grassroots organisation with a remarkably effective community-owned approach. They have developed a toolkit for deterring elephants including chilli bombs, firecrackers, torches and vuvuzelas; and they have shared their expertise with communities in Namibia.

This practical handbook was created with input from communities living near conservation areas directly affected by wildlife conflicts. Over the past ten years, these communities have worked to prevent human-elephant conflict, gaining valuable experience and data. Download the toolkit.