SEI – Stockholm Environment Institute

Why does COP30 matter? 💡 In a new feature in The Independent, SEI experts Silvia Ulloa and Toby Gardner explain why the upcoming climate summit in Belém, Brazil remains key to advancing global action on the climate crisis. With just days to go, the article explores what to expect from the negotiations – from stronger national commitments under the Paris Agreement to renewed attention on adaptation, climate finance and forest protection. SEI’s Silvia Ulloa reflects that “Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are really the backbone of the Paris Agreement. They are really the central mechanism through which countries communicate their climate ambition and also coordinate action.” Toby Gardner adds, “The COP being in Belém brings a very welcome spotlight onto deforestation and the loss of ecosystems, and it opens up a space for thinking about things in different ways.” 👓 Read the full story in The Independent: https://buff.ly/4w1oqqo #COP30 #NDCs #Deforestation #ParisAgreement

📆 SAVE THE DATE! Join us online on 29 January for SEI Currents 2026, our webinar exploring the forces that will shape the year ahead. Now in its fifth year, Currents will bring you analyses of anticipated major shifts – and the subtle undercurrents that could steer the world in unexpected directions. Register now: https://buff.ly/tti47yt #Trendspotting #Resilience #Climate

A key objective for governments today should be to chart a course through an uncertain and complex world of polycrises to maximize justice and sustainability without risking conflict. Polycrises pose risks that ignore national borders, and they impose costs that erode the political and financial capital available to invest in preventing and preparing for climate-related shocks at the very time when these efforts are most needed. How to change course? A new SEI working paper argues that national governments should take a fresh approach by pursuing “strategic resilience” – that is, by building the capacity to withstand and recover from multiple, complex shocks while pursuing coherent, strategic national objectives. By outlining a new way forward and examining the UK’s experiment in climate mitigation governance, the authors propose a “third way” for climate change adaptation – something between a strictly territorial approach and an emerging, riskier “securitization approach” that is likely to be dominated by defence logistics, less collaborative, and ultimately less effective. Read about pathways forward in the working paper: https://buff.ly/3ESLYOX ✍️ Magnus Benzie, Robbert Biesbroek, Aarti Gupta, Environmental Policy Group @WUR, NORADAPT #StrategicResilience #Polycrisis #ClimateAdaptation

How can South-South cooperation help advance just energy transitions? New research by SEI indicates that such cooperation may complement just energy transition partnerships (JETPs) in several ways: by fostering peer learning, building context-specific solutions, and sharing technical expertise among countries facing similar socio-economic and governance challenges. This brief examines the experiences of South Africa and Colombia to gain insights into the challenges and the potential for cooperation for these two countries on key issues: mine closures, green industrialization, institutional coordination and community benefit-sharing. 🔗 https://buff.ly/5UjMnf6 Work by Elisa Arond at SEI Latin America, Claudia Strambo at SEI HQ, Jesse Burton at the Energy Systems Research Group at the University of Cape Town, and Felipe Corral at Technische Universität Berlin and POLEN Transiciones Justas through TRAJECTS. #JustTransition #SouthSouthCooperation #ClimateJustice #EnergyTransition #JETP

Big climate impact lies in the hands of a few. New Trase analysis – led by SEI’s Carina Mueller in collaboration with Trase researchers and Global Canopy's Forest 500 – shows the outsized role of seven major companies in tackling supply-chain emissions and deforestation. Explore the full analysis 👇

Understanding SDG interlinkages isn’t optional; it’s the foundation for coherent, sustainable policy. SEI Latin America researchers Ivonne Lobos Alva and Daniela Maestre Másmela join FAO’s HASTEN Lecture Series to present SEI’s SDG Synergies approach and discuss how mapping synergies and trade-offs, especially in agrifood systems, enables more integrated decision-making. Key topics: 🔎 How SDG interactions are conceptualized and why they matter for policy design 🧩 SDG Synergies (SEI): soft-systems, cross-impact analysis, and participatory processes 💻 Live demo of the web tool + interactive poll on the scoring process 🌍 Case studies: Malawi and Sri Lanka 🗣️ Q&A on applying systems thinking for integrated policy 📅 11 November 2025 🕒 14:00–15:30 CET 🔗 Register: https://buff.ly/OFbgRcG #FAO #HASTENLecture #SDGs #SDGSynergies #PolicyCoherence #AgrifoodSystems #SustainableDevelopment

See you at #COP30 in Belém, Brazil. As countries prepare to strengthen ambition and implementation — including submitting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – we will be on site contributing expertise and evidence-based insights to drive climate action. Explore SEI’s COP30 page: a one-stop hub for thought leadership, analysis, expert commentary and updates throughout the conference. You will also find details on SEI’s hosted events and key engagements as they become available. Bookmark and follow for continuous updates 👉 sei.org/cop30 #SEIatCOP30 #ClimateAction #NDCs #COP30Belém

As #WorldCitiesDay marks the end of #UrbanOctober, it’s worth asking: what makes a city truly liveable? The answer may lie in the small spaces we often overlook. Cities are in a phase of urban policy overcorrection. After years of underinvesting in green infrastructure, many are now racing to retrofit sustainability – adopting 15-minute city models and high-profile greening projects. But in the push to do more faster, are we designing spaces that really work for people? Our latest research explores this question: how are these green spaces actually used, and who benefits? In #Bangkok, five pocket parks – small public green spaces created from underused urban plots – reveal how design and location shape health, inclusion and community resilience. From parks under highways to quiet wetlands and lively shopping areas, each tells a story about how context matters for public health and social connection. 👇 Swipe through the key lessons for urban planners and policymakers, then read our new feature to explore what Bangkok’s experience means for cities worldwide. 🔗 Read the story: https://buff.ly/sy1HLfq Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Urban Design and Development Center, Steve Cinderby, Jana Busch, Raja Asvanon, Diane Archer, Chloe Pottinger-Glass and Rachel Pateman. #UrbanSustainability #PublicHealth #SDG11 #GreenInfrastructure #UrbanPolicy #NatureInCities #UrbanPlanning #15MinuteCity #ResilientCities #CommunityResilience #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #FutureCities

How can cities become engines of health, equity and sustainability?🌇🌿 On #WorldCitiesDay, the World Health Organization launches "Taking a strategic approach to urban health: a guide for decision-makers" – a call for a new era of urban health action. The guide helps national and city leaders plan urban areas that promote health and wellbeing across sectors. Alongside, #WHO is releasing the first set of #UrbanHealth Case Studies, featuring examples from around the world, including our work on equitable mobility in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya. 🇰🇪 The study highlights how co-designed, evidence-based improvements to transport systems can make everyday journeys safer, less stressful and more equitable for residents of low-income neighbourhoods. Join the global launch of the guide! 🚀 📅 31 October 2025, 13:00-14:00 CET 📍 WHO headquarters and live streaming Learn more about the SEI project behind the case study 👇 🔗 https://buff.ly/SyEAu8m Steve Cinderby, Rachel Pateman, Howard Cambridge, Cassilde Muhoza, Romanus Opiyo #ResearchForImpact #SciencePolicy #ActiveMobility #SustainableTransport #UrbanMobility #HealthyCities #UrbanOctober

The 10 New Insights in Climate Science report is released today! SEI Senior Scientist Derik Broekhoff is one of more than 70 leading scientists who have contributed to the new report, which underscores how nearly every major climate risk stems from one root cause – the failure to cut emissions at the speed and scale required. Explore the report, produced by Future Earth, The Earth League, and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) 👉 https://lnkd.in/dYQS7Ji5 #10ClimateInsights #10Insights #ClimatePolicy #COP30