Few would disagree that the Paris Climate Agreement was a massive success for diplomacy – its speedy entrance into force in early November, after less than a year, perhaps even more so. So what could we expect from the subsequent conference of the parties, COP22, in Marrakesh?

The ECC Factbook is an online tool presenting over 120 conflicts with an environmental dimension. This month, our Factbook team reviewed the links between food price hikes and political fragility in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a particular emphasis on the events leading up to the Arab spring revolutions. The latest additions to the ECC Factbook include a general overview of the origins and consequences of recent global food price crises, a series of specific case studies in selected MENA countries, and a discussion of possible policy solutions. 

[This article originally appeared on the climate news network.]

Whatever policies the US comes up with on climate change under the Trump presidency, the rest of the world intends to continue trying to save the planet.

How to deal with the impact of climate change on peace and stability? What are the key climate-fragility risks to development in Africa and how can integrated policy responses be designed and implemented? Two side events at COP22 discussed entry points for addressing climate-security risks on the ground.

Facing poverty, inequality and the need for foreign currency, governments in Latin America have employed different strategies to promote development and economic growth, as multiple stakeholders seek to turn the reserves of natural resources into sources of wealth. It is against this backdrop that multilateral and regional agreements were concluded and national policies formulated promoting the construction of large infrastructure projects in sectors considered strategic, most notably the energy sector.

“We strive to lead.”

~ Ministers and High Level representatives, members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (the international partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change), pledging to green their economies as their contribution towards achieving net carbon neutrality and 100 per cent renewable energy. Marrakech, Morocco on 18 November 2016.

You can find the full communique here.

Last month, our author Dr Vigya Sharma visited Colombo to speak at the 5th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum. In her report, she highlights some takeaways from the conference to which more than 1,000 representatives from across science, policy, national to local governments, multilateral donor agencies and various arms of the United Nations came together.

COP22 has come to an end. Countries have taken steps forward in Marrakech towards implementing the goals of last year's landmark agreement that entered into force on 4 November. This article summarizes the debates, the impact of the US presidential elections, and notable outcomes related to finance, adaptation funding, loss-and-damange and some unexpected achievements.