Colombia’s national climate pledge: Towards the Paris Summit Claudia Martinez is CDKN's Senior Strategic Advisor for Colombia and also advises the national government on green growth. Here, she reports on the scope and significance of Colombia's national climate pledge in the run-up to the critical United Nations Summit in Paris in December.

Options for the legal form of the climate agreement With the climax of climate negotiations around the corner, CDKN shares an excerpt from a piece written by Illari Aragon of The Legal Response Initiative and Selam Kidane Abebe, legal advisor to the Africa Group of Negotiators on the legal form options and the potential outcomes.

Water-climate nexus will be central to Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Development Goals and the climate change negotiations were high on the agenda at World Water Week, a global event celebrated in Stockholm, Sweden in late August. CDKN Africa’s Ronald Mukanya and Claire Mathieson write.

Making the Least Developed Countries Fund fit for purpose The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), established more than a decade ago to support the world’s 48 poorest countries in responding to their climate change adaptation needs, is empty. Giza Gaspar Martins of Angola, Chair of the Least Developed Country Group of climate negotiators argues that the future of this fund must be secured.

Supporting the preparation of the Gambia’s INDC - Lessons learned from local stakeholder consultations Kirstin Hücking and Sandra Freitas of Climate Analytics report on lively and informed discussions about environmental problems that impact on Gambian livelihoods – and how these discussions have fed into the country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UNFCCC.

Land use change and forestry – challenges and opportunities for developing countries Christina Elvers of CDKN's Negotiations Support team assesses current issues around land use, forest protection and REDD+ in the international climate talks - and what these mean for tropical forest countries.

Clarifications needed on climate pledges IlIari Aragon of the Legal Response Initiative argues that the role of INDCs needs to be clarified if the Paris Summit is to deliver an agreement that can truly protect people and the planet.

WORKING PAPER: Supporting ambitious Intended Nationally Determined Contributions: Lessons learned from developing countries CDKN is pleased to release its latest Working Paper, "Supporting ambitious Intended Nationally Determined Contributions: Lessons learned from developing countries", based on interviews with those who have been deeply involved in preparing INDCs.

Reflecting on Our Common Future Under Climate Change CDKN's Helen Picot and Sam Bickersteth reflect on the pre-COP 21 Science conference held in Paris last week; Our Common Future Under Climate Change.

From second jobs to new 'stinginess', women see climate change differently Laurie Goering from the Thomson Reuters Foundation looks at the ways in which climate change affects women and men differently, and why gender must be considered in climate-related decision making. This article first appeared on AlertNet.