Deborah Murphy is a Senior Associate with over 20 years of professional experience as a policy analyst, technical expert and researcher on climate change, sustainable development and related issues. Much of her work has focused on climate change processes in developing countries, including the development of climate change action plans; low-carbon development strategies; adaptation plans; climate finance strategies; and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) frameworks. Recently, Deborah worked as an in-country advisor in Kenya for six years, assisting the government with its climate policy and promoting climate-resilient agriculture through a credit enhancement pilot initiative that promoted microfinance institution lending to small-scale farmers and aggregators engaged in the production of cassava, sorghum, dairy and indigenous chicken.
Previous work includes research on international climate agreements, market mechanisms, mainstreaming climate change and climate-resilient agriculture. Deborah has extensive experience with capacity-building and institutional strengthening projects, including consulting assignments with the Canadian International Development Agency (currently Global Affairs Canada), Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada’s National Round Table on Environment and Economy, United Nations Development Programme, United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and NDC Partnership.
All Publications
- sNAPshot | Kenya’s Monitoring and Evaluation of Adaptation: Simplified, integrated, multilevel
Briefing Note - May 2, 2019
This NAP Global Network Country Brief presents Kenya’s experience with the design of its adaptation monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. - Alignment to Advance Climate-Resilient Development | Country Case Study: Kenya
Briefing Note - October 31, 2019
This case study on Kenya is part of a series of briefs focusing on alignment of country efforts under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. - Integrating Climate Adaptation in Water Catchment Planning in Uganda
Briefing Note - February 22, 2019
This briefing note provides an overview of the results of a climate risk assessment of water resources in the Ruhezamyenda catchment in Uganda, sets out recommendations on how to incorporate the learning into planning and implementation at the catchment level, and describes lessons for the country’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process. - sNAPshot | Funding Adaptation Through Cambodia’s National Budget
Policy Brief - May 25, 2018
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes underway in a growing number of developing countries require significant funding that is expected to come from a mix of sources, including domestic public finance, international public finance and private finance. - sNAPshot: Kenya's County Climate Change Funds
Policy Brief - January 5, 2018
This policy brief looks at how five county governments in Kenya have established County Climate Change Funds (CCCFs) that identify, prioritize and finance investments to reduce climate risk and achieve adaptation priorities. - Financing Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs): Leveraging private investment
Paper - June 11, 2014
An animated infographic for this paper can be found here.Sustainable financing of NAMAs in many cases ultimately requires blending funds from... - Democratic Republic of Congo: Greenhouse gas emissions baseline projection
Paper - May 9, 2013
Development of greenhouse gas emission baseline projections, or business-as-usual scenarios, are critical for the assessment of nationally... - Republic of Rwanda: Greenhouse gas emissions baseline projection
Paper - May 9, 2013
Development of greenhouse gas emission baseline projections, or business-as-usual scenarios, are critical for the assessment of nationally... - Developing Financeable NAMAs: A Practitioner's Guide
Paper - April 30, 2013
Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) are fast becoming the climate finance vehicle of choice to help developing countries transition... - NAMA Concepts for Bangladesh
Paper - January 16, 2013
This policy brief presents the results of a screening exercise to identify NAMA concepts for Bangladesh.Multiple government planning documents were... - Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences (Key Messages)
Paper - October 25, 2012
A key determinant of REDD+ success will be the continued development and implementation of safeguards.An important element of REDD+ safeguards is... - Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences (Policy Paper)
Paper - October 22, 2012
A key determinant of REDD+ success will be the continued development and implementation of safeguards.An important element of REDD+ safeguards is... - Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences - Policy Brief
Paper - October 18, 2012
A key determinant of REDD+ success will be the continued development and implementation of safeguards.An important element of REDD+ safeguards is... - Encouraging a Triple Dividend in Agriculture: Increased food security, improved adaptive capacity and reduced emissions
Paper - July 31, 2012
Actions in the agriculture sector have the potential to produce a triple win for developing countries by increasing food security, enhancing... - Peering over the Ledge and Stepping Back (Again): The Bonn Climate Change Conference May 2012
Paper - June 13, 2012
While the COP 17 outcomes did provide some clarity as to what Parties were striving to develop in response to climate change.It was (as it always... - Agriculture and Climate Change: Post-Durban issues for negotiators
Paper - May 25, 2012
The inclusion of text on agriculture in the Outcome of the Work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention ... - Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers Phase III: Lessons learned
Paper - May 16, 2012
Two critical determinants of REDD+ success moving forward are: (1) developing and implementing REDD+ safeguard information systems (SIS) and (2)... - Agriculture in an International Climate Change Agreement
Paper - November 30, 2011
Agriculture's profile in the international climate change negotiations has grown, and there is increasing awareness of the importance of food... - Safeguards and Multiple Benefits in a REDD+ Mechanism
Paper - August 5, 2011
IISD has partnered with the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF) to deliver a project that... - REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation Hanoi - Vietnam May 18-20, 2011 - Workshop Report and Main Messages
Paper - June 13, 2011
IISD has partnered with the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF)... - REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation Douala, Cameroon, May 10-12, 2011 - Workshop Report and Main Messages
Paper - June 10, 2011
IISD has partnered with the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF)... - REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report
Paper - March 26, 2011
IISD and ASB-ICRAF held the first meeting of the REDD Development Dividend Task Force on January 25-26, 2011 in Manila, Philippines.Through... - REDD-plus: An area of potential success in Cancun
Commentary - December 4, 2010
Deborah Murphy (with the International Institute for Sustainable Development) and Peter A. Minang (with the Alternatives to Slash and Burn... - Expanding Agriculture's Role in the International Climate Change Regime: Capturing the opportunities
Paper - September 21, 2010
Agriculture's profile in the international negotiations on climate change is increasing.Agriculture is responsible for around 14 per cent of global... - The Emerging International Climate Change Regime: Opportunities and challenges for the Canadian agricultural sector
Paper - September 21, 2010
Canada's agricultural sector will be affected by policy decisions that respond to the climate change challenge.At the international level,... - Action on Implementation of Copenhagen Accord Most Critical for Canada
Commentary - September 14, 2010
The government of Canada has decided that its climate change response will be closely linked to that of the United States.However, Canada does not... - Climate Change and International Investment Agreements: Obstacles or opportunities?
Paper - June 30, 2010
Climate change presents a challenge unprecedented in human history. In November 2007, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its... - REDD After Copenhagen: The way forward
Paper - March 31, 2010
This paper analyizes the outcomes of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP-15) held in December 2009 in the area of reducing... - REDD: Bridging the Gap between Negotiation and Action - Key Messages for Copenhagen
Paper - March 17, 2010
This policy brief summarizes key messages for the negotiations on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing... - Copenhagen: A Memorable Time for All the Wrong Reasons?
Commentary - February 2, 2010
Director John Drexhage and Associate Deborah Murphy examine the outcomes of COP15 held in Copenhagen in December 2009. The final result of COP 15... - Agriculture and Climate Change: A post-2012 agreement must give agriculture the attention it deserves
Commentary - December 15, 2009
Agriculture is responsible for 14 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The most critical emissions are from agricultural land use where... - The REDD Negotiations: Moving into Copenhagen
Paper - December 7, 2009
This paper provides an analysis of the options for including REDD in a post-2012 agreement. It aims to identify the key issues and questions to be... - Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations: Outcomes of the Bonn Climate Change Talks
Paper - October 15, 2009
This paper provides an overview of the status of the international climate change negotiations, with an emphasis on the outcomes of the Bonn... - Financing for Developing Countries
Paper - October 15, 2009
This background paper describes the role and profile of climate change financing for developing countries in a new international post-2012 climate... - Encouraging Developing Country Participation in a Future Climate Change Regime
Paper - July 16, 2009
This paper explores how major developing economies might become effectively engaged in a post-2012 climate change regime. The paper sets out a... - International Carbon Market Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Change Agreement
Paper - July 8, 2009
This background paper provides an overview of the role and profile of international carbon market mechanisms in a new international post-2012... - Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations: Outcomes of the Bonn Climate Change Talks, March-April 2009
Paper - June 23, 2009
This paper provides an overview of the status of the international climate change negotiations with an emphasis on the outcomes of the Climate... - Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations: Outcomes of COP 14 Poznan
Paper - May 22, 2009
This paper provides an overview of the status of the international climate change negotiations, with an emphasis on the outcomes of COP 14 in... - Climate Change Mitigation through Land Use Measures in the Agriculture and Forestry Sectors
Paper - May 22, 2009
This paper reviews the status of the post-2012 negotiations on climate change mitigation through land-use measures in the agriculture and forestry... - Expanding Agriculture's Role in a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime
Paper - May 22, 2009
The aim of this paper is to examine how agriculture can be effectively included in a post-2012 regime. The paper examines issues related to the... - Market Mechanisms for Sustainable Development in a Post-2012 Climate Regime: Implications for the Development Dividend
Paper - December 6, 2008
There is broad consensus in the international talks on a post-2012 climate change regime on the need for some perpetuation of the CDM—a market... - A Way Forward: Canadian perspectives on post-2012 climate policy
Book - May 14, 2008
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol agreed on the Bali Action Plan in December 2007. The plan... - Furthering EU Objectives on Climate Change and Clean Energy: Building Partnerships with Major Developing Economies
Book - April 12, 2008
The European Union has demonstrated resolve to remain at the forefront of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but achieving the EU's... - Market Mechanisms for Sustainable Development: How Do They Fit in the Various Post-2012 Climate Efforts?
Paper - July 17, 2007
This new report, developed under IISD's Development Dividend Project, takes a first step at understanding the implications of the various possible... - Climate Change and Foreign Policy: An exploration of options for greater integration
Book - March 9, 2007
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of this century. Increasing evidence of the impacts of climate change and that human actions are... - Which Way Forward? - Issues in developing an effective climate regime after 2012
Book - November 18, 2005
A post-2012 climate change regime will need to balance the diverse needs of all countries while striving to prevent the potentially serious... - Realizing the Development Dividend: Making the CDM Work for Developing Countries (Phase I Report) - Executive Summary
Paper - May 18, 2005
The CDM has a host of objectives not directly related to climate ... - Realizing the Development Dividend: Making the CDM Work for Developing Countries (Phase I Report)
Paper - May 18, 2005
The CDM has a host of objectives not directly related to climate ...