Call for Papers: Navigating Climate Change Challenges in Developing Countries – Economic Complexities and Opportunities

Issued by: United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
Submission Deadline: 30 September 2025, 23:59 UTC+3
Workshop: Q2 2026 (costs covered by UNU-WIDER)
Journal Submission Deadline: 31 August 2026

UNU-WIDER invites original research submissions for a forthcoming special issue in collaboration with a leading journal in environmental, resource, and energy economics. The theme—“Navigating Climate Change Challenges in Developing Countries: Economic Complexities and Opportunities”—seeks to explore how climate change intersects with development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly within the context of limited resources, institutional constraints, and rising social inequalities.

This initiative is part of UNU-WIDER’s broader research programme titled “From Conflict to Cohesion: Pathways for Peace and Inclusive Statebuilding” and is designed to advance rigorous, policy-relevant research. The selected papers will first appear in the WIDER Working Paper Series and be presented at a dedicated workshop before journal submission.

Key Themes and Research Objectives

The special issue aims to deepen global understanding in five key thematic areas:

1. Climate Change and Resource Constraints
   Investigating how limited financial, human, and natural resources in LMICs restrict their ability to implement effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Contributions should explore sectoral impacts across agriculture, energy, industry, and more.
2. Institutional Challenges in Climate Policy
   Examining the implications of weak governance, low administrative capacity, and limited regulatory infrastructure on environmental management and climate resilience.
3. Opportunities in Energy Transition
   Exploring how countries with minimal legacy infrastructure can leapfrog to clean energy systems, and under what political, economic, and institutional conditions such transitions are viable.
4. Economic and Social Disparities in Climate Impacts
   Assessing how climate change disproportionately affects marginalized populations and exacerbates inequality, and which policy solutions are most effective across diverse socioeconomic environments.
5. Innovative Approaches to Climate Challenges
   Presenting new frameworks, interdisciplinary methods, or novel theoretical perspectives that address climate governance and development in LMIC-specific contexts.

Submissions addressing related or cross-cutting topics within these areas are also welcome.

Who Should Apply

UNU-WIDER encourages submissions from:

• Individual researchers
• Collaborative research teams
• Non-profit research institutions

Particular encouragement is extended to:

• Researchers from the Global South
• Women scholars
• Early-career researchers and PhD candidates (especially those close to completion)

Applicants are expected to demonstrate strong theoretical or empirical grounding and the ability to produce policy-relevant work. All submissions must be in English and be 10,000–12,000 words in length, including references, tables, and appendices. While no honorarium is provided, the cost of participating in the workshop will be fully covered by UNU-WIDER.

Review and Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

1. Relevance to the Special Issue Theme
2. Scientific and Theoretical Contribution
3. Clarity and Quality of Writing

UNU-WIDER uses iThenticate software to verify the originality of all submissions. Only final decisions will be communicated to applicants; no individualized feedback will be provided.

Publication and Copyright

Accepted papers will be published initially in the WIDER Working Paper Series and subsequently in the journal special issue. Copyright will temporarily be transferred to UNU-WIDER to facilitate the publication process. In cases where UNU-WIDER opts not to pursue further publication, copyright will revert to the authors.

Application Requirements

Submissions must include:

• An updated CV for each contributing author
• A full research article that outlines the research question, methodology, data sources, and analysis

Applications must be submitted through the online forms available on the UNU-WIDER announcement page, depending on applicant type (individual, group, or institution). No email submissions will be accepted.

Timeline

• Launch of Call: 19 June 2025
• Deadline for Questions: 15 August 2025
• Submission Deadline: 30 September 2025
• Notification of Decision: 31 October 2025
• Research Workshop: Second Quarter of 2026
• Final Journal Submission Deadline: 31 August 2026

All questions and official responses will be published on the official call webpage on a rolling basis.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring organization. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.