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This report examines the potential socio-economic and environmental impacts of Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), specifically the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), on Trinidad and Tobago. As a hydrocarbon-dependent economy and a major global exporter of ammonia and fertilizers, the country is highly vulnerable to import charges based on carbon emissions. The report analyzes sectoral vulnerabilities, stakeholder responses, and the role of the financial sector in supporting decarbonization, while providing policy recommendations to mitigate economic risks and leverage opportunities for green industrial transformation.

This policy brief examines how the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) and other international tax reforms impact the design and effectiveness of tax incentives within Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that excessive reliance on tax holidays and exemptions is often ineffective for long-term competitiveness and may now lead to revenue loss as the GMT allows other jurisdictions to collect top-up taxes. The document recommends transitioning toward cost-based incentives, improving non-fiscal investment environments, and coordinating national policy to mitigate legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlements.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the impact of the Pillar Two global anti-base erosion (GloBE) rules on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) reduces the effectiveness of traditional corporate tax incentives, prompting a need for countries to shift toward non-fiscal incentives and sustainable investment models.

This policy brief examines the impact of the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) rules and the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that traditional income-based tax incentives used in SEZs are becoming less effective and may lead to revenue loss to other jurisdictions. The document recommends transitioning toward non-fiscal incentives, cost-based incentives, and better coordination between investment and tax authorities to maintain competitiveness while complying with international standards.

This case study examines Tropic Coffee, a Rwandan small and medium enterprise (SME) that processes and exports specialty Arabica green coffee beans. The document assesses the company's alignment with the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) using a dedicated RAI Tool for Agribusiness. While the company demonstrates high compliance in social empowerment and stakeholder relations, it lacks a formal documented strategy for responsible business conduct.

The Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) Tool for Agribusiness is a management and reference tool developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Cerise+SPTF. It is designed to help agribusinesses, agricultural value-chain actors, and SMEs assess their compliance with internationally recognised responsible business practices, specifically aligning with the CFS-RAI Principles and IFC Performance Standards.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes trade frictions arising from national and subnational plastic pollution measures implemented by WTO members. By examining Specific Trade Concerns (STCs) and Trade Policy Review (TPR) questions, the authors identify six primary types of regulatory issues—timing, transparency, stakeholder engagement, proportionality, justification, and discrimination—and provide recommendations to help policy-makers design measures that minimize trade disruptions.

A fact sheet by Natural Justice detailing the proposed Maputo Floating Thermoelectric Power Plant Project in Mozambique, developed by Karpower and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). The project involves a natural gas-powered floating station and associated infrastructure, raising significant environmental, social, and economic concerns.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the role of South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in the country's Just Energy Transition (JET). It argues that the DMRE has exhibited significant reluctance to lead the transition, driven by institutional 'stickiness', conflicts of interest between its minerals and energy mandates, and a perception of the JET as a Western imposition. The report highlights a lack of policy articulation, poor stakeholder engagement, and capacity constraints resulting from repeated organisational restructuring and the legacy of state capture. It concludes by welcoming the recent split of the DMRE into two separate departments—Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Electricity and Energy—as a necessary step to resolve these conflicts and improve policy focus.

This policy brief from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) examines how shifting geopolitical dynamics, rising global antagonism, and a shrinking space for civil society are hindering the momentum of humanitarian disarmament. Based on practitioner interviews and workshops, the document argues that the humanitarian disarmament community must adapt its strategies, funding models, and communication methods to remain effective in a more complex and polarized global environment.

This case study by RMI details a pre-feasibility analysis conducted in 2023 for a representative coal-fired power plant in Indonesia. The analysis evaluated four scenarios for accelerated retirement and repurposing—including early retirement without repurposing, early retirement with clean energy repurposing, and biomass co-firing—to determine their financial, technical, and climate impacts for investors, utilities, and the electricity system.

This guide by RMI introduces Performance-Based Regulation (PBR) as a regulatory approach for electric utilities designed to align utility incentives with customer and societal interests. It contrasts PBR with traditional cost-of-service regulation (COSR), which the document argues creates perverse incentives such as 'gold plating' and 'capex bias' that hinder the clean energy transition. The guide details various PBR tools—including revenue decoupling, multi-year rate plans, and performance incentive mechanisms—and provides a framework for moving from incremental to comprehensive PBR reform.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to support sustainable development. While China has established numerous bilateral agreements and funds, the document identifies significant challenges including a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This policy brief examines the current state and potential of renewable energy technologies in Africa, highlighting the gap between the continent's vast natural resources and its low installed capacity. It analyzes barriers to the energy transition, including financing shortages, reliance on imported technology, and the need for better integration into green value chains, while providing recommendations for the African Union and G20 to support a just transition.

This report outlines a roadmap for implementing distributed green ammonia (DGA) in Minnesota to address the climate impact of ammonia production (over 1% of global GHG emissions) and the vulnerabilities of centralized supply chains. It identifies Minnesota as a strategic starting point due to high fertilizer costs and consumption, suggesting the state could pioneer a shift toward localized production in the US Midwest and nationwide.

The Rocky Mountain region (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) has the infrastructure and feedstocks to support a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry but currently lacks substantial production. This report provides a roadmap to bridge these supply gaps and align with the US SAF Grand Challenge.

This report examines the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in facilitating the transition to a global circular economy to address the 'triple planetary crisis'. It analyzes current trade measures, identifies a disproportionate focus on end-of-life waste management over upstream resource reduction, and proposes a framework for regulatory alignment and mutual recognition of circular goods and services to prevent market fragmentation and 'circular resource nationalism'.

A statement delivered by Hon. Kerrie D. Symmonds, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, on 26 June 2024, calling for the immediate entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and the conclusion of negotiations on overcapacity and overfishing.

A statement by Hon. Kerrie D. Symmonds, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, delivered at the Global Review of Aid for Trade 2024. The speech critiques the 18-year history of the Aid for Trade initiative, arguing that its original assumptions failed to account for the volatility of development gradients, the climate crisis, and the extreme vulnerability of small island developing states.

A joint statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), and Earthjustice submitted to the Human Rights Council on June 27, 2024. The statement supports the Independent Expert's report on civil society participation in international solidarity and expresses specific concerns regarding the criminalization of environmental human rights defenders and the safety of participants at UNFCCC climate conferences.