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A case study by RMI detailing Kaiser Permanente's procurement of 153 MW of off-site wind and solar power through a deal with NextEra Energy Resources to meet its sustainability goals in California.

This research paper analyzes the factors leading to the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 Nigerian elections, while outlining the security, economic, and governance priorities for the incoming administration.

This research paper examines the role of judicial independence within the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), arguing that the judiciary's contribution to good political governance is understated and marginalized in the mechanism's assessment reports.

This research paper evaluates the 2010 residential tiered electricity pricing (TEP) reform in China, focusing on its effects on equity, efficiency, and subsidy expenditure.

This report examines the relationship between energy supply, energy pricing, and the competitiveness of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam, aiming to provide policy recommendations to attract high-quality investment for developmental goals.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides submissions on the first draft of the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). The CER identifies significant gaps in technical and financial capacity, a lack of alignment with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) AQMP, and deficiencies in health impact assessments and monitoring. The submissions call for the NDM to prioritize staffing, ensure transparency in air quality data, and implement stricter dust control regulations.

The report details the design and pilot of the Energy Savings Insurance (ESI) instrument, aimed at stimulating energy efficiency investments for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by mitigating the risk of underperformance. It focuses on a 2015 pilot in Mexico's agro-industry sector and outlines a replication strategy for Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa.

This briefing summarizes the recommendations of the State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, established by President Obama via Executive Order 13653. The Task Force provided 35 key recommendations across seven themes to help the federal government support community resilience against climate change. The document also details executive actions taken by the White House in response to these recommendations and specific funding requests in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

This briefing outlines key insights and guiding principles for improving air quality in China, developed during a September 2014 workshop in Beijing. It proposes a framework based on ten guiding principles, fiscal policy alignment, robust management systems, full enforcement of laws, and targeted sectoral policies to reduce both air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

This policy brief, prepared for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlines a proposed regional governance architecture for Future Earth. It defines the roles, eligibility criteria, and interactions between National Committees, Regional Committees, and Regional Centres to ensure that global research agendas incorporate regional priorities and stakeholder needs.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) proposes a multi-level architecture for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to review and follow up on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The authors suggest a bottom-up approach consisting of national conversations every five years, regional peer reviews to facilitate learning among similar states, and a global assessment with both national and thematic tracks to chart global progress and ensure UN system coherence.

This report summarizes expert interviews on the potential for China to earmark revenues from its national emissions trading scheme (ETS), planned for 2016, to support renewable energy. While experts find earmarking feasible, they suggest targeting less mature technologies (e.g., tidal, geothermal) and carbon capture rather than established wind and solar. Key challenges identified include the need for transparent governance, the harmonization of MRV rules across regions, and the avoidance of direct government price manipulation to ensure market efficiency.

This policy brief provides feedback from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's (MOECC) 2015 Climate Change Discussion Paper. The IISD supports the vision of a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and offers specific recommendations on carbon pricing, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, the integration of adaptation into infrastructure, and the inclusion of traditional knowledge from First Nations and Métis communities.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the drivers and types of insecurity in Kenya, arguing that while al-Shabaab receives significant attention, armed criminal groups and the nature of Kenyan politics pose more widespread threats. The document examines the role of state-led violence, historical land injustices, and regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa in shaping the country's security landscape.

This executive summary by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and HOMER Energy analyzes the economic transition of residential and commercial customers from grid-only electricity to grid-connected solar-plus-battery systems. The report argues that while total grid defection is possible, the more likely scenario is a gradual shift where customers use the grid as a backup, potentially leading to significant revenue loss for utilities and stranded assets for central generation owners unless new regulatory and pricing models are adopted.

This guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides real estate investors with a framework to calculate and present the full value of deep energy retrofits. It argues that conventional evaluations, which focus primarily on energy cost savings, often overlook significant revenue and risk-reduction benefits that can make a project financially viable even if its net present value based on energy savings alone is negative.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the G-20 and OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project from an African perspective. It analyzes the causes of Africa's low tax base, the impact of illicit financial flows and tax incentives, and provides recommendations for African nations to better influence global tax standards to ensure sustainable domestic revenue mobilization.

This text introduces a collection of 24 REDD project summaries that demonstrate how such initiatives often undermine forest peoples' rights and fail to mitigate the climate crisis. The authors argue that offset projects are a distraction from the necessary steep emission reductions required, especially in industrialised countries.

This document is a formal notice of appeal filed on 30 March 2015 by eight environmental organisations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, against the granting of mining right MP30/5/1/2/2/1/0069MR to Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd (AAV). The appeal seeks to set aside the right and suspend its operation, arguing that the proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine is located in the Mabola Protected Environment and the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Area, regions of irreplaceable biodiversity and critical hydrological importance.

This draft report documents the January 28, 2015, launch meeting of the South African chapter of the Network of Southern Think Tanks (NeST), co-hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Oxfam. The meeting brought together over 40 stakeholders to discuss South Africa's approach to South-South cooperation (SSC) and development partnerships in Africa. The report outlines the goals of NeST South Africa, analyzes the specific paradigm of South African development assistance, identifies systemic challenges in coordination and data management, and discusses the pending establishment of the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA).