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This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute describes a four-step process for identifying and minimizing 'carbon lock-in'—the process where investments in carbon-intensive infrastructure make shifting to low-carbon pathways more difficult and expensive. The document demonstrates this approach on a global scale, highlighting the high risks associated with coal and gas power plants, private vehicle travel, and capital-intensive fossil fuel supply infrastructure, and provides guidance for applying the framework at national and regional levels.

This policy brief examines the management of the Bali Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site centered on the subaks—traditional farmers' organizations that manage irrigation and water temples. The document highlights the tension between preserving centuries-old cultural practices and the pressures of rapid socio-economic change, tourism, and bureaucratic hurdles in Indonesia. It focuses specifically on the Catur Angga Batukaru (CAB) region, arguing that the long-term viability of the site depends on meaningful, farmer-led governance and addressing existential threats such as water scarcity, high land taxes, and the declining interest of youth in farming.

This policy brief examines the conflict between the UNFCCC's principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC) and the international aviation law's principle of equal treatment. It argues that 'contextual treatment'—which considers changing national circumstances and provides implementation assistance—offers a viable path to reconcile these opposing frameworks to regulate international aviation emissions.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the environmental integrity of Joint Implementation (JI) during the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period (2008–2012). The analysis finds that JI likely increased global greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 600 million tCO2e due to widespread issues with additionality, overcrediting, and a lack of international oversight under 'Track 1' procedures.

This report examines the alignment between global, regional, and national development strategies for food security and sustainable agriculture in Zambia. It finds significant gaps between the aspirational goals of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the actual implementation of policies in Zambia, which remain heavily focused on maize production and large-scale commercial farming. While national policies mention diversification and sustainability, political incentives and subsidy structures (like the FISP) reinforce a maize-centric system that fails to address systemic barriers to food security for smallholder farmers. The report suggests that small-scale ICT interventions and conservation farming offer potential pathways toward the SDGs, but require systemic shifts in governance and investment to be scaled effectively.

This report analyzes the drivers and barriers to developing Sweden's transmission grid to support the integration of renewable energy sources (RES) for a carbon-neutral Nordic power system by 2050. Key drivers include the strategic goals of Svenska Kraftnät to decarbonize Europe, EU directives (2009/28/EC), and price signals from bidding areas. Major barriers include a complex and ambiguous concession process, conflicts between local environmental/health concerns and global sustainability goals, and passive government oversight. The report also notes a gap between the grid operator's wind power projections and industry estimates, which may lead to capacity bottlenecks.

This research synthesis brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute summarizes findings from the 2008–2015 Mistra-SWECIA programme regarding climate change adaptation in the Swedish forestry sector. It examines the driving forces, risks, and social barriers affecting the roughly 330,000 individual forest owners who manage about half of Sweden's forests. The document highlights the tension between scientific climate projections and the practical, often gradual, perceptions of forest owners, while also analyzing indirect global climate risks to Sweden's export-dependent forestry economy.

The SEI Strategy 2015–2019 outlines the Stockholm Environment Institute's framework for bridging science and policy to support sustainable development. The strategy focuses on enhancing scientific research through new 'SEI Initiatives', expanding policy engagement to include 'hard-to-reach' stakeholders like the private sector, and strengthening capacity development across individual, organizational, and institutional levels. It also details the enabling infrastructure required for delivery, including communications, ICT tools, financial management, and a custom monitoring system (PMEC).

This research paper by the World Resources Institute evaluates UNFCCC practices and proposes a set of architectural options to enhance the effectiveness of the post-2020 international climate agreement.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute outlines proposed options for the design of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction offers within the 2015 UNFCCC climate change agreement, focusing on balancing national ownership with multilateral coherence to limit global temperature rise to 2°C.

This guide, produced by the Adaptation Finance Accountability Initiative (AFAI), provides a five-step methodology for civil society organizations (CSOs) to track climate change adaptation finance. It aims to improve transparency and accountability by helping CSOs gather evidence on funding flows from international donors to local communities, ultimately informing evidence-based advocacy to ensure resources reach the most vulnerable populations.

This case study examines the restoration of the Loess Plateau in north-central China between 1994 and 2005. The initiative, involving the Chinese government and the World Bank, focused on curbing soil erosion and improving food security through terracing, afforestation, and the 'Grain for Green' program. While the project achieved significant reductions in sediment runoff and increased per capita grain output, the document highlights long-term sustainability challenges related to species selection, water shortages, and the reliance on government subsidies.

This case study examines Costa Rica's transition from high rates of deforestation to net forest restoration between 1986 and 2005. It highlights how a combination of market shifts, policy changes, and financial incentives—most notably the Pago de Servicios Ambientales (PSA) system—contributed to increasing forest cover from 41 percent in 1986 to 48 percent by 2005.

This case study examines the restoration of 500,000 hectares of woodland in the Shinyanga region of Tanzania between 1986 and 2004. The restoration was achieved through the HASHI program, which revived the traditional Sukuma practice of 'ngitili' (enclosures) to combat desertification caused by large-scale cash-crop cultivation and inappropriate land use.

The report examines the role of the energy transition't a specific set of policies and financial mechanisms to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy in the energy sector. It emphasizes the need for integrated policy frameworks, international cooperation, and targeted investment to overcome barriers to decarbonization. Key focus areas include the scaling of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies. The document highlights the importance of a just transition to ensure that the shift to clean energy is equitable and inclusive, supporting workers and communities affected by the transition. It also discusses the role of technology innovation and the need for increased funding for developing countries to meet their climate goals.

This report examines the cost-effectiveness of biomass power deployment subsidies in Germany and the United Kingdom, aiming to develop a multi-criteria framework for evaluating renewable energy subsidies by considering all costs and potential benefits.

This text describes a book that examines the intersection of development and climate change, specifically highlighting a case study on charcoal production in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) as a means of increasing community adaptive capacity and energy access.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) presented a vision to the Arctic Council's Sustainable Development Working Group on March 1, 2015, advocating for the acceleration of renewable energy deployment in the Arctic through the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and the implementation of clear long-term policy targets.

This report reviews the laws and policies of Mozambique regarding the recognition of the rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, specifically examining how natural resource extraction, large-scale agriculture, and infrastructure projects impact these rights.

This research paper examines 'readiness finance' for REDD+ through the lens of the Brazilian Amazon Fund and the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF). It finds that readiness has evolved from a technical focus to one encompassing governance and policy. The authors argue that readiness is not a static phase with a clear end point but requires sustained investment in institutional strengthening that continues into the performance-based phase of REDD+.