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This commentary analyzes a May 6, 2013, World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body ruling regarding renewable energy generation measures in a dispute involving Canada (Ontario), Japan, and the European Union. The author argues that the ruling failed to provide necessary legal clarification on WTO rules for sustainable energy and may have created a problematic carve-out of the subsidy agreement, concluding that WTO members rather than the Appellate Body should define the boundaries for renewable energy support.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several community groups and NGOs, submitted comments on July 19, 2013, opposing Eskom's applications for exemptions and postponements regarding Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The CER argues that such applications are legally invalid because ambient air quality standards (AAQS) are already exceeded in the priority areas where most Eskom plants are located. The document highlights severe health risks, particularly from SO2 and mercury, and criticizes Eskom for failing to consider renewable energy alternatives or the decommissioning of worst-performing plants.

This briefing is a transcript of an address by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) delivered on July 17, 2013, at Appalachian State University. Lovins advocates for the adoption of 'integrative design' and 'natural capitalism' within university campuses to eliminate energy and material waste. He argues that universities should serve as living laboratories where students use a 'beginner's mind' to redesign buildings, food systems, and infrastructure, while simultaneously breaking down academic silos to foster transdisciplinary learning.

This briefing examines the economic and strategic relationship between South Africa and the European Union (EU) ahead of the 2013 EU-SA Summit, focusing on job creation, foreign direct investment (FDI), and regional integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The Centre for Environmental Rights submitted an Answering Statement on behalf of Earthlife Africa, Johannesburg, appealing the authorisation of the 1200MW coal-fired Thabametsi Power Station in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The submission responds to a statement by Newshelf 1282 (Pty) Limited and complies with the 2010 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

Friends of the Earth issued a statement criticizing the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, arguing that the process lacks transparency and prioritizes corporate interests over environmental and public health regulations.

This research paper examines the welfare costs of drought plan transactions between the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) in California and its customers, using a discrete continuous choice (DCC) model within a water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model to estimate consumer welfare loss.

This statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues that U.S. forests are increasingly transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon emitters due to climate change, droughts, and wildfires. It highlights a critical funding gap for hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration, suggesting that expanding markets for wood products and bioenergy could provide a sustainable financial model for forest management.

A case study by the World Resources Institute detailing how a civil society campaign and legal action led to the suspension of a state zoning law in Mato Grosso, Brazil, which had opened 50,000 km2 of forest for agricultural conversion.

This case study describes the implementation and impact of the Transoeste Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Rio de Janeiro, which was launched in June 2012 with technical support from EMBARQ.

A case study detailing how the government of St. Maarten established its first national park, the Man of War Shoal Marine Park, using economic valuation tools provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI).

This research paper introduces the CLEWs (climate, land-use, energy and water strategies) framework, a paradigm for integrated resource assessment designed to address inconsistencies in policy-making and resource exploitation that contribute to climate change.

This research paper by GLOBE International examines the relationship between domestic climate change legislation and a country's negotiating position within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It argues that strong national laws act as an enabler for international ambition by creating political space, increasing economic competitiveness, and building confidence among leaders and investors.

The Climate Risk Assessment Guide – Central Asia is a practical manual designed to assess the impacts of climate-related events on lives and livelihoods in Central Asia. It provides a structured methodology to downscale climate risk understanding to sub-national and community levels, bridging the gap between long-term climate change modeling and immediate disaster risk assessment. The guide emphasizes a combination of impact-based assessments (using monetary damage and livelihood capital scoring) and perception-based surveys to inform sustainable risk management and policy development.

This report by Meister Consultants Group, Inc. (MCG) for the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines public-private collaborations (PPCs) designed to build climate and disaster resilience in developing countries. Through an analysis of nine case studies, the report identifies how formal and informal partnerships between governments, businesses, and civil society can overcome market barriers to deliver adaptation and disaster risk management solutions.

This briefing paper examines the socio-economic impacts of migration influenced by climate change in Bangladesh, discussing its role as both a development tool and an adaptation strategy while highlighting the need for protective policies for internal migrants.

This policy brief, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in July 2013, examines the relationship between climate change and migration in Bangladesh. Based on research from the Sussex Centre for Migration Research and the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, the document argues that migration should be viewed as a proactive adaptation tool rather than a failure of local interventions or a social threat. It identifies significant gaps in existing national policies and provides recommendations to integrate migration into climate resilience strategies, protect migrant rights, and improve access to financial and vocational resources for climate-vulnerable populations.

This situation analysis, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in July 2013, evaluates Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change and identifies priority adaptation actions. It examines the country's development, policy, and institutional contexts, and provides a set of proposed options for adaptation across policy, governance, technical, and capacity-building domains to support the implementation of Pakistan's National Climate Change Policy (NCCP).

This report presents the results of a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey conducted by the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) in July 2013. The survey targeted three communities in the upper Yallahs watershed—Grasspiece, Brook Lodge, and Poorman’s Corner—to understand local awareness of climate change and inland flooding as part of a larger project funded by CARIBSAVE and implemented by the University of the West Indies (UWI). The study utilized a convenience sample of 20 persons per community to assess how residents perceive climate evidence, the causes and impacts of flooding, and their capacity to adapt.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes President Obama's June 2013 climate change action plan. It examines the shift toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sector-regulation for electricity, the potential for alignment with subnational carbon pricing systems, and the implications for Canada's own regulatory approach and the Keystone XL Pipeline approval.