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A report describing the potential for sugar cane bioenergy to enhance rural livelihoods, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy security and economic competitiveness in Southern and Eastern Africa.

This book chapter examines the role of investment and financing in the sugar cane-based bioenergy sector in Africa, noting that while sugar cane has a long history in the region, energy-specific investments have historically been limited but are increasing due to climate change, energy security, and rural development concerns.

The document describes a report on the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to climate change adaptation in Africa. It outlines an analytical framework for adaptation interventions—addressing vulnerability, building response capacity, managing risks, and confronting climate change—and draws on case studies from Senegal, Malawi, and Uganda to suggest policy and practical interventions.

A statement delivered by Marcos Orellana of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the UN Human Rights Council, urging the establishment of a special procedure to address the human rights dimensions of the environment and climate change.

This document is a summary of a UNDP paper that establishes a framework for defining and assessing 'climate finance readiness' in countries, focusing on the capacities required to manage both international and domestic climate funds.

This briefing by Simon Maxwell of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) proposes a 'green growth guarantee' as a concrete deliverable for the G20 summit in Los Cabos and the Rio+20 Summit in 2012. The author argues that while technical discussions on green growth are advancing, political leaders need a high-profile commitment to support developing countries in planning and implementing sustainable growth through indicators, financial engagement, and peer review.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a clear definition in most investment treaties creates tension between the protection of foreign private investments and the sovereign right of host states to regulate in the public interest, particularly regarding health, environment, and human rights.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a precise definition in treaties allows arbitral tribunals to apply varying criteria—such as the 'sole effect doctrine' or proportionality—which can conflict with a state's sovereign right to regulate for the public interest, including health, environment, and human rights.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes how the definition of an 'investor' in Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) affects the ability of private entities to access international arbitration. It examines the risks of 'treaty shopping'—where investors artificially acquire a nationality to benefit from a more favorable treaty—and evaluates the effectiveness of liberal versus restrictive clauses in BITs. The document provides recommendations for states to better define protected investors to prevent abusive practices and ensure reciprocity.

This 2012 report provides an action plan for reforming fuel subsidies in Indonesia, specifically targeting the subsidized gasoline 'Premium'. It highlights the fiscal burden of these subsidies (US$18.1 billion in 2011) and analyzes the government's plans to restrict consumption and introduce alternative fuels like CNG and LGV. The report identifies significant infrastructure gaps in refineries and filling stations, political risks associated with the 2014 elections, and a lack of effective public communication. It recommends transitioning from ad-hoc pricing to an automated, market-based pricing mechanism and improving social safety nets to mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the compliance of local councillors in South Africa with financial disclosure regulations. It highlights significant variations in compliance rates across municipalities, identifies systemic challenges such as ambiguous legislation and poor data quality, and provides recommendations to strengthen the oversight process to better detect conflicts of interest.

This report, produced by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) for PG&E, examines the impact of distributed energy resources (DERs) and Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings on California's electricity system. It identifies misalignments between current utility business models and the shift toward decentralized generation, proposing a transition toward new pricing structures and regulatory frameworks to ensure grid stability and cost equity.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the economic impact of Chinese trade, investment, and construction firms in Kenya. It highlights a significant trade imbalance, the proliferation of counterfeit Chinese goods, and the competitive pressures faced by local construction firms, while evaluating the effectiveness of Kenyan legislative responses such as the Anti-Counterfeit Act of 2008 and the National Construction Authority Act of 2010.

This research paper by Trudi Hartzenberg for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the intersection of trade, investment, and competition policy in South Africa. It analyzes how South Africa balances the need for foreign direct investment (FDI) and global trade integration with domestic development goals, particularly employment creation. The paper details the evolution of South Africa's competition regime, the role of the Competition Act of 1998, and the complexities of managing cross-border mergers, using the Walmart-Massmart transaction as a primary case study.

This policy briefing examines the evolution of South–South co-operation (SSC) and the shifting landscape of global development effectiveness. It argues that while the rise of emerging powers provides African nations with more diverse options and reduced dependence on Western donors, these new partners primarily pursue their own national interests. The author recommends that African states, regional bodies, and the African Union proactively develop codes of conduct, enhance negotiating capacity, and insist on transparency and accountability to ensure SSC aligns with national and regional development priorities.

This research paper introduces a hybrid "EZ-DICE" model that implements Epstein-Zin recursive utility into the Dynamic Integrated Climate-Economy (DICE) model. The authors aim to separate risk aversion from time preference, a conflation present in standard expected-utility frameworks that often leads to a perverse relationship where higher risk aversion implies less concern for future outcomes.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement condemning violence and intimidation against CEIBA – Amigos de la Tierra Guatemala and the National Network in Defense of Food Sovereignty of Guatemala (REDSAG).

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute reviews approaches and lessons learned for integrating climate change adaptation into development planning, with a specific focus on the Asia-Pacific region. It examines the multi-level nature of planning—national, sectoral, and sub-national—and proposes strategies to avoid policy conflicts and leverage existing financial flows to reduce vulnerability.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues for the accelerated market entry of E15 ethanol blends to combat rising gasoline prices and address a domestic ethanol glut.

In this briefing, Simon Maxwell, Executive Chairman of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), analyzes the failures of 'first wave' environmentalism surrounding the 1987 Bruntland Report and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. He argues that for the Rio+20 Summit to transform development, it must avoid three historical errors: failing to establish the relative urgency of environmental issues compared to immediate economic crises, lacking a convincing narrative on growth, and remaining isolated within environmental ministries rather than engaging mainstream economic planning.