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The report summarizes China's low-carbon progress during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), noting a 19.06% reduction in energy intensity despite a 33.6% increase in total emissions. Key drivers included technological upgrades and structural economic shifts, supported by massive investments in renewables (1.73 trillion yuan) and energy efficiency (859.2 billion yuan). While large enterprises and government-led administrative targets drove success, the report highlights challenges for the 12th Five-Year Plan, including the need to support small and medium enterprises and manage rising energy demand from urbanization.

This executive summary of the 'Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012)' evaluates China's performance during its 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP). It details the drivers behind the reduction in energy intensity, the effectiveness of various policy instruments, and the challenges facing the subsequent 12th FYP.

This briefing outlines an 8-point plan to mobilize the $75 trillion held by institutional investors toward the low-carbon transition via the bond market. It argues that while climate-resilient infrastructure provides the long-term, secure assets pension funds and insurers seek, current deal flow is too small and fragmented. The plan proposes aggregating small projects into investment-grade offerings, utilizing public sector risk-sharing and regulatory leverage, greening development banks, and implementing standardized climate bond certifications to bridge the annual investment gap of $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion.

The CRED V.1.3 Technical Report describes the methodology of the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model, an integrated assessment model designed to estimate the optimal pace of climate mitigation investment and its global cost distribution. Version 1.3, completed in June 2011, focuses on the distribution of climate damages and policy costs across nine global regions to inform international climate negotiations.

This report summarizes a workshop hosted by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Florence School of Regulation on October 20, 2011. The discussions focused on the planning, regulation, and financing of European electricity transmission infrastructure, specifically in the context of integrating renewable energy and the implementation of the European Commission's proposed Infrastructure Package.

This research paper analyzes the strategic challenges and opportunities facing South Africa during its second year as a member of the UN Security Council, focusing on its efforts to lead the African agenda and manage relations with other African states.

This research paper explores how to govern the interactions between climate change, freshwater, land use, and biodiversity to prevent problem shifting. Using the EU as a case study, it argues that such governance is possible through comprehensive response packages and identifies three key governance functions: reducing system stress, navigating economic transformation, and developing diverse options.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and DIW Berlin presents findings from a survey of 78 thermal retrofitting practitioners to inform the German government's debate on tax incentives for residential building retrofits. The study evaluates the effectiveness of comprehensive versus single-measure retrofits, the appropriateness of the KfW 85 energy standard, the necessary timeframes for project completion, and the risks associated with stepwise implementation.

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) employs a microgrid to manage 42 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including solar, cogeneration, and landfill-gas fuel cells. This system enables cost minimization and emergency 'islanding' from the main grid, while serving as a laboratory for optimizing local resource integration with market signals.

A research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates emission control measures for tropospheric ozone and black carbon to mitigate near-term climate change while improving public health and food security.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing groundWork, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA), submitted a statement to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs regarding the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011. The submission expresses grave concerns that the Bill's proposed criminalization of issuing air pollution-related warnings without permission would undermine public health, freedom of speech, and existing environmental governance frameworks under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).

This research paper analyzes the impasse of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) following a ministerial meeting and evaluates the strategic negotiating position South Africa should adopt. It highlights the tension between domestic policy imperatives—specifically industrial policy and agricultural support—and the need for multilateral trade agreements.

The paper proposes an extended Kaya identity that incorporates investment and capital stocks to better analyze the transition to a low-carbon economy, addressing the limitations of traditional scaling relations in capturing existing capital legacies and new investment needs.

A study of a temperate deciduous oak forest in south east England analyzed the components of soil CO2 efflux (Rs), finding that autotrophic respiration (Ra)—comprising root (Rr) and mycorrhizal hyphae (Rm) respiration—contributes 56% of the total flux, with Rm acting as a carbon "overflow tap" linked to gross primary productivity (GPP).

This research paper explores the integration of human rights standards into climate change policy through a human rights-based approach, emphasizing the critical role of training and education for rights-holders and duty-bearers.

This report provides a global and national knowledge review to assist the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab, Pakistan, in incorporating climate compatibility and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into reconstruction and village planning. It synthesizes experiences from Europe and Asia, focusing on adaptation and low-carbon construction to improve resilience against flooding and extreme temperatures.

This executive summary analyzes the drivers of reduced deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2000 and 2010, specifically comparing the impact of agricultural price fluctuations against the implementation of conservation policies in 2004 and 2008. The study concludes that while agricultural prices influence deforestation rates, government policies were responsible for preventing the loss of approximately 62,000 square kilometers of forest between 2005 and 2009.

This executive summary analyzes whether the substantial decline in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2009 was driven by agricultural price fluctuations or government conservation policies. Using regression techniques and counterfactual simulations, the authors conclude that conservation policies implemented at two key turning points (2004 and 2008) were responsible for approximately half of the avoided deforestation during this period.

This 2012 report examines the state of conservation in Sierra Leone, highlighting that only 4% of its land is protected. It details how the 1991–2002 civil war devastated environmental management and how current pressures from mining, industrial agriculture, and population growth continue to threaten biodiversity. The authors argue that while conservation can support peacebuilding through job creation and benefit-sharing (e.g., the Gola Forest Programme), it can also trigger conflict if it limits resource access or fails to compensate communities for wildlife damage. The report recommends strengthening legislative frameworks, improving stakeholder coordination, and implementing conflict-sensitive management strategies.

This 2012 report summarizes a task force meeting in Durban, South Africa, aimed at identifying lessons learned for REDD+ policy capacity in developing countries. The discussions prioritized three 'pillars'—Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), safeguards, and financing—as the primary areas for research and policy development. The report emphasizes the need for country-driven processes, effective communication with local communities, and the integration of national experiences (such as those from Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia) to inform international negotiations and national implementation.