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This report examines how increased transparency and a two-track approach—combining domestic accounting improvements with an international data-gathering regime—can accelerate the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies to support climate change and sustainable development goals.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the cycle of disarmament campaigns in Jonglei state, South Sudan, specifically comparing the failed 2006 effort with the 2009-2010 campaign. The author argues that the government's reliance on disarmament as the sole response to endemic violence ignores structural failures in local governance, the lack of civilian protection by the SPLA, and a cattle-based economy that incentivizes raiding and child abduction.

This research paper examines the economic impact of the 2010 European airspace closure caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland on African trade. It highlights the vulnerability of agricultural exports—specifically perishables like flowers—and argues that the crisis serves as a wake-up call for African nations to diversify their export destinations beyond Europe to include South-South trade partners like Brazil, India, and China.

This research paper analyzes the intersection of climate change and human rights, specifically focusing on the role of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). It details how global warming threatens rights to food, water, health, and housing, and examines international jurisprudence where environmental harm has been linked to human rights violations. The paper evaluates the marginal role of human rights in the 2009 Copenhagen climate talks and suggests that the CESCR can better monitor State compliance by integrating climate-specific questions into its reporting guidelines and utilizing the Optional Protocol for climate-related complaints. It concludes with eleven recommendations for the Committee to systematically anchor climate considerations in its work.

This fact sheet describes a project to reduce agricultural production risks for soybean farmers in Eastern Paraguay and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, by implementing a climate-based decision support system (DSS) that utilizes seasonal forecasts and crop growth models.

This fact sheet details research on the interactions between climate change, land use, and irrigation in the Rio Segundo basin (Argentina) and the Maipo river basin (Chile). Key findings include a massive shift toward soy bean production in Rio Segundo driven by globalization and increased rainfall, the impact of ENSO on crop yields, and a projected increase in water right failure rates in the Maipo basin due to global warming.

This workshop report details a Participatory Scenario Development (PSD) process conducted in January 2010 to identify future development pathways and climate change adaptation strategies for the Bras d’Or ecosystem in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The process involved stakeholders developing three distinct scenarios for the year 2060—status quo, best case, and worst case—to analyze the synergies and trade-offs between regional development priorities and climate resilience.

Earthjustice calls for a halt to exploratory oil drilling off the coasts of the United States, particularly in the Arctic Ocean, following the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

This research paper introduces the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model, an integrated assessment model (IAM) designed to analyze the intersection of climate mitigation and international economic development. The model's primary innovations include a focus on global equity through a concave utility function and the use of McKinsey marginal abatement cost curves to project mitigation costs. The authors argue that achieving climate stabilization requires either a very low discount rate or significant capital transfers from high-income to developing nations.

This report examines the restructuring of the coal-mining industry in Poland following the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy starting in 1989.

This report examines the discrepancies in economic simulations regarding the welfare gains of multilateral trade liberalization, specifically focusing on the shift from optimistic early projections of the Doha Round to more recent, smaller estimates for the global economy and developing countries.

This case study examines the role of investment incentives in attracting foreign investment to Singapore's pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences (BMS) sectors and evaluates the resulting impacts on employment, economic diversification, and technology spillovers.

This research paper examines the political challenges associated with the creation and removal of fossil-fuel subsidies, noting that while such subsidies often lack a legitimate purpose, they persist due to pressure from well-organized political groups.

This research paper examines the role of defence cooperation within the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) framework, focusing on the strategic position and military capabilities of South Africa relative to its partners.

This report reviews the economic feasibility of low-carbon and climate-resilient growth in developing countries. It finds that significant mitigation is possible with minimal GDP impact (1-2% reduction globally), often driven by low-cost energy efficiency. However, it highlights critical gaps in current research, specifically the failure to account for implementation costs, the over-reliance on static MACC models, and the lack of a clear framework for 'climate resilient growth' beyond simple adaptation. It emphasizes that while Middle Income Countries face higher pressure to reduce emissions, Low Income Countries can leverage co-benefits and carbon finance to align low-carbon paths with development goals.

Dr. Jakkie Cilliers, Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), delivered opening remarks on April 13, 2010, to mark the official launch of the ISS's new and expanded office in Nairobi, Kenya.

This fact sheet describes project CRN2050, a paleotempestology study using proxy data—such as coral, stalagmites, and lagoon sediments—to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of hurricane activity in the pan-Caribbean region.

This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in April 2010, synthesizes five research papers on the economic, environmental, and political dimensions of fossil-fuel subsidies. It argues that these subsidies lock economies into fossil-fuel reliance, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and divert funds from social services. The document provides a framework for reform, emphasizing the need for transparency, political strategy, and a two-track approach involving both domestic reporting and a new international data-gathering regime.

This briefing examines the risks and logistical challenges surrounding Sudan's first multi-party elections since 1986, scheduled for 11 April 2010. The authors argue that the elections, mandated by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), are occurring too late in the interim period to effectively influence the January 2011 self-determination referendum for Southern Sudan. The document highlights significant political risks, including the boycott of the presidential race by Yassir Arman, disputes over the 2008 population census, restrictive security laws, and the extreme complexity of the voting process for a largely illiterate population.

This research paper compares infrastructure aid in Mali from the World Bank, the European Commission, and China. It finds that while traditional donors impose higher short-term transaction costs through strict evaluation and reporting, Chinese aid is perceived as having lower short-term risk but higher long-term uncertainty. The study highlights how 'tied aid' restrictions on contractors hinder multi-donor coordination and notes that in stable countries like Mali, Chinese aid tends to complement rather than replace traditional OECD aid.