Search Climate Insights Directory

This executive summary examines international best practices for reforming liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies to assist the Government of Indonesia in transitioning from regressive subsidies to targeted support. It analyzes various global pricing mechanisms and evaluates specific targeting strategies used in countries such as India, Peru, and El Salvador to ensure low-income households maintain access to clean cooking energy during price increases.

This executive summary examines international experiences and best practices for reforming Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) subsidies to provide policy options for Indonesia. It argues that while current LPG subsidies in Indonesia are regressive, effective targeting can transform them into a tool for promoting clean cooking for low-income households. The document outlines various global pricing mechanisms and analyzes specific targeting strategies used in several countries to mitigate the impact of price increases on vulnerable populations.

This research paper explores 'restricted linking' as an alternative to full linking of emissions trading systems (ETSs), aiming to capture economic, political, and administrative benefits while mitigating risks related to regulatory autonomy and over-allocation.

This case study describes the first phase of the 'Carbon and water footprinting in three Andean Cities' project, which assessed the carbon and water footprints of La Paz, Quito, and Lima to support municipal climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project provided the first greenhouse gas inventories for La Paz and Lima and the first city-level customized analysis for Quito, leading to the development of action plans and small-scale pilot projects to reduce environmental footprints.

This consultation background paper, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in December 2014, outlines the context for developing a new provincial climate change and green economy plan for Manitoba. It specifically focuses on the role of peatlands in emissions reduction, climate resilience, and economic development, while reviewing Manitoba's previous emissions performance and comparing climate policies across other jurisdictions.

This 2014 briefing paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) serves as a background document for consultations regarding Manitoba's new climate change and green economy action plan. It specifically focuses on the agriculture and water sectors, detailing their contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, their vulnerability to climate change, and potential strategies for mitigation and adaptation.

This research paper examines the development of green economies within the BRICS nations, analyzing how individual national economic priorities and policy approaches have led to varying levels of adoption and skepticism toward green growth.

This World Resources Institute working paper outlines the design and implementation of mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting programs, identifying key decision drivers and building blocks for jurisdictions to manage emissions and strengthen climate change capacity.

This research paper examines why South Africa is a founding member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) but remains absent from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The author argues that South Africa's reliance on general domestic transparency laws is insufficient for the specific needs of the extractive sector and suggests that the government's reluctance is tied to geopolitical perceptions of double standards between the global North and South.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the policy and institutional frameworks guiding land-based wind power expansion in Sweden, assessing their coherence with environmental considerations. It contrasts Sweden's decentralized, municipality-led approach with Norway's more centralized system, highlighting the impact of the Swedish municipal veto on project development and the role of research programs like Vindval in informing concession decisions.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the implementation of Australia's Clean Energy Future carbon pricing mechanism. It details the scheme's structure, including its transition from a fixed-price period to a cap-and-trade system, the associated compensation measures for industry and households, and the resulting impacts on subnational policies. The document highlights lessons for Canada, specifically regarding the importance of robust emissions reporting and the risks of locking in fixed prices amidst volatile international markets.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute uses the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model to analyze the gap between current climate-economic policy recommendations and the emission reductions required to limit global warming to 2°C. The authors argue that conventional models, such as DICE, often underestimate climate damages and ignore international equity and the needs of future generations. By incorporating updated science, lower discount rates, and cross-regional investments from rich to poor countries, the CRED Optimal scenario demonstrates that it is possible to achieve a high probability of staying below 2°C while simultaneously reducing global income inequality.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the potential role of tax incentives in helping the German government achieve its goal of reducing primary energy demand in the building sector by 80% by 2050. The document compares international experiences with tax credits in Italy, the Netherlands, and the USA against the existing grant and loan programs provided by the KfW banking group.

This research paper compares the closed static chamber (CSC) and closed dynamic chamber (CDC) methodologies for measuring soil respiration, finding that the CSC approach can produce comparable results to the CDC system if sampling periods are shortened to prevent CO2 build-up.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative argues that Europe's current power market designs are insufficient to support the transition to a low-carbon energy system and the goals of a smart grid. It advocates for a transition from zonal pricing and market coupling toward an integrated power market based on locational marginal pricing (nodal pricing), citing the US experience as a successful model for managing transmission constraints and integrating intermittent renewable energy.

This fact sheet describes a study analyzing transition zones (ecotones) between forest and non-forest sites across one Canadian and four South American locations to understand how climate change and human intervention drive ecosystem displacements.

This 2010 research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute estimates the carbon footprint of smallholder diesel and electric irrigation pumps in five Sub-Saharan African countries. The study finds that emissions from these pumps are currently a negligible fraction of national agricultural emissions and are unlikely to become significant even under high-adoption scenarios, though local water resource stress may pose a more immediate environmental risk.

This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.

This report analyzes the legal risks host states face when international investment agreements (IIAs) allow investors to 'internationalize' contract disputes, engage in forum-shopping, or initiate multiple legal proceedings. It examines the impact of broadly-worded dispute resolution clauses, umbrella clauses, and fork-in-the-road clauses, providing a survey of IIA drafting trends and arbitral jurisprudence to recommend best practices for protecting state sovereignty.

This research paper develops and tests indicators of adaptive capacity to climate change for agriculture across 53 Census Divisions in the Canadian Prairie region. Using a framework of six determinants—economic resources, technology, infrastructure, information/skills/management, institutions/networks, and equity—the authors created an aggregated index to identify regions of high and low adaptive capacity. The study finds that adaptive capacity is strongly correlated with proximity to urban centres and highlights a significant data gap regarding surface and groundwater resources. By comparing census-based indices with field interviews, the paper concludes that while statistical indicators provide a useful spatial perspective, site-specific research is essential for designing effective adaptation policies.