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The Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL) tool shifts the focus from aggregate regional economic models to individual-level impacts of climate change. It identifies 'winners' and 'losers' by weighing avoided emission-reduction costs against climate damages. While most people currently see net gains from inaction, the tool indicates that by 2100, the majority of the global population will suffer net losses without far-reaching climate policy.

The Yucatan Peninsula Accord, signed in December 2010 by the states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan, represents Mexico's first sub-national regional climate agreement. The Accord aims to reduce vulnerabilities of local and indigenous populations through a joint low-carbon development scheme consisting of a regional adaptation strategy, a REDD+ programme in the Sian Kaan-Calakmul forest corridor, and a regional climate fund dedicated to scientific research. The document highlights that pooling resources at the sub-national level helped the participating states attract international and national funding that they could not secure individually. Key challenges identified include a lack of climate legal expertise among civil servants and the need to balance regional cooperation with state autonomy.

The document argues that GHG offsets are a critical component of effective climate policy, providing flexibility for regulated industrial emitters and expanding emission reductions to non-regulated sectors. Through a review of international and domestic systems and original CIMS modelling, the brief demonstrates that offsets can significantly lower the societal cost of carbon policies. It proposes two primary implementation paths: integrating offsets as a compliance mechanism within sector-by-sector regulations or establishing a separate, independent offset regime to cover sectors like agriculture and waste.

The policy brief examines the activities of Chinese state-run banks (Exim Bank and CDB) and the private Luso-Chinese fund Geocapital in Mozambique. While these entities leverage strong political and personal connections to enter the market, they have struggled to attract significant Chinese capital due to poor strategic planning and a lack of institutional capacity within Mozambique. The document highlights specific infrastructure loans and the establishment of Moza Banco, while noting that many large-scale projects have either collapsed or failed to materialize.

The document analyzes the shift in Chinese investment in the DRC's telecommunications sector, noting a transition from operating mobile networks to dominating equipment supply. It highlights the failure of ZTE's politically motivated investment in Congo Chine Télécoms (CCT), which was sold to France Telecom-Orange in 2011, and contrasts this with Huawei's success in providing infrastructure to major operators. The author argues that business-oriented strategies, free from political obligations, are more sustainable for foreign investors in the DRC.

Indian mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) operate on a small to medium scale compared to Western and Chinese firms, primarily growing through profit reinvestment rather than state or external capital. While companies like Rubamin, Chemaf, and Somika contribute to copper and cobalt output in Katanga, they face criticism over environmental pollution and labor conditions. Mining Mineral Resources (MMR) is strategically positioning itself as a producer of 'conflict-free' tin and tantalum through tagging and the construction of a domestic smelter. The primary risk to these operations is political instability following the departure of Katanga's governor, Moïse Katumbi.

This policy brief argues that climate change hinders the achievement of development goals by disproportionately affecting the 'climate-vulnerable poor'. It calls for the integration of poverty reduction and adaptation strategies, a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits.

The policy brief examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction, highlighting how climate instability undermines Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It advocates for a shift from treating adaptation and development as separate entities toward a 'climate-resilient development' approach. The author emphasizes the need for evidence-based, country-led policies that prioritize the most vulnerable and suggests that mitigation efforts should only be pursued when they offer clear co-benefits for poverty reduction and adaptation.

The document highlights how climate change undermines development goals and poverty eradication, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that the artificial distinction between adaptation and development must be removed in favor of climate resilience. The author calls for a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, the integration of adaptation into national poverty reduction strategies, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits over high opportunity costs.

The document examines the role of high-performance manufactured housing in providing sustainable, affordable housing in the U.S. It highlights the energy inefficiency of older mobile homes and proposes a shift toward an integrated design approach to lower operating costs and emissions. The brief outlines six key federal recommendations, including updating the HUD Code's energy standards and improving procurement specifications for disaster housing.

The policy brief by CIEL and IISD advocates for the UNCITRAL Working Group II to establish formal rules on transparency for investor-state arbitrations. It argues that existing 1976 and 2010 UNCITRAL rules are designed for private commercial disputes and fail to ensure the openness required for disputes involving state responsibilities and human rights. The authors propose that these rules be integrated as an annex to the general UNCITRAL rules and apply to both existing and future treaties. Key proposed elements include public notice of arbitration, the publication of tribunal documents and awards, open public hearings, and a mechanism for amicus curiae submissions from interested non-parties.

The document assesses how Indonesia's shift from a protected to an open economy has affected its SMEs, which constitute over 90% of all firms. Despite facing significant institutional constraints—such as lack of capital, technology, and skilled labor—the author finds no evidence that trade liberalization has negatively impacted the overall number or GDP contribution of Indonesian SMEs. While most SMEs remain domestically focused or export indirectly through intermediaries, the paper argues that a free-trade regime generally provides more long-term benefits than protectionism, provided that supporting policies for human resource and technological upgrading are implemented.

The document presents results from a pilot study of 177 armed conflict actors in 20 African countries. It finds that sexual violence is often indiscriminate, frequently committed by state armies, and can persist in post-conflict periods or years with low killing rates. The study emphasizes that sexual violence is not an inevitable part of war, as many actors do not engage in it, and recommends improved reporting mechanisms and targeted interventions to reduce its occurrence.

The document evaluates 76 CDM bioenergy projects to determine which types offer the most sustainable development benefits. It finds that projects using agricultural residues, particularly on-farm residues, claim the highest benefits, while forest residue projects claim the fewest. The analysis highlights a lack of verification systems for these claims and notes that very few projects improve rural energy access.

The policy brief examines the broad economic relationship between China and Nigeria, highlighting significant investments in oil, infrastructure, and agriculture, while identifying the banking sector as an under-developed area for future cooperation. It details existing financial links, such as the involvement of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and First Bank, and suggests that current reforms in the Nigerian banking sector create opportunities for Chinese acquisitions and investments. The author notes that while past projects were often marred by corruption, the banking sector offers a new avenue for mutual economic benefit and regional expansion.

The United States has increasingly recognized Brazil as a significant regional and global power due to its economic growth, leadership in biofuels, and role in multilateral forums like the G20. While there is mutual interest in cooperating on climate change, energy, and global financial stability, the document argues that a 'special relationship' is hindered by divergent priorities in security, trade disputes over agricultural subsidies and industrial protection, and a lack of dedicated Brazil expertise within the US policy community.

Since 2000, Brazil has leveraged sustained economic growth and reduced social inequality to expand its global political influence and diplomatic presence. While it has become an undisputed regional power in South America through the creation of institutions like Mercosur and mediation of regional conflicts, the document argues that Brazil remains a "reluctant emerging power." Its global ambitions are tempered by internal social inequalities, a public wary of the costs of assertive foreign policy, and a strategic preference for "partial adaptation" over revolutionary change to the global order. The author suggests that for Brazil to sustain its emergence, it must move beyond risk-averse diplomacy and define a clear vision for global governance.

The document examines the judicial systems of Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia, noting that while all three have constitutional guarantees of judicial independence, they suffer from executive interference, severe under-funding, and corruption. It highlights a shared colonial heritage where the executive remained dominant over the judiciary. Specific challenges include a lack of skilled personnel, outdated statutes, and the failure of customary law systems to meet modern human rights standards. The brief recommends improving judicial remuneration, increasing the number of judges, and implementing better case-tracking technology to ensure impartiality and the rule of law.

The document reports that pastoral communities in Ethiopia's Borana and Somali zones are facing unprecedented climate variability, including increasing temperatures and drought frequency, which are rendering traditional coping strategies ineffective. It identifies significant barriers to adaptation, such as land degradation, resource conflicts, and limited access to information and financial services. The brief recommends that the Ethiopian government protect pastoral land, improve weather information sharing, and enhance social safety nets. It advises civil society to integrate climate projections into programming and leverage traditional knowledge, while urging international donors to provide funding flexibility for climate emergencies.

The policy brief advocates for a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) as a technology-neutral mechanism to lower the life cycle emissions of transportation fuels. It emphasizes the necessity of 'well-to-wheels' accounting, including indirect land-use changes, to ensure genuine emission reductions. The LCFS is presented as a way to incentivize supply chain improvements, discourage high-carbon fuels like coal-to-liquids, and spur market-driven innovation in low-carbon technologies.