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The study finds that while hydropower plant construction typically provides a short-term boost to formal employment and municipal revenue, these effects generally dissipate within five to six years and rarely lead to structural economic transformation. However, significant variation exists between municipalities, with some experiencing sustained growth and others seeing declines, suggesting that the economic benefits of dam construction are not uniform and require case-by-case analysis.

The study evaluates the impact of financing renewable energy through electricity surcharges versus alternative tax sources in Spain. Using a combined computable general equilibrium (CGE) and microsimulation (MS) model, the authors find that electricity surcharges are regressive, disproportionately affecting low-income households and vulnerable groups such as retirees. While exemptions for producers protect industrial competitiveness, they exacerbate the burden on households. Conversely, financing through lump-sum transfers or value-added taxes (VAT) is found to be more effective in reducing regressive effects and safeguarding welfare for low-income groups without significantly harming overall economic output.

The report concludes that the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has failed to improve air quality over the decade since its 2007 declaration. Despite the 2012 air quality management plan, ambient air quality remains out of compliance with health-based standards, largely due to industrial non-compliance and government failure in monitoring and enforcement. The authors highlight a deterioration in the monitoring network, inadequate dust control for mining, and a lack of resources and skilled staff within local municipalities. The report specifically criticizes the National Air Quality Officer for granting compliance postponements to major polluters Eskom and Sasol, arguing that this has hindered pollution reduction and violated the constitutional rights of residents.

The report concludes that the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has failed to improve air quality over a decade, with ambient air remaining in widespread non-compliance with health-based national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This failure is attributed to inadequate government capacity, a lack of financial and human resources at the municipal level, and the failure of major industrial emitters, specifically Eskom and Sasol, to reduce emissions. The report highlights a deteriorating monitoring network, ineffective dust control regulations, and a lack of progress in addressing indoor air pollution in low-income settlements. It argues that the granting of postponements from minimum emission standards (MES) to major polluters has further hindered progress, violating the constitutional rights of residents to an environment not harmful to their health.

The report finds that total 'green finance' for forest emissions reduction (roughly USD 20 billion since 2010) is insufficient and vastly outweighed by 'grey finance'—investments and subsidies that potentially drive deforestation—which totals USD 777 billion. While there is growth in impact investment and results-based REDD+ payments, the report argues that a dramatic shift away from traditional investments in deforestation drivers is required to achieve zero deforestation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that New Mexico should strengthen its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 80 percent by 2040 to ensure a cost-effective transition from coal to clean energy. Modeling shows that renewables are the most economically favorable choice, offering significant capital investment, job growth, and public health benefits without substantially increasing consumer electricity costs. The report warns against utility plans to overinvest in natural gas, which could lead to stranded assets and higher climate risks.

The report analyzes the industrial transformation of South Wales, detailing the collapse of its coal industry and the subsequent efforts by government and civil society to mitigate social and economic decline. It highlights the persistent challenges of outmigration, poor health, and low educational attainment in 'the Valleys'. The document evaluates various regional policies, the role of the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), and European Union funding, concluding that while inward investment generated jobs, it often failed to reach the most deprived mining communities. Key lessons emphasize the need for targeted interventions, long-term strategic planning, and the development of local skills and resilience to foster a sustainable post-mining economy.

The document assesses the threat of violent extremism in South Africa, concluding that while the overall risk of a major attack is low, the country remains vulnerable to 'lone wolf' incidents and the use of its infrastructure as a base for international extremists. It details the history of far-right groups like the AWB and Boeremag, the militant activities of Pagad in the 1990s, and recent concerns regarding South Africans joining ISIS. The brief highlights systemic vulnerabilities such as government corruption and porous borders, while recommending a focus on youth engagement, social cohesion, and improved intelligence capabilities.

The report argues that while vertical economic inequality is at an all-time high globally, horizontal inequality (inequality between groups) has declined significantly over the last 30 years. It finds that horizontal inequalities—particularly economic and political disparities affecting deprived groups—are stronger predictors of armed conflict than vertical inequalities. The authors emphasize that perceived inequality often diverges from objective data and is a critical driver of violence. While political institutional reforms and territorial autonomy show some success in preventing or ending conflict, economic policies have a mixed record. The report concludes with a call for better data on perceptions and a more rigorous analysis of policy outcomes.

The report argues that the European carpet industry is far from achieving a circular economy, with the vast majority of carpets in Germany being incinerated and 60% in Europe being landfilled. Despite the public sustainability branding of market leaders Desso and Interface, the study finds that these companies recover only 1.5% to 3% of the carpets they place on the market. The document identifies structural barriers, including poor eco-design, a lack of comprehensive collection systems, and an overcapacity of waste incineration plants in Germany, which creates financial incentives to burn recyclable materials. It recommends the introduction of extended producer responsibility, a waste incineration tax, and mandatory recycling quotas to shift the industry toward genuine material recovery.

The document examines how financing renewable energy through electricity prices in Spain has increased costs for households and industries, particularly impacting low-income groups. It evaluates three alternative financing scenarios—government transfers, Value Added Tax (VAT) increases, and fuel tax increases—finding that transfers and VAT are more progressive and beneficial for industrial production than electricity price surcharges.

Spain has experienced a sharp decline in coal production and employment over the last two decades, driven by EU legislation, falling international prices, and the rise of renewable energy. While government plans successfully reduced coal's share in the energy mix, efforts to mitigate socioeconomic impacts in mining regions were largely ineffective, focusing too heavily on public infrastructure rather than the creation of sustainable alternative industries.

The document analyzes Ethiopia's rapid economic growth and human development progress since 1991, while highlighting persistent gaps in basic service access and agricultural productivity. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, it compares a 'Current Path' forecast against various intervention scenarios, concluding that an integrated approach across agriculture, education, health, and governance is necessary to reach lower-middle-income status by 2025.

The document provides executive summaries of national reports for Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Serbia, and the UK. It evaluates various energy efficiency scenarios—including Business as Usual (BAU) and those incorporating the impact of socio-economic barriers—using LEAP modelling and a Decision Support Tool (DST). The analysis consistently shows that while ambitious energy efficiency measures can meet EU targets, the presence of socio-economic barriers significantly reduces potential energy savings and GHG reductions across most studied countries and sectors.

The report assesses Poland's compliance with the EU Control Regulation and IUU Regulation. While the 2014 Marine Fisheries Act established a necessary legal framework, the report finds that the system is overly complicated and lacks transparency. Data from 2016 indicates a surprisingly low rate of detected infringements compared to the number of inspections, suggesting a lack of effectiveness in detection or a lack of political will to implement sanctions. The report recommends improving inspection quality, providing guidance on administrative sanctions, increasing public access to the national register of infringements, and simplifying the legal framework.

The report identifies a set of 21 cost-effective and technically feasible policies that can enable Mexico to meet its 2030 climate goals. It proposes two scenarios: an unconditional package to reduce GHG emissions by 22% below the baseline and a conditional package for a 36% reduction. The analysis indicates that Mexico can achieve these targets while realizing significant net financial savings and public health benefits through reduced particulate matter pollution. The proposed eight-point action plan prioritizes industrial efficiency, methane capture, and carbon pricing as the most impactful interventions.

The paper analyzes the diversity of (I)NDCs across target types, sectoral coverage, and greenhouse gas scopes, finding that while economy-wide absolute targets facilitate easier accounting, only 18 (I)NDCs (covering 41% of global emissions) currently employ them.

The paper examines the adoption of Biodiversity Offsetting in England, highlighting a significant gap between policy implementation and research on its impacts. Through stakeholder interviews, the authors identify critical failures in both ecological compensation—such as the oversimplification of biodiversity metrics—and social compensation, specifically the marginalization of local communities and the loss of public access to nature. The study argues that the current 'no net loss' framework is a normative construct that often fails to account for the irreplaceable nature of certain habitats and the distributive justice concerns of affected populations.

The report details a presentation by Professor Roger Clarke on the contested meaning of 'security' and a case study of Australian national security initiatives. Clarke argues that 'security' is often used ambiguously to justify the erosion of human rights. He presents survey results showing that Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) in Australia are rarely conducted and, when they are, are typically deficient, failing to protect civil liberties from intrusive government measures.

The study utilizes a high-resolution model of Israel's water supply to determine that current desalination capacity significantly exceeds optimal levels, even under climate-change-induced recharge declines. It further finds that the 'Balanced Budget Water Economy' legislation imposes a welfare cost exceeding USD 100 million annually due to the gap between average and marginal costs.