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This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a clear definition in most investment treaties creates tension between the protection of foreign private investments and the sovereign right of host states to regulate in the public interest, particularly regarding health, environment, and human rights.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute reviews approaches and lessons learned for integrating climate change adaptation into development planning, with a specific focus on the Asia-Pacific region. It examines the multi-level nature of planning—national, sectoral, and sub-national—and proposes strategies to avoid policy conflicts and leverage existing financial flows to reduce vulnerability.

This report examines climate change adaptation strategies in 10 ASARECA member countries, focusing on the availability of climate-related datasets, their integration into national development plans, and the countries' positions in UNFCCC negotiations.

The report by the Global Subsidy Initiative (GSI) identifies and estimates government support for upstream oil and gas production in Norway, specifically analyzing nine subsidies and their impacts on revenue, employment, and carbon emissions.

This research paper examines housing vulnerability to climate extremes, specifically typhoons and floods, in Vietnam with a focus on Central Vietnam and Da Nang. It analyzes how socio-economic status, inadequate construction practices, and a lack of professional technical guidance contribute to structural risks. The document highlights a 'two-fold source of vulnerability' where the adoption of modern materials without safety-related design increases risk. It concludes that while disaster-resistant reinforcement adds initial costs, it significantly reduces long-term repair expenses for low-income households.

This 2012 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the implementation of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) within the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) during the 2007-2013 period. It examines the challenges of integrating agricultural productivity with environmental boundary conditions, such as nutrient reduction and biodiversity conservation. The report argues that the diversity of farming systems in the BSR should be an asset and recommends that post-2013 CAP reforms shift toward treating environmental services as a core value of farming rather than a precondition for payment, while introducing 'soft measures' to improve transboundary cooperation and stakeholder engagement.

This policy brief, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute in partnership with the business leaders' initiative 3C, examines the role of biomass in transitioning to a low-carbon economy by 2035. It argues that while biomass is a promising renewable energy source, it is constrained by physical limits and competing needs for food and materials. The document evaluates four future scenarios, concluding that a 'Sustainability Transition'—which balances climate mitigation with sustainable agricultural productivity—offers the most viable path for economic growth and environmental stability.

This policy brief, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute in partnership with the business leaders' initiative 3C, examines the risk of metal scarcity for low-carbon technologies. Using a custom scenario calculator, the authors analyze the future supply and demand for cobalt, lithium, neodymium, indium, and tellurium, concluding that cumulative supply deficits for several of these metals could hinder the global transition to a low-carbon economy.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) discusses the challenges of providing sustainable energy access to the global poor while meeting climate goals. It presents three scenarios—Baseline, Basic Energy Access (BEA), and Shared Development Agenda (SDA)—to explore the energy systems required to enable long-term economic development. The document argues that market-based instruments alone are insufficient and calls for a transformative global governance framework, increased state-led investment in innovation, and the integration of energy targets into Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Second National Communication on Climate Change for Saint Lucia, published in December 2011, provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climate vulnerabilities, and strategies for mitigation and adaptation. The report details a GHG inventory for the year 2000, projects future emissions through 2020 under various scenarios, and evaluates the vulnerability of key sectors—including tourism, agriculture, and water resources—to rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and sea-level rise. It proposes a series of priority adaptation and mitigation measures, while identifying significant gaps in financial, technical, and institutional capacity that hinder the mainstreaming of climate resilience into national development planning.

This policy brief describes the development and strategic goals of the Implementation Plan (IP) for 2011-2021, created by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) to achieve development resilient to climate change across the 15 CARICOM member states.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between economic development in low-income countries and global greenhouse gas emissions budgets. It argues that many climate-economics models rely on overly pessimistic growth projections for the poorest nations, which inadvertently weakens the urgency for high-income countries to reduce their own emissions. The author proposes three scenarios—Without Development, Development with Carbon, and Development without Carbon—to demonstrate how rapid economic growth in the developing world, if not coupled with strong decarbonization policies and funding from rich nations, could lead to a failure of global climate targets.

This research paper serves as an input for the sixth meeting of the International Partnership on Mitigation and Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) held in Panama City in October 2011. It reviews the first five meetings of the Partnership to identify lessons learned and suggest ways to enhance the Partnership's value to the international climate community.

This workshop report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the technical challenges of implementing nodal pricing in European power markets to facilitate the integration of intermittent renewable energy. It compares the European approach, including the EU Target Model, with the experience of US Independent System Operators (ISOs) and PJM, focusing on the conflicts between market flexibility and system security, the integration of energy and reserve markets, and the use of shadow prices to inform grid investment.

This research paper reviews international and Canadian programming and research on ecological goods and services (EGS) to guide the development of EGS policy and management in Manitoba, specifically to support a comprehensive water resources plan for Lake Winnipeg.

The August 2011 PSC Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides an analysis of early warning issues for the African Union Peace and Security Council, focusing heavily on the security challenges facing the newly independent Republic of South Sudan and the ongoing civil war in Libya. It also reviews outcomes from the 17th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Malabo and discusses the development of a common African position on the UN Arms Trade Treaty.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 (S. 847), a bill introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The analysis evaluates whether the bill provides the necessary implementing authority for the United States to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the POPs Protocol to the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP POPs Protocol), and the Rotterdam Convention.

This case study report examines agricultural participation in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) across four Canadian watersheds: the Okanagan Basin (BC), Lower Souris River (SK), Yamaska (QC), and Souris River (PEI). It analyzes the drivers and barriers to producer engagement, the institutional structures governing water management, and the resources provided by federal and provincial governments. The report concludes that while financial incentives are a primary driver for adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs), there is a critical need for better integration between high-level IWRM planning and on-the-ground agri-environmental implementation, supported by localized technical extension and consistent monitoring data.

The 2010 report by the Climate Policy Initiative reviews China's progress during its 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP), which aimed to reduce energy intensity by 20%. The study finds that China was on track to meet this target, with energy intensity decreasing by 15.6% by the end of 2009. While significant gains were made in the power and industrial sectors through plant closures and technology upgrades, the building and transport sectors saw energy use increase due to urbanization and economic growth. The report notes that many policies were top-down administrative measures that may not be cost-effective for future goals, as much of the 'low-hanging fruit' for efficiency gains has already been utilized.

This report reviews the 2002 Belgian Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), arguing that it follows a traditional European model that provides extensive protections for foreign investors while imposing broad obligations on host states. The authors contend that the model lacks necessary refinements to preserve policy space for sustainable development, environmental protection, and labour rights, and fails to address governance issues in investor-state dispute settlement.