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This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the decline of water storage in the Canadian Prairies and advocates for natural water retention measures to mitigate the risks of floods and droughts exacerbated by climate change.

This policy brief describes the results of a Rapid Trade and Environment Assessment (RTEA) conducted in Namibia from January to June 2009. The assessment aimed to identify 'green' opportunities and threats within international trade law and technical standards to support Namibia's Vision 2030 and National Development Plan (NDP3). It emphasizes that Namibia should avoid the bulk export models of Western nations or South Africa, instead focusing on high-value niche sectors based on its comparative advantages in biodiversity, landscapes, and rangelands.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the Adaptation Fund (AF), its operational mechanisms, and its effectiveness in meeting the climate adaptation needs of African countries. It highlights the fund's unique 'direct access' modality and the challenges associated with its primary funding source, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

This policy brief from RMI outlines the role of policymakers in reducing embodied carbon in the built environment, emphasizing the use of regulations, incentives, and standards to drive private-sector reductions and stimulate market demand for low-carbon materials.

This policy brief by the Johns Hopkins SAIS China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) examines two distinct models of Chinese agricultural investment in Africa through case studies in Ghana and Nigeria. It contrasts a small-scale, private entrepreneurial model in Ghana with a large-scale, state-backed public-private partnership in Nigeria, analyzing their motivations, land acquisition challenges, and social impacts.

This policy brief examines the use of gypsum, an industrial by-product from phosphorus fertilizer extraction, as a soil amendment to reduce phosphorus run-off from agricultural fields into the Baltic Sea, specifically focusing on applications in Finland.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the public health and environmental crises caused by the reliance of over three billion people on traditional biomass for household energy, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how integrating sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices across the dairy value chain can increase productivity and economic growth in Kenya while reducing environmental degradation.

This policy brief from the MEDIATION project evaluates the use of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) as a decision support tool for climate change adaptation. While CEA is a primary tool for mitigation, the document highlights that its application to adaptation is more challenging due to the lack of a single common metric and the critical need to account for uncertainty.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the management of the Bali Province Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It focuses on the Subak—traditional farmer organizations managing irrigation—and argues that the site's survival depends on the active, meaningful participation of these farmers and the resolution of socio-economic pressures such as land conversion, water scarcity, and the high cost of rituals.

This policy brief examines the impact of COVID-19 on Colombia's agricultural supply chains, highlighting structural weaknesses in transport infrastructure, a lack of digitalization, and high food waste (34% annually). It recommends diversifying transport modes (rail and river), modernizing the cargo fleet with electric and biofuel vehicles, and implementing climate change adaptation measures in infrastructure. The brief also emphasizes the need for a national information system and the promotion of short supply circuits to enhance food security and rural development.

This policy brief examines the transition from natural gas to electricity in Colombia's residential sector. Using a simulation model, it finds that while gas currently dominates cooking and heating, a shift toward electrification is necessary due to declining reserves. The report highlights that total electrification is more cost-effective than a mixed transition, potentially saving up to 20 trillion pesos, and significantly reducing CO2 emissions. However, adoption is hindered by high initial equipment costs and cultural inertia, suggesting a need for public policies such as equipment substitution programs and local value chain strengthening.

This policy brief by the Latinoamérica Sostenible alliance (comprising Espacio Público, Transforma, and Ethos) analyzes the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, green jobs, and rural indigenous communities in Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. It argues that the pandemic exacerbated structural inequalities and that regional recovery strategies must prioritize social inclusion, gender equity, and environmental sustainability to be just and resilient.

This policy note from the World Resources Institute outlines strategies to combat the global crisis of nutrient pollution and eutrophication, emphasizing a combination of research, public awareness, regulation, economic incentives, and institutional coordination.

This policy note from the World Resources Institute outlines the causes and drivers of eutrophication, noting a significant increase in coastal dead zones and the primary role of human activities—specifically wastewater, agriculture, and fossil fuel combustion—in nutrient pollution.

This policy brief advocates for the use of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) as a tool for environmental policy in the United States, detailing a pilot database developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to track the life cycle of over 190 commodities.

This World Resources Institute policy brief outlines three primary business motivations for European companies transitioning to renewable energy: cost management, emissions reduction, and improved stakeholder relations.

This executive summary, authored by Alice Gerow and Frances Seymour for the World Resources Institute, outlines the material risks that non-carbon biophysical effects of tropical deforestation pose to the private sector. It argues that while many companies focus on carbon emissions and reputational risks, the loss of forests directly threatens agricultural productivity and worker health through changes in local temperature and regional precipitation, thereby destabilizing global supply chains.