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The Obama administration's FY 2015 budget proposal emphasizes a "all of the above" energy strategy and the 2013 Climate Action Plan. Key financial highlights include a $1 billion Climate Fund for community adaptation, a $56 billion resilient infrastructure package, and a 26 percent increase in Department of Transportation funding to address an $86 billion maintenance backlog. The budget proposes making renewable energy tax credits permanent and eliminating $4 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. Significant funding increases are directed toward the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ($2.3 billion) and various sustainable transportation and building initiatives, while the EPA's overall budget is reduced by 3.8 percent.

The document examines Indonesia's energy subsidy regime, which in 2013 cost the government IDR 299.8 trillion (US$ 27.0 billion), representing 2.5% of GDP. It details the 2013 price increases for gasoline and diesel, the subsequent social compensation packages, and the challenges of LPG and electricity subsidy reforms. The report argues that these subsidies are regressive, encourage wasteful consumption, and crowd out critical infrastructure and social welfare spending. It provides recommendations for transitioning toward targeted assistance and renewable energy to ensure macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth.

The report examines the trade policies of BRICS nations within the WTO framework, highlighting their transition from individual actors to a coordinated group. It specifically analyzes their roles in the Doha Round, where they collaborated through groups like G-20 Agriculture and NAMA-11 to challenge the dominance of the US and EU. The text details their divergent and convergent interests in agriculture, non-agricultural market access, anti-dumping, and intellectual property, while assessing their use of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism. It concludes that while BRICS has achieved significant political cohesion in multilateral trade forums, substantial differences in their domestic economic models and commercial interests persist.

The document reports a significant decline in federal political will to regulate carbon emissions in Canada during 2013, specifically noting the delay of oil and gas regulations. In contrast, provinces took leading roles: Ontario phased out coal-fired electricity, Quebec launched a cap-and-trade system linked to California, and British Columbia maintained its carbon tax. The brief highlights the 'Keystone effect,' where U.S. market access for the Keystone XL pipeline became linked to Canada's GHG performance. It concludes that federal 'equivalency' agreements—intended to align provincial and federal standards—have stalled due to complexity and lack of political will, recommending that Canada embrace a bottom-up approach to subnational policy alignment.

The report examines India's energy subsidy regime, highlighting the significant fiscal burden of fuel subsidies, which cost an average of 1.4 per cent of GDP since FY 2008. It details policy shifts in diesel, LPG, kerosene, and natural gas markets, noting that while the government has pursued incremental price increases for diesel and consumption caps for LPG, currency depreciation and high international oil prices have maintained high under-recoveries. The document also analyzes the regressive nature of these subsidies, their impact on the trucking industry, and the inefficiencies of subsidized agricultural electricity, which encourages groundwater depletion. It recommends transitioning toward market-based pricing, targeted cash transfers, and structural improvements in transport and irrigation management.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the draft CETA text often contradicts the European Commission's claims of providing clarity and protecting the right to regulate. The analysis highlights that the 'right to regulate' remains subject to treaty obligations, the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) standard remains open to expansive interpretation due to a link to customary international law, and the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) provision could allow investors to bypass CETA's protections by importing more favourable terms from other treaties. While the report acknowledges improvements in transparency and the handling of indirect expropriation, it concludes that the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism still lacks sufficient safeguards regarding arbitrator independence and legal consistency.

The paper uses the Sesheke district in Western Zambia as a case study to analyze how climate variability affects the livelihoods of men and women dependent on natural resources. It evaluates the extent to which gender considerations were integrated into the formulation of agriculture and environmental policies and assesses the practical implementation of these policies, focusing on whether government funding for local adaptation activities is gender-responsive in its allocation and disbursement.

The document outlines the U.S. federal government's transition toward climate adaptation as a risk-management strategy. It details the economic impact of 2012 extreme weather events, analyzes legislative attempts like the SAFE and STRONG Acts, and describes executive actions under the Obama administration. It further reviews the adaptation roadmaps of key federal agencies including the USACE, USDA, DOD, DHS, and EPA, while noting a continuing need for a coordinated national adaptation strategy.

The report details a period of transition for South Africa's energy efficiency sector. While new building codes (SANS 10400) and tax incentives (Section 12L) aim to institutionalize efficiency, the market for domestic solar water heaters has seen a decline and consolidation following the cessation of various Eskom subsidies. Conversely, the LED lighting and embedded generation sectors, particularly solar PV, show signs of growth and increasing price competitiveness.

The document outlines the U.S. federal government's approach to climate adaptation as a risk-management strategy. It details the economic impacts of extreme weather in 2012, analyzes key legislation like the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 and the proposed SAFE and STRONG Acts, and reviews executive orders from the Obama administration. Additionally, it summarizes the adaptation roadmaps of federal agencies including the USACE, USDA, DOD, DHS, and EPA, while noting a continuing need for a coordinated national adaptation strategy.

The document outlines the observed and projected climate impacts in Africa, emphasizing that warming is already occurring and will likely accelerate. It argues that while global mitigation is essential to avoid catastrophic outcomes, immediate investment in adaptation is critical to protect food security, health, and economic growth. The report highlights opportunities for Africa to adopt low-carbon development pathways and calls for international cooperation and financial support to build resilience.

The document outlines the observed and projected climate impacts in Latin America, emphasizing the need for integrated adaptation and low-carbon development to protect economic growth and human security.

The report examines South Africa's water sector, highlighting the country's status as the 30th driest globally and the resulting pressure on water resources. It details the governance roles of the Department of Water Affairs (DWA), water boards, and municipalities, while identifying critical challenges such as non-revenue water (approximately 36.8% of supply) and a chronic shortage of engineering skills. In the Western Cape, the report notes a high reliance on six major dams and the implementation of the Berg River Improvement Plan to address pollution. Future opportunities for the private sector are identified in desalination, artificial aquifer recharge, water re-use, and infrastructure maintenance, supported by various government grants like the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG).

The report details a transition in South Africa's energy efficiency landscape, marked by the introduction of new building codes (SANS 10400) and mandatory quality testing for solar water heaters. While the high-pressure solar water heater market is consolidating after a peak in 2011 and the low-pressure sector is described as 'virtually extinct', the embedded generation sector, particularly solar PV, is showing growth as it approaches price parity with Eskom retail pricing. Financial incentives are shifting from Eskom-funded rebates, which have been largely cancelled, toward tax deductions under Section 12L.

The report examines South Africa's renewable energy landscape in 2014, detailing the regulatory framework, utility-scale and private markets, and the manufacturing of components. It highlights the role of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) in driving capacity, while noting grid constraints and the importance of the Western Cape as an industry hub.

The report assesses South Africa's water-stressed environment, highlighting the dominance of agricultural water demand and critical challenges such as non-revenue water losses and a severe shortage of technical skills. It details the governance roles of the Department of Water Affairs and various grants available for municipal infrastructure. In the Western Cape, the report identifies specific projects like the Berg River Improvement Plan and various wastewater treatment plant upgrades as key areas of activity and private sector opportunity.

The report analyzes the transition of South Africa's public procurement from a centralized system to a highly decentralized 'contract state'. It identifies systemic weaknesses in procurement planning, costing, and supplier selection, which it argues lead to uneven service delivery and opportunities for corruption. The authors suggest that the current state capacity depends on managing private sector contracts rather than internal administration, and they propose professionalizing the civil service as a potential solution.

The document assesses the socio-economic analysis (SMA) methodologies used by four Baltic Sea nations to meet the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It identifies discrepancies in baseline scenario development and analytical approaches—specifically between ecosystem services and marine accounting—and provides evidence from case studies in Estonia and Latvia regarding public willingness to pay for environmental improvements. The brief recommends a combined qualitative and quantitative approach to measure the cost-effectiveness of new policy measures and emphasizes the need for cross-border coordination to close 'policy gaps' in marine protection.

The document examines the challenges of managing rapidly growing global chemical production, emphasizing the disproportionate risks faced by developing countries and the informal sector. It highlights the role of international agreements, specifically the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), in fostering national-level safety frameworks. The brief identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding chemical mixtures, low-dose exposure, and planetary boundary threats, while discussing the complex trade-offs between chemical use, innovation, and environmental protection.

The document examines the strategic importance of rare earth minerals (REMs) for clean technologies and the geopolitical friction caused by China's dominance of their production. It highlights how China's shift toward environmental regulation and energy security has led to export restrictions, triggering WTO disputes with the USA, Japan, and the EU. The author argues that the REM case reveals the inadequacy of current international trade governance in balancing short-term economic priorities with long-term sustainability and resource scarcity.