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The report evaluates alternatives to gas-driven pneumatic controllers, which are the second-largest source of methane emissions in the US oil and gas industry. It identifies electronic controllers and instrument air as the two most mature and widely applicable zero-emission technologies. An economic analysis of 2,032 site configurations found that these solutions are cost-effective—with abatement costs below the US EPA's social cost of methane ($1,354/tCH4)—in the vast majority of cases, particularly for sites with four or more controllers or those incorporating chemical injection pumps.

The report analyzes various policy scenarios for China's energy transition, highlighting that carbon pricing and renewable energy standards are the most powerful tools for reducing emissions. It emphasizes that regulatory policies, particularly energy efficiency standards in buildings and industry, are highly cost-effective. The analysis suggests a transition toward a service-based economy and a decarbonized electricity grid to meet emissions peaking goals by 2030.

The report finds that Africa is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) for universal WASH access by 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the authors analyze three paths: a 'Current Path' where few countries meet targets; a 'Universal Access' scenario requiring aggressive investment; and a 'Balancing WASH' scenario that prioritizes high-impact, lower-cost improvements. While universal access offers the highest economic and health gains, it requires an additional US$122 billion in infrastructure spending and may force detrimental trade-offs in health and education budgets. The 'Balancing WASH' approach is presented as a more realistic alternative, delivering approximately 50% of the human development benefits of universal access at only 30% of the cost (US$36 billion).

The report analyzes the Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) study to demonstrate that aggressive carbon reductions in the U.S. electric sector are achievable with minimal additional cost. By re-evaluating EIPC data, Synapse Energy Economics found that a 'Carbon Reduction' scenario—featuring massive wind build-out and coal retirements—costs approximately the same as a 'Business as Usual' scenario when carbon revenues are recycled. The analysis shows that this path would allow the MISO and PJM regions to significantly over-comply with the Clean Power Plan's emissions targets while maintaining grid reliability.

The report evaluates a wide array of in-lake remediation techniques to combat eutrophication, emphasizing that these methods are generally only effective if external nutrient loads are simultaneously reduced. It categorizes treatments into biological engineering (e.g., biomanipulation, floating wetlands), physical engineering (e.g., hypolimnetic withdrawal, dredging, artificial circulation), and chemical applications (e.g., alum, Phoslock, algicides). The document provides detailed case studies from North America and Europe, analyzing the effectiveness, longevity, and costs of each method, while highlighting the critical role of internal phosphorus loading in delaying lake recovery.

The report estimates that the cost of inaction regarding climate change in Uganda's agriculture, water, energy, and infrastructure sectors will range between US$273 billion and US$437 billion from 2010 to 2050. These costs are estimated to be 24-46 times greater than the proposed adaptation budget. The study identifies water and energy as the sectors with the highest costs of inaction, while infrastructure is expected to require the most adaptation investment in the long term. Key recommendations include prioritizing the government's Costed Implementation Strategy and mainstreaming climate adaptation into national and district development plans.

The report examines climate variability and projections for Kampala, finding that while annual rainfall has remained stable, temperatures rose by approximately 1ºC between 1979 and 2005. Future projections suggest temperature increases of 1.5ºC (RCP 4.5) to 3ºC (RCP 8.5) by 2095. The study highlights that flooding is the most significant climate impact, exacerbated by the encroachment of human settlements into wetlands and poor urban drainage. Economic estimates indicate that annual flood damages could rise from US$1.3–7.3 million in 2013 to US$33.2–101.7 million by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario. The cost of climate-proofing buildings and roads between 2015 and 2050 is estimated at US$3.2 billion (RCP 4.5) to US$3.7 billion (RCP 8.5), with residential buildings accounting for 72% of these costs. A cost-benefit analysis of drainage improvements in four catchments showed mixed results, with only two projects yielding a positive net present value. The report recommends revising building codes and the Kampala Physical Development Plan, strengthening the enforcement of Environmental Impact Assessments to protect wetlands, and integrating informality into climate resilience strategies.

The study examines the vulnerability of Arabica coffee in Bududa, Uganda, to climate variability and projected climate change. It finds that yields have declined due to poor management and extreme weather, including droughts and landslides. The report argues that transitioning from 'Business as Usual' (BAU) to Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)—defined here as planting shade trees, mulching, and trench construction—significantly improves the internal rate of return (IRR) for farmers, even under future climate scenarios. While costly, the study concludes that a combined programme of CSA and institutional support is economically justified, with a projected IRR of around 36%.

Energy Innovation used the Energy Policy Simulator to determine that a specific combination of six policies could meet the Clean Power Plan's goal of reducing power sector CO2 emissions by 32 percent by 2030 while saving the U.S. economy nearly 40 billion dollars between 2016 and 2030. The recommended package focuses on improving coal plant efficiency, accelerating coal retirements, enhancing building and industrial energy efficiency, implementing a 25 percent national average renewable portfolio standard, and increasing transmission capacity. The report contrasts this approach with more expensive alternatives, such as those relying heavily on nuclear power or carbon capture and storage.

The report uses the IISD GPP Model to quantify the benefits of greening public procurement in China across five product categories: air conditioners, lighting, cars, paper, and cement. It argues that while some categories require an initial 'cost of leadership,' others pay for themselves through energy savings and avoided health and environmental costs. The document proposes 13 recommendations, including making GPP mandatory for state-owned enterprises and extending it to infrastructure procurement.

The report argues that expanding global networks of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) is economically advisable, with benefits significantly outweighing costs across all analyzed scenarios. Using a cost-benefit analysis for the period 2015-2050, the study finds that expanding coverage to 30% can generate net benefits between US$490 billion and US$920 billion. The highest returns are associated with 'Protect to Preserve' scenarios that target high-biodiversity areas with low human impact. While MPAs enhance biodiversity, fisheries productivity through spillover, and carbon sequestration in mangroves, the report notes significant data gaps regarding the quantification of various ecosystem services and the specific impacts on high-seas and polar regions.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the costs associated with India's goals to install 60 GW of wind and 100 GW of solar power capacity by 2022. It compares the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of these renewables against imported coal, evaluates the cost of current support mechanisms like accelerated depreciation, and proposes alternative financing models to reduce government expenditure.

The report finds that wind power is already cost-competitive with imported coal, while solar power is expected to become competitive by 2019. It argues that the total cost of government support for solar energy can be reduced by 96% if the government shifts from accelerated depreciation to a policy of reduced cost, extended tenor debt. To further minimize costs, the report suggests accelerating wind deployment in the near term and ramping up solar deployment after 2019.

The report estimates that making Uganda's infrastructure climate-resilient will cost between US$52-66 million annually by 2020, rising to US$638-1,157 million by 2050. Residential buildings are the most affected sector, accounting for approximately half of all adaptation costs. The study also projects that annual damages from extreme events, if frequency doubles every 25 years, could reach US$738-3,294 million by 2050. Key adaptation priorities include climate-proofing public buildings and developing resilient transport standards.

The report uses the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool to project that Uganda's total water demand will increase from 408 million cubic meters per year (MCM/y) in 2010 to 3,963 MCM/y by 2050. Under a 'business as usual' scenario, total unmet demand is expected to rise from 3.7 MCM/y to 1,651 MCM/y. The estimated economic cost of these shortages in 2050 is 14,558 billion shillings (US$5.5 billion), though this could be ten times higher if income elasticity is considered. The most significant losses are anticipated in the Lake Victoria, Albert Nile, and Lake Kyoga watersheds. The report also highlights the impact of extreme events, noting that droughts in 2005-06 and 2010-11 caused losses of US$250 million and US$1,174 million, respectively. Proposed adaptation measures, including water harvesting, increased supply for production, and Integrated Water Resources Management, are found to be economically viable, with some generating a 10% rate of return even with minimal reductions in damage.

The study finds that while agricultural prices drive deforestation, conservation policies implemented in 2004 and 2008 significantly curbed forest loss. Counterfactual simulations estimate that these policies avoided approximately 73,000 square kilometers of deforestation from 2005 to 2009, equivalent to 2.7 billion tonnes of stored carbon dioxide. The analysis indicates that the deforestation slowdown did not result in a major downturn for the local agricultural sector or municipal GDP per capita.

Since the 1950s, Vietnam lost over 80% of its mangroves due to war-time defoliants and post-war aquaculture expansion. Restoration efforts since 2001 have added a net 18,000 hectares. In northern Vietnam, restoration focused on disaster risk reduction through top-down, monoculture plantations that protected sea dikes. In southern Vietnam, a bottom-up approach integrated poverty alleviation and livelihood diversification, utilizing species-rich plantations and land-use leases for households. While economically beneficial—with some mangrove areas generating more value than aquaculture—sustainability is threatened by declining incentives in the north, tenure conflicts, and overlapping regulatory mandates for payments for ecosystem services (PES).

The document details the technical basis for calculating methane emissions and abatement costs across the U.S. oil and gas value chain, focusing on leaks, pneumatic devices, compressor seals, oil wells, and liquids unloading.

The paper examines Ethiopia's position regarding the COMESA FTA, concluding that while trade liberalisation could increase general welfare through cheaper imports, it poses significant risks to Ethiopia's infant manufacturing sector, potentially leading to job losses and revenue reductions. It highlights that Ethiopia is pursuing regional integration through bilateral infrastructure and energy projects—such as the LAPSSET Corridor and hydropower exports—rather than formal trade liberalisation.

A World Resources Institute (WRI) analysis finds that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) could achieve seven to 12 times more environmental benefits for the same budget by combining geographic and benefit-cost targeting for water quality improvements. Currently, only about $335 million of the $5 billion annual federal conservation budget is spent on controlling soil erosion and fertilizer runoff. The analysis shows that nitrogen pollution reductions could increase from 91 million pounds annually at $3.65 per pound to 1.1 billion pounds at $0.30 per pound through optimized targeting. However, technical gaps in identifying cost-effective acres, the voluntary nature of programs, and political resistance to shifting funds act as barriers. WRI recommends quantifying environmental benefits, incorporating benefit-cost principles into planning tools, conducting pilot projects, and revisiting state funding allocation formulas.