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The research identifies non-tariff barriers (NTBs) as critical constraints to trade in the SADC region, often undermining the benefits of tariff liberalisation. Key barriers include cumbersome customs procedures, transit issues, and corruption, with agricultural products being disproportionately affected. The paper highlights the high cost of compliance for retailers like Shoprite and Woolworths and argues that SADC lacks a coordinated action plan similar to those in the EU or ASEAN. It recommends a 'vertical' approach to prioritising 'low hanging fruit' barriers and the adoption of a 'naming and shaming' mechanism to enforce reforms.

The report analyzes how the fragmented structure of India's trucking industry, dominated by small operators, makes it highly susceptible to diesel price hikes. It finds that fuel costs account for approximately 55-56% of total operating costs, yet operators are 'price takers' unable to pass these costs to customers due to fierce competition and dependence on brokers. The document recommends short-term measures like fixing minimum freight rates and reducing tollgate delays, alongside long-term structural reforms including improved vehicle fuel efficiency and the introduction of professional training and financing prerequisites.

The report argues that state renewable electricity standards (RES) are effective market-based tools that have driven significant growth in wind and solar capacity across the U.S. with minimal cost impacts on consumers. It highlights that these policies stimulate local economies through job creation in installation and manufacturing, provide new revenue streams for rural landowners, and stabilize electricity rates by removing reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets. While noting strong compliance rates, the document identifies transmission infrastructure, market oversupplies, and political opposition as primary challenges to further expansion.

The report finds that while global economic impacts of market-based measures (MBMs) for international aviation and shipping are small, effects vary significantly by country. Small, remote island states dependent on air tourism, such as Samoa, face the highest GDP risks, while large economies like China and India experience minimal impacts. The study concludes that MBM revenues and increased demand for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) offsets can be used to mitigate these undesired economic effects.

The study finds that potential BCAs by the US and EU would capture only a small fraction of China's total exported emissions, though certain energy-intensive sectors like iron and steel would face significant charges. The impact varies greatly depending on whether charges are based on direct or embodied emissions, with embodied emissions resulting in significantly higher costs. Overall, the authors conclude that such measures would have limited impact on incentivizing total carbon reductions as exporters might divert production to other regions.

The document argues that eradicating malaria in Africa by 2025 would prevent 12 million deaths and increase the continent's economic output by nearly US$ 430 billion by 2050. Using the International Futures (IFs) tool, the authors compare a 'Base Case' of continued current efforts against a 'Malaria Eradication' scenario. They find that while eradication would lead to a slight population increase, this would be tempered by declining fertility rates resulting from lower infant mortality. The brief highlights that the economic gains, driven by increased productivity and reduced disability, would far outweigh the high costs of eradication campaigns and vaccine development.

The document assesses Iran's transition from heavy fossil fuel subsidies to a system of higher energy prices compensated by nationwide cash transfers. It details the 'shock therapy' approach to price increases for petrol, diesel, natural gas, and electricity, and the subsequent fiscal challenges in managing cash payouts. The brief highlights a reduction in most energy consumption but an increase in natural gas use, while noting significant inflationary pressures exacerbated by international sanctions. It concludes with recommendations to target cash transfers more precisely and shift toward in-kind mitigation measures.

The document examines requests from livestock and poultry producers to waive the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to lower corn prices following a severe 2012 drought. It argues that such a waiver would provide limited short-term price relief while causing significant long-term economic and environmental harm, including increased oil dependence, higher gasoline prices, and discouraged investment in advanced biofuels. The brief highlights that the ethanol industry is already responding to high corn prices through production cuts and the use of blending credits, and emphasizes the RFS's role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing national energy security.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that U.S. farm policy disproportionately supports non-perishable commodity crops while hindering 'healthy-food' farms—those growing fruits and vegetables using sustainable or organic practices. Key barriers include planting restrictions in subsidy programs, a lack of accessible whole-farm-revenue insurance, and credit constraints for small-scale or diversified operations. The report recommends eliminating planting restrictions, reforming the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) insurance pilot to be more flexible and national in scope, removing arbitrary surcharges for organic farmers, and expanding micro-lending programs to support rural economic development.

The report examines the clandestine industry of illegal logging, which the World Bank estimates costs governments and businesses $10 billion to $15 billion annually. It details how illegal logging depresses global timber prices by approximately 16%, harming the U.S. hardwood industry and causing severe forest degradation in producing countries. The author highlights the 2008 Lacey Act amendments as a landmark law that prohibits the trade of illegally sourced plant products in the U.S., thereby reducing financial incentives for illegal logging. The document advocates for full implementation of the Act alongside law enforcement, market-based, and incentive-based policy recommendations to protect tropical ecosystems and support legal forestry producers.

The document argues that road traffic accidents are a critical development issue in Africa, with fatalities forecast to rise as motorisation increases without corresponding infrastructure improvements. By comparing a 'base case' forecast with an 'improved scenario' where death rates are stabilised at the current continental average of 32 per 100,000 people, the authors estimate that Africa could prevent 4.2 million deaths and add US$ 234 billion to its GDP by 2050. The brief highlights that the economic gains, primarily driven by a larger labour force, would far outweigh the estimated costs of intervention, which range from US$ 1.7 billion to US$ 24 billion.

The research paper examines how shifts in consumer behaviour in high-income countries to reduce GHG emissions—such as buying fewer goods and shifting to services—can disproportionately harm the GDP of lower-income countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) due to their reliance on trade. Using a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model based on the WRAP scenario, the authors find that while such shifts benefit the domestic economy of the consuming country, they can lead to significant GDP losses in poor exporting nations. The paper suggests alternative strategies to align climate mitigation with development goals, such as preferentially sourcing products from low-GHG, low-income regions or improving production efficiency in developing countries.

The report argues that maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia imposes significant economic costs on Kenya, including shipping surcharges and losses in tourism, while also facilitating money laundering within the country. It assesses previous counter-piracy efforts, noting that while Kenya has attempted to prosecute pirates, these efforts were hampered by jurisdictional conflicts and archaic evidentiary laws. The author recommends a multi-pronged strategy that combines sea-based naval patrols with land-based efforts to rebuild the Somali state and disrupt the financial networks of pirate bosses operating within Kenya.

The document examines how unilateral carbon pricing creates production cost variations that may lead to 'carbon leakage'—the relocation of production to regions with less stringent environmental standards. It analyzes policy mechanisms to mitigate these risks, such as free allowances and Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), while highlighting the industry's strategic role in providing essential materials for low-carbon infrastructure. The brief argues that because the mining and metals sector is emissions-intensive and trade-exposed, policy design must account for specific commodity characteristics and long investment cycles to avoid jeopardizing economic viability and environmental integrity.

The document analyzes river flood risks in the EU27, finding that combined climate and socio-economic changes could increase expected annual damages (EAD) from €5.5 billion in the baseline period to €97.9 billion by the 2080s under a medium-high emission scenario (A1B). It emphasizes that socio-economic growth is as significant a driver of damage as climate change. Adaptation to maintain 1-in-100-year protection levels is projected to provide substantial benefits, reducing EAD by up to €50 billion per year by the 2080s, with estimated annual adaptation costs rising to €7.9 billion in the same period. The report highlights significant uncertainty across different climate models, which can project opposite directions of risk change at local levels, necessitating flexible and robust adaptation strategies.

The document uses the Dynamic Interactive Vulnerability Assessment (DIVA) Model to project that under a medium-to-high emissions scenario (A1B(I)), annual damage costs in the EU could reach €25 billion by the 2080s, with 250,000 people flooded annually. It argues that a combination of mitigation (to limit long-term rise) and adaptation (such as dikes and beach nourishment) is the most effective response, noting that adaptation can reduce annual damage costs by up to 90% with a high benefit-to-cost ratio.

The analysis indicates that South Africa is vulnerable to border carbon adjustments (BCAs) from the US and EU, with potential annual charges of €380 million and US$210 million respectively. The non-ferrous metals and iron and steel sectors are the most exposed, facing ad valorem tax equivalents exceeding 10%. To mitigate these risks, the document suggests South Africa could pursue WTO redress or negotiate sectoral emissions reduction agreements to gain exemptions.

The report examines the expansion of local and regional food systems in the U.S., highlighting their potential to create tens of thousands of jobs and improve public health and environmental outcomes. It identifies scalability challenges, such as inadequate infrastructure and misaligned USDA programs, and proposes policy interventions including increased funding for rural infrastructure, whole-farm revenue insurance, and enhanced research on regional supply and demand.

The report finds that commercial fisheries in the Bristol Bay base study area generate annual economic activity between $4.1 billion and $5.4 billion. Using a value-chain analysis and input-output modeling, the study tracks value from an average annual landings value of $463 million to a final retail value of $2.2 billion to $2.9 billion. The analysis emphasizes that the economic benefits extend globally, as permit holders reside in multiple U.S. states and international markets purchase the processed seafood. The authors argue that these figures provide strong economic support for protecting the region's marine ecosystems from threats such as climate change and infrastructure projects related to oil, gas, and mining.

The document assesses how different BCA designs—specifically direct versus life-cycle emissions and varying carbon prices—would affect Chinese exports. It finds that while certain sectors like iron and steel are highly exposed, the overall economic impact on China's total exports would be limited, potentially reducing the incentive for exporters to lower emissions rather than divert trade.