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Researchers from CPI/PUC-RIO developed a dynamic economic model to evaluate the additionality of REDD projects in the Brazilian Amazon, moving beyond traditional statistical baselines. The study finds that 77% of the carbon stock in these projects is additional, meaning it would have been emitted without the projects, avoiding 0.5 Gt of CO2 equivalent. However, additionality varies by region, with significantly lower rates in forested and isolated areas, such as Portel, Pará, where low agricultural productivity makes deforestation unlikely even without carbon credits. The report argues that while some non-additionality exists, the low price of REDD credits (US$ 5 to US$ 15 per ton) limits the financial impact of these discrepancies compared to other carbon pricing mechanisms.

The study analyzed 60 market-based economic instruments for nature conservation (MBEINC) in Latin America, finding that only 43% met environmental objectives and 17% were socially equitable. The research found no statistically significant relationship between environmental effectiveness and social equity, nor any correlation between project success and the surveyed economic, political, or institutional characteristics, suggesting there is insufficient evidence to support MBEINC as a consistently effective or equitable tool for biodiversity conservation in the region.

The report provides evidence of methane emissions at 180 out of over 250 oil and gas sites visited across 11 European countries. It highlights a current lack of EU-wide policy and common standards for addressing venting, flaring, and fugitive emissions. The author suggests that as the world's largest fossil fuel importer, the EU could drive global methane mitigation by setting stringent standards for imports.

The report assesses the evidence on whether investment treaties attract foreign direct investment (FDI), facilitate domestic reforms, or limit government policy space. It finds that while treaties may modestly increase FDI, particularly in high-sunk-cost sectors like mining, they often benefit foreign investors at the expense of host states through distributive effects and potential regulatory chill. The evidence on other claimed benefits, such as 'levelling the playing field' or depoliticizing disputes, is found to be limited or contradictory.

The report analyzes the design and operational experiences of various emissions trading systems, including the EU ETS, RGGI, WCI, NZ ETS, TMG ETS, and the Australian CPM. It highlights key design trade-offs regarding coverage, allowance distribution, and price management, while emphasizing that the EU ETS experience demonstrates that over-allocation does not necessarily preclude abatement. The document also provides a toolkit for policymakers to assess the environmental and economic effectiveness of such systems.

The research investigates the feasibility of climate compatible development (CCD) by analyzing whether policies can deliver 'triple wins' without generating negative side effects. Using four coastal country case studies, the authors find that while 'no-regrets' triple wins exist—particularly through soft environmental engineering like mangrove restoration—many policies involve trade-offs. Hard-engineering solutions often result in 'regrets' such as habitat destruction or social inequity. The paper concludes that the governance context is critical and warns that a narrow focus on triple wins might divert funding from essential development projects that only offer double wins.

The report concludes that there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of biochar as a reliable climate change mitigation tool. A review of 329 references found that only 15 field studies measured biochar decomposition, and of those, only six provided data to estimate stability. These six studies showed wildly varying results, with mean residence times (MRT) ranging from 8.3 years to over 3,000 years. The authors argue that the science is too immature to justify public investment in biochar for carbon sequestration, as the influence of biochar on the whole system carbon balance remains poorly quantified.

The paper investigates the potential of CER discounting to address CDM shortcomings, such as non-additionality and the uneven distribution of projects. By analyzing abatement cost curves for China, India, advanced Asian countries, and LDCs, the authors find that while discounting can increase costs for advanced developing countries and potentially incentivize them to adopt their own mitigation commitments, it is insufficient on its own to make LDCs competitive. The study concludes that financial, technical, and institutional barriers in LDCs must be overcome for them to realize their theoretical abatement potential, as the abundance of cheap projects in countries like China continues to dominate the market.

The author argues that while globalisation drives unprecedented economic growth through comparative advantage and market efficiency, it creates a 'race to the bottom' where nations compete for volatile capital by slashing corporate taxes and deregulation. This process potentially erodes public funding for welfare, labour protections, and environmental standards. While the author finds evidence of a downward trend in global corporate tax rates, they note that reputational risks and NGO watchdogs may moderate the degradation of labour and environmental standards. The document concludes that managing these negative effects requires stronger, more democratic global governance, including the potential creation of a World Tax Authority and an International Financial Stability and Harmonisation Authority.