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This 2011 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the impact of energy tax exemptions and levy reductions on the German industrial sector. It examines how various policy instruments—including the Ecological Tax Reform, the Renewable Energy Act (EEG), the Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG), and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS)—create a 'politically determined component' of energy prices that varies significantly based on company size and industry sector.

This research paper evaluates the biofuels components and sustainability criteria of the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive, analyzing how they align regional energy-economic goals with global environment, climate, and development policies.

This report, based on a study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) at DIW Berlin, evaluates the effectiveness of the energy performance certificate (Energieausweis) in influencing home-buying decisions in Germany. Based on a survey of 662 home buyers, the report finds that while the certificate is widely known, it currently has a low impact on purchase decisions due to poor communication of ancillary costs, low availability during the selection process, and the low priority buyers place on energy efficiency compared to other property features.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative evaluates the potential for tax incentives to support thermal retrofits in Germany, comparing them with existing KfW loan and grant programs and international experiences from Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States.

The 2011 Executive Directorate report of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details scientific synthesis efforts, the proposal for a new Center of Excellence on water security, and capacity-building initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean. It also highlights significant institutional challenges regarding personnel stability and diplomatic relations with its host country, Brazil.

This 2011 briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the economic feasibility and financial requirements for achieving the German government's energy concept goals for residential building renovations. The report focuses on the costs of comprehensive renovations, the subsidies needed to increase the renovation rate to 2%, and the resulting energy savings.

This executive summary describes a multi-institute analytical project conducted between February and December 2010 to evaluate whether the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) facilitates a shift toward low-carbon investments. The project assessed the EU ETS's effectiveness in capturing the attention of decision-makers, providing clarity for strategic planning, and creating an enabling environment for project realization.

This research paper examines the impact of the 2007–08 international food crisis on Tanzania, analyzing how long-term structural reforms and short-term policy responses influenced poverty levels and food security. The authors use household-level data to estimate the crisis's effect on different income classes and regions, concluding that while urban populations were most vulnerable, the overall national impact was modest compared to other poor countries.

This 2011 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates transport and mobility trends in Estonia, concluding that current trends are unsustainable due to rising private car use and road freight. The document analyzes three development scenarios (BASE, TECHNO, and EFFECT) to meet EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits by 2020 and provides recommendations for land use planning, financial measures, and mobility management to transition toward a more sustainable transport system.

This research paper evaluates the environmental integrity of nitric acid projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), specifically examining risks of carbon leakage and baseline emission manipulation. The authors conclude that while the CDM successfully fostered abatement in a sector that previously lacked such practices, the current methodologies are complex and lead to significant credit issuance delays. The paper recommends transitioning to a common benchmarking approach for baseline emissions to simplify the process and safeguard against leakage.

This report by Friends of the Earth International evaluates the promotion and implementation of jatropha as a biofuel crop in Mozambique. It argues that the industry is built on myths regarding the plant's ability to grow on marginal land and its resistance to pests, and warns that large-scale production threatens food sovereignty and community land rights.

This policy briefing evaluates the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Forum six years after its 2003 launch. It argues that while the forum has a mixed record regarding commercial outcomes and market integration, it has successfully fostered political coordination and development cooperation. The author recommends that IBSA prioritize development efforts and the expansion of its development fund to distinguish itself from economic-centric groupings like BRIC.

This guide provides a comprehensive checklist for governments and stakeholders to evaluate the sustainable development impacts of investment incentives. It emphasizes a multi-level analysis covering individual projects, general incentive policy design, and the influence of international agreements, arguing that economic growth alone is an insufficient measure of success.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the World Trade Organization (WTO) accession experiences of Nepal and Cambodia, the first least-developed countries (LDCs) to join the WTO since 1995. The document examines the challenges of the accession process, the stringency of the resulting commitments, and the difficulties in implementing legislative reforms, concluding that WTO membership has had limited direct impact on trade expansion due to persistent supply-side constraints and inadequate post-accession technical assistance.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) evaluates the World Bank's pilot projects using 'country systems' (CS) for environmental and social safeguards. CIEL argues that the approach fails to create permanent improvements in borrower countries' laws, weakens safeguard standards, lacks transparency, and creates barriers for communities seeking accountability through the Bank's Inspection Panel. The report warns that the Bank's plan to expand to 'country-wide' pilots is premature and recommends an independent public review and significantly increased transparency.

This case study examines the impact of cotton yarn price volatility on India's handloom weavers and evaluates various government and micro-level interventions designed to stabilize the sector. It highlights the vulnerability of decentralized weavers within a value chain dominated by organized spinning mills and traders, and recommends an integrated approach combining technological innovation, institutional reform, and improved market intelligence.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the Swedish Ozone Layer Protection programme (OLP), a bilateral initiative from 1999 to 2006 designed to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in developing countries and economies in transition. The report identifies country ownership, capacity building, and stakeholder participation as critical governance factors for the successful national phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It argues that a shift from top-down regulation to bottom-up governance is necessary for sustainable implementation and provides recommendations for reforming the incentive structures of implementing agencies and the status of national ozone units.

This report analyzes the potential for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to increase goods exports to the United States by transitioning from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) to a formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It concludes that while an FTA could provide legal certainty and extend duty-free access to specific products, the most significant benefits would likely come from relaxing rules of origin and limiting the use of US trade remedies, such as anti-dumping duties.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, focusing on its ability to provide a "development dividend"—socio-economic and environmental benefits for developing countries beyond greenhouse gas reductions. The analysis finds that the emerging CDM market is skewed toward a few large developing countries and dominated by low-cost industrial projects (such as HFC23 decomposition) that offer minimal sustainable development benefits. The report recommends reforming the CDM Executive Board, shifting from project-by-project to sectoral or policy-based approaches, and increasing support for small-scale projects to ensure more equitable and impactful development outcomes.

This executive summary evaluates the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, focusing on its ability to provide a "development dividend"—benefits to developing countries in economic growth, technology, poverty alleviation, and health beyond climate mitigation. The authors argue that the current project pipeline is under-performing, skewed toward a few countries, and dominated by low-development-benefit industrial gas projects, necessitating reforms in project cycles, rules, and international financing to ensure sustainable development goals are met.