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This briefing from the World Resources Institute introduces a series of expert papers focused on innovative methods for collecting and distributing climate adaptation information. It emphasizes that the mere existence of data is insufficient; information must be analyzed and disseminated in formats that are accessible and relevant to both government decision-makers and affected local communities to effectively integrate climate risks into policies.

This briefing from the World Resources Institute outlines the types of information required for climate change adaptation decision-making. It categorizes climate risks into three types—responsive, proactive, and robust—and uses specific regional examples to solicit expert input on the data and stakeholder involvement necessary for effective adaptation interventions.

This document introduces a series of commissioned papers for the 2010 World Resources Report, focusing on the tension between addressing immediate development needs—such as poverty and hunger—and preparing for long-term climate risks. It highlights the projected decline in water availability and crop yields in Asia and calls for new planning tools to manage the trade-offs between short-term relief and long-term resilience.

This briefing from the World Resources Institute explores the potential for national governments to partner with the private sector to enhance climate adaptation efforts, leveraging corporate risk management expertise and investment capacity to promote the public good.

This policy brief outlines the necessary components for implementing a multilateral, global program to reform fossil-fuel subsidies, following widespread support for phasing out such subsidies by the G-20 and other entities in late 2009.

This report follows a December 2005 Expert Group Meeting convened at UNIDO's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, focused on industrial biotechnology and biomass utilisation in the developing world. It aims to support the creation and deployment of policy frameworks and technology platforms for industrial development and biomass conversion.

The 'Modèle d’accord international sur l’investissement pour le développement durable (IIDD)' is a negotiator's guide and model international investment agreement published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). It proposes a new framework for international investment agreements (IIAs) that balances the rights of investors with the obligations of investors and the rights of host and home states, specifically aiming to integrate sustainable development goals into the legal structure of foreign investment.

This briefing document presents the updated Scientific Agenda of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), as presented during the CE-XVII and CoP-X meetings in June 2003. The agenda defines the IAI's mission to understand the integrated impact of past, present, and future global change on the regional and continental environments of the Americas through four broad research themes.

The 'General Policy Regarding Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas', published on 9 May 1994 under the Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989, establishes a six-category classification system for protected areas in South Africa. This system shifts away from treating all protected areas as 'sacrosanct wildlife sanctuaries' to incorporate the needs of local communities and align with international trends in nature conservation management.

The General Policy in terms of the Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989 is a South African government statement establishing a framework for environmental management. It defines the principles of sustainable development, assigns accountability to government institutions, and outlines specific policy goals across sectors including land use, pollution control, nature conservation, and energy.

This policy brief introduces 'Minimum Standards' designed to transition local disaster risk reduction (DRR) from 'business as usual' to 'climate-smart' practices. The standards aim to bridge the gap between national climate adaptation strategies and local capacities by providing practical, achievable benchmarks for communities, civil society organizations, and governments to integrate changing climate risks into their planning and implementation.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network outlines a framework for integrating climate resilience into water security investments. It advocates for Robust Decision Making (RDM) to manage the high level of uncertainty regarding climate impacts on specific regions and sectors, prioritizing 'no/low regret' investments that provide benefits regardless of the climate scenario that materializes.

This draft strategic document and Terms of Reference (ToR) outlines the establishment and operational framework of the Source Emissions Subcommittee (SC1), a body created by STANSA under the direction of the national department to recommend draft emission standards in accordance with the National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa (NF).

The 2007 National Framework for Air Quality Management is a regulatory blueprint established by the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism under Section 7(1) of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (AQA). It provides a medium- to long-term plan to implement the AQA, focusing on pollution prevention at source and impact management to ensure ambient air is not harmful to health or well-being.

The 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa is a strategic plan designed to implement the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (AQA). It establishes a comprehensive governance cycle for air quality management, delineating roles across national, provincial, and municipal governments, and sets norms for ambient air quality standards, emission controls, and information management via the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS).

The document contains excerpts from the 2007 and 2012 National Frameworks for Air Quality Management in South Africa. It outlines the identification of pollutants of concern, the process for rating municipalities based on air quality status, and the establishment of national priority areas to address air pollution.

The Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for eThekwini Municipality, produced in April 2007 by eThekwini Health and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, establishes a scientific framework to address urban air pollution. The plan focuses on priority pollutants—including sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, benzene, and odours—particularly within the industrialised South Durban Basin. It integrates a monitoring network, emission inventories, and dispersion modelling via the AirQUIS software system to inform abatement strategies and ensure compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act of 2005.

This research paper, prepared by Matthew Stilwell for the Center for International Environmental Law and published by the World Wide Fund for Nature in October 1999, proposes the use of the Expert Panel on Trade and Sustainable Development (EPTSD) Framework to reconcile conflicts between international trade, environment, and development policies. Using the WTO Shrimp-Turtle dispute and the potential US-EU GMO labelling conflict as case studies, the paper argues that formal WTO dispute settlement is often too adversarial to resolve underlying environmental and development issues. It advocates for a staged process of dispute prevention—moving from international cooperation and consultation to third-party assisted mediation before resorting to binding arbitration—to promote policy coherence and sustainable development.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines sustainable finance policies required to achieve the 1.5°C climate goal. It argues that a rapid transition is more economically beneficial than a slow one, as renewable energy costs are now lower than fossil fuels. The document proposes a policy framework based on three pillars: speed (accelerating action), guidance (steering the economy away from carbon-intensive investments), and simplification (streamlining sustainable investment processes).

This executive summary outlines the 'Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health,' detailing how climate change exacerbates health crises and structural inequalities in the region. It proposes six strategic axes—protection of health, mitigation with health benefits, climate justice, adaptation, health sector leadership, and financing—to integrate public health into climate policy and ensure a just transition.