Search Climate Insights Directory

A briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics detailing Japan's role as a major trader of US liquified natural gas (LNG) to other countries, particularly in Asia, and the associated lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

A report by Zero Carbon Analytics quantifies the economic risk to Europe-bound Brazilian soy exports caused by declining river levels in the Amazon. The analysis indicates that by mid-century, up to USD 1 billion in annual soy trade passing through the ports of Manaus and Santarém could be exposed to disruption due to critically low river flows driven by climate change and deforestation.

A research paper byS analyzing the transmission of compound climate hazards through global agricultural trade networks for wheat, maize, rice, and soya, highlighting how low supplier diversification increases caloric exposure to climate risks.

This research paper analyzes the bilateral economic relations between Senegal and Germany from 2012 to 2022, focusing on trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and Official Development Assistance (ODA) during the presidency of Macky Sall.

This briefing note provides a preliminary review of global trade flows across the entire plastics life cycle, from feedstocks and chemical additives to finished products and waste, to inform international negotiations on plastic pollution.

This research paper analyzes the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and identifies strategic opportunities for Korean investors and the Korean government to reverse a decline in trade with Africa. It highlights the potential for Korea to leverage its expertise in capital goods, automotive manufacturing, and clean energy to integrate into emerging African regional value chains.

This report by WWF South Africa presents the economic rationale for transitioning from a linear 'take-make-waste' plastic packaging model to a circular plastics economy by 2050 in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and South Africa. Using computational general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, the study demonstrates that such a transition would lead to positive cumulative effects on GDP, employment, and consumer welfare across all three nations while significantly reducing the costs of environmental externalities.

This report analyzes the global forest product commodity chain with China as the central processing hub, importing raw materials from developing nations and exporting finished goods to Western consumers. It identifies systemic sustainability challenges, including illegal logging and poor forest governance in supplier countries like Mozambique and Russia, and suggests policy reforms for the Chinese government to ensure long-term timber security and improve its global reputation.

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 research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the ongoing WTO negotiations on environmental goods. It argues that current lists of goods for liberalization are dominated by developed countries and proposes including environmentally preferable products (EPPs) and implementing Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) to ensure a balanced distribution of trade gains for developing nations.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on South African agricultural exports to the US. It argues that while AGOA has facilitated growth in specific niche agricultural products and clothing, its overall impact is limited by pre-existing low tariffs, complex rules of origin, and significant non-tariff barriers such as US agricultural subsidies and restrictive standards.

This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in August 2003, analyzes the intersection of agricultural trade and sustainable development in Central America. It characterizes the region's agricultural structure, examines trade trends and projections, evaluates the environmental impacts of key agro-industrial activities, and discusses the role of international trade negotiations (WTO, CAFTA, and FTAA) in shaping support mechanisms for sustainable farming.

This guide, prepared for the UNCTAD Biotrade Initiative in collaboration with the CAF and the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), provides a legal framework and recommendations for national biotrade programs in the Andean Region. It analyzes the international legalities surrounding the trade of biodiversity-related tangibles (genetic resources, endangered species, agricultural products) and intangibles (traditional knowledge, intellectual property, environmental services, and carbon emissions).

This report examines the potential, challenges, and opportunities of expanding tiger shrimp aquaculture on sandy land in Vietnam's central provinces. It highlights a shift toward utilizing previously unproductive coastal sandy areas to alleviate poverty and diversify livelihoods, while warning against unplanned expansion that could lead to environmental degradation and groundwater depletion.

This research paper by Jodie Keane explores the nature of intra-Commonwealth value chains using a mixed-methods approach. It analyzes trade intensity, shifts in intermediate goods sourcing, and firm-level data to determine how Commonwealth members integrate into regional versus global value chains (GVCs). The findings suggest a prevalence of additive value chains and a specific tendency for Small Island Developing States to export within the Commonwealth.

This research paper analyzes the dynamics of South African foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade within Africa from 2006 to 2018. It finds that while South Africa remains a dominant intra-African investor, its relative influence is declining due to increased competition from global actors, particularly China, and other African nations. The paper highlights South Africa's role as a regional distribution hub and suggests policy shifts toward deeper trade liberalization and better public-private collaboration to maintain its economic footprint.

This research paper by Gregory Mthembu-Salter for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the historical, political, and economic relationships between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), China, and India. It analyzes how these two Asian powers engage with the DRC's mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors, highlighting the contrast between China's state-led, resource-for-infrastructure strategy and India's more fragmented, private-sector-driven approach.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the economic trade-offs of low-greenhouse-gas (GHG) consumption strategies in high-income countries, specifically focusing on the potential negative impacts on lower-income countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Using the United Kingdom as a primary example and a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model, the authors find that shifting consumption from high-GHG goods to low-GHG services can reduce emissions but may disproportionately harm the GDP of poor exporting nations.