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191 results
Moving Away from Oil: Biofuels and Biobased Products
A statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute advocating for a transition from petroleum to biofuels and biobased products to reduce national oil dependence, improve climate outcomes, and create jobs.
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Document type: Statement
US Clears Test of Genetically Modified Trees in Southern US - Center for International Environmental Law
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) comments on the testing of cold-resistant genetically modified eucalyptus trees in the Southern US, using the controversy over 'gene flow' to argue for the restoration of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to provide independent scientific evaluations of climate-related technologies.
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Document type: Statement
Guide to Biofuels: Glossary
A glossary of terms related to biofuels, focusing on definitions of fuel types, the role of corn ethanol in the United States, and the financial mechanisms and lobbying efforts surrounding ethanol production.
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Document type: Guide
Core Budget Request Fiscal Year 10-11
The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) presents its core budget request for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, totaling US$1,279,000. The budget supports the Directorate's operations, including the management of scientific programs like CRN II and SGP-HD, capacity building through training institutes, and administrative functions. The request reflects a roughly 10% increase over the previous year, primarily driven by rising salary and benefit costs, while facing challenges from depleted reserves due to shortfalls in member country contributions.
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Document type: Report
Biofuels Also Create Dangerous Spills
This fact sheet from Friends of the Earth argues that biofuels are not a clean alternative to oil, as they cause environmentally harmful spills, aquatic life die-offs, and air pollution, while lacking adequate government oversight and standardized cleanup procedures.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Sustainability Analysis of Biofuel Production in Developing Countries: Linking National Perspectives to Ground Realities - Malaysia
This report analyzes the sustainability of biofuel production in Malaysia, specifically comparing national economic goals for biodiesel development against the local-level socio-economic and environmental impacts of palm oil expansion.
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Document type: Report
Developing an Advanced Biofuels Industry: State Policy Options for Lean and Uncertain Times
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of the advanced biofuels industry in the United States following the 2008 economic recession. It analyzes national policy trends, identifies critical barriers to commercialization—including technological hurdles, market volatility, and regulatory uncertainty—and provides ten specific policy recommendations for state governments to support sustainable, local biofuel development during periods of limited fiscal capacity.
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Document type: Report
BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES
This policy briefing examines the evolving relationship between the United States and Brazil, noting that while the US now recognizes Brazil as a genuine emerging power and a vital player in global politics, translating this awareness into a concrete 'special relationship' is hindered by divergent priorities in security, trade, and regional leadership.
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Document type: Policy brief
Land use change in the Rio de la Plata Basin: linking biophysical and human factors to predict trends, assess impacts, and support viable land use strategies for the future
This fact sheet describes a research project focused on the Rio de la Plata Basin, examining the drivers and consequences of land use change, specifically the trade-offs between food and biofuel production and the maintenance of ecosystem services.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Quest for Affordable Food: Prospects in the Doha Round for Net Food-importing Developing Countries
This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of agricultural trade policies and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations on the food security of net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs). It analyzes how trade-distorting subsidies, export restrictions, and tariff reforms affect the affordability and accessibility of food in low-income societies.
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Document type: Research paper
Transitions Model for Sustainable Mobility
This research paper describes a model for assessing transitions to sustainable mobility, combining agent-based modelling with system dynamics to evaluate different societal pathways.
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Document type: Research paper
Shifting ground: Brazil tackles climate change and deforestation, but rapid growth, energy needs undermine progress
This 2010 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines Brazil's climate change strategy, noting a transition from treating the issue as an international relations matter to a central domestic political priority. While Brazil possesses a low-carbon energy matrix and has reduced deforestation, rapid economic growth and the discovery of pre-salt oil reserves threaten to increase energy-related emissions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Losing the plot
This report by Friends of the Earth Europe examines the impact of jatropha biofuel cultivation in India, specifically focusing on the state of Chhattisgarh. It argues that the drive to replace 20% of diesel consumption by 2017 has led to the forced displacement of tribal and lower-caste communities from common lands, often without consultation, while the crop itself has frequently failed to thrive due to poor understanding of growing conditions.
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Document type: Report
Friends of the Earth Statement on the Kerry-Boxer Draft Climate Bill
Friends of the Earth issued a statement criticizing the Kerry-Boxer draft climate bill, arguing that it contains significant loopholes and insufficient emissions targets to effectively combat climate change.
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Document type: Statement
Failing governance - Avoiding responsibilities
This report by Friends of the Earth Netherlands and WALHI KalBar examines how European biofuel policies and the resulting demand for palm oil have driven unsustainable plantation expansion in the Ketapang District of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It details systemic failures in governance, including the issuance of 'fast track' permits that bypass environmental and social safeguards, leading to illegal deforestation, carbon emissions, and severe land conflicts with indigenous communities.
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Document type: Report
Approved Annual Program (July 2009-June 2010)
The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) outlines its planned activities for the July 2009 to June 2010 period, focusing on science program synthesis, specific regional projects in the Andes and La Plata Basin, and strategic organizational planning.
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Document type: Report
Programa Anual (Julio 2009-Junio 2010)
The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) outlines its planned activities for July 2009 to June 2010, focusing on transdisciplinary research synthesis, land use and biodiversity projects in the Andes and Plata Basin, and strategic institutional planning.
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Document type: Report
Trade and Development: The rising importance of sustainable development in the trade agenda of Argentina
This report examines the intersection of international trade, foreign direct investment, and sustainable development in Argentina. It analyzes how external pressures, international agreements, and domestic factors influence the adoption of environmental and labor standards, while highlighting specific natural resource management challenges and the role of multilateral negotiations like the Kyoto Protocol.
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Document type: Report
Food and Crop Waste: A Valuable Biomass Feedstock
This 2009 fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the potential of unharvested crops and food processing waste as biomass feedstocks for biofuels. It argues that these resources can provide renewable energy and chemicals without competing with food production, highlighting specific waste streams from the potato, orange, and tomato industries and the economic benefits of recycling these materials.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Comercio y el Desarrollo
This report analyzes the evolution of Peru's trade and investment policies from the 1990s through 2009, focusing on how sustainable development standards—specifically labor and environmental regulations—have been integrated into its national agenda. The author argues that these standards were primarily driven by external pressures and conditionalities from trade agreements, most notably the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, rather than internal priorities.
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Document type: Report