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The report investigates the feasibility of using the WTO, UNFCCC, and G-20 as homes for international fossil-fuel subsidy reform. It argues that while the WTO has the legal tools and the UNFCCC has the climate mandate, neither is currently politically viable for a binding agreement. Instead, it proposes a multi-forum approach led by the G-20's political momentum, moving from short-term coordination of research and monitoring toward a long-term negotiated agreement.

CDM Watch opposes the validation of the 'Grid connected super-critical technology based power generation in Tirora, India' project, asserting that approval would lead to the annual issuance of approximately 1.1 million Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs) that do not represent actual emissions reductions.

The document examines how the Japanese steel industry, a major global producer, can engage in climate mitigation under post-2012 frameworks. It contrasts sectoral approaches—which are favored by energy-intensive industries to prevent carbon leakage and maintain competitiveness—with cap-and-trade systems. The author proposes four options for integration: incorporating sectoral approaches into Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) or CDM reforms, establishing agreements outside the UNFCCC, relying on non-binding recognition of commitments, or implementing transnational sectoral trading. It concludes that while the Japanese government's support for sectoral approaches shifted under the Hatoyama administration, the industry continues to support them due to low costs and international competition risks.

The document serves as a toolkit for civil society to navigate the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. It details the seven-step project cycle—from the creation of the Project Design Document (PDD) to the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)—and highlights specific windows for public intervention, such as the 30-day public consultation period. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'additionality' and 'baselines' to prevent the issuance of false carbon credits and explains special project categories like small-scale activities, carbon sinks (afforestation/reforestation), and Programmes of Activities (PoA).

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Toolkit is a resource for civil society to navigate the complex process of carbon credit generation under the Kyoto Protocol. It details the seven-step project cycle—from the creation of the Project Design Document (PDD) to the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)—and highlights critical technical requirements such as additionality and baseline estimation. The document emphasizes the role of Designated Operational Entities (DOEs) as validators and verifiers and outlines specific rules for small-scale, sinks, and Programme of Activities (PoA) projects. It specifically guides users on how to utilize the 30-day public comment period and other intervention points to challenge non-additional or socially harmful projects.

The report finds that existing climate variability already costs Kenya up to 2% of GDP annually, with future climate change potentially adding a loss of 2.6% of GDP per year by 2030. Adaptation needs are estimated at $500 million per year for 2012, rising to $1-2 billion per year by 2030. The study also identifies significant opportunities for low-carbon growth, noting that over 80% of selected energy-related emission reduction options can be realized at a net negative cost.

The executive summary argues that REDD mechanisms are flawed because they focus on reducing emissions rather than stopping deforestation, potentially rewarding polluters and harming Indigenous Peoples. It warns that funding REDD through carbon offsetting undermines climate mitigation in industrialized nations and risks displacing forest-dependent communities. The author advocates for grant-based funding, the exclusion of plantations from forest definitions, and a rights-based approach to forest conservation.

The report examines domestic policy reforms in developing countries focused on price reform, energy efficiency, and low-carbon fuels to mitigate climate change. It analyzes the political and economic barriers to price reform, the necessity of legal frameworks and specialized agencies for energy efficiency, and the role of financial incentives and standards. The document also evaluates the use of input, output, outcome, and impact indicators for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), concluding that only impact indicators provide a reliable basis for financial rewards, despite significant data gaps in developing countries.

The research paper examines how climate change threatens Mozambique's economic development, specifically within agriculture, tourism, and public health. It highlights the country's high vulnerability due to its geography and poverty, noting that frequent natural disasters undermine progress toward Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While the government has established a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), implementation is hindered by resource constraints. The paper also identifies potential opportunities through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and hydropower exports to South Africa.

The document analyzes Egypt's wind energy potential, focusing on the Gulf of Suez, and compares the levelized costs of wind generation against natural gas CCGT. It identifies the primary barrier to expansion as a subsidized natural gas pricing system that makes wind uncompetitive. The report outlines five necessary conditions for large-scale implementation, including a clear long-term strategy, a revised tariff system, and grid reinforcement plans, while discussing the role of the proposed New Electricity Law in attracting private investment.

The report identifies significant financial, institutional, and skill-based barriers that prevent the scale-up of energy-efficient low-income housing in South Africa, despite the availability of simple passive thermal improvements and solar water heaters. It argues that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an unsustainable model for these projects due to low carbon prices and dispersed savings. Instead, the author proposes 'Direct Support' mechanisms—including framework support for government institutions, project support for developers, and micro-finance/insurance models for homeowners—to provide upfront capital and capacity building. The paper also recommends establishing national energy performance standards and vocational training to bridge the gap between policy and implementation.

The statement opposes the PH Barro Blanco hydroelectric project by GENISA in Panama, arguing that the 258.67-hectare reservoir would destroy indigenous Ngöbe Buglé sacred sites, displace local economies based on agriculture and fishing, and increase greenhouse gas emissions through methane release from decomposing organic matter in the reservoir. It further claims the project would cause water shortages by reserving 90% of water for power generation and disrupt aquatic biodiversity and sediment flow to mangroves.

The author contends that while increasing Eskom's electricity tariffs may cause short-term inflation, failing to do so will lead to chronic power shortages and rolling black-outs that will be more inflationary and disproportionately harm the poor. The text suggests that the current crisis stems from unsustainably low electricity prices and a failure to invest in infrastructure. To mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations, the author proposes targeted protections such as price discrimination and free basic energy, while urging the government to invest in job-intensive renewable energy sources, potentially funded by international carbon credits.

The document analyzes the 'boom and bust' pattern of carbon prices in emissions trading schemes, attributing it to fixed supply facing highly uncertain demand and asymmetric information. It argues that price collapses undermine low-carbon investment and economic efficiency. While rejecting carbon taxation as a viable alternative due to political and implementation hurdles, the author proposes several policy options to stabilize markets, highlighting reserve price auctions in the EU ETS as a feasible, low-complexity mechanism to reduce supply automatically if prices fall too low.

The fact sheet describes biomass cofiring—the simultaneous combustion of biomass and a base fuel, typically coal—as a practical bridge to a renewable energy future. It highlights benefits including linear reductions in CO2 and SO2 emissions, lower capital costs for retrofitting existing boilers, and support for sustainable forest management by creating markets for hazardous fuels. However, it identifies barriers such as feedstock preparation costs and ASTM standards that prevent the sale of biomass-contaminated fly ash. The document suggests that replacing 5% of U.S. coal with biomass could reduce total U.S. emissions by 1.5% within 5-10 years.

A group of Brazilian and international organizations opposes the approval of Plantar S.A.'s CDM project, "Cultivated Biomass as a Renewable Source of Energy for Pig Iron Production". The authors argue that the project lacks additionality because the company has already been planting eucalyptus since 2000 and that the operations cause significant environmental degradation and social injustices, including the displacement of indigenous and peasant communities.

The research examines how sustainable development themes enter Argentina's trade and investment policy. It finds that environmental and food safety standards are heavily influenced by external factors and multilateral agreements, whereas labor standards are primarily driven by domestic actors. The paper also analyzes the impact of 'agriculturization' (specifically soy expansion), large-scale mining, deforestation, overfishing, and the transition toward biofuels within the Argentine economy.

The document analyzes Hungary's implementation of a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) to utilize revenues from the sale of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) for greenhouse gas mitigation. It details the legal framework established by Act LX of 2007 and Government Decree 323/2007, emphasizing a 'hard greening' approach where funds are invested in projects with measurable emission reductions. The paper focuses heavily on the buildings sector, proposing a programmatic approach to bundle small-scale energy efficiency projects that are typically ineligible for Joint Implementation (JI) due to high transaction costs. It outlines a subsidy system based on energy labeling (Categories C to A++) and provides financial assessments for retrofits and new constructions, while comparing energy efficiency experiences across Central and Eastern European countries.

The report identifies that the creation of expiring units (tCERs and lCERs) and complex methodologies have severely diminished investment confidence in A/R CDM projects, leading developers to prefer voluntary markets. It recommends replacing expiring units with a risk-buffer system, simplifying methodologies, and potentially extending national accounting systems (Article 3.3) to non-Annex I countries to increase mitigation potential, which is estimated at 10,000 MtCO2 per year by 2030 in developing countries.

The document analyzes four scenarios for an international carbon market: global trading, formal linking of domestic ETS, indirect linking via credits, and a mixed approach. It focuses on the formal linking of the EU ETS with emerging systems in the US (RGGI, California), New Zealand, and Australia. The authors argue that for linking to be effective and environmentally sound, partners should share similar levels of ambition and strategic climate goals, such as the EU's 2°C target. The report identifies price caps, differing levels of ambition, and the treatment of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) as primary barriers to linking. It proposes the creation of an international clearinghouse to coordinate regulation and suggests a 'no-regret' working program for the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) focusing on the harmonization of registries, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) standards, and allocation procedures.