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This executive summary analyzes the causes of the reduction in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2009, specifically evaluating whether the decline was driven by agricultural commodity prices or government conservation policies. The study concludes that conservation policies were effective, preventing the deforestation of approximately 73,000 km² of forest.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report provides an overview of the energy efficiency sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the drivers for energy efficiency—including constrained power supply and rising electricity costs—the roles of various service providers, the regulatory landscape, and the potential market size for Energy Service Companies (ESCos).

This 2015 market intelligence report by GreenCape examines the transition toward energy efficiency and Alternative Building Technologies (ABTs) within the South African construction sector, with a particular focus on the Western Cape. It details the regulatory drivers, market opportunities in public and private housing, and the role of the Atlantis greentech Special Economic Zone in fostering green manufacturing.

The authors of a Nature Climate Change article respond to a critique by Dr. Michael Levi regarding their analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline's impact on global emissions. They defend their use of a simple, transparent global oil model over complex 'black box' models, arguing that their approach allows for the examination of alternative assumptions and a range of possible supply responses.

This paper by Simon Maxwell of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) proposes a five-point strategic plan to secure public and policy support for climate change action, acknowledging that such policies are contested due to the existence of winners and losers.

Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica, alongside Representatives Raul Grijalva and Jan Schakowsky, called for a Government Accountability Office review of the State Department's approval process for environmental impact statements, specifically regarding the Keystone XL pipeline.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies presents three plausible scenarios for South Africa's economic and political trajectory up to 2030: 'Bafana Bafana' (continued underachievement), 'Mandela Magic' (high growth and vision), and 'Nation Divided' (political instability and populist decline). Using the International Futures forecasting system, the author analyzes how leadership choices, particularly within the African National Congress (ANC) and its alliance with COSATU, will impact GDP, employment, and social stability.

This executive summary analyzes the adoption of the Direct Planting System (DPS), a no-till farming method in Brazil. The study finds that social learning—farmers learning from peers—is a primary driver of adoption, but this process is hindered by soil dissimilarity within municipalities. The authors argue that public policy should focus on disseminating information and providing temporary training in areas with high soil similarity to trigger social learning mechanisms.

A letter from a coalition of environmental and human rights organizations to UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya requesting intervention regarding the Barro Blanco hydroelectric project in Panama, citing threats to the Ngäbe people's territories, rights, and physical security.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative compares energy efficiency policies for buildings in China, Germany, and the United States. It analyzes four primary policy intervention points—new construction, building retrofit, equipment, and operations—and examines how different national building stocks, climatic conditions, and economic environments shape the priorities and effectiveness of these policies.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the financial sustainability of public-private partnerships (PPPs) used to address infrastructure deficits. It details the mechanisms of project finance, including the use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and high gearing ratios, while cautioning that PPPs are not a substitute for government budgets as public funds eventually cover the costs. The document also explores how PPP contracts can be designed to achieve broader environmental and social sustainability goals.

This executive summary details an impact analysis of environmental fees in Estonia from 2000 to 2011, conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn and the University of Tartu's RAKE center. The study evaluates how these fees—specifically resource use fees and pollution charges—affect corporate behavior, competitiveness, and the overall efficiency of resource use and pollution reduction in Estonia.

This research paper by Energy Innovation and the Paulson Institute argues that the scale and speed of urbanization in China will be a primary determinant of future global climate change. The authors propose six critical 'ingredients for success'—permeable urban form, transit-centered transportation, effective building codes, municipal finance reform, sustainability metrics for mayors, and a strengthened planning process—to prevent the proliferation of unlivable, auto-centric 'superblocks' and instead create sustainable, world-class cities.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a position statement calling for transparency and accountability in the South African government's decision-making process regarding shale gas fracking exploration licences in the Karoo basin.

The report by the Global Subsidy Initiative (GSI) identifies and estimates government support for upstream oil and gas production in Norway, specifically analyzing nine subsidies and their impacts on revenue, employment, and carbon emissions.

Amory Lovins' 2011 commencement address at the University of California at Berkeley advocates for "applied hope," a pragmatic approach to solving global crises through systemic, scalable, and resource-efficient solutions. He envisions a future where fossil fuels and nuclear energy are replaced by distributed renewables and efficiency, leading to stabilized climates, reduced conflict, and a circular economy.

Minister Edna Molewa's 2011 budget speech for the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) outlines priorities for biodiversity management, climate change mitigation, the transition to a green economy, and job creation through environmental programs in South Africa.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute provides a comparative analysis of renewable electricity technologies—water, wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar—against conventional power sources in the United States. It examines metrics such as installed capacity, capital costs, construction timelines, and carbon displacement to highlight the flexibility and growing cost-competitiveness of renewables.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) reviews Internet public policy and governance in West Africa. It examines the region's telecommunications infrastructure, the impact of privatization and liberalization, and the results of a 2010 survey conducted across seven West African countries to gauge stakeholder interest in national and regional Internet Governance Forums (IGFs).

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that Jatropha is neither a profitable nor a sustainable investment for biofuel production. It challenges the 'miracle crop' narrative, providing evidence that the plant requires significant inputs to be viable, often competes with food production, and leads to the displacement of local communities and the destruction of biodiversity.