Search Climate Insights Directory
299 results
Getting to Policy Impact: Lessons from 20 Years of Bridging Science and Policy with Sustainability Knowledge
The report analyzes how sustainability knowledge—comprising both substantive technical data and process-oriented expertise—influences public policy. Through six case studies, it identifies that policy impact is not linear but occurs through instrumental, interactive, political, and enlightenment models. Key success factors include the presence of high-level political 'champions', the use of stakeholder engagement to build legitimacy, and the development of long-term trust between knowledge providers and policy users. The document concludes with ten general suggestions for researchers to enhance their policy relevance, emphasizing the need to balance independent research with user-led collaboration and to communicate findings in accessible, timely formats.
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Document type: Report
Getting There Greener
The report analyzes the CO2 emissions of air, rail, automobile, and motor coach travel for U.S. vacations, concluding that motor coaches and trains are generally the greenest options, while solo driving and first-class flights are the most polluting.
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Document type: Report
Standards, Labelling and Certification
The document examines two types of standards used to mitigate climate change: product-based energy performance standards and labels, and standards based on processes and production methods (PPMs). It argues that while product standards are highly cost-effective and widely used to correct market failures, PPM-based measures are more controversial in trade law due to concerns over protectionism and impacts on developing countries. The authors advocate for international harmonization of testing and certification procedures and increased technical and financial assistance for Southern exporters to ensure climate goals do not create unfair trade barriers.
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Document type: Research paper
Growing Old in a Changing Climate
The report examines how climate change disproportionately affects older people in the UK, highlighting their physical, financial, and emotional vulnerabilities. It analyzes the carbon footprints of different age groups, the risks of extreme weather on health and housing, and the barriers to energy efficiency. The document concludes with recommendations for a coordinated national policy framework focusing on risk assessment, home retrofitting, and improved local accessibility.
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Document type: Report
Ökologischer Handel
The document examines the tensions between trade liberalization and climate goals, proposing that the EU integrate ambitious environmental standards into trade agreements and that WTO rules be subordinated to international climate agreements.
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Document type: Report
Trading Green
The document examines the tensions between trade liberalisation and climate mitigation, proposing that the EU and WTO shift from a market-access focus to one that prioritises environmental standards, technology transfer, and the principle of mutual supportiveness between trade and climate regimes.
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Document type: Briefing
Commerce et Changement Climatique
The document presents diverse perspectives on how trade affects climate change, arguing that while the transport sector is a major emitter, trade can support climate goals through environmental goods and technical standards. However, it warns that the EU's 'Global Europe' strategy and rigid intellectual property rights may undermine climate policies in developing nations. It calls for the WTO to formally recognize the primacy of climate regimes over trade rules to ensure that environmental measures are not blocked by trade disputes.
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Document type: Report
Growing Old in a Changing Climate
The document examines the relationship between the UK's ageing population and climate change, highlighting that while certain older age groups have high carbon footprints, they are also disproportionately vulnerable to extreme weather. It calls for integrated policies to improve energy efficiency in homes, enhance public transport, and involve older people in policy-making to ensure a sustainable and secure future.
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Document type: Policy brief
Identifying resource productivity for five key economic sectors in the South West region
The study uses the Triple Bottom Line (BL3) software tool to analyze the environmental pressures of the Transport Equipment, Motor Vehicle, Hotels and Catering, Food and Drink, and Business Services sectors in South West England. It finds that for all five sectors, the largest source of CO2 emissions is associated with direct on-site operations. The Food and Drink sector has the highest overall emissions, while the Motor Vehicle sector is the most efficient per £ spent compared to UK averages. The report highlights that efficiency gains in industrial sectors could be outweighed by increased final demand for resources driven by regional growth and infrastructure projects.
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Document type: Research paper
FACT SHEET Software name: Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP)
The Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) is a software tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to track the environmental consequences of economic activity by analyzing consumption patterns across various spatial scales. It calculates ecological, carbon, and greenhouse gas footprints by combining consumption data with production impacts throughout the supply chain. In the UK, REAP has been applied in over 50 projects, including evaluating regional strategies and creating footprint reduction roadmaps. The tool emphasizes a lifecycle approach, highlighting that consumption-based emissions can exceed production-based emissions due to trade balances, as seen in the UK and Sweden.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Carbon Footprint of Housing in the Leeds City Region – A Best Practice Scenario Analysis
The report identifies that the Leeds City Region must reduce housing-related CO2e emissions by 38 million tonnes by 2026 to align with national 2050 targets. The most impactful measure is the major retrofit of existing homes, which could provide 53.2% of the required reduction. Other essential measures include behavioural change (22%), low and zero carbon technologies (12.4%), and stricter new build standards (9%). The study concludes that a combination of these measures, supplemented by either external wall insulation, additional LZC installations, or selective demolition and rebuild of inefficient properties, is necessary to meet the target.
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Document type: Report
Getting There Greener
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis indicates that motor coaches and trains are generally the lowest-emission travel options, while first-class flights and large SUVs produce the highest carbon footprints. The guide emphasizes that the greenest choice depends on the number of travelers and the distance of the trip; for example, while solo travelers are encouraged to avoid cars, cars become a low-carbon option for larger groups. To further reduce emissions, the document recommends nonstop flights, fuel-efficient rental cars, and avoiding peak traffic periods.
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Document type: Guide
The Tees Valley Footprint Report
The Tees Valley Footprint Report evaluates the environmental impact of residents in the Tees Valley, UK, using Ecological and Carbon Footprint analysis. It finds that the region's ecological footprint is more than double the world average, and that 'business as usual' trends in housing and transport are likely to increase per capita carbon emissions over the next 20 years. The report uses the REAP software to model alternative scenarios, suggesting that significant reductions in housing emissions are possible through combined energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, while transport emissions require large-scale structural shifts and behavioral changes to see meaningful declines.
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Document type: Research paper
Greening The Greys
The report finds that UK baby boomers (50-64) have the highest carbon footprint due to high spending on travel and consumption, while the oldest group (75+) has the highest climate impact per pound spent, primarily due to home heating. Despite general fear and motivation to act, older adults face barriers such as the cost of public transport and high capital costs for home energy efficiency.
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Document type: Report
Carbon Cost of Christmas
The guide estimates that three days of Christmas celebrations can generate up to 650 kg of CO2 per person, representing 5.5% of an individual's annual carbon footprint, but notes that this can be reduced by over 60% to 250 kg through targeted actions regarding food, travel, lighting, and gifts.
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Document type: Guide
Mobile app tracks Costa Rican coffee’s carbon footprint
The NAMA Café de Costa Rica initiative has deployed a mobile app and MRV system to track carbon footprints in the coffee sector, leading to a significant correction in national emission estimates for coffee from 8% to 1%. The system collects real data from farmers and mills to identify emission sources—primarily fertiliser, agroforestry, pulp, waste water, and fossil fuels—and supports the adoption of low-emission technologies and premium market access.
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Document type: Case study
sasol’s submission on the requirement fcr existing plants to meet new plant standards as well as other concerns reiating to the Listed Activities and Minimum Emission standards
Sasol argues that retrofitting old plants to meet new emission standards is often technically impossible due to space and configuration constraints, and economically unjustifiable given the negligible impact on ambient air quality in some areas. The company highlights conflicts between air quality standards and national energy efficiency and waste strategies, while calling for extended compliance timelines and greater regulatory certainty across national, provincial, and local government tiers.
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Document type: Statement
How to Get Started With Clean Creatives
The guide advises agency staff to build diverse internal coalitions and leverage existing company values regarding sustainability and social justice to advocate for the termination of fossil fuel client contracts. It emphasizes that an agency's client list is the primary driver of its carbon footprint, noting that a single oil company contract for the holding company IPG produced more carbon than the entire global holding company. Recommended actions include identifying supportive leadership, using non-confrontational questioning to highlight business risks, and utilizing staff-wide forums like townhalls or Slack to organize. The document links the fossil fuel industry to systemic racial injustice, arguing that commitments to racial justice are inconsistent with working for companies that disproportionately harm marginalized communities.
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Document type: Guide
Making TSD chapters more effective
A joint contribution by ClientEarth and other NGOs proposing structural reforms to EU trade policy to align it with the European Green Deal. The authors argue for binding sustainability obligations, independent ex-post monitoring, the introduction of sanctions for non-compliance, and enhanced roles for Domestic Advisory Groups and civil society in the negotiation and enforcement of Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters.
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Document type: Statement
Climate change, armed conflict, and global public health a reinforcing cycle of harm
The report argues that climate change and armed conflict act as mutually reinforcing drivers of harm, creating a polycrisis that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. It highlights how climate change serves as a 'threat multiplier' by exacerbating resource scarcity and instability, while military activities contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. The document emphasizes the resulting collapse of health systems and the emergence of infectious diseases in conflict zones. It calls for integrated climate, health, and peacebuilding strategies, including a transition to renewable energy and greater military accountability for emissions, to break this cycle of harm.
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Document type: Report