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The SEI Initiative on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change, launched in January 2015, aims to analyze the factors influencing fossil fuel development and influence policies to align development with sustainable goals. The initiative argues that climate strategies must address both the demand and supply sides of fossil fuels, as infrastructure and institutions can lock in long-term dependency.

The Green European Journal (July 2015) examines the systemic failures of the EU, including the Greek debt crisis, the refugee crisis, and the dominance of neoliberal technocracy. It advocates for a 'radicalisation of democracy' and a transition toward a degrowth economy. The document critiques the EU's climate contributions for COP 21 as insufficiently ambitious and calls for a reduction in energy dependency on Russia. It emphasizes the need for Green parties to reconnect with grassroots social movements and a 'trans-European' approach to identity and politics.

The paper examines the interactions between EU energy security and climate mitigation policies, finding general coherence in several subfields but noting that some interactions require further attention. It argues that future coherence depends on whether the energy security agenda is framed as nationally fragmented or as a coordinated European effort.

The report examines China's transition from a flat residential electricity pricing system to a tiered electricity pricing (TEP) system. It analyzes the reform's design, the role of provincial governments in setting price ladders, and the resulting impacts on different income groups. The document highlights the challenges of balancing operational feasibility with accuracy, the need for transparency in cost structures, and the use of compensation measures for the poorest households.

This report provides an overview of the water-energy-food nexus in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), focusing on the interdependencies between these sectors and the challenges posed by climate change, population growth, and resource distribution.

The paper argues that energy security in the EU is often framed too narrowly, focusing primarily on import dependency and security of supply. It proposes a broader assessment framework that includes availability, affordability, security of demand, and geopolitical security, while noting that external factors like international climate treaties and relations significantly influence energy security outcomes.

The IISD Handbook on Mining Contract Negotiations for Developing Countries (Volume 1) outlines a strategic framework for host governments to move from a 'win-lose' to a 'win-win-win' negotiating paradigm involving the state, companies, and local communities. It emphasizes the critical importance of the pre-negotiation phase, including resource valuation, interdepartmental coordination, and the establishment of a 'social license to operate.' The guide analyzes the legal interplay between domestic law, investment contracts, and international treaties, while cautioning against stabilization clauses that may hinder future sustainable development regulations. It also provides detailed advice on maximizing economic linkages through local purchasing, employment, and downstream processing, as well as managing social and environmental risks, including climate change adaptation.

The document examines the governance of Ghana's oil discovery at Cape Three Points in 2007, focusing on the intersection of state management and civil society oversight. It details the legal frameworks established to manage revenues, such as the Ghana Stabilization Fund and Ghana Heritage Fund, while highlighting systemic challenges including political patronage, lack of transparency in the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and the 'Dutch Disease' affecting non-oil sectors. The authors emphasize that while civil society organizations (CSOs), particularly the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, have influenced policy and monitoring, they are hampered by funding shortages and technical skill gaps. The paper concludes that strengthening state-civil society cooperation is essential to ensure oil wealth supports sustainable national development rather than fueling corruption or instability.

The document examines the drivers and implementation of low-carbon policies in China, noting a transition from national targets to local design across provinces and industrial zones. While this approach allows for local adaptation and policy learning, it has created a complex, overlapping regulatory environment that causes industry uncertainty, risks high compliance costs, and may lead to capital lock-in of high-emitting technologies. The text also references a separate IISD study on the fiscal risks facing BRIICS nations, including China, due to the global transition away from fossil fuels.

The document examines the drivers and impacts of biofuel expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically focusing on jatropha- and sugarcane-based fuels. It argues that while biofuels are driven by goals of energy security and economic development, they are linked to significant trade-offs including GHG emissions, deforestation, and food insecurity. The author concludes that the lack of comprehensive understanding of these trade-offs, combined with institutional and market failures, hinders the sustainability of biofuel investments in the region.

The report examines the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting how the region's reliance on natural resources creates critical trade-offs. It argues that while LAC is resource-abundant, fragmented governance and climate change threaten security. The document proposes a framework for action based on infrastructure, information, institutions, and investment to transition toward climate-compatible development.

The strategy assesses the vulnerability of Estonia's energy and infrastructure systems to climate change, identifying the electricity distribution network and small ports as particularly susceptible. It outlines a comprehensive set of adaptation measures across technical support systems, buildings, transport, and energy resources, with an estimated total implementation cost of approximately 1.3 billion EUR for the 2017–2030 period. The plan emphasizes increasing energy independence through domestic renewable sources and improving the resilience of buildings and transport networks to temperature extremes and flooding.

The document examines the rollout of biofuels and agribusiness in Southeast Asia, finding that promised poverty reduction and rural development benefits often fail to materialize. It highlights systemic issues including unclear land tenure, the vulnerability of small-scale producers, and weak enforcement of environmental laws. The authors argue that investments frequently precede inclusive development planning, leading to social tensions and ecological risks, and recommend prioritizing 'upstream' planning and strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms.

The SEI Initiative on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change, launched in January 2015, focuses on the supply side of climate policy to prevent the 'lock-in' of fossil fuel dependence. The initiative investigates the emissions implications of infrastructure, the political economy of extraction, and the role of international governance. It employs a multi-disciplinary approach involving energy modelling and political economy analysis, with specific case studies in Colombia, South Africa, Indonesia, Norway, and the U.S. to examine the interplay between resource exploitation and low-carbon development goals.

The report identifies that while the Swedish transmission grid operator, Svenska Kraftnät, is a primary driver for grid development, most drivers are indirect, such as EU climate policy and the need to integrate wind power. Key barriers include a complex and ambiguous concession process, local resistance based on land-use and health concerns, and passive government governance. The study finds that current planned projects generally align with the geographic needs identified by the NORSTRAT project, though there are discrepancies in wind power production assumptions between the TSO and industry estimates.

The document analyzes the evolving energy partnership between the US and South Africa, framed by the US's shift toward energy independence via shale gas and its 'Power Africa' initiative. While South Africa is interested in the US model for shale gas and renewables, the briefing argues that South Africa must remain cautious regarding hydraulic fracturing due to severe water constraints and infrastructure gaps. It highlights the US-South Africa Strategic Dialogue as a mechanism for cooperation on clean energy, carbon capture, and hydrocarbon development, while noting that US initiatives in Africa have targeted a limited number of countries.

Botswana possesses 212 billion tonnes of coal, offering potential for economic diversification away from diamonds. However, the document argues that a coal export industry is likely economically unfeasible due to massive infrastructure costs—specifically a proposed $10 billion railway to Namibia—and environmental constraints. Instead, the author suggests that integrating regional fossil fuels for electricity production could address Southern Africa's power crisis, provided there is political cooperation, particularly from South Africa, and until solar baseload power becomes a viable alternative.

The report analyzes how the EU 28 can decrease its reliance on natural gas imports through cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment across the buildings, industry, and energy supply sectors. It argues that these measures can reduce the share of natural gas in primary energy demand to 16% by 2030, significantly outperforming the European Commission's proposed 2030 framework.

The report argues that implementing cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy measures could halve the EU's net natural gas imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 49% relative to 1990 levels by 2030. It identifies the buildings sector as having the highest potential for savings, followed by energy production and industry, while noting that domestic production, including shale gas, is unlikely to increase substantially.

The report examines the 'peace potential' of oil and gas resources, analyzing how joint development, revenue sharing, and infrastructure projects like pipelines can either mitigate or fuel conflict. It contrasts successful cooperation, such as the Saudi-Kuwaiti Partitioned Neutral Zone and Turkey-Iraqi Kurdish relations, with failures in the Caucasus and disputes in the South China Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. The study also addresses the role of international environmental law and the climate impact of transitioning from coal to natural gas.