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This report, prepared by the United States of America as Chair of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlines the activities of the EC during the intersessional period leading up to its 45th meeting in June 2018. It details the EC's oversight of various decisions from the 25th Conference of the Parties (CoP-25), including efforts to improve data transparency, document accessibility, communication strategies, and long-term funding sustainability.

This guide outlines the technical standards for commercial and residential buildings in Germany to be eligible as nominated use of proceeds in a Certified Climate Bond under the Climate Bonds Standard.

This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a 'Transitional Foreign Exchange (FX) Debt Platform' to enable foreign currency debt for the rooftop solar sector in India. It addresses the barriers that prevent small-scale project developers from accessing foreign capital, primarily the risks associated with currency fluctuations and the inability of these developers to access commercial hedging instruments due to poor credit profiles.

This research note examines 'consignment auctioning,' a hybrid carbon allowance distribution method used in California's emission trading system (ETS) that combines elements of free allocation and auctioning. The authors propose this model as a potential solution for China's national ETS to introduce auctioning while mitigating economic shocks to covered entities and bypassing institutional barriers regarding the handling of government revenue.

This research paper examines Tanzania's energy options, arguing that decentralized renewable energy is superior to large-scale hydropower, specifically the proposed Stiegler's Gorge dam, for achieving sustainable development and broad-based electrification.

This policy briefing examines the impact of the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) on South Africa's agriculture and agro-processing sectors. While the agreement provides tariff preferences and liberal rules of origin, South Africa has struggled to fill its awarded quotas due to a lack of awareness, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, and climatic challenges. The document highlights the potential for SMEs, women, and youth to benefit from the EPA, particularly in the canned fruit and juice sectors, provided that barriers such as certification costs and a lack of specialized testing laboratories are addressed.

This policy brief examines the impact of seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration on marine fauna, specifically within South Africa. It argues that current mitigation guidelines, which are often based on the UK's JNCC standards and developed by the companies conducting the surveys, are insufficient. The author recommends the establishment of an independent regulatory board to create country-specific, science-based legislative frameworks to protect biodiversity and maintain environmental integrity as South Africa expands its ocean economy through Operation Phakisa.

This report details the narratives, data, and assumptions used by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) to model development and climate scenarios for Rwanda up to 2050. Using the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) and Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tools, the authors co-created three primary pathways—reference, pessimistic, and optimistic—to explore the synergies and trade-offs between agricultural transformation and energy transition.

This statement by Friends of the Earth International argues that the imprisonment of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva is a politically motivated effort by conservative elites to prevent his candidacy in the October national elections and to reverse social gains for popular classes.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International arguing that the imprisonment of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva is a political maneuver by dominant classes to prevent his candidacy in the October elections and to dismantle progress for the working class.

This document is a formal objection submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights on behalf of a coalition of eight civil society and community non-profit organisations. The objection opposes an application by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd to change the land use of Portion 1 of the Farm Yzermyn 96 in Mpumalanga from agricultural to mining purposes to facilitate the construction of the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine.

This research report assesses the impact of including two coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects—Thabametsi and Khanyisa—in South Africa's electricity system from 2022 to 2052. Using the South African Times Model (SATIM), the study finds that these plants are not necessary to meet demand and would increase both total system costs and greenhouse gas emissions across all analysed scenarios, potentially offsetting national energy efficiency and carbon tax mitigation efforts.

This research report assesses the impact of including two coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects—Thabametsi and Khanyisa—in South Africa's electricity system from 2022 to 2052. Using the South African Times Model (SATIM), the study finds that these plants are not necessary to meet demand and would increase both total system costs and greenhouse gas emissions across all analyzed scenarios, potentially offsetting national energy efficiency and carbon tax mitigation efforts.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a statement to the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs on May 22, 2018, opposing the approval of coal-fired Independent Power Producers (IPPs), specifically Thabametsi and Khanyisa. The CER argues that these projects are unnecessary, economically damaging, and environmentally catastrophic, citing high greenhouse gas emissions, water scarcity, and air pollution in priority areas.

This report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes how extending best practice policies across EU member states could enable the EU to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of -55% to -62% below 1990 levels by 2030, aligning with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.

The document is the 2016 Federal Tax Return (Form 990) for the World Resources Institute (WRI), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. It details the organization's financial status, governance, and program accomplishments for the 2016 calendar year, including its mission to protect the environment and its capacity to provide for current and future generations.

A joint letter from 47 Canadian labour, trade justice, and climate organizations to Minister Chrystia Freeland calling for a trade model that aligns with climate objectives and human rights, specifically during the 2018 NAFTA renegotiations.

This research paper proposes a theoretical framework for designing a Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) to mitigate counterparty credit risk for renewable energy projects in India. The authors define a PSM as a funded capital reserve providing interest-free working capital to projects when state-owned electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) default on payments. Using a probabilistic methodology and a sample of eight DISCOMs, the paper estimates the size of payment support needed to enhance project credit ratings, concluding that while a PSM can improve ratings up to a BB level, it cannot achieve investment-grade status (BBB or higher) due to non-counterparty risks.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Indian School of Business examines the challenges of integrating high levels of renewable energy into India's power grid, specifically focusing on the need for system flexibility and the risk of coal-based assets becoming stranded. The authors propose that converting existing baseload coal plants into flexible plants is a cost-effective short-term solution to provide necessary operational reserves and mitigate financial risks for investors.

This executive summary, produced by Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Technology for the Climate Policy Initiative, analyzes the macroeconomic impacts of renewable energy penetration in India. Using macro-econometrics and time series methods, the report examines the relationship between renewable energy and factors such as GDP, fiscal deficit, energy imports, and employment to project future energy scenarios and job creation potential.