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This research paper examines the practical realities of sectoral approaches (SAs) to climate action, arguing that effective measures must be built from the bottom up, starting with domestic policies rather than top-down international agreements.

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.

The 2011 Report on Science Program by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the achievements of four scientific programs between May 2010 and April 2011. These include the Second Collaborative Research Network (CRNII), the Small Grants Program for the Human Dimensions (SGP-HD), and a project on land use and biofuels in the La Plata Basin. The report emphasizes the integration of social and economic research into natural science to bridge the science-policy divide, highlighting impacts on urban pollution management, forest conservation, and agricultural risk reduction across the Americas.

The Electricity Regulations on New Generation Capacity, issued by the South African Minister of Energy under the Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006, establish the legal framework for procuring new electricity generation capacity by organs of state. The regulations cover planning via integrated resource plans, feasibility studies, ministerial determinations, and the procurement of capacity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and cross-border projects, while specifically excluding nuclear power technology.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the economic viability, financial requirements, and energy savings associated with achieving the German government's 2010 Energy Concept targets for residential thermal retrofits. The report focuses on the feasibility of increasing the annual retrofit rate to 2% and the necessity of 'deep' retrofits to meet a target of reducing the building sector's primary energy requirement by 80% by 2050.

This 2011 briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the economic feasibility and financial requirements for achieving the German government's energy concept goals for residential building renovations. The report focuses on the costs of comprehensive renovations, the subsidies needed to increase the renovation rate to 2%, and the resulting energy savings.

This preliminary analysis examines carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) deployment in Norway and Brazil, suggesting that in these cases, CCS has been utilized as a strategic tool for economic competitiveness rather than primarily for climate change mitigation.

A submission by 13 non-governmental organisations, coordinated by the Centre for Environmental Rights, addressed to the Minister of Mineral Resources regarding proposed amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (MPRDA). The document argues that the current environmental regulatory regime for mining is inferior to that of other industrial sectors and calls for the integration of mining regulation under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) to ensure better environmental protection, public participation, and enforcement.

This research paper examines the strategic shift in electricity production and consumption within the Swedish pulp and paper industry over the last decade, analyzing the influence of national and EU energy and climate policies.

This report summarizes the development of methodological tools designed to assess how climate change affects surface hydrology in the Peruvian Andes, intended as guidance for decision-makers in Peru and other nations.

A statement by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) arguing that the Fukushima nuclear disaster demonstrates the inherent dangers and economic obsolescence of nuclear power. Lovins contends that nuclear energy is uniquely risky, costly, and slow to deploy compared to renewable energy, cogeneration, and efficiency measures, which he presents as superior alternatives for climate protection.

This report analyzes a 3.75 billion dollar World Bank loan to Eskom Holding Limited for an energy project in South Africa, arguing that the Bank's economic evaluation failed to account for environmental externalities and social costs, potentially leading to a systemic over-investment in large-scale centralized power projects.

This briefing synthesizes a project on electricity supply and trade in Southern Africa and South America, focusing on the role of anchor states (South Africa and Brazil) in balancing energy security with climate change mitigation. It identifies technological lock-in and outdated institutional frameworks as primary barriers to transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

A joint statement by approximately 60 civil society organizations criticizing the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) draft Sustainability Framework for failing to adequately address and protect human rights.

This briefing summarizes the outcomes of a February 2011 workshop in Trinidad regarding the transition to a green and resilient economic pathway for the Caribbean. It outlines the region's current vulnerabilities, the systemic obstacles preventing a paradigm shift, and the necessary foundations and characteristics of a green economy designed to enhance resilience and social equity.

This policy briefing examines how the governance of oil resources contributed to the secession of Southern Sudan. It argues that the failure of the National Congress Party (NCP) to ensure fair revenue sharing, transparency, and local community development convinced Southern Sudanese that they would benefit more from an independent state than from a united Sudan.

This policy briefing evaluates Uganda's preparedness for managing oil revenues following the discovery of approximately 2.5 billion barrels of oil. The author argues that while there are high expectations for economic prosperity, Uganda lacks the necessary legal, institutional, and transparency frameworks to avoid the 'resource curse'. The document highlights gaps in the Petroleum Bill of 2010, restrictions on access to information, and the failure to establish institutions mandated by the 2008 Oil and Gas Policy.

This policy briefing analyzes the economic impact of oil production in Angola, focusing on the risks of the 'resource curse' and the necessity of institutional reform to ensure sustainable growth and economic diversification before the projected peak of oil production.

This research paper contrasts the official Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town with the concurrent Alternative Mining Indaba, highlighting the exclusion of civil society from the main event and the systemic grievances of African communities regarding mining investments.

This research paper critiques the common misconceptions surrounding Sectoral Approaches (SAs) to climate mitigation, proposing the broader term 'Sectoral Approaches, Agreements and Measures' (SAAMs). Through case studies of the steel sector in China, India, and Japan, the author argues that practical implementation must be domestic-led rather than top-down and international. The paper concludes that SAAMs should co-exist with carbon pricing and that sector-specific forums are more effective for development than the generic discussions currently held at the UNFCCC.