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This policy brief summarizes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and PUC-Rio on the economic impacts of hydropower plants (HPP) in Brazil. Analyzing 82 municipalities between 2002 and 2011, the research finds that while dam construction often provides short-term boosts to employment and revenue, these effects typically dissipate after five or six years and rarely transform the underlying structure of local economies.

This report outlines several Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) initiatives in Nepal focused on enhancing climate resilience across the agriculture, hydroelectricity, and irrigation sectors, as well as improving the government's capacity to access international climate finance.

This policy brief by Clingendael examines the opportunities for green growth in Colombia following the peace accord between the government and the FARC guerrilla group, highlighting the need to integrate renewable energy incentives with post-conflict development and strengthen links between local green initiatives and national policy.

This research paper analyzes the impact of climate change on hydropower within the Zambezi River Basin and the Southern African Power Pool, focusing on electricity generation costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and the necessity for cooperative governance.

This policy brief analyzes the coherence of national development, conservation, and climate policies in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru using a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus approach. It identifies significant trade-offs between ambitious renewable energy and agricultural targets and the preservation of the Amazon biome's ecosystem services, which are critical for regional water, food, and energy security.

This research paper examines the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and its potential to transform Ethiopia into a regional energy hub. It analyzes the project's technical specifications, its alignment with Ethiopia's national growth strategies, and the challenges and opportunities for energy cooperation within the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).

A policy brief detailing a research initiative that used a water supply and demand modelling tool to assess risks to hydropower in the Zambezi River basin from climate change and irrigation expansion.

A 2016 fact sheet by Friends of the Earth Europe detailing a solidarity mission by four Indigenous Lenca activists from Honduras to Europe. The mission aims to denounce the murder of Berta Cáceres and demand that European financiers and companies withdraw support from the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project due to human rights violations and the lack of indigenous consent.

This policy brief, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2016, evaluates the performance of Lesotho's water management system and explores adaptation strategies to address water insecurity caused by climate change and urbanization. It specifically examines the trade-offs between the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which exports water to South Africa, and the need for domestic, industrial, and agricultural water security within Lesotho.

This research paper evaluates the economic potential of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), a proposed joint customs union between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Through econometric analysis and interviews with decision-makers in South Africa and Kenya, the authors assess trade complementarity, intensity, and the role of transregional infrastructure in driving industrialization and poverty reduction.

This case study examines the financial structure of the 250MW Bujagali Hydropower Project in Uganda to analyze how risk mitigation instruments from public financial institutions, specifically the World Bank Group, can mobilize private capital for low-carbon infrastructure in high-risk environments.

This case study describes the efforts of Granma province in Cuba to become a 100-percent renewably powered model for the rest of the country. As of 2013, the province had implemented a diverse array of renewable energy systems, including solar PV, mini-hydropower, wind-powered water pumps, and biomass energy from sugar mill waste and biodigestors.

This policy brief examines the risks climate change poses to large-scale hydropower infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and the current lack of climate service integration in the planning process. It argues that while hydropower is critical for energy security, most projects rely on historical data that ignore future hydrological shifts, leaving long-lived assets vulnerable to failure or inefficiency.

This discussion brief describes a collaborative project led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) applying a water-energy-food nexus toolkit to the Lake Tana and Beles River basins in the Upper Blue Nile region of Ethiopia. The project uses integrated modelling to help policy-makers manage trade-offs between national development goals—such as increasing hydropower production fivefold by 2015 and boosting agricultural production by over 8%—and the sustainable management of natural resources.

This policy brief describes a project by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) using a 'nexus approach' to analyze the interdependencies between water, energy, and food in Ethiopia's Upper Blue Nile region. By applying the WEAP-LEAP toolkit to the Lake Tana and Beles River basins, the project compared three development scenarios—Business-as-usual, National plans, and a Nexus scenario—to identify trade-offs between agricultural expansion, hydropower generation, and environmental sustainability.

This 2014 policy report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the water-energy nexus, specifically focusing on the sustainability of hydropower and bioenergy. It analyzes the environmental and social trade-offs of these energy sources, provides a detailed case study of Sweden's hydropower experience, and offers strategic recommendations for development assistance organizations supporting private sector bioenergy projects in developing countries.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) assesses investment incentives for renewable energy in Indonesia, specifically focusing on geothermal power, hydropower, biomass power, and biofuels. It examines the institutional, regulatory, and financial frameworks intended to attract investment and identifies significant barriers, including inter-ministerial conflict, market distortions caused by fossil fuel subsidies, and a lack of technical capacity among bidders and financial institutions.

This case study examines the investment incentive landscape for renewable energy in Zambia as of December 2012. It details the country's energy sector structure, the resource potential for various renewable technologies, and the specific financial and fiscal incentives provided by the government to attract private investment, while noting a lack of transparency regarding the costs of these incentives.

A statement by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean expressing concern over the criminalization, prosecution, and harassment of community leaders and academics in Colombia who advocate for social and environmental justice.

This case study describes the Government of Rwanda's efforts to protect the hydroelectric sector by restoring the Rugezi-Bulera-Ruhondo watershed, while implementing agricultural measures to support affected rural livelihoods.