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A statement by Friends of the Earth International alleging that Harvard University's investments in large-scale forestry plantations in Corrientes, Argentina, have caused ecological damage and deprived local communities of their livelihoods.

This executive summary describes three analytical tools developed by Climate Focus and the Climate Policy Initiative to help low- and middle-income countries and their partners identify and redirect public and private financing toward green land-use practices for climate mitigation and adaptation.

This executive summary describes three tools developed by Climate Focus and the Climate Policy Initiative to help low- and middle-income governments and their partners redirect funding toward green land-use activities for climate mitigation and adaptation.

This executive summary presents three tools—Land Use Finance Mapping, Financial Viability Gap Analysis, and Public Incentive Mapping—designed to help low- and middle-income countries redirect public and private financing from 'business-as-usual' land use activities toward sustainable, low-emission alternatives.

This executive summary, published by the Climate Policy Initiative in July 2015, proposes three analytical tools to help governments in low- and middle-income countries and their partners redirect financial flows toward sustainable land use. The document argues that while land use sectors generate approximately one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, the vast majority of current investments support 'business-as-usual' (BAU) practices rather than 'green' activities that mitigate climate change or support adaptation.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative describes a landscape management approach designed to transform Indonesia's oil palm sector into a high-productivity, sustainable industry. The approach, supported by Unilever and IDH, moves beyond simple supply chain traceability to manage agricultural production and ecosystem protection across connected areas of land at scale. The document details a five-step implementation process and highlights a pilot project in Sei Mangkei, North Sumatra, aimed at improving land-use planning, increasing smallholder productivity, and protecting peat and forest ecosystems.

This World Bank Group report provides a framework for using investment contracts to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of large-scale agricultural projects in developing countries. It identifies five key positive outcomes and five primary weaknesses associated with these investments, offering specific legal and contractual options to ensure sustainable development and the protection of local communities.

This research paper, published by the World Bank Group in June 2015, examines the role of investment contracts in large-scale agricultural projects in developing countries. It provides a framework for designing contracts that maximize positive socio-economic outcomes—such as job creation and food security—while minimizing risks like land loss and environmental degradation. The document integrates empirical evidence from UNCTAD and World Bank field studies with legal analysis from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative outlines an eight-step methodology for countries, cities, and organizations to map climate finance flows. The process is designed to establish investment baselines, reveal interactions between public and private finance, and identify opportunities to redirect funding toward low-carbon and climate-resilient activities.

This executive summary analyzes the causes of the reduction in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2009, specifically evaluating whether the decline was driven by agricultural commodity prices or government conservation policies. The study concludes that conservation policies were effective, preventing the deforestation of approximately 73,000 km² of forest.

This research paper uses the Norrström drainage basin in Sweden as a case study to propose an interdisciplinary research approach for investigating how climate change, population growth, land use, and water use simultaneously impact biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This guide provides a framework for identifying 'similar listings' across different iterations of South African environmental legislation to determine if pending or unlawful activities can be authorized under current regulations. It specifically addresses the transition between the Environment Conservation Act (ECA), the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the 2014 EIA Regulations (GNR 982, 983, 984, and 985).

This executive summary of a 2015 study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates price risk mitigation policies for Brazil's agricultural sector. The authors argue that current government-led interventions, such as direct buyouts, are inefficient and fail to meet market needs, suggesting a shift toward market-based instruments like sell options and insurance to improve productivity and economic potential.

This research paper argues that using land for bioenergy creates intense competition with food, feed, and carbon storage, potentially widening the global crop calorie gap. The authors contend that most bioenergy is land-inefficient compared to solar energy and that current greenhouse gas accounting often 'double counts' biomass, erroneously suggesting that bioenergy is carbon-free. The paper recommends phasing out bioenergy from dedicated land use and prioritizing biomass derived from true wastes.

This fact sheet describes the 'Production-Protection' strategy implemented by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) in Indonesia. The approach seeks to reconcile economic growth and environmental protection by increasing oil palm productivity and redistributing land to high-value uses through a jurisdictional model and fiscal policy adjustments.

This policy brief examines the relationship between global food demand, meat production, and the opportunity costs associated with deforestation, specifically questioning whether REDD+ can compete with the profitability of land use for livestock and grain.

The Priority Municipalities (MPs) policy in Brazil significantly reduced deforestation in the Amazon between 2008 and 2011, avoiding the clearing of 11,359 km2 of forest. The reduction was primarily driven by increased monitoring and law enforcement, such as fines, rather than economic measures. The study found that this environmental protection did not negatively impact agricultural GDP or production, suggesting that economic growth and preservation can coexist in the region.

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of the Brazilian government's 'Priority Municipalities' (MPs) policy, implemented in 2008 to combat illegal deforestation in the Amazon. The authors find that blacklisting municipalities significantly reduced deforestation, primarily through intensified monitoring and law enforcement rather than economic sanctions. Crucially, the study concludes that this reduction in deforestation did not negatively impact agricultural production or credit concessions in the affected areas.

This research paper explores the use of bilateral agreements as a strategic alternative to voluntary certification schemes for securing sustainable biofuels in Europe under the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the underperformance of land rental markets in Brazil and argues that deregulation could improve agricultural productivity and environmental protection by enabling more efficient land use.