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The document examines how the transfer of power to municipal governments in lowland Bolivia has affected forest management and the livelihoods of local users. While decentralization has increased the bargaining power of marginalized groups like indigenous people and small-scale timber producers, it has also created bureaucratic hurdles and reinforced the influence of local elites. The author argues that the success of these reforms is constrained by macroeconomic policies, high transaction costs for land titling, and the influence of national political parties on local governance.

The La Pine Community Design Charrette, facilitated by the Rocky Mountain Institute in April 2000, sought to move away from traditional consultant-led planning by involving residents directly in the design process. The workshop focused on creating a walkable town center, improving pedestrian safety along Highway 97, and establishing a greenbelt system along the Little Deschutes River. Key recommendations include reducing excessive commercial zoning to prevent sprawl and concentrating retail into a viable town center of 50,000 to 75,000 square feet. The report outlines specific locations for prospective projects such as a civic center, health center, and performing arts center, while emphasizing the need for 'Green Development' and sustainable infrastructure like 'Living Machines' for wastewater treatment.

Following the decision to expand its Everett, Washington facility for the 777 program, Boeing was required by the City of Everett to pay over $50 million in environmental and social mitigation costs. These requirements, mandated under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), included $47.46 million for off-site transportation improvements, as well as site-wide erosion control, wetland replacement, and low-income housing investments. The case highlights a conflict between Boeing's management accountants, who argued for expensing the costs as they added no measurable value to assets, and external auditors and tax groups, who argued for capitalization because the payments were a direct condition for obtaining necessary construction permits.

The report argues that while many Asian nations have adopted stringent environmental laws based on Western models, these laws are often ineffective due to a lack of integration with economic planning, corruption, and a failure to account for local cultural contexts. It recommends integrating environmental policy into investment promotion, simplifying regulations to reduce corruption, and utilizing land-use planning as a primary tool for prevention. Specifically, it suggests enhancing compliance through community-based monitoring, adopting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and reforming Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) to include public consultation and post-implementation monitoring.

The LEAP system is a computer-based simulation tool for energy policy analysis. It uses a modular structure consisting of Energy Scenario programs (Demand, Transformation, Biomass, Environment, and Evaluation), an Aggregation program for multi-spatial planning, and an Environmental Data Base (EDB) for emission coefficients. The system allows users to create a 'base case' and develop alternative policy scenarios to assess physical, economic, and environmental impacts.

The document outlines five core elements for BESS zoning ordinances: treating BESS as a distinct land use, creating clear approval pathways, referencing national safety standards, basing setbacks on safety rather than size, and addressing project lifecycle changes. It provides detailed technical recommendations on permitting, environmental mitigation, noise and visual impacts, and the incorporation of NFPA and UL safety standards.

The Clean Air Task Force highlights six counties in the Southwest—Mesa and Weld in Colorado, Summit and Iron in Utah, Mineral in Nevada, and Maricopa in Arizona—that have implemented outstanding solar ordinances. These ordinances are noted for balancing growth with protections, streamlining permitting for federal lands, and clarifying project scale through acreage thresholds rather than production capacity.

The document assesses future climate projections for Belize City using a Weather Generator tool, finding that while June, July, and August may see decreased rainfall and increased temperatures, October and November are projected to experience higher intensity and more variable rainfall. These changes, combined with the city's flat elevation and poor drainage infrastructure, increase the risk of severe flooding and associated health hazards. The study emphasizes the need for updated building codes, better land-use planning, and integrated climate change considerations in infrastructure design to mitigate these risks.

The study finds that the SPEI 12 drought index correlates with forest fire occurrence, particularly during severe and extreme drought events, though 'Milpa' farming remains the primary cause of fire escapes. Projections indicate that future drought events in the region will become more frequent, with an average recurrence time of 1 in 5 years, increasing the risk of escaped agricultural fires.

The report examines flood risk in Jamaica, noting that while tropical cyclones cause the largest losses, flooding is not strictly related to storm intensity but often to preceding rainfall. It highlights that public infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, suffers the most damage. Despite repeated recommendations for hazard mapping and watershed management, the report finds a persistent lack of enforcement regarding 'no build zones' and a critical shortage of digital spatial data for planners.

The report finds that while Indonesia's national development plans recognize the link between forest conservation and water, energy, and food security, significant implementation gaps and trade-offs persist. REDD+ has catalysed useful governance tools like the One Map Initiative and the Integrated Licensing System, but institutional efforts have been hampered by the use of ad-hoc agencies like BP REDD+. Furthermore, the report highlights that national food and energy targets, such as the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate, often conflict with forest conservation goals.

The document uses a fictional scenario in Krishna Nagar, a low-income coastal neighbourhood in India, to demonstrate the process of climate vulnerability assessment and the subsequent creation of resilience plans. It highlights the challenges of community consultation and proposes a multi-sectoral approach to adaptation, including the establishment of disaster risk reduction networks, the use of green infrastructure like mangroves, and the improvement of early warning systems through partnerships with technical universities and mobile operators.

The document outlines ten key recommendations from South Asian experts for the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, focusing on community monitoring, peer reviews, climate-compatible management, and the inclusion of marginalized groups.

The report examines the tensions between Indonesia's ambitious water, energy, and food security targets and its climate and conservation commitments. Using a WEF nexus framework, it identifies how competition for land and water resources can lead to deforestation and undermine emissions targets. The analysis highlights gaps in cross-sectoral and multi-scale coordination, particularly between national mandates and local government priorities. Key recommendations include accelerating the One Map Initiative to resolve data inconsistencies, prioritizing Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) in spatial planning, and aligning fiscal incentives to support local governments in transitioning to sustainable development models.

The document argues that Indonesia's economic growth is threatened by environmental degradation, specifically deforestation and peatland fires. While water security is prioritised across sectors, the energy and agriculture sectors focus on built infrastructure rather than forest conservation. The report highlights that ambitious food and bioenergy targets risk further deforestation unless productivity is increased or degraded land is prioritised. Governance is complicated by a complex legal framework and a disconnect between national plans and local government implementation. A case study in Aceh demonstrates that increasing oil palm yields to national averages could meet production targets without further land conversion, whereas 'business-as-usual' scenarios would require converting 220,000 hectares of land.

The document provides a legal primer on the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and details four community-led legal battles in South Africa to protect land rights and ensure transparency in mining operations.

The document establishes a standard directive for applicants for mining rights to submit a scoping report within 30 days of application acceptance. It defines 'consultation' as a two-way communication process and 'community' as historically disadvantaged persons with rights to a particular area. The guideline details the obligations of the applicant, including identifying and notifying affected parties, conducting meetings to assess impacts on cultural, socio-economic, and biophysical environments, and documenting these interactions through minutes and attendance registers. The resulting scoping report must include the methodology used, a description of the existing environment, an identification of anticipated impacts, and a description of the engagement process.

The document outlines a risk-based approach to mining in South Africa's most sensitive biodiversity areas, including critically endangered ecosystems, Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs), and Ramsar sites. It argues that because these areas are essential for ecosystem services and biodiversity targets, mining should be strongly avoided. The guideline proposes a sequential six-step filter—including requirements for national strategic interest, lack of alternative deposits, and full economic valuation—that must be satisfied before any mining authorisation is considered. It emphasizes a risk-averse approach where authorisations may be denied or strictly limited to specific methods, such as underground mining, to avoid fatal flaws in environmental authorisations.

The document advocates for a land-use planning framework that separates terrestrial carbon sequestration from industrial emission reductions due to the temporary nature of the former. It emphasizes that mitigation must prioritize food sovereignty, legally enforce the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and avoid using land-sector targets to offset continued fossil fuel emissions. The paper critiques current Kyoto Protocol accounting as overly complex and prone to loopholes, suggesting instead the use of direct indicators like hectares of forest maintained. Specific recommendations include addressing high meat consumption and synthetic fertilizer use in developed countries to achieve permanent emission reductions in agriculture.

The Canadian Climate Institute warns that current zoning and policy gaps could lead to over 760,000 new homes being built in high-risk flood and wildfire areas by 2030, potentially costing billions in annual damages. The report argues that redirecting just 3% of planned housing (approximately 150,000 units) away from the most vulnerable areas could reduce new flood risks by nearly 80%. Key recommendations include strengthening provincial land-use regulations, updating risk maps, mandating risk disclosure in real estate transactions, and reforming disaster assistance to remove moral hazard.