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The policy brief examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction, highlighting how climate instability undermines Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It advocates for a shift from treating adaptation and development as separate entities toward a 'climate-resilient development' approach. The author emphasizes the need for evidence-based, country-led policies that prioritize the most vulnerable and suggests that mitigation efforts should only be pursued when they offer clear co-benefits for poverty reduction and adaptation.

The document highlights how climate change undermines development goals and poverty eradication, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that the artificial distinction between adaptation and development must be removed in favor of climate resilience. The author calls for a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, the integration of adaptation into national poverty reduction strategies, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits over high opportunity costs.

The document outlines a framework for integrating green growth into national development planning, emphasizing the need for iterative processes and the application of specific economic models to balance economic growth with environmental and social objectives.

The document outlines a strategic approach to green growth, emphasizing that economic, social, and environmental goals are not mutually exclusive. It provides a planning framework that moves from vision setting to implementation, highlights various economic models (such as CGE and EE-IO) for impact analysis, and discusses the challenges of applying these tools in developing nations, such as data scarcity and the 'black box' nature of complex models. Case studies from Rwanda and the 'Heart of Borneo' illustrate the practical application of these principles.

The document examines the role of safeguards in REDD+ to prevent social and environmental harm and to generate 'multiple benefits' such as poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. It analyzes various international standards, reviews how countries integrate these into Readiness Preparation Proposals (R-PPs), and discusses the challenges of creating a cost-effective, transparent information-sharing system that respects national sovereignty while ensuring accountability.

The research examines the impact of climate variability on Ethiopia's agricultural production and GDP to identify ways to mainstream climate risks into poverty reduction plans. It highlights a case study on drought insurance within a social protection programme serving 8.3 million people. The analysis identifies key challenges, including uncertainties in climate projections and weak evidence of climate-society interactions, while suggesting that 'low-regrets measures' can reduce vulnerability by shifting from disaster-focused responses to long-term livelihood security.

The paper examines the theoretical and empirical debate surrounding trade liberalisation in South Africa, specifically its effects on growth, employment, and poverty. It critiques common methodological tools, including partial equilibrium approaches, effective rates of protection (ERP), and computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, noting that they often rely on restrictive assumptions and fail to account for dynamic effects or institutional complexities. The author argues that the 'free trade' ideal is an unrealistic benchmark and suggests that South Africa should instead pursue a 'sensible management of trade' that creates dynamic comparative advantages and protects industrial policy space to achieve structural change and job creation.

The 2007–08 international food crisis had a modest impact on Tanzania compared to other poor countries, with an estimated 0.5–1% of the population driven into poverty, primarily in urban areas. While short-term government interventions like export bans and tariff reductions showed limited evidence of effectiveness, long-term economic reforms since the early 2000s helped the country maintain agricultural exports. The study highlights a persistent challenge in stabilizing agricultural output growth and suggests that greater integration with global markets could serve as insurance against domestic production shocks.

The research establishes a baseline for sustainable development (SD) among 1,551 tenth grade students in Manitoba using three composite indexes. Findings indicate that while students possess relatively high knowledge (mean 2.12) and favourable attitudes (mean 2.14) toward SD, their actual supportive behaviours are less pronounced (mean 2.83). Regression analysis reveals that knowledge and attitudes only explain 21% of the variation in sustainable behaviours, with attitudes being a more influential predictor than knowledge. The study highlights a particular strength in students' support for gender equality and environmental protection, but notes confusion regarding the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals.

The document evaluates the Multi-country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (MDRP), which operated from 2002 to 2009 to support ex-combatants in the Great Lakes Region. It highlights the shift from MDRP to the Transitional Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (TDRP) and examines the specific challenges of reintegration in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and Liberia. Key findings emphasize the risks of 'arms for cash' approaches, the difficulty of sustainable economic reintegration, and the necessity of linking DDR processes with broader security sector reform and community development.

The document examines the tension between adopting low-GHG consumption lifestyles in wealthy nations and the economic stability of developing countries that rely on international trade. Using a scenario developed for the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the analysis finds that while shifting spending from imported goods to domestic services can increase the GDP of a high-income country like the U.K., it can lead to significant GDP declines in LDCs, primarily due to reduced demand for clothing and manufactured goods. The authors argue for the need to identify trade strategies that simultaneously achieve climate mitigation and poverty alleviation, such as preferentially sourcing from low-GHG, low-income regions.

The policy brief introduces 'climate compatible development' as a framework to move beyond the traditional separation of adaptation, mitigation, and development strategies. It argues that policy makers must integrate these three pillars to achieve 'triple win' strategies that minimize climate threats while maximizing development opportunities. The document highlights the 'new development landscape' characterized by shifting trade patterns, new climate finance mechanisms based on 'polluter-pays' principles, and the need for long-term national consensus to navigate risks and uncertainties.

The briefing examines Liberia's fragile state as it prepares for the 2011 elections. While President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has overseen significant infrastructural and economic growth, the document highlights critical failures in national reconciliation following a controversial Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, a weak and under-equipped security sector, and a severely degraded justice system. It argues that the 2011 elections are a critical test for the country's stability and the timing of UN troop withdrawal.

The report argues that AWM interventions often fail to capture holistic impacts beyond direct project boundaries, frequently overlooking negative externalities and socio-economic shifts. To address this, the authors propose a synthesised M&E framework based on five livelihood capitals: financial, human, natural, physical, and social. The document emphasizes the necessity of baseline assessments, participatory M&E, and the inclusion of both project-level and impact-level indicators to facilitate adaptive management. It applies this framework to review the M&E practices of International Development Enterprises (IDE) and IDE-India, and demonstrates its use in a baseline assessment in the Mkindo watershed of Tanzania.

South Africa faces a conflict between its development goals—focused on poverty alleviation and economic growth—and its climate targets, as 90% of its electricity is generated from coal. While the country has proposed ambitious emission cuts of 25% by 2020 and 42% by 2025, it continues to expand coal capacity through projects like the Medupi and Kusile plants to address electricity supply constraints. The document argues that development and climate mitigation can converge through an innovative economic agenda that exploits green market opportunities to create a new labour-absorbing industry.

The document argues that achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) requires rural development strategies that enhance the livelihoods of the poor while sustaining ecosystem services and increasing resilience to climate change. It emphasizes that success depends on local organizations and proposes a five-element action framework for scaling up local ecosystem-based initiatives: creating an enabling policy environment, building local capacity, ensuring equitable access to finance, facilitating knowledge sharing, and adopting a programmatic approach to scaling.

The report concludes that Brazil's transition to a net food exporter has not adversely affected its national food security. While food availability is more than sufficient, chronic food insecurity persists for millions due to income inequality and poverty rather than trade-driven shortages. The government utilizes the Guaranteed Price Policy to support small and medium farmers and has implemented various social welfare programs, such as the Zero Hunger Program, to improve food access. The analysis also highlights the critical role of fertilizer imports and the impact of oil prices on production costs.

The report analyzes food insecurity in Indonesia, highlighting that the 2007/08 global food crisis exacerbated issues of food access and affordability. It argues that the government's focus on food self-sufficiency is insufficient and suggests that improving infrastructure, employment, and targeted aid programs is essential to ensure the poor can access nutritious food.

The report evaluates Tanzania's marine fisheries governance, highlighting a disconnect between progressive national policies and actual implementation. It identifies critical gaps in research capacity, institutional coordination between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, and the challenges of managing an open-access artisanal sector. A detailed case study of the Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) explores the tensions between conservation goals and the livelihoods of local communities, while questioning the degree of genuine community participation in the park's establishment.

The CDKN Research Consultation workshop, held on 24 September 2010, gathered 40 UK-based researchers to refine a research framework focused on 'Climate Compatible Development' (CCD). The proposed framework consists of four themes: Impacts, Responding to a Changing Climate, Evaluating Climate Compatible Development, and Policy Processes. Funding is planned across three streams: a Long-Term Strategy (£30-250K), a Short-Term Strategy (under £30K), and an Innovation Fund (£10-50K). Key discussions highlighted the need for better integration between climate science and policy-making, the importance of addressing energy access in developing countries, and the necessity of developing indicators to measure adaptive capacity at the local level.