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1,247 results
Multi-level sanitation governance: Understanding and overcoming the challenges in the sanitation sector in Sub-Saharan Africa
The paper examines the slow progress of sanitation coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi. It identifies a critical disconnect between macro-level policies and micro-level household implementation, driven by institutional inertia and path dependency. The authors argue that sustainable progress requires moving beyond supply-driven subsidies toward demand-driven strategies, private sector involvement, and a better understanding of informal norms and multi-level actor interactions.
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Document type: Research paper
Shale Gas and Fracking
The report identifies significant risks associated with shale gas extraction, including regulatory failures, threats to climate goals, and water scarcity. It specifically challenges claims that fracking will lower energy bills in the UK and warns of potential negative impacts on energy security.
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Document type: Report
Playing with Fire
The report argues that rising temperatures and drier conditions in the American West, combined with a trend of building homes in wildfire-prone areas, have led to longer fire seasons and soaring suppression costs. It highlights a misalignment of incentives where federal taxpayers bear the brunt of firefighting costs while local zoning allows risky development. The document details the broad economic impacts of wildfires—extending far beyond direct suppression to include public health crises, infrastructure damage, and tourism losses—and recommends a shift toward resilience, stricter building codes, and carbon emission reductions.
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Document type: Report
Playing with Fire
The document argues that climate change is creating hotter, drier conditions in the American West, leading to more frequent and severe wildfires. This risk is compounded by increased residential and commercial development in fire-prone areas and federal policies that prioritize immediate fire suppression over proactive forest management. The report details the escalating economic costs of suppression and the broader impacts on infrastructure, public health, and water supplies, while recommending zoning reforms, fireproofing, and carbon emission reductions to build resilience.
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Document type: Executive summary
Cómo el cambio climático y los patrones de desarrollo están contribuyendo al aumento de los costos de los incendios forestales occidentales
The document argues that climate change is creating warmer, drier conditions in the western United States, leading to longer fire seasons and more frequent large wildfires. This environmental shift, combined with increased development in fire-prone areas and a federal management bias toward fire suppression over proactive risk reduction, has caused firefighting costs to exceed $1 billion annually since 2000. The report highlights significant secondary costs, including infrastructure damage, public health crises from smoke, and watershed rehabilitation. It recommends stricter zoning laws, carbon emission reductions, and a shift in funding toward long-term forest health and community resilience.
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Document type: Executive summary
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST
The Centre for Environmental Rights has called for a criminal investigation into water contamination in Bloemhof, Northwest, following an outbreak of diarrhoeal disease that caused hundreds of illnesses and the deaths of three infants under two years of age. The request targets potential culpable homicide and violations of the National Water Act, Water Services Act, and National Environmental Management Act, specifically citing the alleged negligence of the Lekwa Teemane Municipal Manager and a contractor regarding sewage spillage.
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Document type: Statement
Defending Fenceline Communities From Oil Refinery Pollution
Earthjustice sued the EPA for delaying standards to reduce toxic emissions from oil refineries, leading to a 2015 rule that introduced national fenceline monitoring for benzene and tighter controls on flaring and storage tanks. While the rule is estimated to reduce cancer risks for over one million Americans, Earthjustice and its partners argue the EPA underestimated community harm and failed to require real-time monitoring or prohibit routine flaring.
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Document type: Case study
ttip_regco_12may2014-772a7e858bb38fda.pdf
The document argues that TTIP's focus on removing 'non-tariff' barriers through regulatory cooperation may lead to a roll-back of existing environmental and health laws. It highlights concerns over the proposed Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), the use of cost-benefit analyses that prioritize trade, and the potential for undue corporate influence in lawmaking processes.
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Document type: Statement
Addressing heat-related health risks in urban India: Ahmedabad’s Heat Action Plan
The document details the development of Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan, a pilot initiative led by a coalition of academic, health, and environmental groups including the NRDC and IIPH. Triggered by a deadly heat wave in May 2010, the plan focuses on early warning systems, community outreach, and capacity building for health workers. Key successes include strong municipal leadership and the use of scientific research to identify vulnerable groups, such as slum dwellers and outdoor workers. The document highlights the importance of interagency coordination and the need to treat heat waves as natural disasters to secure political will and funding.
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Document type: Case study
Zimbabwe Country Report
The report assesses Zimbabwe's capacity for climate compatible development (CCD), identifying significant research and institutional gaps despite a strong tradition of academic publishing. It highlights the need for interdisciplinary research, curriculum innovation, and better integration of indigenous knowledge to address vulnerabilities in agriculture, water, and health.
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Document type: Report
REPLY TO ESKOM’S ISSUES AND RESPONSE REPORT APPENDIX F TO THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS REPORT DATED FEBRUARY 2014
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several community and environmental groups, submitted a formal reply on 24 March 2014 challenging Eskom's applications for postponement from the Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The CER disputes Eskom's claims that its power stations have a marginal impact on air quality and health, arguing that Eskom's Atmospheric Impact Reports (AIRs) are anecdotal, use insufficient modeling domains, and fail to quantify the health risks associated with secondary PM2.5 formation and mercury emissions.
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Document type: Statement
How are Italian and Spanish cities tackling climate change? A local comparative study
The study finds that Italian cities are generally more proactive in climate mitigation than Spanish cities, with earlier plan implementation and more ambitious emission targets. In both countries, mitigation efforts significantly outweigh adaptation efforts, despite high vulnerability levels. The Covenant of Mayors (CoM) is identified as a more influential driver for local action than national policies or networks.
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Document type: Research paper
Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy
The document examines Brazil's shift from traditional state-led foreign policy to a 'public policy' approach, characterized by a plurality of actors including domestic ministries and subnational entities. It details Brazil's South–South co-operation (SSC) strategies, which emphasize horizontal relationships and solidarity over traditional donor-recipient models. The analysis highlights the strategic importance of Africa, noting significant growth in trade, technical co-operation through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the role of state-owned enterprises like Vale and Petrobras. It argues that these strategies are part of Brazil's broader pursuit of political autonomy and global power status through coalitions like BRICS and IBSA.
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Document type: Research paper
SUBMISSIONS ON ESKOMS APPLICATIONS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS IN TERMS OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: AIR QUALITY ACT, 2004
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that Eskom's requests to postpone compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) should be denied due to flawed atmospheric modelling, exaggerated compliance costs, and significant risks to human health. The CER contends that Eskom fails to meet the legal requirements for postponement, particularly regarding the impact on declared Priority Areas. Furthermore, the document critiques Eskom's proposal for emission offsets as lacking a legal basis and sufficient data, while highlighting that granting these postponements would lead to substantial increases in SO2, NOx, and PM10 emissions through 2020.
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Document type: Statement
Taking Advantage of ASEAN's Free Trade Agreements: A guide for small and medium-sized enterprises
The text outlines how ASEAN's free trade agreements (FTAs) can help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expand markets and promote sustainable development. It also addresses the UK's accession to the CPTPP, arguing that the deal poses a threat to public health and requires a health impact assessment.
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Document type: Guide
Position Statement on Fracking
The document outlines the environmental and health risks associated with hydraulic fracturing (fracking), specifically highlighting the contamination of drinking water, high greenhouse gas emissions from methane leaks and transport, and the potential for carcinogenic effects on nearby populations. It concludes that natural gas is not a viable transition fuel and calls for a shift toward renewable energy in Canada.
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Document type: Statement
The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report What’s in it for Africa?
The document outlines that Africa is experiencing significant warming and increased extreme weather, which threatens food security, health, and economic growth. It argues that while Africa has contributed little to historic emissions, it is highly vulnerable and must integrate adaptation and mitigation into long-term development planning. Key opportunities for the region include adopting decentralized renewable energy, implementing conservation agriculture, and planning low-carbon urban growth to avoid fossil fuel lock-in.
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Document type: Report
The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report What’s in it for South Asia?
The document outlines the observed and projected climate impacts in South Asia, emphasizing the region's vulnerability to flooding, heat-related mortality, and food insecurity. It argues that while further warming is inevitable, integrated adaptation and low-carbon development can reduce risks and provide economic opportunities, provided there is strong international cooperation and financial support.
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Document type: Executive summary
The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report What’s in it for South Asia?
The document translates the global findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report into a regional context for South Asia, detailing observed warming, projected risks to food and water security, and the potential for low-carbon development. It emphasizes that while further warming is inevitable, integrated adaptation and mitigation can protect development gains and offer economic opportunities.
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Document type: Report
The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report | What’s in it for Africa?
The document outlines the observed and projected climate impacts in Africa, emphasizing that warming is already occurring and will likely accelerate. It argues that while global mitigation is essential to avoid catastrophic outcomes, immediate investment in adaptation is critical to protect food security, health, and economic growth. The report highlights opportunities for Africa to adopt low-carbon development pathways and calls for international cooperation and financial support to build resilience.
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Document type: Executive summary