Search Climate Insights Directory

The Green Economy: A Primer is a guide by the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) that defines the green economy and outlines five core themes necessary for its implementation. It addresses the lack of a single global definition and argues for an inclusive approach that prioritizes social equity and ecological limits over purely technocratic solutions.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides critical feedback on the Department of Water and Sanitation's (DWS) draft Mine Water Management Policy Position. The CER argues that the draft understates the crisis of mine water management in South Africa, citing a systemic failure in mine closures and a lack of compliance monitoring and enforcement. The CER recommends that the DWS utilize existing legislative tools—specifically the National Water Act (NWA), the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA)—to enforce the 'polluter pays' principle and secure financial provisions for water treatment before granting licenses.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the emergence of agricultural growth poles (agropoles) and corridors in Africa. It describes these as coordinated investments in infrastructure and industry designed to transition African agriculture from subsistence to commercial systems. The document outlines the operational challenges facing these projects, the necessity of robust legal frameworks to avoid creating 'enclaves', and a three-step model (vision, design, and implementation) for ensuring responsible and sustainable development.

This case study describes the 'GPP in Bhutan (GPPB)' project led by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). The project aimed to scale up green public procurement (GPP) in Bhutan by providing research, policy support, training for civil servants and suppliers, and technical assistance for pilot infrastructure projects to align public spending with sustainable development goals.

This executive summary describes a guidebook designed to help countries conduct self- and peer reviews of fossil fuel subsidies (FFS). It outlines the purpose of these reviews as tools for transparency, accountability, and peer learning to support the phase-out of inefficient subsidies. The document details the 'building blocks' of a review—scope, definition, measurement, evaluation, and next steps—and provides practical recommendations based on the experiences of countries such as China, Finland, New Zealand, Peru, and Sweden.

This report, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in August 2017, evaluates the legal and policy framework of the mining sector in Mauritania. Using the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) Mining Policy Framework, the assessment analyzes six thematic pillars: legal and policy environment, financial returns, socio-economic returns, environmental management, post-mining transition, and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The report identifies strengths in the country's geological information systems and fiscal attractiveness, but highlights significant gaps in legislative consolidation, environmental monitoring capacity, and the formalization of the emerging ASM sector.

This report provides an assessment of Rwanda's mining laws and policies against the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) Mining Policy Framework (MPF). Conducted between December 2016 and February 2017, the evaluation identifies strengths in Rwanda's regulatory framework and government willingness to improve the sector, while highlighting significant gaps in environmental monitoring, socioeconomic impact assessments, and mine closure planning. The report concludes that while Rwanda has robust laws, it lacks the technical and human capacity to fully implement and enforce them.

This executive summary from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) outlines recommendations and best practices for urban resettlement and relocation as a strategy for managing disaster risk, emphasizing the social and economic risks associated with these interventions.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the proposed Multilateral Investment Court (MIC), championed by the European Union and Canada, fails to address the fundamental flaws of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and instead prioritizes corporate rights over public interest, human rights, and environmental protections.

A letter from a coalition of civil society organizations to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board urging the adoption of a holistic approach to climate adaptation that recognizes the overlap between adaptation and traditional development activities.

This report by the Global Subsidies Initiative of IISD and Gaia Consulting, written for the Nordic Council Ministers, estimates global fossil fuel subsidies at USD 425 billion and proposes a "SWAP" concept to redirect these funds toward sustainable energy, energy efficiency, and safety nets.

This document is a statement delivered by Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade on May 1, 2018. Vaughan provides perspectives on a potential free trade agreement between Canada and MERCOSUR, advocating for the inclusion of progressive trade policies, sustainability standards, and a shift in investment protection models.

This report assesses Suriname's readiness to implement the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) Mining Policy Framework (MPF). Conducted between August and November 2016, the assessment identifies a legislative environment that is largely out of date, relying on a 1986 Mining Decree, and notes a critical lack of a national environmental authority. While the report highlights strengths in environmental assessment guidelines and the management of small-scale mining tensions, it emphasizes significant gaps in financial transparency, indigenous rights legislation, and mine closure requirements.

This research paper introduces a multi-sector Harrodian-Kaleckian growth model designed for long-run policy analysis, specifically to address the structural changes required for sustainable development and the reduction of carbon intensity in mature economies.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that the African Union (AU) is failing to implement its maritime strategies, specifically the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (2050 AIMS), due to a lack of resources, expertise, and a clear definition of the 'blue economy'. It recommends the establishment of a dedicated maritime office within the AU Commission and the revitalization of the 2050 AIMS Strategic Task Force to move beyond current institutional inertia.

The "Guide IGF à l'intention des gouvernements : Gérer l'activité minière artisanale et à petite échelle," published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in January 2017, provides a structured, three-phase framework for governments to develop and implement strategies for managing artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The guide aims to integrate informal ASM into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms.

The 'IGF Guidance for Governments: Managing artisanal and small-scale mining' provides a structured, three-phase framework for governments to develop and implement national strategies for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It focuses on integrating informal activities into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms.

This briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that sustainable development and the transition to a 'green economy' cannot be achieved without explicitly addressing gender equality and social equity, particularly within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It highlights how systemic gender-based barriers—ranging from legal discrimination to unequal access to finance—limit the potential of women as workers and entrepreneurs, thereby hindering overall economic and environmental sustainability.

This briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) presents a typology of five key trade-offs—power, equity, time, risk, and aggregation—that occur when making decisions about development and disaster risk reduction (DRR). The document argues that development often exacerbates disaster risks due to poor decision-making and proposes that understanding these trade-offs can help transform the relationship between development and DRR to build greater resilience, specifically applying this framework to the 'Building Back Better' approach to post-disaster recovery.

A submission from health organizations and professionals to the Expert Panel reviewing federal environmental assessment (EA) processes in Canada, calling for the mandatory integration of Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) to better reflect the well-being of people and communities.