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The report examines the relationship between an ageing population and climate change in the UK, noting that older adults—particularly 'baby boomers'—often have the highest carbon footprints. It identifies a gap in public engagement, as older people frequently feel they are neither affected by climate change nor capable of taking personal action. The document critiques top-down communication strategies and recommends a shift toward peer-to-peer interaction, the use of trusted community brands, and positive framing to encourage sustainable behavioural change among the over-50s.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how U.S. state climate action plans incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009.

The report examines state-level climate strategies in the U.S., finding that while 42 of 50 states have taken formal action, land use reform—specifically 'smart growth'—is the least common component compared to transportation and green building policies. It provides detailed profiles of individual state efforts, including greenhouse gas reduction targets and participation in regional initiatives like the Western Climate Initiative and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

In 2005, total global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 44,153 MtCO2 equivalent, representing a 12.7% increase from 2000. The energy sector, specifically electricity, heat, and transportation, drove much of this growth, with developing countries accounting for the majority of emissions in electricity, heat, and industry. While high global warming potential gases grew by 44% between 2000 and 2005, they remain a small percentage of total emissions. Notably, revised methodologies for calculating land-use change reduced its estimated share of total GHGs from 18.2% to 12.2%, although actual emissions from this sector grew by 4.1% during the period.

As of 2006, fossil fuels accounted for 80% of Florida's energy consumption, with 84% of electricity generation derived from fossil fuels. Between 1990 and 2005, the state's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 39%, a rate more than twice the U.S. average, driven primarily by the transportation and electric generation sectors.

As of 2006, fossil fuels accounted for 78% of Georgia's energy consumption, with coal and nuclear power serving as the primary sources for electricity generation. Between 1990 and 2005, the state's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 33%, a rate nearly double the U.S. average, driven largely by the transportation and electric generation sectors.

North Carolina's energy consumption is dominated by fossil fuels, which accounted for 74% of state energy use in 2006. Between 1990 and 2005, the state's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 40%, a rate more than double the U.S. average, driven primarily by the transportation and electric generation sectors.

The document reports that fossil fuels accounted for 71% of South Carolina's energy consumption as of 2006, driven by demand in transportation, industry, and electricity generation. Between 1990 and 2005, the state's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 42%, a rate more than double the U.S. average, with 90% of those emissions resulting from energy consumption, primarily the combustion of coal and petroleum.

As of 2006, fossil fuels accounted for 75% of Tennessee's energy consumption, with electricity primarily generated from coal and nuclear power. Between 1990 and 2005, the state's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 21%, a rate that exceeded the U.S. average, driven largely by the transportation and electric generation sectors.

The report finds that Bilateral Finance Institutions (BFIs) play a major role in global climate finance, with four participating institutions (AFD, JICA, KfW, and EIB) collectively disbursing €8.09 billion in 2008. The majority of this funding (85%) is delivered as Official Development Assistance (ODA), with a heavy concentration on mitigation (72%) and the energy sector. Geographically, Asia and Oceania receive the largest share of finance. The document highlights a significant gap in adaptation funding, which is heavily concentrated in the water sector, and calls for better definitions of adaptation finance and increased coordination among BFIs to enhance effectiveness.

The document outlines a comprehensive system for facilitating North-South cooperation to transition countries toward low-carbon economies. It defines effectiveness through a 'cycle of cooperation' consisting of shared meaning construction, high-quality deliberation, policy internalization/implementation, and continuous learning. The author argues that since the initiative lacks binding legal enforcement, it must rely on a mix of positive material incentives (such as 'reinforcement by reward'), normative suasion, and managerial capacity-building. The framework emphasizes the need for detailed stakeholder mapping to identify 'veto players' and 'change agents,' and suggests a hybrid organizational structure combining bilateral and multilateral elements to balance ownership with legitimacy. Finally, it stresses that financial support must be substantial—amounting to 'several billion €/$'—and closely linked to demonstrable reform progress to avoid 'decoupling' between verbal commitments and actual implementation.

The author contends that South Africa's current account deficit is sustainable because it is driven by capital inflows and the import of capital and intermediate goods rather than consumption. The paper warns that 'mercantilist' attempts to force a trade surplus through currency devaluation or trade barriers would damage the economy and hurt the poor. Instead, the author advocates for long-term competitiveness through the National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) and ASGISA, specifically by addressing low productivity, fostering technological change, and liberalising network industries like electricity and transport to remove structural bottlenecks.

The research paper examines the gap between South Africa's economic capabilities in the services sector and its defensive approach to trade liberalisation. It highlights how inefficiencies in state-dominated network services—specifically telecommunications, banking, energy, and rail transport—hinder international competitiveness. While South Africa has made some multilateral commitments through the WTO and is pursuing regional agreements via SADC, the author argues that these efforts often merely reflect existing regulatory changes rather than a proactive strategy for deeper economic reform.

The report identifies political instability, crumbling infrastructure, a severe credit crunch, and the absence of the rule of law as the primary barriers to African economic development. It argues that while large-scale projects are often prioritized, the immediate economic payoff lies in the regular maintenance of existing transport and utility services and the reform of legal systems to protect property rights and enforce contracts. The document highlights a critical funding gap, noting that while Africa requires $64 billion in investments to meet growth targets, donors provide only about $14 billion annually. Corruption is identified as a pervasive corrosive force, with 52% of surveyed business organisations stating that bribes are necessary to open a business.

The N4 toll road was established via a 30-year, R3 billion concession signed in 1996 between South Africa and Mozambique, operated by Trans-African Concessions (TRAC). The project utilized a financing structure of 20% equity and 80% debt, with the latter guaranteed by both governments. To manage user payment risks in Mozambique, TRAC implemented cross-subsidization using revenues from the South African section and provided discounts to regular Mozambican users. The road acted as a catalyst for further regional investment, including the Maputo Port and the Mozal aluminium smelter.

The document outlines how heavy-duty trucks, particularly long-haul vehicles, contribute significantly to global warming emissions, specifically in California. It details aerodynamic improvements for tractors and trailers, as well as tire-related strategies to reduce rolling resistance, noting that these combined technologies can significantly lower fuel consumption and costs.

The Vacation Traveler Carbon Guide ranks transportation options by carbon emissions for solo travelers, pairs, and families of four across distances of 100, 500, and 1,000+ miles. Motor coaches are consistently ranked as the best option across all categories, while first-class flights and SUVs generally represent the worst options, depending on the distance and group size.

The document proposes the creation of an Environment Outlook for Canada (EOC), an integrated environmental assessment designed to move beyond traditional state-of-the-environment reporting by focusing on future-oriented scenarios. It details the potential scope of the EOC, including key topical issues like climate change and water quality, and suggests a time horizon of 20 to 30 years. The paper emphasizes the need for a participatory process involving policy-makers, shapers, and takers to ensure the assessment is salient, credible, and legitimate. It recommends a feasibility analysis and the development of a formal proposal by fall 2007, suggesting that the EOC could be hosted by an independent secretariat to maintain credibility.

The report finds that UK baby boomers (50-64) have the highest carbon footprint due to high spending on travel and consumption, while the oldest group (75+) has the highest climate impact per pound spent, primarily due to home heating. Despite general fear and motivation to act, older adults face barriers such as the cost of public transport and high capital costs for home energy efficiency.

The document analyzes the role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) within the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA). It argues that IIRSA's focus on transport, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure poses significant risks to biodiversity and indigenous communities. The report claims the EIB's involvement, formalized through a 2004 memorandum with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), primarily benefits European corporations rather than local populations. It highlights a lack of environmental and social standards and criticizes the EIB for withholding project information. The report concludes that the alliance, supported by the European Parliament, promotes a developmentalist model that exacerbates social inequality and environmental degradation in Latin America.