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The report argues that institutional investors in South Africa, acting as 'universal owners', face material financial risks from climate change and water scarcity. It identifies a lack of investment-grade, liquid low-carbon products and inadequate water risk disclosure as primary barriers. The document suggests that while some progress has been made through green bonds and low-carbon indices, significant regulatory shifts—including higher renewable energy targets and standardised reporting—are needed to scale responsible investing.

China has become a global leader in renewable energy investment and wind capacity, though it remains heavily dependent on coal for electricity and heat. While the 12th Five Year Plan sets targets for increasing non-fossil fuel use and reducing carbon emissions intensity, the country faces challenges such as grid connectivity for wind power and water shortages in arid provinces due to coal base construction. The government is also piloting emissions trading schemes in several cities and provinces as a precursor to a national system by 2015.

The document outlines the two primary forms of carbon pricing: emissions trading schemes (ETS) and carbon taxes. It details the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme as the world's largest, alongside regional programs like the RGGI in the US and the Tokyo Cap and Trade Program. It also lists numerous national carbon taxes, noting Finland as the first to introduce one in 1990, and describes hybrid systems in Australia and New Zealand.

The document examines China's energy landscape as of 2012, highlighting its position as a global leader in renewable energy investment and wind capacity despite a heavy reliance on coal for electricity. It details the growth of the solar and wind sectors, the environmental and water-related costs of coal combustion, and the climate goals established under the 12th Five Year Plan, including targets for non-fossil fuel use and the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submits proposed revisions to the UNCITRAL draft rules on transparency in investor-State arbitration. The submission focuses on expanding the scope of application to existing treaties, mandating the public disclosure of a wide range of case documents, establishing public hearings as the default rule, and tightening the criteria for confidentiality and 'integrity of the process' exceptions to prevent broad tribunal discretion from undermining transparency.

The document examines South Africa's challenges with immigration, particularly from Zimbabwe, and critiques the Department of Home Affairs' focus on policing and deportation. It argues that migration is a global phenomenon driven by wealth disparities that cannot be stopped by draconian measures. The author recommends integrating immigration into broader planning for healthcare, education, and labour, while proposing a tailor-made humanitarian status for Zimbabweans to replace the current failing asylum and documentation systems.

The document addresses the tension between the pursuit of a green economy and the existing international trade system. It argues that while Rio+20 provided general guidance, it failed to establish what constitutes 'appropriate state behaviour' regarding green industrial policies, such as subsidies and local content requirements. The author highlights a rise in trade frictions—including disputes between the U.S., China, and the EU over solar and wind technology—and asserts that the WTO's Dispute Settlement Mechanism is ill-suited to resolve these issues because they stem from a lack of international consensus on policy propriety rather than simple rule breaches. The text advocates for the creation of an institutional space, such as through UNCTAD, to evaluate the effectiveness of green tools and their impacts on trading partners, particularly developing nations, to ensure a just transition.

The document identifies five key realms for renewable energy policy: direct purchase mandates, improving the business case through financial incentives, removing non-price barriers, supporting research and development, and addressing grid intermittency. It recommends that Japan maintain its generous feed-in tariffs, expand demand response, and unbundle transmission from generation to increase competition. The report provides detailed international case studies from the US, Germany, and other nations to illustrate effective mechanisms such as Green Banks, loan guarantees, and carbon taxes.

The report analyzes the economic, environmental, and social impacts of fossil-fuel subsidies in APEC economies, estimating that consumption subsidies alone cost at least US$105 billion in 2010. It argues that such subsidies are often regressive, benefiting wealthier populations and increasing GHG emissions. The document proposes a three-phase reform framework—research, developing options, and implementation—and details case studies from Australia, Indonesia, Chile, Mexico, Thailand, China, and Russia to illustrate best practices in transparency, targeted social compensation (such as cash transfers), and gradual price deregulation.

The report analyzes the intersection of Australian law and Indigenous-led conservation, detailing the pathways to land ownership, the evolution of joint management in national parks, and the emergence of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs).

The document examines Africa's role in the 'global nuclear renaissance,' noting that the continent holds 18% of world uranium resources. It details the production activities of Namibia, Niger, Malawi, and South Africa, while identifying emerging exploration in countries like the Central African Republic and Tanzania. The author argues that while uranium mining provides significant GDP contributions and employment, it is plagued by governance challenges, including a lack of institutional capacity to monitor environmental and health impacts. The paper compares African practices with those in Canada and Australia and suggests that strengthening government capacity and adopting international best practices, such as those from the IAEA and EITI, are essential for sustainable development.

The 2050 Criteria identifies primary environmental and social risks for ten major commodity sectors—including aquaculture, beef, cotton, dairy, palm oil, soy, sugar, timber, wild-caught seafood, and bioenergy—and establishes Key Performance Criteria (KPC) to help banks and investors identify responsible practices. The document argues that the global economy is consuming natural resources faster than they can be replenished, creating systemic risks for the financial sector. It promotes the use of credible third-party certifications, such as the RSPO for palm oil and FSC for forestry, as proxies for business performance and risk management. The report also highlights investment opportunities in sustainable technologies, such as methane capture systems in palm oil and dairy sectors, and the rehabilitation of degraded lands to meet growing global demand without further deforestation.

The document analyzes the REDD+ supply chain, identifying key private sector roles including investors, producers, brokers, advisors, auditors, and end-buyers. It highlights that while some pioneering investment funds and multinational firms are engaging through voluntary markets and CSR initiatives, significant barriers remain, specifically a lack of policy certainty and unresolved land tenure and carbon ownership issues. The brief argues that scaling up private investment requires a shift toward compliance carbon markets, the implementation of nested crediting frameworks for direct performance-based payments, and the integration of deforestation-driving industries, such as extractive sectors, into the REDD+ dialogue.

The report analyzes the private sector's role in the REDD+ supply chain, identifying key players as investors, producers, brokers, advisors, auditors, and end-buyers. It highlights critical barriers such as policy uncertainty, land tenure disputes, and the need for robust social and environmental safeguards. The document proposes strategies to scale up private investment, including the integration of REDD+ into compliance carbon markets, the adoption of nested crediting frameworks, and the inclusion of extractive industries in conservation dialogues.

The paper analyzes the WTO implications of Australia's Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill, which seeks to ban the import and domestic processing of illegally logged timber. It concludes that the bill is likely WTO-compatible provided it avoids discrimination between domestic and imported products and is implemented in a non-trade-restrictive manner. The author argues that GATT Article XX(g), relating to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources, provides the strongest legal defense for such measures. To minimize the risk of successful WTO challenges, the paper recommends that Australia align its due diligence requirements with international standards, such as the EU's FLEGT licenses, and provide capacity-building assistance to exporting nations.

The report argues that the EU ETS is failing due to a massive oversupply of allowances caused by the 2008 economic recession and industrial overallocation. Sandbag identifies a total excess of 3.1 billion tonnes (Gt) of allowances, including 2.2Gt from obsolete demand forecasts and 0.9Gt from industrial overallocation. The document highlights that 78% of the net surplus is concentrated among ten steel and cement companies, which have generated significant revenues from selling surplus permits. To remedy this, the report recommends the permanent cancellation of 3.1Gt of allowances from Phase 3 auctions, the establishment of a more ambitious Phase 4 carbon budget aligned with 2050 goals, and the introduction of mechanisms like a "heat exchanger" and a strategic demand-correction reserve to protect the system from future exogenous shocks.

The document examines the conflict between Vattenfall and Germany arising from the 13th Amendment to the Atomic Energy Act, which mandated the closure of nuclear plants by 2022. It explores how the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) allows foreign investors to bypass domestic courts and seek compensation through the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The report compares the investor-friendly standards of international arbitration—such as 'fair and equitable treatment' and 'indirect expropriation'—with the more public-interest-oriented protections of the German Basic Law. It concludes that the current investor-state dispute settlement system lacks transparency and predictability, potentially creating a 'chilling effect' on environmental policy-making.

The report examines how community indicator systems (CISs) measure their performance and impact. Through a survey of 25 CISs, the authors identify common KPIs and suggest the use of results-based management frameworks to better organize these metrics. The study highlights a gap in research regarding the actual impact of CISs on community well-being and recommends increased sharing of best practices through networks like the Community Indicators Consortium.

The document examines the transition of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets toward central clearing via central counterparties (CCPs) following the 2007–2008 financial crisis. While CCPs can enhance stability by reducing counterparty credit risk and price volatility, the author argues they may introduce new systemic risks, such as destabilizing margin calls and the potential for CCP insolvency. The paper concludes that current regulatory efforts, including the Dodd-Frank Act and EU regulations, are reallocating rather than reducing risk, and warns that a loophole for 'individually negotiated' contracts could lead to further deregulation.

The report argues that genetic engineering has provided modest results in addressing agricultural drought, exemplified by Monsanto's DroughtGard corn, which offers limited protection under moderate drought and no benefit in severe conditions. It finds that conventional breeding and improved farming practices are often more cost-effective and successful. The author highlights that drought tolerance is a complex trait involving many genes, making single-gene GE approaches limited, and notes a lack of evidence that GE has improved water-use efficiency (WUE). The report recommends increasing public support for conventional breeding, focusing on drought-tolerant 'orphan crops' from the Southern Hemisphere, and investing in soil and water conservation.