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A national energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) in Georgia could save $6.3 billion and create nearly 9,000 jobs by 2020, while reducing electricity consumption by 13% by 2015.

The Southeast United States faces significant challenges in balancing water and energy needs due to population growth and frequent droughts. Thermoelectric power plants are the region's largest freshwater consumers, while water heating and treatment are major energy drivers. The document advocates for integrated policy priorities, including the adoption of water-efficient energy technologies, energy-efficient public buildings, and financial incentives for high-performance products like ENERGY STAR and WaterSense labels.

The document highlights the significant water requirements of Georgia's thermoelectric power plants and the energy costs associated with water heating and treatment. It proposes policy priorities including the prioritization of low-water energy technologies, the procurement of energy- and water-efficient products, and the implementation of water recycling and solar water heating incentives.

The Southeast United States accounts for 20% of U.S. energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels (80%) and high per capita electricity use. Rapid population growth is projected to increase energy demand, particularly in electricity generation, which already constitutes 45% of regional energy consumption. The region's dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes it to price volatility and supply disruptions, while its emissions profile makes it a significant global contributor to climate change.

The Southeast United States has sufficient renewable energy resources to meet up to 30 percent of its electric power needs by 2025. The region can leverage biomass, solar, wind, and low-impact hydropower to reduce reliance on conventional power, though this requires overcoming regulatory barriers such as restrictive third-party power pricing and insufficient interconnection rules. The document argues that a national or state-level renewable electricity standard (RES) would drive job growth and economic investment with minimal impact on consumer electricity costs.

The document argues that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective way to meet rising electricity demand in the Southeast US, potentially reducing expected use by 20% by 2025. It identifies regulatory and financial barriers and recommends the adoption of Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS), updated building codes, and alternative utility business models to drive investment across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

The paper analyzes the legal precedents established by the ICC's pursuit of President Bashir, including the first summons of a sitting Head of State and the use of a UN Security Council referral under Resolution 1593. It explores the tension between state sovereignty and international justice, the potential for the Security Council to defer prosecutions under Article 16 of the Rome Statute, and the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Sudanese government's expulsion of aid agencies. The author argues that regional bodies like the African Union and the Arab League should prioritize human rights and the fight against impunity over defensive views of sovereignty.

The National Chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) assesses the impact of the 2009 global financial crisis on the Western liberal order and the African continent. The statement advocates for Africa to avoid protectionism and instead develop a 'global stimulus plan' focused on infrastructure and clean energy. It calls for a new South African white paper on post-transformation foreign policy that aligns national interests with domestic socio-economic needs. Finally, it identifies climate change as a critical threat to 'global public goods' that requires active African participation in finding sustainable development paths.

The document reports on a seminar led by Dr. Witold Patoka regarding the August 2008 war in Georgia. It details the conflict's start on August 7, the subsequent ceasefire arranged by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on August 12, and the strategic importance of Georgia's energy transit infrastructure. The seminar analyzed how Georgia's aspirations for EU and NATO membership, combined with US military assistance and the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline, strained relations with Russia and impacted European security. The event also featured a Russian delegation that contested the narrative, asserting South Ossetia's independence and blaming Georgia for the conflict.

The report argues that CAFOs are propped up by taxpayer subsidies and the externalization of costs related to pollution and public health. It highlights that these operations, while producing over 50% of U.S. food animals, create massive manure management problems and antibiotic resistance. The author suggests that medium-sized and pasture-based operations are cost-competitive alternatives that would be more viable if subsidies were redirected and antitrust laws were enforced.

The report analyzes the 'hidden costs' of CAFOs, including taxpayer-funded subsidies and externalized environmental and health damages. It argues that CAFOs are not more efficient than medium-sized or pasture-based alternatives but are favored by government policies and the market power of large meat processors. The document details the pollution caused by manure, the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and the economic decline of rural communities, while proposing policy reforms to level the playing field for sustainable alternatives.

The document outlines the processes for using the OPIC Accountability Mechanism, specifically the Compliance Review and Problem-Solving paths, and details the U.S. laws and international standards OPIC must follow.

The report examines the implementation of the Montreal Protocol through the lens of the Swedish Ozone Layer Protection programme (OLP), identifying country ownership, capacity building, and stakeholder participation as critical governance factors for success. It argues that a shift from top-down regulation to bottom-up governance is necessary for sustainable national implementation of MEAs.

The report outlines legislative strategies for U.S. states to increase vehicle efficiency, categorizing them into short-term options—such as HOV lane access for Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), state procurement mandates, and tire labeling—and long-term options, including tax incentives, 'pay-at-the-pump' insurance, and feebate programs. It argues that state action is necessary due to the economic burden of high oil prices, security risks associated with oil dependence, and environmental impacts like carbon dioxide emissions.

The testimony by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the U.S. Senate to oppose the Clear Skies Act (CSA), claiming its emission caps for sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury are too weak and implemented too late to protect public health and the environment. CATF presents modeling showing that alternative proposals, such as the Clean Power Act, would result in significantly fewer deaths by 2020 with negligible increases in retail electricity prices. The document further argues that CSA fails to address carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and would effectively repeal critical Clean Air Act provisions, including New Source Review and visibility protections for National Parks. It concludes that the EPA already possesses the authority to achieve greater gains through existing rules like the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and mercury MACT standards.

The paper critiques existing Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Social Impact Assessments (SIA), and political risk analyses for their failure to systematically address violent conflict. It proposes a Conflict-Sensitive Business Practice (CSBP) toolbox that integrates conflict analysis tools—such as conflict mapping and stakeholder analysis—across the entire project lifecycle. The authors emphasize that extractive projects are increasingly located in 'frontier areas' where mismanagement of community relations or environmental resources can trigger violence. The proposed CSBP approach advocates for participatory consultation, the establishment of 'no go' thresholds for conflict, and the identification of peacebuilding opportunities through shared environmental concerns.

The report identifies critical environment and security risks in the Southern Caucasus, focusing on environmental degradation in conflict zones, cross-border resource management, and rapid urban growth in capital cities. It details national vulnerabilities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, including Soviet industrial legacies, seismic risks, and water scarcity, while proposing a multi-pillar work programme for vulnerability assessment, policy development, and institutional capacity building.

This report, produced by the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative—a partnership between UNDP, UNEP, and OSCE—analyzes the intersection of environmental degradation and human security in the South Caucasus. It identifies priority risk areas in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, focusing on how resource scarcity, industrial legacy, and urban growth can exacerbate social tensions or, conversely, serve as catalysts for regional cooperation.

The document examines the role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including multilateral development banks and export credit agencies, in financing large-scale extractive projects. It argues that these investments frequently lead to environmental disasters, human rights abuses, and the marginalization of indigenous peoples while failing to alleviate poverty. Through case studies in Peru, Colombia, the Philippines, Laos, Romania, Chad, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Lithuania, the report illustrates the 'resource curse' and the failure of the export-led development model. It concludes by recommending a gradual phase-out of IFI lending for extractive industries and a shift toward renewable energy and community-led sustainable initiatives.

The report by Friends of the Earth International contends that IFIs, including multilateral development banks and export credit agencies, facilitate a destructive export-led development model. Through various case studies in countries like Peru, Colombia, and the Philippines, the document illustrates how these investments lead to environmental catastrophes, human rights violations, and the marginalization of indigenous peoples and women. It specifically highlights the contradiction between IFI funding of fossil fuels and global climate goals, ultimately recommending a phased withdrawal from extractive sectors in favor of decentralized renewable energy initiatives.