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On Proliferation, Climate, and Oil: Solving for Pattern
The author argues that the United States can simultaneously address nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence by rejecting nuclear power in favor of energy efficiency and renewable 'micropower.' He asserts that nuclear power is economically unviable, retards climate progress compared to cheaper alternatives, and inherently drives proliferation. The author suggests that the U.S. should shift its foreign policy and NPT obligations to help developing nations achieve energy security through non-nuclear, least-cost green technologies.
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Document type: Report
Proliferation, oil, and climate: solving for pattern
This research paper argues that nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence are interconnected problems that can be solved simultaneously by shifting energy strategy away from nuclear power and fossil fuels toward energy efficiency and 'micropower' (distributed renewables and cogeneration). The author contends that nuclear power is economically unviable and inherently linked to proliferation risks, while integrative design and renewable technologies offer more profitable and faster paths to energy security and carbon reduction.
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Document type: Research paper
Promoting Conflict Sensitivity in Transboundary Protected Areas
This research paper examines the relationship between protected areas (PAs) and conflict, arguing that conservation interventions are inherently political and can either exacerbate or mitigate tensions. The authors propose the adoption of Peace and Conflict Impact Assessments (PCIAs)—tools used in the humanitarian and development sectors—to ensure that Transboundary Protected Areas (TBPAs) contribute to peacebuilding and adhere to 'do no harm' principles, particularly in conflict-prone regions.
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Document type: Research paper
Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change
This policy brief examines the evolution of India's approach to climate change, noting a shift from a rigid stance based on historical equity toward a more pragmatic, constructive engagement in international diplomacy. This transition is driven by the desire to enhance international status and strengthen strategic relationships with the United States and China, while domestic climate action remains primarily motivated by development goals, energy security, and poverty alleviation.
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Document type: Policy brief
Private Sector Finance and Climate Change Adaptation
This policy brief examines the potential and limitations of using private sector finance to support climate change adaptation in developing countries. It argues that while private finance has historically focused on mitigation, there is an emerging market for adaptation-specific products like 'climate bonds'. The document highlights that debt is a more versatile instrument than equity for adaptation projects and suggests that public finance is essential to bridge gaps in project visibility and to ensure funds reach the poorest countries, which are often overlooked by private investors.
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Document type: Policy brief
Practical Guidance on the Use of Urine in Crop Production
This guide provides technical and institutional recommendations for using human urine as a liquid fertilizer in crop production. It details the nutrient composition of urine, application strategies to maximize yield and minimize ammonia loss, and a multi-barrier health risk management approach based on WHO guidelines. The document also offers a framework for developing local guidelines and presents case studies from Sweden, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
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Document type: Guide
Balancing climate concerns and energy security
This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the duality of China's climate approach, arguing that its domestic mitigation efforts are primarily driven by urgent energy security concerns rather than environmentalism. While China maintains a pragmatic domestic policy with ambitious energy intensity and renewable targets, its international diplomacy is characterized by a struggle to balance its reputation as a responsible global power with the need to protect its economic development and sovereignty.
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Document type: Policy brief
The Millennium Development Goals in 2010 – threats to ecosystem services from air pollution, energy generation and pesticide use
This 2010 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how air pollution, energy production, and pesticide use threaten the ecosystem services necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It argues that the degradation of approximately 60 per cent of examined ecosystem services may prevent the eradication of hunger and poverty, particularly in developing regions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Harnessing Current Government Practices to Plan for and Adapt to the Risks and Uncertainty Posed by Climate Change
This research paper, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for the 2010 World Resources Report, argues that existing government practices can be harnessed to manage the risks and uncertainties of climate change. The authors propose a framework of seven adaptive policy-making practices divided into 'planned adaptability' and 'autonomous adaptability' to help policy-makers navigate complex, unpredictable socio-economic and ecological systems.
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Document type: Research paper
Decision-Making for Uncertainty: Making Governance Systems "Fit for Purpose"
This briefing by Malini Mehra argues that current government governance systems are ill-equipped to handle the uncertainty, scale, and complexity of climate change. The author contends that climate change is frequently miscategorized as a narrow environmental issue, leading to siloed policy responses and a lack of political priority. To make governance "fit for purpose," the document proposes a shift toward integrated climate risk management, high-level political mandates, statutory duties, and a fundamental culture change within civil service bureaucracies.
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Document type: Briefing
Climate Change Adaptation: A Case for Preventative Action and Risk Transfer
This research paper by Andreas Spiegel of Swiss Re argues for a balanced climate adaptation strategy that combines cost-effective risk prevention measures with risk transfer mechanisms, such as insurance. Using data from the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) working group, the author demonstrates that a significant portion of climate-related losses can be averted through preventative action, while residual risks should be managed via public-private partnerships and innovative financial instruments to protect vulnerable economies, particularly in developing nations.
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Document type: Research paper
Learning from Water Wars: Development Assistance for a Changing Climate
This research paper by Mike Muller provides guiding principles for development agencies to support national-level decision-making in developing countries facing climate change. Muller argues that adaptation should be integrated into existing national development goals and governance processes rather than treated as a separate, sectoral, or externally driven priority.
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Document type: Research paper
Tomorrow's Approach: Food Production and Ecosystem Conservation in a Changing Climate
This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the conflict between increasing food production to sustain a growing population and the conservation of ecosystem services under the pressure of climate change. It argues for a shift from managing ecosystems solely for food to a holistic approach that integrates food production with the maintenance of other nature-based services to avoid irreversible ecological tipping points.
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Document type: Research paper
Losing the plot
This report by Friends of the Earth Europe examines the impact of jatropha biofuel cultivation in India, specifically focusing on the state of Chhattisgarh. It argues that the drive to replace 20% of diesel consumption by 2017 has led to the forced displacement of tribal and lower-caste communities from common lands, often without consultation, while the crop itself has frequently failed to thrive due to poor understanding of growing conditions.
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Document type: Report
IBSA Six Years On: Co-operation in a New Global Order
This policy briefing evaluates the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Forum six years after its 2003 launch. It argues that while the forum has a mixed record regarding commercial outcomes and market integration, it has successfully fostered political coordination and development cooperation. The author recommends that IBSA prioritize development efforts and the expansion of its development fund to distinguish itself from economic-centric groupings like BRIC.
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Document type: Policy brief
From Bangkok to Copenhagen
A statement from Friends of the Earth written during international climate negotiations in Bangkok, criticizing the United States for obstructing progress toward a strong international climate treaty.
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Document type: Statement
Nuclear Nonsense
Amory B. Lovins, Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), critiques a chapter on nuclear power from Stewart Brand's book, 'Whole Earth Discipline: an Ecopragmatist Manifesto'. Lovins argues that Brand's support for nuclear energy is based on flawed logic and ignores empirical data regarding economics, carbon efficiency, and the viability of decentralized renewable alternatives.
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Document type: Statement
Jobs from Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the employment potential of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors globally and within the United States. It compiles various studies and reports to argue that clean energy transitions can provide quality, long-term jobs and economic growth, contrasting these trends with the decline of traditional fossil fuel employment.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Options for Policy-Makers Addressing Competitiveness, Leakage and Climate Change
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes policy options for addressing competitiveness and carbon leakage resulting from differential climate change policies and measures (PAMs). It evaluates the economic and environmental effectiveness of border carbon adjustments (BCAs), free allowance allocations, and sectoral approaches, while examining their legality under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and their political implications for developed and developing nations.
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Document type: Report
Border Carbon Adjustment: Questions and Answers (But More of the Former)
This briefing paper examines the economic, legal, and geopolitical challenges of implementing Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) to address industrial competitiveness and carbon leakage. It analyzes the tension between unilateral trade measures and international climate principles, specifically the UNFCCC's principle of common but differentiated responsibility.
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Document type: Briefing