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The report identifies the 'Carbon Fat Cats'—ten companies, primarily in the steel and cement sectors, that amassed a combined surplus of 240 million emissions allowances between 2008 and 2010, valued at approximately €4.1bn. This over-allocation is attributed to inflated growth projections and the economic recession, allowing these firms to profit through windfall sales or banking permits for future use. In contrast, the power sector faces a significant deficit, effectively subsidising industrial surpluses. The report also highlights the use of cheap international offsets, some from direct rivals in China and India, which undermines industry claims regarding competitiveness and carbon leakage. Sandbag recommends increasing the EU emissions reduction target to 30%, implementing an allowance 'set-aside' for Phase III, restricting the use of offsets from rival industries, and improving data transparency regarding company ownership and waste gas transfers.

The Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue (FTAD) has developed a comprehensive set of draft standards to minimize the environmental and social impacts of freshwater trout farming globally. The standards are organized around six core principles: legal compliance, habitat and biodiversity conservation, water resource protection, fish health and welfare, resource efficiency, and social responsibility. Key environmental requirements include prohibitions on transgenic trout, strict limits on phosphorus discharge (6.5 kg/mt of fish), and the mandatory use of riparian buffer zones of at least 10 meters for new farms. Social standards align with ILO guidelines, prohibiting child and forced labor while requiring a basic needs wage for all employees. The document also specifies rigorous feed sourcing requirements, aiming for 100% certified marine ingredients within five years and a Fishmeal Forage Fish Dependency Ratio (FFDRm) of ≤ 1.5. Certification is site-specific and requires 100% compliance across all standards.

The report estimates that the currently proposed EU ETS Phase III structure would raise between €150-190bn under a 20% emissions reduction target, increasing to €200-310bn if the target is raised to 30%. Germany is projected to receive the highest proportion of these revenues. The authors argue that these funds should be prioritised for climate-related expenditures, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstrations, low-carbon RD&D, and energy efficiency improvements for vulnerable groups. The report also explores an alternative scenario where the cement and steel sectors are fully auctioned with border levelling; this would increase revenues by €18-22bn from cement and €14-17bn from steel under a 20% target. While some suggest using these funds for national debt reduction, the authors warn that this could damage the legitimacy of the EU ETS, though they acknowledge it as a potential short-term transitional option for severely indebted Member States.

The document estimates that Phase III of the EU ETS will generate between €150-190bn in revenues across the EU by 2020, potentially rising to €200-310bn if a 30% reduction target is adopted. Germany is projected to receive the highest proportion of these revenues, while Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK are each expected to accrue over €10bn from the power sector alone. The briefing also explores the financial impact of expanding auctioning to the cement and steel sectors and suggests strategic uses for these funds, including carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration, renewable energy RD&D, grid infrastructure, and international climate finance.

The document examines the trend of trade protectionism following the Great Recession, specifically focusing on government subsidies and bail-outs. It argues that while subsidies are not inherently illegal under WTO rules, South Africa's specific rescue packages—administered through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)—may constitute 'actionable subsidies' under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) because they provide preferential financial benefits to specific enterprises. The author recommends that South Africa shift from short-term unilateral protectionism toward long-term trade facilitation and the promotion of policy space for developing countries to invest in emerging industries like green technology.

The document argues that the IFC's draft Sustainability Framework fails to adequately protect human rights, noting that references to human rights were removed from previous drafts. The signatories call for mandatory human rights due diligence for both the IFC and its clients, alignment with the UN 'Protect, Respect and Remedy' framework, and specific safeguards regarding water rights, gender impacts, forced evictions, and environmental damage.

The study finds that climate policy elements, including the EU ETS and long-term targets, are generally rated as less relevant to corporate investment decisions in the power sector than market factors and technology-specific regulations like feed-in tariffs. For technology providers, long-term targets are significantly more relevant than the EU ETS for both RD&D and sales. Power generators show a high correlation between the perceived relevance of the EU ETS and long-term targets. The research also indicates that technology providers' reliance on technology-specific policies is strongly linked to their product portfolios, while power generators' relevance ratings are less dependent on their technology portfolios. Higher long-term CO2 price expectations and greater certainty about those prices correlate with a higher perceived relevance of the EU ETS for new plant investments.

The study finds that climate policy elements, including the EU ETS and long-term targets, are generally less influential in corporate investment decisions than market prices and technology-specific regulations like feed-in tariffs. While technology providers view long-term targets as significantly more relevant than the EU ETS for RD&D and sales, power generators see the EU ETS as slightly more relevant for new plant adoption. The research emphasizes that a coordinated policy mix of stringent, predictable instruments and ambitious long-term targets is necessary to drive low-carbon innovation.

The document analyzes the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) clauses in 68 Indian International Investment Agreements (IIAs). It finds that 66 of these agreements include FET obligations, though most fail to define the normative content of the term, leaving interpretation to arbitral tribunals. The author categorizes these provisions into model-IIA, modified-model IIA, and content-indicative types, noting that only a small minority link FET to the customary international law minimum standard of treatment.

The document argues that technological innovation, particularly in the electricity sector, is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but is currently hindered by high risks and long investment cycles. It highlights that while solar PV has seen rapid growth driven by European feed-in tariffs and US tax incentives, carbon capture and storage (CCS) remains stalled in the 'valley of death' due to insufficient funding and political commitment for large-scale demonstration. The authors emphasize the need for a combination of 'push' (R&D) and 'pull' (market creation) mechanisms to ensure sustainable technological scaling and suggest that market formation must expand beyond Europe to ensure global stability for these industries.

Carbon Market Watch reports that over 800,000 Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) were issued to an HFC-23 abatement project in India on 12 November 2010, despite a suspension of HFC-23 credit issuance enacted by the Executive Board in August 2010. The organization suggests the issuance may have been an error and urges the Board to recall the credits and review the project. Additionally, CDM Watch advises potential buyers from Germany, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, France, and Switzerland to refrain from using these credits for compliance.

The document examines the vulnerability of the European nuclear power sector to climate change, specifically focusing on how rising temperatures and water scarcity lead to production reductions and disrupt international electricity trading.

The document examines the vulnerability of the European power sector to climate change, focusing on the interdependence between water supply and electricity generation. It argues that rising temperatures and water scarcity can force power plants, particularly nuclear facilities, to reduce production, which in turn disrupts the European electricity exchange system. Using a theoretical model and scenarios based on IPCC projections, the authors demonstrate that countries heavily dependent on electricity imports, such as Italy and the Netherlands, are particularly vulnerable to production constraints in major exporting nations like France.

The paper examines historical cases from the Roman Empire, Early Modern Europe, and the Far East to argue that long-term economic growth is possible within renewable energy systems if demand, supply, and trade are managed through sound government policy. It contrasts successful management in Germany and Japan with failures in China, and assesses the technical potential of global renewable resources compared to current energy consumption.

The document argues that while the Lisbon Treaty streamlines the EU's internal bureaucracy and foreign policy apparatus, it is likely to result in Africa commanding less attention on the EU's strategic agenda. The author suggests that the EU's focus will shift toward the Western Balkans, the Middle East, and emerging powers, while its ability to provide development aid may be constrained by the Eurozone financial crisis. Consequently, the brief recommends that African leaders diversify their economic and diplomatic partnerships beyond the EU, specifically by strengthening South-South cooperation with countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia.

The research evaluates irrigation water pricing policies in Puglia, Italy, using a two-step process: simulation via mathematical programming and efficiency analysis via Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The study compares technical efficiency with 'eco-efficiency,' which simultaneously considers economic outputs and environmental externalities. Results indicate that volumetric pricing methods are generally the most efficient, while inefficiency in other options is primarily driven by technical factors, specifically labour use, rather than environmental concerns like nitrate surplus or pesticide risk.

The report identifies 'Carbon Fat Cats'—companies that received excessive free emissions permits under Phase 2 of the EU ETS (2008-2012). It finds that the top ten companies held 35 million surplus permits in 2008, valued at €500 million, with projected surpluses reaching 230 million permits (€3.2 billion) by 2012. This over-allocation in industrial sectors like iron, steel, and cement means that a small number of power companies, specifically RWE and EON, must deliver the majority of the scheme's net emissions reductions. The report argues that this creates competitive distortions and undermines climate targets, recommending higher ambition (a 30% cut by 2020), limited access to overseas offsets, and the cancellation of Member State reserves.

The report evaluates emergy—a method that values goods and services based on the total solar energy used directly and indirectly to produce them—as an alternative or supplement to economic valuation of ecosystem goods and services (EGS). Through a literature review, expert interviews, and a survey of 119 environmental professionals and students, the study finds that while emergy provides a comprehensive, eco-centric perspective on sustainability, it faces significant academic criticism regarding its methodological rigour and conceptual complexity. The report concludes that a pluralistic approach combining biophysical and economic methods is most effective for EGS valuation.

The document outlines the value added by diaspora engagement, such as context-specific knowledge and access to high-risk areas, while addressing challenges like community fragmentation and politicization. It provides a framework for capacity-building, funding, and recruitment to better integrate diasporas into mainstream development and peacebuilding efforts.

A global coalition of civil society organizations, including Friends of the Earth International, issued a statement on December 7, 2009, condemning the Danish government's conduct as President of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties. The groups argue that the Danish Prime Minister undermined democratic UN processes by convening exclusive groups of countries and drafting "Copenhagen Accords" before the meeting began, effectively excluding most nations and ignoring the demands of developing countries. The statement asserts that these actions shift the burden of climate change from developed to developing nations and threaten the potential for a fair and effective agreement in Copenhagen.