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This briefing describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative, PUC-Rio, and Fundação Getulio Vargas on the impact of flex-fuel vehicles on the retail fuel market in Brazil. It highlights how the adoption of flex-cars, which can run on any mix of gasoline or ethanol, has reduced fuel prices for both flex-car owners and those driving gasoline-only vehicles, supporting Brazil's goals to increase sustainable biofuel consumption under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

This research paper examines how the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles (bi-fuel cars) influenced price competition between ethanol and gasoline retail markets in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2002 and 2008. Using a theoretical model and panel data from fuel stations, the authors find that increased flex-fuel penetration reduced retail prices and margins for both fuels, though the effect was more pronounced for ethanol. The study concludes that innovations increasing consumer choice can benefit all consumers, including those who do not adopt the new technology.

A briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) discussing research on accelerated sea-level rise and the necessary emissions reductions for Canada to meet global climate targets.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) explains the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It details the consultative processes used to create the SDGs, the definition of sustainable development, and the specific role of the South African government in negotiating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the 'financialization of nature,' arguing that redefining ecosystems as a set of quantifiable 'environmental services' serves to maintain industrial growth and corporate profits rather than protecting biodiversity. The author contends that market-based mechanisms, such as biodiversity offsets and carbon credits, provide a 'permit to pollute' and lead to the dispossession of indigenous peoples and local communities.

EMBARQ Brasil provided technical assistance to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Brasilia to implement bus rapid transit (BRT) systems. By 2014, 154 kilometers of corridors were launched, reducing commute times by 50% for 1.5 million people. An additional 211 kilometers of BRT are currently being planned or implemented in these cities.

This case study describes the implementation and impact of the Transoeste Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Rio de Janeiro, which was launched in June 2012 with technical support from EMBARQ.

The report examines the intersection of ICTs and sustainability, arguing that the information revolution has fundamentally altered social and economic structures in ways that the sustainable development community has largely ignored. While ICTs offer potential for carbon reduction through 'smart systems,' they also create significant environmental harms via short device life cycles and energy-intensive data centres. The authors criticize the Rio+20 Summit for treating ICTs as incidental tools rather than systemic drivers of change and call for a shift away from formal UN summits toward more adaptive, multistakeholder dialogues to bridge the gap between the ICT and sustainability sectors.

The Green Economy Coalition expresses strong disappointment with the Rio+20 Summit's Declaration, arguing that it lacks the concrete measures, targets, and timelines needed to transition to a green economy, create jobs, and address global inequity.

A manifesto by Friends of the Earth International and other organizations denouncing the execution of two AHOMAR leaders, Almir Nogueira de Amorim and João Luiz Telles Penetra, in June 2012. The document links these deaths to a pattern of violence against artisanal fishermen in Guanabara Bay, Brazil, who have opposed the construction of the COMPERJ petrochemical complex by Petrobras. It demands government protection for activists, the reopening of local police detachments, and accountability for multiple unsolved murders of association members.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizing the outcomes of the Rio+20 Summit, arguing that industrialised governments are retreating from the Rio principles of 1992 and promoting a 'Green Economy' model that commodifies nature.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International during the People’s Summit in Rio, advocating for grassroots mobilization, solidarity among impacted communities, and the removal of corporate influence from political structures to achieve global sustainability.

In a statement regarding the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, WRI Interim President Manish Bapna calls for sustainability to be integrated into global economic and political agendas as a pro-growth strategy. He emphasizes the need for concrete action over promises to reverse negative environmental trends and secure a stable climate and healthy ecosystems through cooperation between government, business, and civil society.

A statement by the Green Economy Coalition calling for an accelerated transition to a green economy, emphasizing that there is no single global blueprint but rather a need for diverse transitions suited to local and sectoral contexts.

A vision statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon outlining the goal to achieve sustainable energy for all by 2030 through universal energy access, improved energy efficiency, and an increased share of renewable energy.

The 2011 Scientific Program Report by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the achievements of four scientific programs between May 2010 and April 2011. It focuses on the Cooperative Research Networks (CRN II), the Small Grants Program for Human Dimensions (SGP-HD), and an IDRC-funded project on land use in the Río de la Plata basin. The report emphasizes the integration of natural and social sciences to inform policy decisions regarding climate change, biodiversity, and water security across the Americas.

This research paper analyzes the intersection of climate change and human rights, specifically focusing on the role of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). It details how global warming threatens rights to food, water, health, and housing, and examines international jurisprudence where environmental harm has been linked to human rights violations. The paper evaluates the marginal role of human rights in the 2009 Copenhagen climate talks and suggests that the CESCR can better monitor State compliance by integrating climate-specific questions into its reporting guidelines and utilizing the Optional Protocol for climate-related complaints. It concludes with eleven recommendations for the Committee to systematically anchor climate considerations in its work.

This report advocates for the renewal of the Internet Governance Forum's (IGF) mandate, highlighting its success as a multi-stakeholder, bottom-up model for global technology governance. It argues that the IGF has effectively defused tensions over U.S. oversight of ICANN and provided a space for developing countries to address issues like universal access and open standards. The authors suggest that the 'Internet model' of shared ownership and collaborative engagement could be applied to other critical global challenges, including climate change and sustainable development.

This report documents the first decade of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), from its establishment in 1992 to 2002. It details the institute's institutional structure, the evolution of its scientific agenda, and the implementation of various research funding programs and collaborative networks aimed at understanding global environmental changes across the Americas.

This report documents the first decade of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), covering its institutional development, scientific agenda, and research programs from 1992 to 2002. It details the transition from a conceptual phase to an operational entity, the establishment of its headquarters in Brazil, and the implementation of various grant programs and cooperative research networks aimed at understanding environmental changes across the Americas.