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The report argues that Europe can lead a global transition to an eco-efficient economy by synchronising climate, energy, and industrial policies. It examines sector-specific experiences in energy efficiency, district heating, biofuels, renewable electricity, automotive, chemicals, and steel to demonstrate that environmental regulation can drive innovation and competitiveness. The authors propose a strategic agenda focusing on resource systems efficiency, new technology markets, and global carbon pricing, supported by hybrid governance arrangements and a systems-based approach to policy evidence.

The study examines the co-decision procedure involving the European Commission, the European Parliament (EP), and the Council of the EU. It finds that informal processes, such as coalition-building and the leadership of the French Presidency, exerted more influence on the final policy outcome than formal rules. While the EP pushed for stricter social and environmental sustainability criteria, the final agreement largely reflected the economic and rational interests of the Commission and the Council, with the Council emerging as the most dominant actor.

The document defines the right to information as a cornerstone of democracy and a fundamental human right, detailing its legal origins in UN declarations and the nine principles for effective legislation. It analyzes the gap between the existence of laws and their practical application, noting that while such laws increase response rates to information requests, challenges like discrimination and bureaucratic resistance persist. The guide emphasizes the critical roles of civil society and the media in advocating for transparency and holding governments accountable.

The document defines media observatories as entities that analyze mass media to safeguard information quality, pluralism, and citizens' rights. It argues that the concentration of media ownership in a few hands—particularly in Latin America—undermines the 'fourth estate' and necessitates independent monitoring to ensure media accountability and gender equality.

The report advocates for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to move beyond focusing on single ecosystem services toward a systematic approach that considers multiple services in all development operations. It highlights how overlooking regulating services—such as storm protection and water purification—can lead to adverse trade-offs and undermine poverty reduction. The document provides a portfolio of tools for identifying, prioritizing, and valuing ecosystem services, and suggests policy options including payments for ecosystem services, regulation, and community empowerment to sustain natural capital.

The report analyzes Green Investment Schemes (GIS) as a hybrid carbon finance mechanism in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) that 'greens' surplus Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) by earmarking sales revenues for domestic climate mitigation. It argues that GIS can overcome the failures of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI)—particularly in energy efficiency and small-scale projects—by utilizing more flexible, programmatic architectures and simplified monitoring and verification (M&V). The report identifies the thermal retrofitting of old building stock as a high-priority target area due to its long-term climate impact and significant social co-benefits. It provides specific architectural recommendations, such as the use of sectoral baselines, post-2012 crediting periods, and the dominance of 'hard greening' to ensure environmental integrity.

The document analyzes Hungary's implementation of a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) to utilize revenues from the sale of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) for greenhouse gas mitigation. It details the legal framework established by Act LX of 2007 and Government Decree 323/2007, emphasizing a 'hard greening' approach where funds are invested in projects with measurable emission reductions. The paper focuses heavily on the buildings sector, proposing a programmatic approach to bundle small-scale energy efficiency projects that are typically ineligible for Joint Implementation (JI) due to high transaction costs. It outlines a subsidy system based on energy labeling (Categories C to A++) and provides financial assessments for retrofits and new constructions, while comparing energy efficiency experiences across Central and Eastern European countries.

The document argues that South Africa's heavy reliance on coal, which provided over 90% of electricity generation, creates a significant opportunity for carbon mitigation through the deployment of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). While the government's White Paper on Renewable Energy (WPRE) set a target of 10,000GWh of renewable energy by 2013, the author suggests a more ambitious target of 15% renewable contribution to final electricity consumption by 2020. To achieve this, the paper proposes a tender process for large-scale projects, complemented by a Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) to make projects financially viable despite low domestic electricity tariffs. The author highlights that South Africa possesses vast solar resources, with 194,000km2 of land potentially viable for CSP. International cooperation is recommended to provide knowledge sharing, incremental funding to bridge the gap between levelised electricity costs and revenues, and risk mitigation to attract private capital.

The report assesses Green Investment Schemes (GIS) as a hybrid carbon finance mechanism in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) that combines the sale of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) with domestic greening activities. It argues that GIS can address mitigation priorities that other mechanisms, such as Joint Implementation (JI) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), have failed to deliver, particularly in building energy efficiency and small-scale bioenergy. The authors emphasize that because the window for these transactions closes in 2012, GIS should prioritize long-term, low-carbon infrastructure and high-additionality projects rather than lowest-cost measures. Key recommendations include adopting simplified monitoring and verification (M&V) processes, allowing post-2012 fund disbursement, and utilizing a programmatic approach to reduce transaction costs for small-scale investments.

The document analyzes the 2008 financial crisis's origins in developed world regulatory failures and macroeconomic imbalances, specifically the US's trade deficits and Asian currency pegs. It evaluates the potential for G20 cooperation on reflating the global economy, reforming financial regulations, and restructuring the IMF. The author argues that while the G20 offers improved legitimacy over the G8, significant hurdles exist due to the US and UK's desire to protect their financial competitive advantages and European resistance to diminishing their influence in multilateral institutions. For South Africa, the brief recommends supporting G20 institutionalization, pushing for a 'floor' of African representation in the IMF, and advocating for Chinese currency appreciation to support industrial exports.

The document presents a collection of data points from multiple research organizations arguing that renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors generate more employment per unit of energy or investment than fossil fuels. It highlights national and state-level projections in the US, such as the potential for 4.2 million new green jobs by 2038, and international examples from Germany, Spain, Brazil, and India. Specific technology sectors—including wind, solar, biofuels, and geothermal—are detailed alongside the impact of policy mechanisms like Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and investment tax credits.

The paper argues that current irrigation subsidy estimates are inconsistent and lack transparency because they often ignore capital costs, opportunity costs, and environmental externalities. It proposes two primary measurement approaches: a 'net cost to government' method, which subtracts total revenues (including hydropower and fisheries) from gross costs (including depreciation and externalities), and a 'net benefit to recipient' method, which compares the water's economic value to the price paid. The author highlights that irrigation is a major global water consumer, often heavily subsidized, which discourages efficient water use and leads to environmental degradation such as salinization and groundwater depletion.

The paper examines the necessity and design of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in Zimbabwe to address decades of state-sponsored violence and impunity. It weighs the tensions between retributive and restorative justice, arguing that while political pragmatism may require conditional amnesties to secure a transition, a formal process is essential for victim redress and national healing. The authors provide a framework for a potential commission, covering its mandate, timing, and the complexities of addressing historical violence, including the 1980s gukurahundi campaign.

The report argues that GM crops, particularly herbicide-tolerant (HT) and Bt varieties, have failed to deliver promised benefits in yield and poverty reduction. It documents a significant increase in pesticide use and the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds in the US, Argentina, and Brazil. The document further highlights the monopolization of the seed market by a few firms, specifically Monsanto, and the resulting economic pressure and legal harassment of farmers. Case studies in India, China, and South Africa suggest that yield increases are often due to weather or irrigation rather than GM technology, while small farmers face increased debt and vulnerability.

The paper argues that the EU cement sector is more exposed to carbon leakage than generally assumed, particularly in coastal regions. Using two models with a CO2 price of 30 €/t, the author finds that short-term import levels in coastal regions would rise from 13% to 25%, with an overall EU leakage rate of 65%. In the long term, EU cement capacity is projected to decline by 13% as imports become more attractive during peak demand. The author concludes that while output-based allocation might mitigate financial pressure, a severe world recession would likely induce a similar industrial restructuring to that of a full auctioning scheme.

The document analyzes the emergence of the 'pirogue route' from West Africa to the Canary Islands as a response to increased border security in the Strait of Gibraltar. Through fieldwork in Senegal, the author argues that migrants' decisions to undertake these perilous journeys are not based on misinformation, but are rationalized through a complex interplay of socio-economic vulnerability, cultural notions of manhood, religious beliefs regarding destiny, and a perception that remaining in Senegal constitutes a greater risk than the journey itself. The paper concludes that restrictive border measures, such as patrolling and repatriation, are often ineffective or counter-productive, as they may drive migrants toward even longer and more dangerous routes.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of employment trends in the clean energy sector, contrasting the job-creation potential of renewables and energy efficiency with traditional fossil fuel industries. It highlights specific national and state-level projections in the U.S., international trends in the EU and Brazil, and sector-specific data for wind, solar, biofuels, and geothermal energy, while also noting the decline of coal mining employment.

The document examines the history of the Western Sahara conflict, focusing on the failure of multiple peace plans proposed by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations (UN). It details the divergent positions of Morocco, which seeks sovereignty or autonomy under its rule, and the Polisario Front, which demands a referendum on self-determination. The author argues that the 'winner-takes-all' nature of referendums and the strategic interests of external allies like Algeria, France, and the United States have contributed to a persistent diplomatic stalemate.

The report analyzes the extensive subsidy framework for biofuels in the EU, estimating total transfers at approximately €3.7 billion in 2006. It identifies excise tax exemptions as the primary support mechanism and argues that current subsidies for first-generation biofuels are an expensive and inefficient way to reduce CO2 emissions compared to purchasing carbon offsets. The authors recommend eliminating ethanol tariffs, resisting new blending mandates, and shifting focus toward second-generation biofuels.

The brief contends that Argentina's decision to freeze water tariffs during its 2001 economic crisis was a necessary action to ensure the human right to water, which is protected under various international treaties and the Argentine Constitution. It argues that human rights law should inform the adjudication of the dispute, specifically regarding 'fair and equitable treatment' and 'indirect expropriation' standards in BITs. The authors assert that investors cannot legitimately expect a state to disregard its human rights obligations, and that measures taken to protect public health fall under the 'police powers' of the state, thus precluding them from being classified as compensable expropriations.