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The research examines nine donor-supported active citizenship programs implemented between 2010 and 2015 in Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, and Tunisia. The authors argue that these programs, primarily funded by the US and Europe, employ a 'neo-liberalization of citizenship' approach that emphasizes formal participation and technical skill-building over political dissent and social mobilization. Through interviews with approximately 250 activists, the study finds a significant gap between the normative, Western-inspired training modules and the actual political constraints in the MENA region, such as secretive decision-making, unreliable judicial systems, and the dominance of informal power networks. The paper concludes that these programs risk bolstering the legitimacy of non-democratic regimes by encouraging tokenistic engagement and disconnecting activists from their local communities.

The authors use geo-coded data from 31 federal states to argue that both relatively rich and relatively poor regions are more prone to secessionist conflict than those with average wealth. The study also finds that the presence of politically excluded ethnic groups and the existence of regional autonomy further elevate the risk of violent secessionist conflict.

The research paper examines a divergence in Catholic thought during the 1930s regarding the validity of just war doctrine in the face of evolving international law. One approach, represented by the Fribourg Conventus, argued that traditional just war doctrine was superseded by international law and the 'natural sociability of states,' advocating for a narrow definition of 'legitimate defense' as the only permissible use of force. Conversely, Robert Regout argued for the permanent applicability of just war theory to provide a normative foundation for international law, allowing for the redress of objective injustice. The author concludes that the Fribourg Conventus's perspective—specifically the move away from 'just war' terminology toward 'legitimate defense' and the rejection of offensive war—is reflected in the teachings of Popes Pius XII, Paul VI, and John Paul II.

The authors argue that Proportional Representation (PR) is often adopted not due to electoral competition, but as a response to systemic threats of revolution. Using Norway's 1919 reform as a case study, they demonstrate that incumbents viewed PR as a de-radicalization tool to strengthen parliamentary legitimacy and isolate revolutionary radicals. Quantitative analysis of roll-call votes shows that MPs facing local industrial conflicts and soldiers' councils were significantly more likely to support PR, regardless of the actual electoral strength of socialist parties in their districts.

The report proposes 'natural capitalism' as a new economic model where businesses profit by radically increasing resource productivity, eliminating waste, shifting from selling products to providing services, and investing in the restoration of natural capital. It argues that the current industrial model is logically flawed because it liquidates the ecosystem services upon which all life depends. By applying whole-systems thinking, the authors claim companies can achieve significant cost savings and competitive advantages, citing examples from firms like Southwire, Dow, and Interface. The text suggests that while governments can support this transition through tax policy, corporations possess the necessary agility and resources to lead the effort to heal the planet.

The text outlines six categories for increasing industrial energy and material productivity: design, new technologies, controls, corporate culture, new processes, and saving materials. It advocates for a shift from linear 'once-through' material flows to circular systems inspired by nature (biomimicry), suggesting that systematic application of these efficiencies could reduce total material flows by a factor of one hundred or more.

The paper examines the barriers preventing the automotive industry from adopting advanced composite materials in the body-in-white (BIW) and proposes a "leapfrog" strategy. Instead of incremental component substitution, the authors advocate for a clean-sheet, all-composite monocoque design. This approach is presented as essential for the "hypercar" concept, where extreme mass reduction creates synergies with hybrid-electric drivetrains, reducing the size and cost of propulsion systems. The document analyzes various manufacturing technologies, such as resin transfer molding (RTM) and E-beam curing, and argues that the high cost of carbon fiber can be offset by significant mass reductions and reduced assembly complexity. It concludes that the primary obstacles are cultural inertia and a lack of familiarity among automakers rather than intractable technical limits.

The document outlines four plausible scenarios for the year 2010 based on federal regulatory roles and financial environments. It advocates for a 'water soft path' paradigm shift, moving from centralized, demand-driven 'gray infrastructure' toward decentralized, efficient, and integrated 'green infrastructure.' The author identifies drivers for this transition, including end-use efficiency, waterless sanitation, stormwater harvesting, and technological spill-overs from the distributed energy revolution, such as fuel cells and hybrid-electric vehicles.

The paper assesses the South African TVET system's capacity to support a green transition, specifically focusing on the Green Hydrogen Economy. It evaluates the existing Centres of Specialisation (CoS) model and pilot programmes from Bambili Advisory and the National Business Initiative (NBI) to recommend a flexible, demand-led approach to green skills development. The authors argue for a 'capabilities approach' over narrow occupational competencies to ensure a just transition for youth.

This event report summarizes a May 2019 workshop in Gdansk, Poland, focused on improving water and nutrient governance in the Baltic Sea region. Key discussions centered on the challenges of phosphorus recycling, the role of cities and public procurement in driving circular innovations, the use of testbeds for scaling technology, and the potential for carbon farming to mitigate climate change while improving soil health. The report highlights that while technical solutions exist, market demand, regulatory barriers based on product origin, and a lack of trust remain primary obstacles to the widespread adoption of symbiotic circular economy models.

The document describes how solar energy can be integrated into farming through solar lighting, heating, photovoltaic (PV) electricity, crop drying, and solar greenhouses. It highlights that solar energy is a practical alternative to fossil fuels and grid electricity, particularly for remote operations, and provides specific examples of cost savings and reliability improvements in livestock and crop production.

The We Mean Business Coalition analyzed 30 early adopters of the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to showcase innovative solutions for challenging disclosure requirements. The report highlights diverse approaches to double materiality assessments, TCFD-aligned climate risk quantification, Scope 3 emissions 'hot-spotting', and supply chain due diligence. It emphasizes that while many early adopters are only partially aligned with the regulation, their methods for reporting on internal controls, whistleblower cases, and climate transition action plans serve as practical guides for companies facing mandatory reporting from 2024.

The document introduces a Green Economy Model (GEM) for India, developed by the World Resources Institute India and KnowlEdge Srl. Based on a 2015 model by Andrea M. Bassi, this system dynamics tool is customized to India's national context, incorporating primary and allied sectors that influence climate change to help inform low-carbon development pathways.

The document proposes a two-step emissions target mechanism—periodic evaluation and triggered policy changes—to ensure a U.S. carbon tax meets national GHG goals. It suggests four types of trigger responses: automatic tax rate adjustments, increased government spending for emissions reduction, activating 'back-stop' regulations, or streamlined legislative modification. Additionally, it identifies three categories of complementary policies to enhance cost-effectiveness: support for low-carbon innovation (RDD&D), consumer energy savings incentives, and policies targeting 'uncovered' emissions or non-climate co-benefits.

The study finds that the July 2019 heatwave in Western Europe was made significantly more likely and intense by human-induced climate change. In France and the Netherlands, the event would have been extremely improbable without human influence, with return periods exceeding 1,000 years. Across all analyzed locations, the heatwave was 1.5 to 3 °C hotter than it would have been in an unchanged climate. The analysis utilized a combination of observational data and eight climate model ensembles, noting that while models generally underestimate temperature trends and overestimate variability, they still simulate large probability changes.

The study concludes that the June 2019 heat wave in France was made at least five times more likely due to human-induced climate change. Observational data suggests a much higher increase in probability and a temperature rise of approximately 4ºC compared to a century ago, though climate models generally show lower trends and systematic biases in representing heat wave variability.

The document identifies bottling partners across the Coca-Cola system that have implemented ten energy-efficiency measures. These measures are designed to help the company achieve up to 70 percent of its carbon reduction target while providing financial returns and environmental benefits. The text provides a chronological list of plants that completed the challenge between August 2012 and May 2018.

The report by Zero Carbon Analytics (ZCA) highlights the severe health and economic costs associated with the overconsumption of red and processed meats. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease study, ZCA finds that processed meat caused 295,000 deaths and red meat caused 334,000 deaths globally in 2021. The economic impact reached USD 285 billion in 2020. The analysis reveals a 'treatment-over-prevention' trend in wealthy nations—specifically in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia—where robust healthcare systems spend heavily to manage preventable chronic diseases rather than investing in dietary prevention. For example, Switzerland may spend up to USD 99,000 to avert one disability-adjusted life year (DALY) from processed meat. The report argues that a 30% reduction in the disease burden from processed meat could save billions annually in the US, Germany, UK, and France, allowing for the redirection of funds toward other health priorities, such as nursing staff.