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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundwork (gW), Earthlife Africa, Johannesburg (ELA), and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), submitted formal comments on the draft National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reporting Regulations published on 5 June 2015. The CER argues that the draft regulations are insufficient to meet South Africa's international obligations under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, citing a lack of detailed facility-level reporting, a failure to identify 'key categories' of emission sources as per IPCC Guidelines, and inadequate provisions for public disclosure of emission data.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the federal fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for light-duty and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the United States from 2007 to 2027. It details the legislative history starting with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the subsequent regulatory actions by the EPA and NHTSA, and the projected economic and environmental benefits of these standards.

This research paper analyzes the impact of currency risk on infrastructure projects in developing markets, arguing that hard currency loans from International Financing Institutions (IFIs) create dangerous asset-liability mismatches. The authors propose that IFIs shift their strategy from direct lending to developing local capital markets and providing credit guarantees. This approach aims to leverage private commercial capital and reduce the financial burden on host governments and end-users.

This research paper examines the allocation of revenue risks and rewards in public-private partnerships (PPPs) for road infrastructure. It argues that optimal risk allocation—where risk is borne by the party best positioned to manage it—maximizes value for money (VFM) and reduces total costs to society. The author analyzes mechanisms for protecting concessionaires from downside revenue risks (e.g., minimum revenue guarantees) and preventing excessive private returns through upside revenue sharing (e.g., revenue caps).

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) details eight case studies of deep energy retrofits implemented via Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) in federal and municipal settings. It identifies six best practices for achieving significant energy reductions—averaging 58% across the highlighted projects—without upfront capital costs or Congressional appropriations.

This executive summary from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the economic potential of "demand flexibility" (DF)—the use of technology to shift electricity consumption to lower-cost times. The report argues that DF can significantly reduce both customer electric bills and overall grid investment costs by treating demand as a flexible resource ("flexiwatts") rather than a static load.

This technical note describes the methodology used by the World Resources Institute to create country-level projections of water stress for 2020, 2030, and 2040. By aggregating sub-catchment data using spatially weighted water-withdrawal grids, the tool provides rankings across three IPCC-based scenarios (optimistic, business-as-usual, and pessimistic). The results identify countries at extreme risk, while the authors caution that national averages can mask significant sub-national variations and do not reflect the impact of local water governance.

Friends of the Earth argues that the U.S. federal coal leasing program is non-competitive, financially outdated, and climate-destructive. The organization calls for a halt to lease sales until reforms are enacted, including closing royalty loopholes, incorporating the social cost of carbon into pricing, and establishing public interest criteria for leases, asserting that most fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground to avoid climate catastrophe.

A joint statement from eleven environmental organizations urging conferees to reject a provision in the Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644) that would restrict the ability of the United States to address climate change in trade agreements.

A statement from several free-market and taxpayer organizations urging the U.S. Congress to support the Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness (PREPARE) Act of 2015 to improve federal disaster response and reduce waste.

A policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law arguing that a specific climate provision within the Customs Bill would hinder domestic and international climate action, weaken the United States' negotiating position, and block potential trade cooperation benefits.

This briefing outlines the decisions and actions taken during the 40th Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council held in Lima, Peru, on 26 June 2015.

The 40th Meeting of the IAI Executive Council in Lima, Peru, resulted in several governance decisions, including the creation of a Selection Commission for the Executive Director (comprising Argentina, Brazil, Canada, USA, and Peru) and a commission on member participation (comprising Argentina, Canada, Chile, and Paraguay). The Council also addressed the Host Country Agreement for Brazil, potential research lines for CRN 4 at CoP 24, and partnerships with Future Earth and the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

The Action List from the Twenty-Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Lima, Peru, on June 24-25, 2015, details administrative decisions, elections, and strategic planning for the institute.

This document records the decisions made during the twenty-third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Lima, Peru, on June 24-25, 2015.

The minutes of the Twenty-third IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP), held in Lima, Peru, on June 24-25, 2015, detail the administrative, financial, and strategic decisions of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. The meeting focused on transitioning the IAI toward providing scientific information for decision-making, approving the 2015-2016 budget, and establishing frameworks for open science and science-policy diplomacy.

This document is a participant list for the 39th Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held in Lima, Peru, on June 23, 2015. It lists representatives from various countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from Panama, Japan, Ecuador, and organizations such as UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research.

This fact sheet examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) in the United States passenger vehicle fleet to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It discusses the role of ethanol as a renewable octane provider, the compatibility of existing vehicle fleets and retail infrastructure, and the lifecycle GHG reductions associated with different ethanol sources.

This research paper examines the use of amicus curiae submissions by civil society organisations (CSOs) to introduce community perspectives into investor-state arbitration, focusing on the case of Pac Rim Cayman LLC v. The Republic of El Salvador.

This report analyzes the use of amicus curiae briefs by civil society organizations (CSOs) to introduce community perspectives into investor-state arbitration, focusing on the case of Pac Rim Cayman LLC vs. the Republic of El Salvador. It details how the Mesa Nacional Frente a la Minería Metálica de El Salvador (La Mesa), supported by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho (FESPAD), used legal tools to challenge the jurisdiction of the arbitration tribunal and highlight the democratic debate over metallic mining and sustainable development in El Salvador.