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This meeting report details a policy dialogue organized by the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in March 2011. The event focused on the implications of engagement by China, India, and Brazil (CIB) in Africa and how this affects Africa-Europe relations, emphasizing the need for mutual learning, triangular cooperation, and African-led development strategies.

This policy briefing examines the trend of trade protectionism and 'bail-out' subsidies following the global economic recession, specifically analyzing whether South Africa's industrial support measures comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM).

A statement by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) arguing that the Fukushima nuclear disaster demonstrates the inherent dangers and economic obsolescence of nuclear power. Lovins contends that nuclear energy is uniquely risky, costly, and slow to deploy compared to renewable energy, cogeneration, and efficiency measures, which he presents as superior alternatives for climate protection.

This report by Friends of the Earth International documents various community-led struggles and successes in maintaining biodiversity and food sovereignty across different global territories. It highlights the conflict between industrial agricultural models—characterized by monocultures, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and land grabbing—and traditional, agroecological practices that respect natural cycles and ancestral knowledge.

This research paper analyzes how the accounting of international greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets affects the integrity of global climate mitigation pledges. Using a spreadsheet model based on marginal abatement costs, the authors examine scenarios where offsets are either double-counted (credited to both the buyer and seller) or counted only for the buyer. The study finds that double-counting could significantly dilute the ambition of current pledges, potentially reducing global abatement by up to 1.6 billion tons of CO2e by 2020, thereby increasing the gap to meet 2°C warming targets.

This research paper critiques the common misconceptions surrounding Sectoral Approaches (SAs) to climate mitigation, proposing the broader term 'Sectoral Approaches, Agreements and Measures' (SAAMs). Through case studies of the steel sector in China, India, and Japan, the author argues that practical implementation must be domestic-led rather than top-down and international. The paper concludes that SAAMs should co-exist with carbon pricing and that sector-specific forums are more effective for development than the generic discussions currently held at the UNFCCC.

This fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute details the Obama administration's fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget proposal, focusing on investments in clean technology, energy efficiency, and transportation infrastructure to drive economic growth and climate protection.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the trend toward increasing transparency in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). It analyzes how states are moving away from the traditionally confidential nature of private commercial arbitration by integrating specific transparency rules into bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and free trade agreements (FTAs), particularly regarding public notice, document access, open hearings, and amicus curiae submissions.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving partnership between India and Africa, focusing on the strategic role of energy security. It argues that while energy is a primary driver of closer ties, the relationship is multi-dimensional, encompassing trade, defence, and capacity building. The authors analyze India's efforts to diversify its energy imports to reduce dependence on West Asia, the competitive yet non-antagonistic dynamics between India and China in Africa, and the necessity of good governance to avoid the 'resource curse'.

This research paper describes the integration of McKinsey & Company's marginal abatement cost (MAC) data into the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model. To maintain model realism, the authors treated negative-cost abatement opportunities as near-zero positive costs. The resulting estimates suggest that emission reductions may be cheaper than many integrated assessment models (IAMs) project. Specifically, CRED's projections for 2030 are significantly lower than those of the RICE and EMF-22 models, though they align more closely with the MIT EPPA model for developed nations.

This briefing from Friends of the Earth, dated January 20, 2011, outlines the mounting political, legal, and grassroots opposition to the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. It details failures in the State Department's environmental review process, conflicts of interest involving Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the environmental risks associated with tar sands oil extraction and transport.

A fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute detailing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) implementation of greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting standards under the Clean Air Act, focusing on new and modified large power plants and refineries.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative argues that Europe's current power market designs are insufficient to support the transition to a low-carbon energy system and the goals of a smart grid. It advocates for a transition from zonal pricing and market coupling toward an integrated power market based on locational marginal pricing (nodal pricing), citing the US experience as a successful model for managing transmission constraints and integrating intermittent renewable energy.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute provides a comparative analysis of renewable electricity technologies—water, wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar—against conventional power sources in the United States. It examines metrics such as installed capacity, capital costs, construction timelines, and carbon displacement to highlight the flexibility and growing cost-competitiveness of renewables.

This report reviews the 2002 Belgian Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), arguing that it follows a traditional European model that provides extensive protections for foreign investors while imposing broad obligations on host states. The authors contend that the model lacks necessary refinements to preserve policy space for sustainable development, environmental protection, and labour rights, and fails to address governance issues in investor-state dispute settlement.

This report evaluates Integrated Place-based Management (IPM) initiatives, focusing on how goals are defined and how monitoring and evaluation frameworks measure long-term environmental and governance impacts. It analyzes Canadian and international case studies to identify trends in the transition from short-term project reporting to long-term, adaptive monitoring that combines outcome-based environmental indicators with process-based governance indicators.

This guide provides a comprehensive checklist and business case for public-sector procurers and policy-makers to implement sustainable public procurement (SPP). It emphasizes shifting the procurement mindset from 'best value for money' at the point of purchase to 'best value across the project/product life cycle,' utilizing life-cycle costing (LCC) to justify the higher upfront costs of green assets through long-term efficiency gains and reduced environmental externalities.

This report analyzes the structure, production, and sustainability of the Chinese copper supply chain as of 2010. It details China's position as the world's largest producer and consumer of refined copper, examines the environmental and social impacts of the industry, and outlines the regulatory framework governing smeltingS smelting, imports, and exports.

This document is a technical guide and methodology supplement for the book 'Reinventing Fire', published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). It outlines a roadmap for transitioning the United States energy system from oil and coal to efficiency and renewables by 2050, emphasizing a business-led, profit-driven approach that avoids reliance on new inventions or legislative acts.

This research paper critiques the U.S. government's 2010 Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) estimate of $21 per ton, arguing it is dangerously low. By testing alternative assumptions in the DICE model—including higher climate sensitivity, more severe damage functions (based on Weitzman and Hanemann), and a lower discount rate (1.5% vs 3%)—the authors find the SCC could range up to $893 in 2010 and $1,500 by 2050. They conclude that if these higher risks are plausible, the SCC exceeds the cost of maximum feasible abatement ($150-$500/ton), making immediate, large-scale emission reductions the most cost-effective and prudent strategy.