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This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute compares greenhouse gas mitigation pledges made by developed (Annex 1) and developing (non-Annex 1) countries under the Copenhagen Accord and Cancún Agreements. By analyzing four detailed studies, the brief concludes that developing countries have pledged more absolute mitigation than developed countries, yet global pledges remain insufficient to limit warming to 2°C.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the impact of international greenhouse gas offsets on the fulfillment of emission reduction pledges under the Cancún Agreements. It specifically examines the risk of 'double-counting'—where both the buyer and seller count the same emission reduction toward their targets—and how this could dilute global climate ambition and hinder the pursuit of a 2°C pathway.

Economists from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) critiqued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule on coal combustion residues, arguing that the accompanying Regulatory Impact Analysis is flawed and biased toward the coal industry.

This briefing analyzes the upcoming January 9, 2011, referendum in Sudan and the separate plebiscite in the Abyei region to determine whether South Sudan will secede. It examines the tensions between the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the challenges of state viability for a potential new South Sudanese state, and the role of international mediators in preventing a return to armed conflict.

This document is a formal response by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to critiques of a working paper concerning Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects for adipic acid. The authors, Anja Kollmuss and Michael Lazarus, defend their findings regarding the competitive advantages provided by Certified Emission Reductions (CER) revenues and the resulting risk of carbon leakage.

This research paper explores the application of global equity and "burden-sharing" principles to community-scale climate action planning. Using the City of Seattle as a case study, the authors apply the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework to demonstrate that an equitable global mitigation obligation for a wealthy city would require it to go carbon "negative" by 2020, meaning it must reduce its own emissions while financing low-carbon transitions in developing regions.

A statement by Natural Justice regarding Canada's endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on November 12, 2010, contrasting this move with Canada's previous obstructionist behavior at the COP10 biodiversity conference.

This submission by Fundación Pachamama and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the arbitration tribunal in the case of Chevron Corporation and Texaco Petroleum Company v. Republic of Ecuador lacks jurisdiction and that the claims are non-justiciable. The Amici contend that Chevron is attempting to use an investor-State tribunal to interfere with and terminate an ongoing domestic civil law case (the Lago Agrio litigation) in Ecuador, which would violate the rights of private plaintiffs, including indigenous peoples, to a fair judicial process.

This WRI fact sheet argues that EPA regulations of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA) will likely drive energy efficiency investments and improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers rather than harming them. It contends that the costs of environmental compliance are relatively low compared to other business expenses and that the initial rollout of GHG rules will affect only a small fraction of facilities.

This executive summary by Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland argues that carbon trading is an ineffective and dangerous primary tool for tackling climate change. The document proposes a comprehensive package of alternative mitigation strategies across energy, agriculture, forests, and industry, alongside several specific financial mechanisms to provide at least US$420 billion per year in additional climate finance for developing countries.

The report "DespejanDo el aire" argues that carbon trading is an irresponsible and ineffective solution to climate change. It proposes a comprehensive package of alternatives: investing US$100 billion annually in renewables via feed-in tariffs, adopting sustainable small-scale agriculture, implementing common industrial technology standards, and protecting forests by addressing demand for commodities. To fund these actions, it suggests generating over US$420 billion annually through a global financial transaction tax, combating tax evasion, reorienting fossil fuel subsidies, and issuing new IMF Special Drawing Rights.

This research paper evaluates the environmental integrity of nitric acid projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), specifically examining risks of carbon leakage and baseline emission manipulation. The authors conclude that while the CDM successfully fostered abatement in a sector that previously lacked such practices, the current methodologies are complex and lead to significant credit issuance delays. The paper recommends transitioning to a common benchmarking approach for baseline emissions to simplify the process and safeguard against leakage.

This briefing consists of testimonies presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on October 25, 2010, by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and environmental defenders from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama. The testimonies denounce a regional pattern of violence, criminalization, and systemic impunity targeting individuals who oppose the impacts of the mining industry in Mesoamerica.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) documents a regional trend of human rights abuses, violence, and killings targeting environmental defenders opposing industrial mining in Mexico and Central America. It argues that these abuses are driven by the failure of host states to manage environmental impacts and protect defenders, as well as a lack of accountability for mining companies in their home states, particularly Canada and the United States.

This executive summary, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, addresses the increasing violence and human rights abuses against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, specifically within the context of industrial mining.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), prepared for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, documents a regional trend of violence and human rights abuses against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America within the industrial mining sector. It highlights the severe social and environmental impacts of mining and argues that state failure to regulate the industry and protect defenders leads to high levels of impunity.

This briefing from Friends of the Earth analyzes the geopolitical dynamics surrounding the October 2010 UN climate negotiations in Tianjin, China. It argues that the lack of domestic climate legislation in the United States has eroded its international bargaining power, potentially leading other nations to pursue mitigation efforts without U.S. involvement and increasing the leverage of developing countries.

This research paper evaluates U.S. EPA Climate Leaders’ protocols for landfill methane, manure digesters, and afforestation projects by comparing them against protocols from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), and Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX).

This World Resources Institute fact sheet outlines US federal tax incentives for renewable energy as of September 2010. It details the Production Tax Credit (PTC), which is based on electrical output, and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which is based on capital investment. It also describes the Treasury cash grant for ITC-eligible projects, the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) for domestic facilities, and depreciation rules like MACRS.

This research paper examines the tension between South Africa's developmental goals and its climate change commitments, highlighting the country's heavy reliance on coal for electricity and the challenges of transitioning to a lower-carbon economy while addressing poverty and energy shortages.