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This policy brief examines the evolution of India's approach to climate change, noting a shift from a rigid stance based on historical equity toward a more pragmatic, constructive engagement in international diplomacy. This transition is driven by the desire to enhance international status and strengthen strategic relationships with the United States and China, while domestic climate action remains primarily motivated by development goals, energy security, and poverty alleviation.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the duality of China's climate approach, arguing that its domestic mitigation efforts are primarily driven by urgent energy security concerns rather than environmentalism. While China maintains a pragmatic domestic policy with ambitious energy intensity and renewable targets, its international diplomacy is characterized by a struggle to balance its reputation as a responsible global power with the need to protect its economic development and sovereignty.

This 2010 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute reviews the projected supply of international greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets, specifically evaluating how these estimates impact U.S. cap-and-trade legislative designs. The authors analyze the use of marginal abatement curves (MACs) and identify significant discrepancies between optimistic techno-economic models and more conservative market-based projections.

The paper assesses Personal Carbon Trading (PCT) as a tool to reduce household GHG emissions in Sweden. It concludes that a UK-style PCT scheme would be inefficient in Sweden due to high administrative costs and the existing effectiveness of policies in the housing sector (e.g., district heating). While PCT could potentially address rising transport emissions, it would face equity issues between urban and rural populations. The authors note that emissions from imported food and consumables remain a significant gap in Swedish policy, but targeting these via PCT is currently technically unfeasible.

The 2010 Global Ecolabel Monitor reports significant growth in the green market, particularly in the US, but notes that fragmentation and a lack of standardized information cause widespread confusion among consumers and institutional buyers. While demand and willingness to pay premiums for eco-friendly products are rising, the report emphasizes the need for better standards to support the green purchasing policies of large corporations and government agencies.

This document presents six case studies of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects in the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia to analyze the role of community engagement in project outcomes. It contrasts successful projects that utilized two-way consultation and transparency with failed projects characterized by one-way information delivery, lack of trust, or unilateral changes to project benefits.

This 2010 report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the potential for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through existing federal regulatory authorities and announced state actions through 2030. The study evaluates three levels of regulatory ambition—'Lackluster', 'Middle-of-the-Road', and 'Go-Getter'—across various sectors including power plants, transportation, and industry. It concludes that while existing tools can drive significant reductions, they are insufficient on their own to meet the Obama Administration's Copenhagen pledge or the IPCC's recommended targets for limiting global temperature increases.

This research paper by Saleemul Huq for the World Resources Institute argues that current global and national decision-making processes are inadequate to handle the uncertainty, scale, and complexity of climate change. The author advocates for a paradigm shift from reactive disaster management to proactive disaster preparedness and suggests that wealthier nations and decision-makers can learn effective adaptation strategies from the poorest countries and grassroots communities.

This briefing by Malini Mehra argues that current government governance systems are ill-equipped to handle the uncertainty, scale, and complexity of climate change. The author contends that climate change is frequently miscategorized as a narrow environmental issue, leading to siloed policy responses and a lack of political priority. To make governance "fit for purpose," the document proposes a shift toward integrated climate risk management, high-level political mandates, statutory duties, and a fundamental culture change within civil service bureaucracies.

This research paper by Andreas Spiegel of Swiss Re argues for a balanced climate adaptation strategy that combines cost-effective risk prevention measures with risk transfer mechanisms, such as insurance. Using data from the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) working group, the author demonstrates that a significant portion of climate-related losses can be averted through preventative action, while residual risks should be managed via public-private partnerships and innovative financial instruments to protect vulnerable economies, particularly in developing nations.

This research paper by Mike Muller provides guiding principles for development agencies to support national-level decision-making in developing countries facing climate change. Muller argues that adaptation should be integrated into existing national development goals and governance processes rather than treated as a separate, sectoral, or externally driven priority.

This research paper by Yolanda Kakabadse, former environment minister of Ecuador and President of WWF International, argues that traditional water infrastructure design—based on the assumption of a stationary climate—has led to the degradation of freshwater ecosystems and increased societal vulnerability. The author proposes a shift toward climate-sustainable development by integrating ecosystems into infrastructure planning, managing water at a basin scale, and moving away from sectoral silos in policymaking.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the conflict between increasing food production to sustain a growing population and the conservation of ecosystem services under the pressure of climate change. It argues for a shift from managing ecosystems solely for food to a holistic approach that integrates food production with the maintenance of other nature-based services to avoid irreversible ecological tipping points.

A joint statement from various environmental and health organizations urging the U.S. Secretary of State and the EPA Administrator to support congressional action on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

This research paper analyzes the environmental impacts of China's electrical power sector and explores how a sustainable trade strategy can be linked to energy policy. It details China's heavy reliance on coal, the resulting pollution, and the regulatory frameworks used to manage these effects. The document also surveys international best practices in low-carbon energy policy—including economic and regulatory instruments—and suggests policy options for China to improve efficiency and competitiveness.

This 2009 research paper examines the energy relationships between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, focusing on how their integrated energy infrastructure and differing regulatory regimes impact climate change policy. It details the energy profiles of each nation, discusses the role of agencies like the NEB and FERC, and identifies potential trade frictions such as 'Buy American' rules and low-carbon fuel standards. The author proposes three policy scenarios for 2020, concluding that a 'bottom-up' approach with increasing bilateral linkages between Canada and the U.S. is the most probable outcome.

This report examines the risks associated with "peak phosphorus"—the point when demand for rock phosphate exceeds supply—and its implications for global food security and water quality. It focuses on the Lake Winnipeg Basin as a case study for extreme eutrophication and proposes a transition toward phosphorus stewardship through nutrient recovery, recycling, and improved agricultural practices to reduce dependence on mineral fertilizers.

This report, written by an IISD consultant, evaluates the 'Istanbul version' of the OECD's Checklist for Private Sector Participation in Water Infrastructure released in March 2009. While acknowledging improvements over previous versions, the author argues that the checklist remains of limited operational value for practitioners due to internal contradictions, a failure to address systemic risks of international investment arbitration, and an over-reliance on outdated theoretical models regarding decentralization and regulation.

A statement by Friends of the Earth urging President Obama to move beyond attendance at the Copenhagen climate negotiations and commit the United States to mandatory greenhouse gas emission reductions and global leadership on climate justice.

Daryl W. Ditz, representing the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 17, 2009, arguing that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has failed to protect public health. Ditz proposed three primary reforms: authorizing the EPA to phase out high-priority chemicals (specifically PBTs), establishing a health-based safety standard for all chemicals where manufacturers bear the burden of proof, and mandating comprehensive, updated data submissions from chemical manufacturers to fill critical information gaps.