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340 results
Use of McKinsey abatement cost curves for climate economics modeling
The authors adapt McKinsey's global abatement cost data for use in the CRED model by aggregating 21 regions into nine and 11 sectors into two (land use and industry). To resolve the theoretical conflict of 'negative-cost' abatements—where energy savings outweigh investment—the authors assign these measures a near-zero but positive cost. The resulting estimates suggest that emission reductions may be cheaper than those projected by top-down integrated assessment models like RICE or EMF-22, while remaining broadly comparable to the MIT EPPA model's positive-cost estimates.
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Document type: Research paper
Is trade pessimism justified? Opening the "black box" of trade modeling
The document examines the shift in trade modeling results, noting that early simulations of the WTO Doha Round predicted significant global wealth increases, while more recent simulations show much smaller gains, particularly for developing countries. It explains that these predictions rely on computerized general equilibrium (CGE) models based on assumptions about producer and consumer reactions to price and policy changes. The report aims to clarify why results vary among modelers and address criticisms regarding the limitations of these models in informing trade policy.
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Document type: Report
"Saving Lives and Buying Time": Lessons in good subsidy design from the Affordable Medicines Facility - malaria (AMFm)
The document examines the creation of the Affordable Medicines Facility - malaria (AMFm), a subsidy scheme designed to provide more effective treatments and delay parasite resistance. It uses the AMFm process to outline key components of effective subsidy design, such as research, stakeholder engagement, risk mitigation, and monitoring.
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Document type: Policy brief
FACT SHEET
The 3C-SEI Partnership Programme (March 2010 – February 2012) is a collaboration between the business leaders' initiative 3C – Combat Climate Change and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). The programme conducts research at the intersection of climate policy and business across three thematic areas: technology development for a low-carbon economy, the impact of resource scarcity, and the analysis of global trade and financial flows related to emissions mitigation.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Global potential increase in crop production by vapour shift and water harvesting
The study finds that a moderate water management scenario—reducing evaporation by 25% and collecting 25% of runoff—could increase global crop production by 19%. While such strategies could buffer the projected 9% decline in global crop production caused by climate change by 2050, the study concludes that water available on current cropland will be insufficient for a population of 9–10 billion, even when combining water management with the benefits of rising atmospheric CO2.
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Document type: Research paper
Future water availability and global food production potential: Green water increasing resilience to global change
This research paper argues that green water is dominant in food production and that managing local green water resources can increase agricultural resilience to climate change and population growth, potentially allowing water-short countries to produce sufficient food.
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Document type: Research paper
World Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2005
In 2005, total global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 44,153 MtCO2 equivalent, representing a 12.7% increase from 2000. The energy sector, specifically electricity, heat, and transportation, drove much of this growth, with developing countries accounting for the majority of emissions in electricity, heat, and industry. While high global warming potential gases grew by 44% between 2000 and 2005, they remain a small percentage of total emissions. Notably, revised methodologies for calculating land-use change reduced its estimated share of total GHGs from 18.2% to 12.2%, although actual emissions from this sector grew by 4.1% during the period.
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Document type: Research paper
2008 Micropower Database: How Distributed Renewables and Cogeneration are Beating Nuclear Power Stations — Supporting Data, Methodology, and Graphs
The 2008 Micropower Database assesses global capacity and electrical output for micropower—defined as all renewables excluding large hydro, plus cogeneration—using bottom-up equipment counts from suppliers and operators cross-checked with governmental agencies. It provides historical data from 1990 to 2005 or 2006 and forecasts through 2010, covering annual capacity additions, output, cumulative capacity, and capacity factors.
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Document type: Report
FACT SHEET
The weADAPT platform is a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of practitioners and decision-makers in climate adaptation through knowledge sharing and innovative tools. Key components include wikiADAPT, an interactive space for sharing experiences and guidance on adaptation processes, and the Climate Change Explorer Tool, which allows users to analyze downscaled climate model data to develop robust adaptation strategies. The platform is supported by a network of international partners, including UNEP, UNITAR, and the University of Cape Town, and was recognized by an IISD review as a high-potential resource for development cooperation practitioners.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Watering Scarcity
The report highlights that global water demand exceeds renewable supplies, with agriculture accounting for over 70% of withdrawals. It argues that increasing crop water productivity through mature technologies and improving policy incentives creates a significant opportunity for private capital investment, despite potential disruptions from the 2008 financial crisis.
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Document type: Report
International agua con justicia para todos resistencia mundial y local contra el control empresarial y la mercantilización del agua
The document examines the global trend of water privatization, highlighting how the World Bank and IMF pressure developing nations to privatize water services as a condition for loans. It details the dominance of French multinationals Suez and Vivendi, and the impact of trade agreements like GATS on water access. Through case studies from Bolivia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other regions, it documents tariff increases, environmental degradation, and social resistance, while proposing community-based management and 'soft path' alternatives to corporate control.
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Document type: Report
Biodiversity in the Seas: Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity in Marine and Coastal Habitats
The document highlights the critical importance of marine and coastal biodiversity, noting that oceans cover over 70% of the planet's surface and sustain 99% of the volume of life. It warns that human activities are causing unprecedented depletion of living resources and degradation of ecosystems, which may undermine the adaptive potential of these systems to meet future human needs. The text emphasizes that this vulnerability exists across all latitudes and in both developed and developing countries, debunking the assumption that the oceans possess an infinite capacity for resilience.
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Document type: Report
Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel consumption: two approaches compared
The paper compares two approaches to estimating national energy sector greenhouse gas emissions, finding that while global CO2 totals for 1988 are within 2% of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's estimates, national-level results vary by over 10% for 52 out of 139 countries. These discrepancies are attributed to differences in energy statistics, the treatment of bunker fuels, and the handling of non-energy products. Additionally, the study includes CO, CH4, and N2O emissions from fossil fuel combustion, which contribute an additional global heating effect of approximately 8% compared to CO2 emissions.
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Document type: Research paper
SUBMISSION ON PROPOSED ADAPTATION FUND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICY
CIEL supports the Adaptation Fund Board's proposed Environmental and Social Policy but argues it requires stronger human rights safeguards, more rigorous impact assessments, and a robust, independent grievance mechanism to ensure accountability for implementing entities.
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Document type: Statement
What agenda for the review of TRIPS?: A sustainable development perspective
The document argues that the TRIPS Agreement is imbalanced, favoring producers and Northern countries over consumers and Southern countries, which undermines sustainable development. It analyzes the Doha Ministerial Declaration's role in addressing public health, the need for technology transfer to least-developed countries, and the conflicts between TRIPS and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The author advocates for the protection of traditional knowledge through sui generis systems and the requirement of prior informed consent for the use of genetic resources in patent applications.
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Document type: Briefing
Trade Provisions in Multilateral Environmental Agreements: Key Elements for Consideration in the Context of a Treaty to End Plastic Pollution
The document highlights that global plastics trade, valued at $1.2 trillion in 2020, accelerates the plastic crisis by acting as a "conveyor belt" for pollution and increasing waste burdens on importing countries. It suggests that a plastics treaty should incorporate trade restrictions, permit requirements, and mandatory reporting to ensure efficacy and prevent "leakage" to non-signatory states. The brief references the Basel, CITES, and Montreal conventions as successful examples of using trade measures to achieve environmental goals.
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Document type: Policy brief
The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Health
The document outlines how plastic causes human health crises through exposure to polymers and toxic additives at every stage of its life cycle, from feedstock extraction to waste management. It emphasizes that marginalized communities are disproportionately affected and calls for systemic solutions focused on comprehensive plastic reduction and manufacturer accountability rather than individual consumer behavior.
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Document type: Fact sheet
complianceanalysislyon-8ec427905c96f9a6.pdf
The briefing argues for a compliance system where the enforcement branch's jurisdiction is based on the nature of a Party's commitments rather than its Annex I or Non-Annex I status. It advocates for strict limits on the facilitative branch's power, the removal of political bodies like the COP/MOP from enforcement proceedings, and the implementation of high transparency standards, including public dockets and the right for NGOs to submit information. Additionally, it proposes a Compliance Fund to help Parties cure emissions overages during the true-up period.
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Document type: Briefing
Leveraging the ICJ Climate Ruling at COP30 to Unlock Ambition and Advance Accountability
The document outlines the legal obligations of States as defined by the ICJ, emphasizing that climate action is a legal duty grounded in science and the 1.5°C limit. It provides specific guidance on applying these rulings to COP30 agenda items, including finance, mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, while highlighting the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels and ensuring NDCs reflect the highest possible ambition.
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Document type: Guide
Concretando las Promesas de París: Combatir el Cambio Climático Protegiendo Derechos
The document emphasizes that the Paris Agreement's success depends on a rights-based implementation framework. It identifies key principles from the Agreement's preamble—including indigenous rights, gender equality, food security, and a just transition—and provides specific recommendations for incorporating these into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Adaptation Communications, the Transparency Framework, and the Global Stocktake.
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Document type: Policy brief