Search Climate Insights Directory

This April 2018 briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute, IDDRI, and ODI argues that climate adaptation is currently undervalued in international negotiations because it is viewed as a local problem. The authors advocate for a 'transboundary' framing of climate risk to address the interconnections between people, ecosystems, and economies in a globalised world, suggesting that the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement provide the necessary tools to move toward a coordinated global adaptation response.

A study by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn, conducted as part of the Waterdrive project, analyzed agriculture-related water policy recommendations for the Baltic Sea from 2014 onwards. The research found that a significant portion of recommendations focus on governance but are often too general and lack specific addressees, hindering their effectiveness in combating eutrophication.

This guidebook, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute and authored by Prayas Energy Group, provides a framework for policymakers to design and implement Super-Efficient Equipment Programs (SEEP). Using the experience of India's program for ceiling fans, it outlines a strategy to accelerate market transformation by providing financial incentives to manufacturers to produce appliances significantly more efficient than current local market offerings at comparable prices.

This research paper evaluates the impact of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) on nitrous oxide (N2O) abatement in the adipic acid sector. While the carbon market successfully incentivized abatement levels of 98% to 100%, which exceed previous technical benchmarks, the authors find that the CDM created significant economic incentives that led to carbon leakage. Specifically, production shifted from non-CDM plants to CDM plants during the 2008-2009 economic downturn, resulting in an estimated 13.5 MtCO2e of issued credits that did not represent real emission reductions.

This white paper, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the Washington State Department of Ecology, examines the technical and policy options for establishing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission benchmarks for energy-intensive industrial sectors. It identifies key industries—such as aluminum, cement, and steel—that contribute significantly to emissions and discusses how benchmarks (emissions per unit of output) can be used in voluntary goals, cap-and-trade allowance allocations, or regulatory performance standards. The report emphasizes that because Washington has few facilities in some sectors, it must look to broader North American data to create robust benchmarks. It also details the technical process of benchmark construction, including the selection of normalizing units and levels of ambition, while noting sector-specific challenges in industries like petroleum refining and glass.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) has launched the Initiative on Producer to Consumer Sustainability (P2CS), a platform designed to improve the sustainability of international trade by analyzing production-to-consumption systems (PCSs). The initiative combines innovative supply chain modelling with multidisciplinary governance analysis to increase transparency and identify opportunities for sustainable trade practices.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the potential conflict between low-greenhouse-gas (GHG) consumption strategies in high-income countries and the economic development of lower-income countries. Using a scenario developed for the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the authors find that while shifting consumption from goods to services can reduce emissions and benefit the domestic economy of a high-income country, it may cause significant GDP declines in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) due to reduced trade in manufactured goods, particularly clothing.

This position paper, submitted to UNCSD2012 by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Brazilian Foundation for Sustainable Development (FBDS), outlines a global assessment on sustainable energy for all. It argues that energy access must evolve from basic poverty alleviation to supporting productive economic development while remaining within the 'safe operating space' of planetary boundaries to avoid catastrophic environmental disruption.

This report, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the think tank Cogito, analyzes the environmental impact of total consumption in Sweden and four specific municipalities: Gothenburg, Linköping, Malmö, and Stockholm. Using the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) tool, the report compares consumption-based emissions—which include imported goods—against traditional national reporting, highlighting the significant gap between the two and the unsustainability of the Swedish lifestyle.

This research synthesis briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) outlines the institute's work on sustainable consumption, production, and trade. It focuses on the development of consumption-based accounting tools to reveal the full environmental costs of goods and services, the role of government and business in driving sustainable behavior, and the vulnerabilities inherent in complex global supply chains.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the economic trade-offs of low-greenhouse-gas (GHG) consumption strategies in high-income countries, specifically focusing on the potential negative impacts on lower-income countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Using the United Kingdom as a primary example and a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model, the authors find that shifting consumption from high-GHG goods to low-GHG services can reduce emissions but may disproportionately harm the GDP of poor exporting nations.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the environmental integrity of Joint Implementation (JI) during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. The authors conclude that approximately three-quarters of JI offsets likely did not represent additional emissions reductions, potentially increasing global greenhouse gas emissions by 600 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute applies the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework to Sweden to determine its climate obligations. It argues that wealthy nations must accept a 'two-fold obligation'—deep domestic emission reductions and significant international financial and technological support—to ensure the global South can develop sustainably without exceeding a 2°C warming limit.

A statement from 82 Latin American and Caribbean civil society organizations providing suggestions and requests to the COP30 Presidency to ensure concrete implementation results in Belém do Pará, Brazil, focusing on climate ambition, adaptation, finance, just transition, and biodiversity synergies.

A statement from 82 civil society organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean providing strategic recommendations to the COP30 Presidency to ensure the conference delivers concrete implementation outcomes regarding climate ambition, finance, adaptation, and just transition.

A joint statement by a coalition of 45 Indonesian civil society organizations urging the Indonesian government to improve sustainable commodity governance in response to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and global market demands.

A statement by a coalition of Indonesian civil society organizations expressing dissatisfaction with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) agreed upon on 6 December 2022. The groups argue that the regulation is a unilateral initiative that fails to address the root causes of deforestation, lacks sufficient protections for human rights and smallholders, and contains inadequate definitions and monitoring mechanisms.

This research paper analyzes proposed trade measures within U.S. and EU domestic climate policies, examining their objectives, legality under international agreements, and potential to trigger disputes within the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This policy brief from the World Resources Institute provides analysis and recommendations for UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol Parties on technical issues related to carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS). It aims to establish best practice criteria to ensure safe and effective CCS deployment without presupposing the technology's global success or recommending its inclusion in specific mechanisms.

This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the necessity and current state of a regulatory framework for carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in China. It argues that while China relies heavily on coal and views CCS as a critical tool for reducing emissions, it lacks a comprehensive domestic regulatory framework to ensure environmental health, safety, and efficacy, particularly regarding geologic storage.