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This synthesis note, published by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, examines how United Nations human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) use their state reporting procedures to define the obligations of States to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights in the context of climate change. The report focuses on the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) up to December 2017.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights examines how the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) interprets state obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in relation to climate change.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative, produced for COP22, analyzes the growth and governance of the green bond market. It highlights the shift toward private sector issuance, the increasing role of emerging markets like China, and the necessity of reaching USD 1 trillion in annual green emissions by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The report 'Playing With Fire' by Sandbag assesses plans to convert European coal power stations to burn biomass, primarily wood pellets. It argues that these conversions, driven by EU legislation and subsidies, risk accelerating climate change due to long carbon payback periods and significant forest loss, while providing minimal electricity relative to the cost and environmental impact.

This report by Ember provides an interim analysis of 15 draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) from EU Member States, focusing on the power sector transition. It finds that while wind and solar capacity targets have increased significantly since 2019, they still fall short of REPowerEU goals. The analysis highlights a critical lack of quantified targets for electricity storage and flexibility, as well as poor data quality and transparency across the submitted plans.

This case study by Friends of the Earth International examines the assassination of human rights defender Berta Cáceres and the role of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam project in Honduras, arguing that voluntary corporate human rights commitments are insufficient and a legally binding UN treaty is necessary to end corporate impunity.

The Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué advocates for the accelerated elimination of fossil-fuel subsidies to meet global climate targets, citing economic, environmental, and social benefits while emphasizing the need for transparency and protections for vulnerable populations.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines agricultural cooperatives as a model for inclusive investment. It details the different types of cooperatives, their benefits for smallholder farmers, the role of foreign investment in these structures, and the necessary legal and governmental frameworks to support their success.

This white paper examines the integration of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) within sustainable public procurement (SPP), arguing that current models often fail to deliver the best value for taxpayers by overemphasizing upfront purchase prices over long-term operational and environmental costs. The authors identify systemic barriers—including conflicting capital and revenue budgets, a lack of professional expertise, and data gaps—and recommend that LCC be integrated into high-level public expenditure and resource allocation policies rather than remaining a routine procurement task.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explores the communication channels, education opportunities, and networking patterns of youth across the circumpolar region. Based on a limited sample of 19 interviews and media scans, the study identifies a lack of youth-specific mainstream media, significant barriers to formal education in Northern Canada, and a reliance on personal, face-to-face interaction for effective engagement. The report highlights the role of the OOKPIK website in hosting directories of youth networks and media to improve connectivity among young Northerners.

This 1999 report analyzes the emergence of markets for global environmental services in Central America, focusing on the contrasting experiences of Costa Rica and El Salvador. It examines how these countries leverage international agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol and biodiversity conventions, to mobilize financial resources for conservation and sustainable development through mechanisms like carbon credits and biodiversity-friendly coffee certification.

The report 'État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020' examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international environmental governance, the shift to virtual negotiations, and the resulting effects on climate and biodiversity goals. It highlights the challenges of maintaining political momentum and scientific output during lockdowns while noting that the pandemic underscored the interconnectedness of human health and environmental degradation.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra examines the role of services trade in transitioning to a circular economy. Based on a survey of 96 firms and 16 in-depth interviews, the report identifies key services—such as IT, R&D, and waste management—that enable circular business models. It analyzes the modes of service delivery, the impact of digitalization, and the regulatory barriers that hinder the international exchange of these services, ultimately proposing an integrated trade policy approach to support global resource efficiency.

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.

This policy brief, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre as part of the NORSTRAT project, examines the transmission grid developments required to transition the Baltic States to a carbon-neutral power sector by 2050. The research focuses on the feasibility of replacing oil shale and fossil fuel dependency with renewable energy sources, specifically wind and biomass, through increased interconnection with the Nordic Power System and Continental Europe.

This policy brief from the MEDIATION project evaluates the use of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) as a decision support tool for climate change adaptation. While CEA is a primary tool for mitigation, the document highlights that its application to adaptation is more challenging due to the lack of a single common metric and the critical need to account for uncertainty.

This event report summarizes a May 2019 workshop in Gdansk, Poland, focused on improving water and nutrient governance in the Baltic Sea region. Key discussions centered on the challenges of phosphorus recycling, the role of cities and public procurement in driving circular innovations, the use of testbeds for scaling technology, and the potential for carbon farming to mitigate climate change while improving soil health. The report highlights that while technical solutions exist, market demand, regulatory barriers based on product origin, and a lack of trust remain primary obstacles to the widespread adoption of symbiotic circular economy models.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the disconnect between the national-level implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement (NDCs). Based on a survey of 90 countries and detailed case studies of 11 countries and the European Union, the paper argues that a 'siloed approach' to these agendas hinders progress. It proposes five core areas for integration: coordinating institutions, aligning targets, joint policy mainstreaming, optimizing financial resources, and creating mutually reinforcing monitoring frameworks. The study concludes that an integrated approach reduces transaction costs, enhances policy coherence, and fosters 'win-win solutions' for climate resilience and sustainable development.

This World Resources Institute fact sheet explains the mechanics of carbon taxes, comparing them to cap-and-trade programs and discussing their economic impacts, implementation in various countries, and political status in the United States.