Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) clarifies the terminology and definitions used to track climate finance. It distinguishes between project-level costs and revenues and whole-economy perspectives, explaining how public interventions can address 'viability gaps' to mobilize private investment. The document specifically outlines the definition of climate finance used in CPI's Global Landscape of Climate Finance reports to ensure consistent tracking and avoid double counting.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines agricultural cooperatives as a model for inclusive investment. It details the types of cooperatives, their benefits for smallholders, the role of foreign investment in reducing risk and improving skills, and the necessary government support and legal frameworks to ensure their success without undue state interference.

This research paper examines the shifting landscape of Africa's extractive sector, noting the rise of emerging market companies and increasing pressure on all firms to demonstrate developmental and environmental contributions. It argues that Western and OECD companies can gain a competitive edge by adapting their business models to support local processing, reskilling workers, and enhancing transparency.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development reviews the role, composition, and effectiveness of National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs) over the past 25 years. It identifies success factors for these bodies as countries prepare to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the potential role of National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) in designing and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on a survey of 12 countries, it examines existing national strategies, the challenges of monitoring progress, and the varying responsibilities of NCSDs in advising and implementing sustainable development policies.

An open letter from a coalition of social movements, NGOs, and activists to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, urging a revision of the official definition of 'forests' to better reflect the biological diversity and the needs of forest-dependent communities.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines six essential functions that the international climate agreement to be finalized in 2015 must perform to effectively transition the world toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

This urgent appeal, submitted by several NGOs to United Nations Special Rapporteurs, alleges that the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam project in western Panama is causing imminent forced evictions of indigenous Ngöbe families. The document argues that the State of Panama, as well as financing states Germany and the Netherlands and member states of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), are violating international human rights law by failing to obtain free, prior, and informed consent and by threatening the Ngöbe's rights to housing, food, water, culture, and education.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes policy failures in the governance, accountability, and transparency of financial market actors and proposes policy innovations to advance green finance, specifically focusing on how China can adopt these measures to green its financial markets.

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in November 2013, provides a synopsis of key climate finance discussions and deliverables for negotiators attending the 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) in Warsaw. It outlines the progress of the Work Programme on Long-Term Finance, the activities of the Standing Committee on Finance, the operationalization of the Green Climate Fund, and the financial challenges facing the Adaptation Fund.

This research paper examines China's approach to the green economy and its interaction with the G-20, specifically following the 2012 Los Cabos Summit in Mexico. The author argues that while China is domestically committed to greening its economic development due to severe environmental degradation, it remains reluctant to accept mandatory international obligations that might hinder its economic growth. The paper highlights a disconnect between China's internal policy terminology and the 'inclusive green growth' framework promoted at the G-20, suggesting that China's organizational structure for G-20 participation further marginalizes environmental policy.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance on October 30, 2013, argues that the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly regarding toxic chemicals. CIEL warns that mechanisms like regulatory harmonization, mutual recognition, and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) may lower safety standards to a 'lowest-common denominator' and chill the development of more protective laws in the U.S., EU, and globally.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), submitted on behalf of itself, Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club, and Center for Biological Diversity, warns that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly regarding toxic chemicals. The document argues that the pursuit of 'regulatory coherence' through harmonization and mutual recognition may lower standards to a 'lowest-common denominator,' preempt sub-national laws, and create chilling effects on the development of safety regulations globally.

An unpublished letter from RMI to The Economist argues that European electric utilities' financial losses are the result of failed investment strategies and a failure to adapt to disruptive renewable technologies, rather than the fault of renewables themselves. The author contends that renewables provide significant macroeconomic benefits and that grid stability is manageable at high penetration levels, as demonstrated in several European countries.

This executive summary examines Environmental Fiscal Reform (EFR) as a mechanism to fund renewable energy deployment in China. By analyzing eight international case studies, the report explores how environmental taxes and carbon trading can generate revenue for green energy while mitigating impacts on economic growth and competitiveness. It specifically discusses the role of earmarking revenues to increase transparency and investor confidence, while noting the political and economic challenges of implementing such measures within the Chinese context.

This briefing note from the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines fiscal policy instruments as tools to facilitate the transition to a green economy, providing case studies from Germany and Canada to illustrate how taxes, subsidies, and levies can incentivize sustainable practices.

This issue brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It details various storage technologies—ranging from pumped hydro and compressed air to advanced batteries and flywheels—and analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies, specifically FERC orders and Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives, in overcoming implementation barriers.

This policy brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It provides a technical overview of various storage methods, analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies and legislation, and highlights specific large-scale implementation projects across the United States.

Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2013, regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The statement argues that TTIP could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly in the chemicals sector, by prioritizing the removal of regulatory barriers over safety standards. Muffett advocates for the retention of national rights to determine health protection levels and the exclusion of investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms.

Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2013, regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Representing CIEL, Friends of the Earth, and the Sierra Club, Muffett argued that the agreement's focus on reducing regulatory barriers could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly in the chemicals sector, by favoring industry interests over safety standards.