Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the state of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) negotiations following the 2009 Copenhagen Conference (COP15). It outlines the outcomes of the Copenhagen Accord, the methodological guidelines for REDD-plus, and the critical technical and political challenges remaining for implementation, including monitoring, financing, and the protection of indigenous rights.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies discusses the expectations and challenges surrounding the 16th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC in Cancun, Mexico, following the perceived disappointment of the 2009 Copenhagen summit.

This report argues that electric utilities must shift from a traditional model of managing uncontrollable demand with large 'baseload' plants to a new paradigm using a diversified portfolio of smaller, variable resources, including energy efficiency and renewables, to maintain reliability and cost-effectiveness.

This guide provides technical and institutional recommendations for using human urine as a liquid fertilizer in crop production. It details the nutrient composition of urine, application strategies to maximize yield and minimize ammonia loss, and a multi-barrier health risk management approach based on WHO guidelines. The document also offers a framework for developing local guidelines and presents case studies from Sweden, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

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 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 briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the Montreal Protocol's success in ozone recovery and its failure to address the climate impacts of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and their substitutes, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). It highlights the risk posed by existing ODS 'banks' and the rapid growth of HFC emissions, while discussing proposed legislative responses in the United States and internationally.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the employment potential of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors globally and within the United States. It compiles various studies and reports to argue that clean energy transitions can provide quality, long-term jobs and economic growth, contrasting these trends with the decline of traditional fossil fuel employment.

This report documents a seminar held by the Institute for Security Studies on September 19, 2009, regarding the unionisation and democratisation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The discussions focus on the tension between constitutional labour rights and military discipline, the adversarial relationship between the Department of Defence (DOD) and military unions, and the systemic grievances of soldiers leading to protests.

This report analyzes the legal risks host states face when international investment agreements (IIAs) allow investors to 'internationalize' contract disputes, engage in forum-shopping, or initiate multiple legal proceedings. It examines the impact of broadly-worded dispute resolution clauses, umbrella clauses, and fork-in-the-road clauses, providing a survey of IIA drafting trends and arbitral jurisprudence to recommend best practices for protecting state sovereignty.

A coalition of civil society organizations, including the Center for International Environmental Law and Earthjustice, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Trade Representative on July 31, 2009, regarding the review of the 2004 U.S. Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). The coalition argues that the model BIT fails to balance investor rights with public interest protections and grants foreign investors greater substantive rights than those afforded to U.S. citizens under domestic law.

This research paper examines the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and human well-being, using China as a primary case study. It analyzes how income per capita, energy production mixes, and geography correlate with CO2 emissions across 174 countries and 30 Chinese provinces, arguing that current high-consumption lifestyles in rich countries are incompatible with low-emission stabilization targets.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) in climate change mitigation. It analyzes the potential for carbon sequestration in developing countries, the technical and financial obstacles to including these sectors in international agreements, and the specific policy positions and regulatory frameworks of Canada.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the financial requirements and potential mechanisms for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. It analyzes investment gaps, reviews existing funding sources under the UNFCCC and other multilateral initiatives, and evaluates various proposals for new funding streams, including market-based levies and institutional reforms, to support a post-2012 global climate regime.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides an overview of the outcomes of the fourteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UNFCCC held in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008. It details the progress of the two main negotiating tracks—the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP)—as they move toward a comprehensive post-2012 climate agreement expected at COP 15 in Copenhagen.

This report by RMI argues that nuclear power is an uncompetitive and inefficient solution for climate change compared to decentralized alternatives. The authors contend that nuclear power suffers from escalating capital costs, high financial risk, and slow deployment speeds, making it unattractive to private investors. They suggest that 'micropower'—including wind, solar, and cogeneration—along with end-use efficiency, provides a more cost-effective, reliable, and secure path to reducing carbon emissions.

This document is an abstract for a volume based on the 3rd roundtable of the Asia-Europe Environment Forum, held in Stockholm in August 2004. It outlines the strategic importance of renewable energy cooperation between Europe and Asia to address energy security, economic competitiveness, and climate change, focusing particularly on the electric power sector and the transition of technologies from research and development to large-scale commercialisation.

This research paper examines South Africa's domestication of the Rome Statute through the Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act 27 of 2002 (ICC Act). It analyzes how the Act enables the national prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, the establishment of the Priority Crimes Litigation Unit, and the legal mechanisms for cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the job creation potential and economic impacts of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors across the United States and internationally. It compares the employment capacity of green industries against fossil fuel and nuclear sectors and highlights the role of specific policy instruments, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and tax credits, in driving workforce growth.