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This report evaluates the costs and benefits of Spain's biofuel policies, focusing on industry support, employment, emission abatement, and the role of biofuels in meeting EU renewable energy targets.

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.

This report by Meister Consultants Group, Inc. (MCG) for the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines public-private collaborations (PPCs) designed to build climate and disaster resilience in developing countries. Through an analysis of nine case studies, the report identifies how formal and informal partnerships between governments, businesses, and civil society can overcome market barriers to deliver adaptation and disaster risk management solutions.

The National Chairman's Annual Statement of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), delivered on 27 March 2013, analyzes South Africa's strategic position within a multipolar world. It discusses the role of the BRICS forum, the necessity of strengthening ties with other African regional powers, and the impact of domestic instability and military casualties in the Central African Republic on South Africa's global prestige and soft power.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the challenges of mobilising and managing climate finance for developing countries. It emphasizes the need for a coordinated international architecture, the strengthening of national public finance management systems, and the creation of stable frameworks to attract private sector investment, which is expected to provide the bulk of necessary funding.

This document is a Question and Answer (Q&A) briefing for an Invitation to Tender (ITT) regarding CDKN project AAGL-0036. It clarifies the geographical scope, budget constraints, and deliverable requirements for potential bidders.

This document presents nine case studies of public-private collaborations (PPCs) designed to enhance resilience through disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. The projects span various sectors, including transport, agriculture, water, housing, and energy, across multiple countries in Asia, Africa, and Central America.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network describes nine case studies of public-private collaborations (PPCs) in developing countries designed to build resilience against climate change and natural disasters. It outlines success factors for these partnerships, emphasizing local engagement, scalability, the strengthening of micro-enterprises, and the use of innovative technology and value-chain partnerships to overcome traditional market barriers.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute outlines lessons from the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform for Asia (AKP) regarding the gaps between climate research and practical adaptation. It highlights systemic failures in knowledge dissemination, the scarcity of sub-national and sector-specific data, and the critical need to integrate local traditional knowledge and multi-language materials to support decision-makers and practitioners across Asia.

This briefing analyzes the divergent methods used to quantify the GHG emissions impact of new fossil fuel infrastructure. It contrasts the 'literalist' view (full combustion emissions), the 'fatalist' view (zero net impact due to displacement), and the 'economist' view (increased consumption due to lower prices). The authors conclude that a net-zero impact is highly unlikely due to market responses and systemic 'lock-in' effects.

This report analyzes the use of registration and approval requirements in investment treaties to limit their scope of application. It examines how these requirements function in practice, their interpretation by arbitral tribunals, and provides recommendations for States to ensure such clauses are legally effective and transparent.

This research paper examines the potential for services trade liberalization, specifically in financial and logistics sectors, to enhance food security within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The authors argue that while liberalization alone may not solve rural financial exclusion or infrastructure gaps, integrating food security objectives into services sector reform could provide a strategic rationale for deepening regional integration.

This policy brief discusses the development of Safeguard Information Systems (SIS) for REDD+, emphasizing that these systems can be built upon existing national and international architectures rather than requiring entirely new mechanisms.

This document is an address by Aaron Cosbey of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) delivered to the 49th Session of UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board on September 25, 2012. Cosbey argues that the outcomes of the Rio+20 conference are insufficient for guiding states through the trade tensions arising from the transition to a green economy. He highlights the conflict between the use of green industrial policies—such as subsidies and local content requirements—and their impact on the multilateral trading system, particularly for developing countries. Cosbey calls for a non-legal, non-negotiating framework, potentially led by UNCTAD, to determine the propriety and effectiveness of these measures before they escalate into formal trade disputes.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the effectiveness of investment incentives in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). It argues that fiscal incentives cannot compensate for a weak investment climate and recommends a transition from automatic tax holidays toward targeted, performance-based incentives and transparent tax administration.

This research paper analyzes the compatibility of the Australian Government's Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. It examines the bill's proposals to ban illegally logged timber imports and domestic processing, while requiring due diligence from importers and processors. The authors conclude that the legislation is likely WTO-compatible provided it is implemented non-discriminatorily and does not afford protection to domestic products.

This research paper examines the politicization of rice in Southeast Asia and argues that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should strengthen existing information-sharing and reserve mechanisms to improve regional food security and market stability, rather than attempting full trade liberalization.

This report details the outcomes of an expert meeting and field visit held in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2012. The event was part of the 'Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers' project, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins. The meeting focused on two primary determinants for the success of REDD+: the development of Safeguard Information Systems (SIS) and the fostering of effective private sector engagement.

This report summarizes a high-level discussion titled "The Missing Piece? Climate Change Mitigation and the Benefits of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform," held as an official side event of the UNFCCC COP 17 on December 7, 2011, in Durban, South Africa. The event focused on the scale of fossil fuel subsidies compared to climate finance and the necessity of reforming these subsidies to enable green growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This 2012 report summarizes a task force meeting in Durban, South Africa, aimed at identifying lessons learned for REDD+ policy capacity in developing countries. The discussions prioritized three 'pillars'—Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), safeguards, and financing—as the primary areas for research and policy development. The report emphasizes the need for country-driven processes, effective communication with local communities, and the integration of national experiences (such as those from Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia) to inform international negotiations and national implementation.