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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) analyzes the state of negotiations regarding Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) leading up to the 2009 COP 15 in Copenhagen. It examines the technical and political challenges surrounding the scope of REDD, financing mechanisms, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems, and institutional governance, providing guidance for developing countries to navigate these negotiations.

This report by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) provides preliminary estimates of global energy subsidies by source for 2007, detailing the assumptions and calculations used for nuclear energy, renewable energy, biofuels, fossil fuels, and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

This case study examines the governance and progress of the European Union's efforts to phase out fossil fuel subsidies by 2020, specifically focusing on the mandatory removal of hard coal mining subsidies by 2018 and the broader goals for oil, gas, and coal.

This case study examines market access barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh across four key export industries: leather and leather goods, knitwear, pharmaceuticals, and shrimp processing, specifically focusing on trade with the European Union (EU). While the EU's 'Everything But Arms' (EBA) policy has removed most tariffs and quotas, the study finds that non-tariff barriers (NTBs)—particularly technical regulations, standards, and certification requirements—remain significant obstacles to trade expansion.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the limited effectiveness of the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlighting allegations of logistical support for rebels and the role of neighboring countries in sustaining conflict through illegal trade and arms supply.

This research paper examines how arms transfers to Libyan rebels by France and Qatar undermine the United Nations arms embargo and violate end-user certificate agreements, highlighting the lack of international monitoring and enforcement in arms control systems.

This practical guide, published by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and coordinated by the Groupe de recherche et d’information sur la paix et la sécurité (GRIP), provides detailed procedures for African states to ratify and implement the Treaty of Pelindaba. The treaty establishes the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (ANWFZ) to prevent the development, production, testing, acquisition, or stationing of nuclear weapons on the continent while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

This guide, published by the Institute for Security Studies in March 2011, outlines the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba). It details the treaty's objectives to ensure Africa remains free of nuclear weapons, the legal procedures for state ratification and accession, the roles of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), and the status of protocols involving non-African nuclear-weapon states.

This research paper examines the rise of transnational organised crime (TCOs) as a global security threat, analyzing how globalisation and the erosion of state authority have facilitated the growth of criminal networks. It explores the relationship between TCOs and various state types—particularly weak and transitional states—and provides a typology of state roles in facilitating or combating illicit activities. The document details the operational characteristics of TCOs, including their use of ethnic networks and risk management strategies, and assesses the specific threats they pose to national security, financial systems, and human rights.

This report by Natural Justice and Kalpavriksh analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks affecting Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ conserved territories and areas (ICCAs). It identifies systemic threats to these areas, including a lack of legal recognition for customary land rights and the imposition of exclusionary conservation models. While noting positive developments in international law and specific national initiatives, the report argues that state institutions often continue to undermine ICCAs through discriminatory legislation and inaccessible judicial systems. It provides comprehensive recommendations for governments and international bodies to recognize the self-determination of Indigenous peoples and support the integrity of ICCAs through both legal reform and non-legal support mechanisms.

This briefing by Natural Justice analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks affecting Territories and Areas of Conservation by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (TICCAs). It examines the gap between international human rights standards and national implementation, highlighting how fragmented laws and a lack of recognition for customary land rights undermine the ability of Indigenous and local communities to maintain the ecological integrity of their territories.

This report analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks for protecting traditional knowledge (TK) in Mozambique, focusing on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and traditional medicine. It identifies a significant gap between high-level policy commitments and functional regulatory frameworks, noting that while Mozambique has ratified international agreements like the Nagoya Protocol, it lacks specific, operational laws to prevent the misappropriation of TK. The document highlights ongoing efforts to revise the 2007 Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) regulation and the potential for using geographical indications and academic partnerships to safeguard community knowledge.

This document is a rebuttal by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to an article and subsequent response by Charles C. Mann in The Atlantic. Lovins argues that Mann ignores the role of efficiency and technological innovation in reducing oil demand and misrepresents the reliability and economic viability of renewable energy, specifically in Germany.

This 2006 report examines the prospects for aerospace co-operation among India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA). It identifies South Africa's role as a 'second-tier' supplier and highlights the government's Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) to integrate the sector into global supply chains. While identifying potential for collaboration in regional aircraft, strategic defence systems, and small satellites, the report notes significant hurdles, including corruption allegations involving Denel and the Indian government, and the challenge of balancing South-South co-operation with existing partnerships with 'first-tier' Northern contractors.

This report by the SELCO Foundation examines the technical requirements and solar power system designs for mechanical ventilators in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on addressing ventilator shortages and power instability in India.

This executive summary, based on a 2009 report prepared for the Swedish Government Offices, outlines an integrated approach for the European Union to combine climate change mitigation and energy security with economic competitiveness. It advocates for an 'eco-efficient economy' through resource efficiency, the development of new technology markets, and the establishment of stable global carbon prices.

This 2020 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes Green Public Procurement (GPP) in Estonia and Europe. It defines GPP as a subset of sustainable procurement focusing on life-cycle environmental impacts. Finding that GPP represented only 3% of Estonian procurements in 2018, the report provides legal analysis, comparisons with countries like Austria, Bulgaria, and Spain, and detailed technical GPP criteria for products such as sanitary faucets, toilets, and urinals to encourage wider adoption.

This executive summary, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the Combat Climate Change (3C) initiative, examines how resource scarcity in biomass, metals, and water could hinder the transition to a low-carbon economy. It evaluates various scenarios for resource availability and proposes strategies—including technological innovation, policy shifts, and efficiency improvements—to ensure the viability of green technologies.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines Concentrating Solar Thermal power (CST) as a large-scale, zero-carbon alternative to coal-fired power generation. It highlights the role of thermal storage in providing baseload power and discusses the policy and economic barriers—such as high upfront capital costs and the need for carbon pricing—that must be addressed to accelerate global deployment, particularly in rapidly developing economies.