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The expansion of sugarcane plants in Mato Grosso do Sul between 2005 and 2012 led to significant local economic growth, including a 30% average increase in municipal GDP over three years. The study finds that this growth was accompanied by a shift in land use from pasture to sugarcane, increased productivity in other crops like soy and corn, a reduction in deforestation by an average of 6.3 thousand hectares, and substantial growth in local employment and financial services.

The paper finds that agricultural expansion in Matopiba is concentrated in the Cerrado biome, driven by technological innovations in soil management and soy varieties. This expansion led to significant increases in GDP per capita, particularly through direct agricultural growth and indirect spillovers into the services sector. While it improved access to durable consumer goods and electricity, it had no significant impact on migration or human capital investments.

The Energy Efficiency Enabling Initiative is proposed as a private equity fund to address the funding gap in energy efficiency, particularly in emerging economies. By utilizing donor-backed concessional equity in a first-loss position and providing technical assistance, the fund aims to crowd in private institutional investors. A pilot fund of USD 100 million in countries such as Mexico and Colombia is estimated to generate 200-225 GWh of annual savings and abate 20-100 kt of CO2 per year. The initiative's structure relies on three pillars: a one-stop-shop fund with public finance equity, a guaranteed-risking facility for high-risk projects, and a technical assistance package for energy service providers and SMEs.

The report evaluates the role of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) in the current climate finance environment, arguing that its programmatic approach, risk appetite, and partnership with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) provide unique value. It highlights the CIF's success in deploying concessional finance and attracting private investment, while recommending that the fund remain operational to bridge investment gaps as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) scales up. The study suggests strengthening the CIF's unique characteristics and pursuing complementary synergies with the GCF to support the implementation of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The policy brief argues for the immediate integration of Rural Credit and the Forest Code in Brazil to incentivize environmental preservation. It proposes that producers without environmental liabilities, or those in the process of regularization via the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), should receive expanded credit limits. This approach is presented as a more effective alternative to the government's 2018 plan, which only required registration in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR). The authors highlight that such a policy requires no additional Treasury funds and aligns with international models like the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

The report finds that the CIF provides a unique, programmatic approach to climate finance that differs from the project-by-project model of the GCF. It has been the largest source of external concessional finance for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), particularly in high-risk technologies like geothermal and concentrated solar power. The authors recommend keeping the CIF operational to maintain momentum and bridge investment gaps, suggesting it work complementarily with the GCF.

The document examines the US YieldCo model, which raised $23 billion by mid-2015 but saw valuations crash due to aggressive growth targets that introduced market-correlated risks. It argues that by prioritizing sponsor objectives—such as recycling capital and monetizing undeveloped pipelines—these vehicles sacrificed the low-risk, bond-like characteristics of renewable assets. The authors propose a 'Clean Energy Investment Trust' (CEIT) consisting of a closed set of assets with no growth expectations, which they argue would better align with the needs of institutional investors and lower the overall cost of renewable energy deployment.

This research paper examines the relationship between property rights and the implementation of Brazil's 2012 Forest Code, analyzing how land ownership structures and administrative institutions influence landowner behavior and environmental outcomes.

The document provides a visual guide for the environmental regularization of small rural properties (≤ 4 fiscal modules), detailing the requirements for Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), Legal Reserves, and Restricted Use Areas. It specifies the paths for properties with consolidated areas prior to July 22, 2008, and May 28, 2012, including the use of the Environmental Rural Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA).

The document outlines the procedural steps for rural properties larger than four fiscal modules to achieve environmental compliance. It details the requirements for Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserves (RL), distinguishing between preserved areas and consolidated areas used before July 22, 2008. The process involves the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), with specific recovery options such as natural regeneration, planting native species, or compensation through Environmental Reserve Quotes (CRA).

The document outlines the regulatory steps for rural properties in Bahia to achieve environmental compliance, focusing on the registration in the CEFIR system and the management of Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserves (RL). It details the requirements for vegetation recovery, the use of Environmental Recovery Plans (PRA and PRAD), and options for compensating legal reserve deficits through Environmental Reserve Quotes (CRA) or environmental easements.

The document outlines the procedural steps and criteria for rural properties ≤ 4 fiscal modules in Bahia to regularize their environmental status. It details the roles of the CEFIR registry and the environmental agency in analyzing the Term of Commitment, Environmental Recovery Plans (PRA), and Degraded Area Recovery Plans (PRAD). The flowchart specifies different requirements based on whether Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserves were consolidated before specific dates (July 22, 2008, and May 28, 2012), and defines recovery methods such as natural regeneration or planting native species. It also establishes specific limits for consolidated APPs based on property size: up to 10% for properties ≤ 2 fiscal modules and up to 20% for those between 2 and 4 fiscal modules.

The document outlines the regulatory pathways for small rural properties (≤ 4 fiscal modules) to achieve compliance with the Forest Code. It details the conditions under which Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Forest Reserves are considered preserved or consolidated, and the subsequent requirements for restoration, such as the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) and the Forest Recovery Plan (PRADA). For properties ≤ 4 fiscal modules, APP restoration is subject to flexible requirements, with the area not exceeding 10% of the property for those ≤ 2 fiscal modules and 20% for those between 2 and 4 fiscal modules.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the relationship between regulation and capital availability for renewable energy expansion in Germany, focusing on how policy frameworks influence the investor mix and cost-efficiency of the energy transition.

The report identifies off-taker risk, primarily driven by the poor financial state of public sector electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs), as a major barrier to foreign investment in India's renewable energy sector. It suggests that existing payment security mechanisms are inadequate and lack transparency. Using a new framework based on credit and financial guarantees, the author estimates that a mechanism for a 750MW solar project should be INR 4160 million, which is nearly three times the size of the existing mechanism for JNNSM Phase 2, Batch 1. The document recommends a more transparent framework to demonstrate risk coverage and long-term structural reforms for DISCOMs.

The paper argues that off-taker risk—specifically the risk of delayed payments from state-level public sector electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs)—deters foreign investment in India's renewable energy sector. While the Indian government has implemented payment security mechanisms (PSMs) under the Jawaharlal National Solar Mission (JNNSM), the authors contend these lack transparency and are inadequate in size. To address this, the authors develop a framework based on credit and financial guarantees, utilizing probability of default (PD), exposure at default (EAD), and recovery after default (RAD). Applying this framework to the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for JNNSM Phase 2, Batch 1, the authors estimate a required PSM size of INR 4160 million (INR 5.55 million/MW), which is more than 2.5 times the size of the existing INR 170 crore facility. The document concludes that transparent, adequately sized PSMs are essential to mobilize foreign capital and efficiently use public funds.

The report finds that Germany has sufficient capital to meet its renewable energy targets, with an annual investment potential of €25-€35 billion, which is 60-170% more than required. However, achieving these goals at the lowest cost requires a diverse mix of investors, including small-scale end users and institutional investors. The analysis highlights that current energy market designs could lead to over 1,000 hours of negative electricity prices per year by 2030, and that aggressive economic curtailment policies could increase onshore wind bid prices by 17% by 2020. To mitigate these risks, the report recommends 'take-or-pay' arrangements or proportional curtailment. Additionally, it warns that complex incentive auction designs may exclude smaller investors, who provided over 25% of equity investment in 2015, potentially increasing long-term energy costs by limiting competition and site diversity.

The report analyzes the investment potential for renewable energy in Germany, concluding that sufficient capital exists to meet government targets provided an appropriate regulatory framework is in place. It emphasizes that a diverse mix of investors—including households, cooperatives, and institutional investors—is essential for cost-efficiency. The analysis highlights that current energy market designs may lead to an increase in negative electricity prices by 2030, which could raise bid prices for onshore wind by 17% if flexibility mechanisms are not introduced. The report recommends predictable auction rounds, de minimis rules for small investors, and inflation-indexed subsidies to lower costs and maintain a broad investor base.

The report finds that Germany has sufficient capital to meet its renewable energy targets, with an annual investment potential of €25-€35 billion, which is 60-170% more than required. However, achieving these goals cost-effectively requires a diverse mix of investors, including utilities, developers, financial institutions, and end users. The analysis highlights that while short-term finance and long-term debt are plentiful, long-term equity is spread unevenly across technologies. Key policy risks identified include the complexity of incentive auctions, which may exclude small investors, and the threat of economic curtailment due to negative electricity prices, which could increase onshore wind bid prices by 17% by 2020. The report argues that a coherent energy market design is the most critical long-term factor for maintaining investment and reducing costs.

The document evaluates the Joint Resolution SMA/SAA No. 1/2016, which regulates the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) in São Paulo. While it praises the move toward electronic processes and clear rules for those adhering to the PRA, it warns that the resolution may have exceeded its regulatory power by establishing penalties—such as the loss of land-use rights for consolidated areas—not explicitly provided for in federal or state law. It also highlights gaps in the regulation of Legal Reserve compensation, particularly for the Cerrado biome, and the lack of complementary norms necessary for full implementation.