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2,369 documents from International Institute for Sustainable Development
Budgeting for Net Zero: Powering India's reliable clean energy future
This report assesses the cost competitiveness and economic impact of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE)—combining solar, wind, and storage—as an alternative to coal-based power in India through 2050.
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Document type: Report
Nepal’s Textiles and Clothing Exports
This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the current state of Nepal's textiles and clothing exports, focusing on the garment and hand-knotted woollen carpet subsectors. It examines the structural constraints hindering competitiveness, the drivers that have allowed these industries to survive, and the potential risks associated with Nepal's upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. The authors argue for a shift in industrial policy away from ad-valorem subsidies toward market intelligence, inter-agency coordination, and productivity improvements.
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Document type: Research paper
Digital Dividends or Dependency? Industrial policy in the age of digital economies
This research paper by Kitrhona Cerri and Maria Mexi examines the evolution of industrial policy in the digital age, using Kenya as a primary case study. The authors argue that while digitalization offers growth opportunities, it risks creating a new form of structural dependency for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) if they provide the 'informational raw materials'—data and labour—without controlling the underlying digital infrastructure and governance.
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Document type: Research paper
System Instructions for Document Classification and Metadata Extraction
This research paper by Steven Haig of the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production in Canada will increase domestic and global emissions, hinder the transition to renewable energy, and divert public funds from climate solutions.
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Document type: Research paper
Unexpected Consequences of Investment Treaties in Times of War
This research paper examines how outdated bilateral investment treaties (BITs), specifically the 1989 Belgium-Luxembourg (BLEU)–USSR treaty, are being used by Russian actors to challenge the European Union's financial support for Ukraine. It highlights the risk of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) claims against Belgium, which hosts Euroclear where immobilized Russian Central Bank assets are held, and argues that such treaties create a 'regulatory chill' that undermines collective security responses to aggression.
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Document type: Research paper
Coal Transition Impacts and the Approach to Inclusive Just Transition Policies in Indonesia
This report analyzes the economic, social, and gendered impacts of coal mine closures in five Indonesian provinces, proposing a just transition framework that combines quantitative modeling with qualitative community research to support vulnerable groups and diversify local economies.
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Document type: Report
Toward a More Responsible Critical Minerals Supply Chain Supporting Indonesia’s Energy Transition
This policy brief examines the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks associated with Indonesia's nickel industry, which is critical to the global energy transition. While Indonesia has seen significant economic growth and export value increases through its downstreaming strategy and export bans, the sector faces challenges including high carbon intensity, workplace fatalities, and rising agrarian disputes. The document maps Indonesian regulations against international standards, identifies policy gaps in human rights and transparency, and provides recommendations to strengthen safeguards and governance.
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Document type: Policy brief
Indonesia’s Next Cooking Transition
This executive summary analyzes the transition from subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to non-fossil cooking solutions in Indonesia. It identifies induction cooking as the most viable alternative for on-grid households due to its cost-effectiveness compared to unsubsidized LPG and its alignment with decarbonization goals. The document argues that reforming regressive LPG subsidies can create the fiscal space necessary to fund the capital investments required for induction adoption, while emphasizing the need for electricity tariff reform and the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) to ensure an equitable transition.
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Document type: Executive summary
Reform options for the EU public procurement directive
This report analyzes the shortcomings of the current European Union public procurement directive in enabling green public procurement (GPP) and proposes a roadmap of reforms to align public spending with climate, circularity, and competitiveness goals.
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Document type: Report
A Natural Fit
The report 'A Natural Fit' addresses the increased land footprint of renewable energy compared to fossil fuels. It recommends the use of dual-land-use systems and the siting of energy infrastructure on degraded or marginal lands to avoid competition with food production and biodiversity conservation, while leveraging low-cost energy to support sustainable agriculture.
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Document type: Report
Stocktake of Sustainability Standards and Initiatives for Minerals and Metals
A report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) that maps over 100 sustainability standards and initiatives (SSIs) in the minerals and metals value chains to determine how they interact with public regulations and environmental governance.
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Document type: Report
A Sustainable Asset Valuation Assessment of Nature-Based Solutions in the Dechatu River Catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by the SUNCASA initiative in the Dechatu River catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. The assessment evaluates the economic, environmental, and social performance of interventions such as afforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting, finding that these measures provide significant returns in flood risk reduction, carbon sequestration, and job creation.
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Document type: Report
Clean Cooking Means Moving Beyond Fossil Fuels—G20 countries must lead the way
This research paper analyzes clean cooking policies across G20 countries, arguing that the current reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies is financially unsustainable, often fails to reach the poorest populations, and contradicts net-zero goals. The authors advocate for redirecting these subsidies toward electric cooking and renewable energy alternatives to achieve universal access by 2030.
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Document type: Research paper
Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies
This report explores the use of ethnographic research to enhance the inclusivity and participatory nature of South Africa's just energy transition, specifically within the coal-dependent communities of Mpumalanga.
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Document type: Report
Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Explained: 10 questions you’ve always wanted to ask
This guide from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explains the nature of fossil fuel subsidies, the challenges of reforming them, and the benefits of transitioning to targeted social protection and clean energy. It highlights the role of the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS) in fostering international cooperation and transparency to make these reforms politically and socially viable.
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Document type: Guide
Combatting Greenwashing
A case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Centre for Responsible Business examining India's 2024 Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims and their role in promoting corporate accountability and global competitiveness.
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Document type: Case study
Non-Metallic Mining
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development provides a framework for taxing non-metallic minerals, emphasizing that policies should be tailored to the economics of specific minerals rather than focusing solely on revenue maximization. It suggests unit-based royalties for low-revenue minerals and cautions against the use of tax incentives, while noting that non-metallic mineral production exceeds USD 217 billion annually across 66 countries.
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Document type: Report
Mapping India's State-Level Energy Transition
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development maps energy support and revenues in Chhattisgarh, India, from fiscal years (FY) 2020 to 2024. It analyzes the distribution of subsidies and public sector investments across fossil fuels and clean energy, highlighting a significant imbalance where fossil fuel subsidies are four times higher than those for clean energy.
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Document type: Report
Submission to the OECD Public Consultation on Possible Positive Contributions of Investment Agreements to Achieving Climate and Environmental Goals
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submitted a contribution to the OECD's public consultation on aligning investment agreements with climate and environmental goals, proposing reforms to investor transparency, responsible business conduct, and the removal of barriers to green investment.
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Document type: Briefing
Canada’s 2025 Budget: Piecemeal Progress on Climate
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates Canada's 2025 federal budget, noting a contradiction between investments in clean energy and critical minerals and the continued subsidization of the oil and gas sector.
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Document type: Statement