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3,753 documents from International Institute for Sustainable Development
Locked In and Losing Out: British Columbia’s fossil fuel subsidies
The report identifies that British Columbia provides hundreds of millions of dollars in annual fossil fuel subsidies through tax exemptions, royalty reductions, and direct spending, which contradicts its CleanBC climate policy. It highlights a significant amount of foregone revenue, including billions in outstanding royalty credits and specific long-term supports for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, and recommends a transparent self-review and phase-out plan.
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Document type: Report
Alignment to Advance Climate-Resilient Development | Country Case Study: Sri Lanka
The case study highlights Sri Lanka's progress in linking sustainable development, climate change, and disaster risk reduction, noting that alignment is facilitated when a single ministry, the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, leads the processes. It identifies the iterative updates of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) as key opportunities for further alignment and suggests that integrating monitoring and evaluation systems can create significant efficiencies.
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Document type: Case study
Alignment to Advance Climate-Resilient Development | Country Case Study: Colombia
The document highlights Colombia's progress in aligning its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) strategy. It notes that these policy processes reference one another to provide coherent adaptation messaging and suggests further alignment through improved information-sharing tools, sub-national capacity building, and enhanced monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems.
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Document type: Case study
Alignment to Advance Climate-Resilient Development | Country Case Study: Kenya
The Government of Kenya has aligned its climate and development efforts by integrating the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2015–2030 and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) into the National Climate Change Action Plan 2018–2022 (NCCAP). While alignment is achieved through identifying synergies in policy documents, the study identifies needs for better coordination, financing strategies, and monitoring systems.
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Document type: Case study
Energy Transition in Support of the Low-Carbon Development Initiative in Indonesia: Transport sector
The policy brief argues that Indonesia must implement a robust pricing mechanism to prevent a return to expensive fuel subsidies, which contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It recommends pricing models such as smoothing, ratcheting, or price caps and floors to reduce price fluctuations while phasing out subsidies for polluting fuels. The brief suggests redirecting subsidy savings toward low-emission infrastructure, including public transport and electric vehicle charging stations, and improving biofuel governance. It notes that while 2015 reforms saved over USD 15 billion, subsidies have persisted and pricing has remained stagnant despite rising international oil prices.
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Document type: Policy brief
Energy Transition in Support of the Low-Carbon Development Initiative in Indonesia
The report examines Indonesia's transport fuel subsidy regime, noting that while 2015 reforms initially saved over USD 15 billion, subsidies re-emerged as the government fixed prices despite rising international oil costs. This underpricing, particularly of 'Premium' gasoline, resulted in an estimated IDR 54.5 trillion in foregone revenue for Pertamina between 2014 and 2019. The author argues that subsidizing low-quality, high-sulphur fuels exacerbates urban air pollution and health costs, citing a 2010 study where air pollution-related treatment costs in Jakarta reached IDR 38.5 trillion. The document also analyzes the life-cycle emissions of biodiesel and electric vehicles, noting that EVs powered by Indonesia's coal-heavy grid may increase global warming potential compared to internal combustion engines. To resolve these issues, the report proposes three pricing models—smoothing, ratcheting, and cap-and-floor—to minimize price volatility while ensuring fiscal sustainability.
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Document type: Report
Floating Treatment Wetlands and Plant Bioremediation: Nutrient treatment in eutrophic freshwater lakes
The report evaluates floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) as a nature-based solution for eutrophication in shallow lakes. Through primary research at the IISD-Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) and a case study of Pelican Lake, Manitoba, the study demonstrates that FTWs—particularly those using cattails—effectively sequester phosphorus and nitrogen. While plant biomass contributes to nutrient removal, the report emphasizes that the microbial biofilm on roots provides up to 80% of the total treatment. For Pelican Lake, the study estimates that 5% surface coverage could reduce total phosphorus levels by 10% to 50%, though FTWs must be combined with watershed-level strategies to meet provincial water quality standards.
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Document type: Case study
NEW TECH, NEW DEAL
The report examines the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution' in mining, identifying key technologies such as AI, automation, and IoT that improve productivity and safety but threaten low-skilled jobs. It highlights the disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities and men, and suggests policy responses including STEM-focused skills development, revised local content requirements, and new fiscal arrangements between governments and mining firms.
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Document type: Report
Global Economic Governance Through the Lens of Inequality and Sustainable Development
The report details a workshop on global economic governance and its impact on income inequality. It examines four key areas: market access, where duty-free, quota-free (DFQF) access for least developed countries (LDCs) is often undermined by domestic subsidies in rich nations; e-commerce, where data localization and source code bans are debated to protect policy space; industrial policy, which faces a trend of shrinking policy space due to WTO and regional trade agreement restrictions; and competition policy, which struggles with the market power of tech giants and a lack of international coordination. The workshop concludes that these areas are deeply interlinked and require a systemic approach to governance to support sustainable development and reduce inequality.
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Document type: Report
Burning Problems, Inspiring Solutions: Sharing lessons on action against tobacco and fossil fuels
The report advocates for treating fossil fuels as the root cause of air pollution and climate change, drawing parallels to tobacco control. It recommends identifying the health impacts of combustion, implementing regulatory measures such as subsidy reform and taxation, and establishing just transition plans for those dependent on the fossil fuel industry.
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Document type: Report
Getting to 23 Per Cent: Strategies to scale up renewables in Indonesia
The report assesses Indonesia's progress toward its goal of a 23 per cent renewable energy share in the national energy mix, noting that the country is currently off pace. It highlights that total renewable installed capacity was 9.4 GW at the end of 2018, failing to meet the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' target of 15.5 GW for the second quarter of 2018. The document proposes solutions including increasing solar and biomass power, reducing coal reliance, and reforming energy pricing to align with Paris Agreement commitments and electrification goals.
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Document type: Report
Partners in Climate Action: How Beardy's and Okemasis' Cree Nation is addressing flood-related risks through knowledge sharing and collaboration
Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation used the Pathways to Climate Change Resilience Guidebook to identify climate risks and prioritize adaptation actions following repeat flooding in 2005, 2007, and 2011. The process integrated Traditional Knowledge to engage community members and leveraged a network of partners to secure funding for infrastructure improvements, such as expanded drainage ditches and culverts, and drinking water quality research.
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Document type: Case study
Tackling Coal-Driven Air Pollution in China and India: Lessons learned for Indonesia
The report highlights that China, India, and Indonesia all face increased air pollution due to fossil fuel combustion driven by economic growth. It notes that India has decreased fossil fuel subsidies while increasing renewable support, and China has implemented policies to help renewables achieve grid price parity. The document suggests that Indonesia should phase out fossil fuel subsidies and redirect those savings toward energy efficiency and renewables to achieve greenhouse gas reductions and meet NDC targets.
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Document type: Report
Mining Project Rehabilitation and Closure Guidelines: Papua New Guinea
The guidelines emphasize that mine closure and reclamation should be planned from the early stages of a project to maximize beneficial outcomes, as opportunities for sustainable post-mining land use decrease over time. The document provides direction on the evolution of Rehabilitation and Mine Closure (RMC) Plans, financial assurance provisions, closure criteria, and community engagement in Papua New Guinea, aligning with APEC and ICMM standards.
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Document type: Guide
Redesigning the Energy Charter Treaty to Advance the Low-Carbon Transition
The document proposes overhauling the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) to ensure it supports rather than hinders the low-carbon transition. It suggests three building blocks for a revised ECT: encouraging low-carbon energy investments, discouraging carbon-intensive energy investments, and ensuring a just transition to low-carbon economies and societies.
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Document type: Briefing
ASEAN Guidelines and Action Plan on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry: Workshop on Operationalizing the Action Plan
The report details a workshop held in July 2019 to discuss the implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines for Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry, which were adopted in October 2018 to promote sustainability-driven investments in the region.
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Document type: Report
Agricultural Bias in Focus
The document defines anti-agricultural bias as a condition where policies and market failures disadvantage farmers relative to other economic sectors. It details four primary economic indicators for measuring this bias: the Nominal Rate of Protection, the Nominal Rate of Assistance, the Relative Rate of Assistance, and the Effective Rate of Protection. The report argues that while historical bias was driven by explicit taxes on agriculture and subsidies for industry, contemporary bias in non-transformed economies often stems from market failures, such as poor infrastructure and unbalanced market power. Through case studies of 12 countries, the report demonstrates that bias is often heterogeneous across different crops; for example, rice often benefits from protection via regional tariffs, while cash crops like tea or cashew nuts are frequently taxed. Specific country analyses reveal that in nations like Ethiopia and Zambia, high anti-agricultural bias is driven by low output prices and export bans, despite the presence of agricultural import tariffs.
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Document type: Report
AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY
The document defines agricultural transformation as the process of an agri-food system moving from being "subsistence-oriented and farm-centred" to one that is "more commercialized, productive and off-farm-centred." It outlines a comprehensive taxonomy of terms across several categories, including agricultural credit, knowledge systems, markets, and subsidies. It also defines broader macroeconomic and governance terms such as monetary policy, inflation, exchange rates, and human capital, as well as specific rural infrastructure needs like irrigation and electrification. The glossary emphasizes that inclusive transformation is characterized by "poverty reduction, increased food security, and improvements in gender equality and women’s empowerment."
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Document type: Fact sheet
A Policy Taxonomy for Agricultural Transformation
The briefing introduces a policy taxonomy for agricultural transformation that categorizes interventions based on their target: agricultural markets, the rural economy, the macroeconomy, or institutions. It emphasizes the concept of 'anti-agricultural bias'—where policies favor other sectors like industry over agriculture—and argues that removing this bias is a critical precondition for successful agricultural transformation, citing Brazil and Vietnam as positive examples and Ethiopia, Malawi, Togo, and Uganda as countries where such bias persists.
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Document type: Briefing
Mining Project Rehabilitation and Closure Guidelines
The guidelines establish a framework for the lifecycle of mining project rehabilitation and closure in Papua New Guinea, emphasizing early planning, stakeholder engagement, and the provision of financial assurance. It details the evolution of Rehabilitation and Mine Closure (RMC) Plans from the feasibility phase through to post-closure monitoring, outlining the requirements for physical and chemical stability and socioeconomic transition. The document specifies the contents of RMC Plans and the calculation and management of financial assurance to ensure that the state has sufficient funds to rehabilitate sites in the event of abandonment.
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Document type: Guide