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The report evaluates the Makeni Project, a 400 million EUR sugarcane bioethanol investment by Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone (ABSL). While the project has introduced infrastructure, formal wage labour, and high-productivity rice cultivation through its Farmer Development Programme, it has also created challenges including labour scarcity during growing seasons, price inflation, and increased competition for water and food. The study concludes that while FDI can provide significant capital and technology, it cannot replace the public sector, and the transformative potential of such investments is diminished without supporting government investment and strong governance.

The study finds that approximately 75% of Joint Implementation (JI) offsets likely did not represent additional emission reductions, potentially increasing global GHG emissions by 600 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The analysis highlights systemic failures in additionality testing, the prevalence of retroactive crediting, and the lack of international oversight in Track 1 projects, particularly in countries with significant Assigned Amount Unit (AAU) surpluses like Russia and Ukraine.

The Makeni Project has provided significant infrastructure, employment, and agricultural training in Sierra Leone, but its transformative potential is limited by poor government oversight and risks to local resource access.

The study utilizes integrated basin-scale models to analyze the water-energy-climate nexus in Sacramento, California. It finds that hot dry years, characterized by a 4C temperature increase and 25% precipitation decrease, would lead to a more than 35% increase in regional electricity imports due to constrained local power production.

The study establishes ozone flux-based dose-response relationships for five European tree species and two plant functional types, finding that while simplified parameterisation is often sufficient for non-Mediterranean species, climate region-specific parameterisation frequently performs better. It concludes that soil water stress did not significantly reduce phytotoxic ozone doses due to the short duration of stress periods.

The document analyzes six models to determine how Mexico can meet its GHG emission reduction targets of 30% by 2020 (vs business-as-usual) and 50% by 2050 (vs 2000). While current energy and emission trends contradict these goals, the models suggest that targets are achievable through electricity decarbonization and transport sector improvements, though costs could reach 15% of GDP by 2050.

The SEI Initiative on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change, launched in January 2015, aims to analyze the factors influencing fossil fuel development and influence policies to align development with sustainable goals. The initiative argues that climate strategies must address both the demand and supply sides of fossil fuels, as infrastructure and institutions can lock in long-term dependency.

The authors argue for an integrated approach to resilience that bridges the gap between psychosocial traditions (focused on the family) and social-ecological approaches (focused on macro-systems). Using a combination of Antonovsky’s sense of coherence scale and narrative inquiry in the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh after the 2009 Cyclone Aila, the study finds that human resilience is a holistic and dynamic process driven by complex interactions between gender, education, livelihood, and social-ecological contexts.

The report evaluates SNV's interventions in four countries, finding that a systemic approach combining user understanding, market linkages, and enabling environments is key to scaling clean cooking solutions. It proposes a revised theory of change emphasizing a trajectory from lower-tier to advanced technologies to achieve health and climate goals.

The study examines how climate variability affects freshwater fish fry production in 15 government hatcheries in Northern Thailand, identifying key constraints and proposing resilience strategies.

The document examines social learning as a method for addressing complex climate change adaptation challenges through cycles of knowledge sharing and joint action among diverse stakeholders. It identifies three cross-cutting themes for practitioners: the necessity of a shared vision of how change occurs, the critical role of skilled facilitation where practitioners act as participants, and the importance of addressing social differences to prevent the co-option of less powerful actors in decision-making.

The paper presents TAGMI, an online open-access tool using Bayesian network models to assess the likelihood of success for agricultural water management (AWM) interventions at a sub-national level. By integrating social, human, physical, financial, and natural factors, the tool evaluates the potential for outscaling three specific technologies—soil water conservation/in situ rainwater harvesting, small-scale private irrigation, and small reservoirs for communal irrigation—within the Limpopo and Volta river basins. The authors use a climate change scenario to test the robustness of these interventions and argue for the further development of Decision Support Systems and the identification of implementation best practices for poverty-constrained smallholder systems.

The article analyzes how quantitative computer models, specifically the LEAP model, facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers and policy developers during a full cycle of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for a national energy plan. It argues that using such models for both ex ante and ex post scenario modelling enhances the systematic exchange of knowledge and builds the capacity of the actors involved.

The project, led by Stockholmshem and Sustainable Innovation with research by the Stockholm Environment Institute, focused on behavioral changes and technical energy efficiency. While technical investments reduced heat consumption by 14% across the district (and 32% in specific upgraded buildings), behavioral goals for household electricity reduction were not fully met. The project found that residents were more engaged by 'lustful' activities they could control, such as urban gardening and climate-smart cooking, than by technical energy-saving measures. Key successes included the establishment of the HOPP! transition initiative, a local sustainability ambassador network, and a 'carrot mob' that successfully pressured local grocers to expand their organic product ranges.

The report examines the challenges and successes of implementing Western sustainability and development agendas within Vietnam's highly centralized party-state. It analyzes how historical legacies, including Chinese influence and the impact of the US war, shape current governance and social dynamics. Through various case studies—including hydropower strategic environmental assessments, poverty reduction programs like Chia Sẻ, and research on Agent Orange—the author demonstrates that while the Vietnamese state is open to experimental pilot projects, it remains resistant to reforms that challenge its monopoly on power or its paternalistic view of ethnic minorities. The document concludes that long-term engagement and an understanding of local cultural contexts are essential for effective policy advice in Vietnam.

The study identifies that while Kibera households are acutely aware of the health risks associated with charcoal and kerosene, several behavioural and structural barriers prevent the adoption of cleaner alternatives. Key findings highlight a lack of awareness regarding high-efficiency stoves, price misperceptions due to daily fuel purchasing habits, and the significant role of aspirational thinking and personality traits like risk-taking in technology uptake. The researchers also demonstrate that 'cultural probes' (disposable cameras) are effective tools for eliciting sensitive socio-cultural data in slum environments.

The paper examines the interactions between EU energy security and climate mitigation policies, finding general coherence in several subfields but noting that some interactions require further attention. It argues that future coherence depends on whether the energy security agenda is framed as nationally fragmented or as a coordinated European effort.

The document examines the role of culture—defined as religious and traditional beliefs, values, social structures, and livelihood choices—within disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation. It identifies two primary arguments in existing literature: that risk is socially and culturally constructed, and that culture is the root of all behaviors. The text argues that while culture is a crucial determinant of risk, more evidence is needed to justify its integration into risk reduction paradigms, specifically regarding how culture influences the perception of hazards, the assignment of responsibility, and the prioritization of risks against daily needs.

The document examines the challenges of governing climate change with fixed rules given the evolving nature of scientific insights and socio-economic conditions. It evaluates the UNFCCC's current flexibility mechanisms, critiques proposals for a more pluralist approach to law, and seeks a balance between flexibility and the need for predictability and stability.

The authors argue that the UNFCCC is no longer the only site of global climate governance and propose a research agenda to examine how it interacts with other governance arrangements. They specifically identify 'division-of-labor linkages' and 'catalytic linkages' as two types of interaction within the global climate governance landscape that warrant further study.