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2,826 documents from Stockholm Environment Institute
Floods in Northern England
The report examines flood resilience in the River Derwent catchment, Cumbria, using a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. It analyzes how different communities—from hill farms to post-industrial towns—mobilize human, social, financial, physical, and place-based resources. Key findings highlight the role of 'Communities of Resilience Practice' (CoRP), the importance of 'broker' individuals in linking communities to power, and the tension between structural defenses and long-term risk management. The study proposes a set of qualitative indicators to measure community resilience over time.
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Document type: Case study
The Societal Role of Charcoal Production in Climate Change Adaptation of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya
The text presents a case study from Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) to illustrate that charcoal production, when managed correctly, can enhance the adaptive capacity of local communities and address energy access challenges. It argues that climate change adaptation requires transforming the underlying processes that create vulnerability rather than simply implementing isolated projects.
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Document type: Case study
From Lima to Paris and Beyond: Options for ex ante assessment of intended nationally determined contributions under the UNFCCC
The document discusses the necessity and design of an ex ante assessment process for INDCs to ensure alignment with international objectives and build trust among UNFCCC Parties, highlighting three key decision points for COP 20 in Lima.
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Document type: Briefing
Fair Shares and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions: What can we learn from an equity review?
The brief advocates for the systematic review of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) to ensure global mitigation efforts are fair and sufficient to keep warming below 2°C, arguing that such assessments can provide clear results even when using a broad range of fairness perspectives.
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Document type: Policy brief
Adaptation decision-making in the Nordic countries: assessing the potential for joint action
The paper examines the feasibility of a regional adaptation strategy for the Nordic countries, noting that while the region possesses strong institutional and economic capacity for resilience, the need for adaptation remains substantial.
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Document type: Research paper
NATIONAL FAIR SHARES THE MITIGATION GAP - DOMESTIC ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
The report utilizes the Climate Equity Reference Calculator to determine national 'fair shares' of global mitigation efforts based on the UNFCCC principles of responsibility and capacity. It argues that for wealthy, high-emitting countries, fair shares often exceed domestic mitigation potential, necessitating the provision of international support. Conversely, for poorer countries, domestic potential exceeds their fair share, requiring international support to unlock further reductions. The analysis uses three ambition pathways (Strong 2°C, Weak 2°C, and G8) and an 'equity band' (Low, Medium, and High settings) to assess national contributions, concluding that current pledges, such as the EU's 40% target, are generally inconsistent with 2°C goals unless supplemented by significant international support.
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Document type: Report
The 10YFP Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education
The 10YFP Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education is a global initiative resulting from Rio+20, co-led by Japan, Sweden (via SEI), and WWF. It defines sustainable lifestyles as choices that "minimize environmental degradation" while supporting equitable development. The programme focuses on three main pillars: educating for sustainable lifestyles across formal and informal settings, developing and replicating low-carbon lifestyle scenarios, and promoting innovative and traditional models of sustainable living. Key objectives include building a common framework for understanding sustainable lifestyles, integrating these principles across society, and empowering individuals—particularly youth—through education and awareness. The programme is supported by a Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee (MAC) and seeks to provide recommendations for policies, infrastructures, and business strategies that enable sustainable living, with a specific emphasis on urban spaces.
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Document type: Fact sheet
CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
The paper examines the relationship between climate change and disaster risk, arguing that while adaptation and DRR serve distinct purposes, they share a core goal of reducing vulnerability. It highlights how climate change drives disaster risk through extreme weather and how poor development practices can exacerbate this risk. The authors advocate for a risk-based approach and transformative change that addresses the underlying social and economic drivers of vulnerability, rather than focusing solely on event-based response.
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Document type: Research paper
Shifting to a green economy: Lock-in, path dependence, and policy options
The research paper examines the economic barriers to a green transition, specifically 'carbon lock-in' where existing high-emission infrastructure reinforces itself. Using a post-Keynesian 'brown-green capital' model, the author argues that a transition cannot be achieved through carbon pricing alone but requires sustained public investment and a dynamic policy mix. The paper finds that the macroeconomic impact of green investment depends on whether an economy is 'wage-led' or 'profit-led', and that investor uncertainty often leads to underinvestment in green capital even as it becomes more productive.
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Document type: Research paper
Metabolic Urbanism and Environmental Justice: The Water Conundrum in Bangalore, India
The authors use domestic household water consumption in Bangalore to argue that urban hydrology is essentially 'social hydrology,' where the unequal distribution of piped water infrastructure acts as the primary driver of groundwater patterns, outweighing biophysical factors.
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Document type: Research paper
A global and regional perspective of rainwater harvesting in sub-Saharan Africa's rainfed farming systems
The article examines the drivers of rainwater harvesting technology (RWHT) uptake in semi-arid and sub-humid sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that household-scale analysis must be combined with an understanding of global and regional processes. Through a systematic literature review, the authors identify four key processes of influence: shifting ideologies in food production, agricultural science and technology investment levels, the role of emergent actors in development assistance, and farmer mobility patterns.
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Document type: Research paper
Procedural vulnerability: Understanding environmental change in a remote Indigenous community
The research identifies a 'procedural vulnerability' in climate change studies where Indigenous perceptions of environmental change, rooted in 'Dreaming', are marginalised by Western scientific discourses of risk. The author argues that adaptation efforts in remote Indigenous Australian communities risk failure if they ignore cosmologically embedded risks, assume universal vulnerability based on ecosystem reliance, or fail to recognise colonisation as an ongoing disaster. Such failures may lead to policies that move people away from colonial-defined risks but into risks defined by the Indigenous communities themselves.
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Document type: Research paper
Adapting to Climate Change in Cities
The text outlines research from the International Climate Adaptation Futures Conference focusing on urban risk and adaptation planning. It examines case studies from diverse locations, including Tunis, Toronto, the Dutch province of Groningen, and various Australian municipalities, to explore the interactions between climate mitigation and adaptation.
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Document type: Report
Building resilience to natural hazards in Indonesia: progress and challenges in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action
The study assesses Indonesia's implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005–2015, finding that while regulatory frameworks and non-government participation have driven progress, resilience is hindered by local government capacity gaps and a lack of mainstreaming into development agendas. Future challenges include urban risk governance and the integration of disaster risk reduction with climate change adaptation.
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Document type: Research paper
Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Indonesia: institutional challenges and opportunities for integration
The paper proposes a conceptual framework for integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in Indonesia, arguing for institutional re-orientation, stronger local support to address vulnerability, and the utilization of non-governmental organisations for community-based initiatives.
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Document type: Research paper
SÄÄSTVA ARENGU FOORUM 2014: MEREMAJANDUS TUNDLIKUS LÄÄNEMERE KESKKONNAS
The document outlines the 'blue growth' strategy of the European Commission and its application to Estonia, focusing on sectors such as international shipping, fisheries, renewable energy, aquaculture, tourism, minerals, and biotechnology. It highlights the tension between economic expansion—such as the growth in cruise tourism and offshore wind potential—and the ecological vulnerability of the Baltic Sea, which faces pressures from pollution, overfishing, and habitat loss. The briefing emphasizes the necessity of maritime spatial planning to balance these competing interests by 2020-2021.
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Document type: Briefing
Governing the transition away from fossil fuels: The role of international institutions
The paper examines the fragmented nature of global energy governance, mapping institutions like OPEC, IEA, and the World Bank. It argues that while most international bodies provide weak or indirect incentives to limit fossil fuel extraction, the UNFCCC and WTO offer multilateral platforms to implement supply-side policies, such as extraction-based accounting, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and mechanisms for net avoided emissions.
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Document type: Research paper
Advancing Climate Ambition: How City-Scale Actions Can Contribute to Global Climate Goals
The document assesses how city-level interventions in sectors like urban planning and public transport can significantly lower global GHG emissions. It finds that urban actions could reduce emissions by 3.7 Gt CO2e by 2030 and 8.0 Gt CO2e by 2050, primarily through residential building energy efficiency and a shift to efficient public transport. The authors suggest these actions could increase the ambition of national climate pledges, provided there is sufficient national policy support and new financing.
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Document type: Research paper
Explaining and Overcoming Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation
The document identifies a gap in climate change adaptation research, noting that while barriers are frequently reported, there is a lack of conflicting evidence and explanations for why these barriers persist and evolve. It argues for a shift toward actor-centred and comparative research to better understand the interdependencies and dynamics of these barriers to facilitate their removal.
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Document type: Research paper
Policy Pathways towards Achieving a Zero Carbon Transport Sector in the UK in 2050
The paper evaluates pathways to decarbonise the UK transport sector by 2050, finding that while road and rail can reach zero CO2 emissions, aviation and shipping remain significant barriers.
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Document type: Research paper