Topic: Sustainability / Content Type: Policy Brief

1. The Rise of “Watt’s Law” and Why Power Could Put a Ceiling on American Innovation

Author:: Maryam Cope
Publication Date:: 02-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: A foundational advantage of the U.S. digital economy is weakening. For decades, Moore’s Law and Dennard scaling delivered steady improvements in computing performance while keeping energy costs manageable and underpinning productivity growth, industrial competitiveness, and national security capabilities. AI workloads upend these assumptions. Modern AI systems depend on massive parallelism, continuous data movement, and sustained operation across large clusters, making energy utilization and availability more important than peak chip performance. This shift defines the emergence of “Watt’s Law.” Under Watt’s Law, AI capability scales with available power growth multiplied by system-wide innovation driven by full-stack optimization across hardware, software, networking, and operations. This can be measured by growth in tokens per joule of energy. Power is now the significant binding constraint on AI progress. National competitive advantage increasingly depends on who can most efficiently convert electricity into sustained, real-world AI output, rather than who builds the smallest transistors. The implications are strategic. Failure to adapt to a power-constrained scaling regime risks forfeiting a key source of productivity growth and long-term advantage in AI-enabled economic and national security capabilities. It also has implications for U.S. partnerships with energy-rich allies.
Topic:: Science and Technology, Cybersecurity, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: North America and United States of America

2. China’s Solar Industry Is in Upheaval—The Effects Will Be Global

Author:: Michael Davidson and Sandy Qian
Publication Date:: 03-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Over the past few years, China’s solar industry has entered a period of intense upheaval. Price wars and margin compression have forced industry leaders—including Jinko Solar, Trina Solar, and JA Solar—to report significant losses. These firms, along with LONGi Green Energy and Tongwei—the industry’s top five—slashed their workforce by over 30 percent in 2024. The market is facing industry consolidation and exits not seen in over a decade, as over 40 smaller firms have filed for bankruptcy, been acquired, or exited the market. Chinese regulators are accelerating this process, which will have ripple effects across global solar markets. Several critical questions arise: Does this phase erode China’s leadership in solar, or entrench it further? Is it a window for others to close the gap, or a prelude to deeper market displacement? And when the current wave of capacity consolidation settles, what will the next global competitive order look like? The answer is already emerging. Rather than opening space for rivals to catch up, the current shocks are forging a more resilient Chinese solar core. By embedding deeper into global value chains and securing a technological lead, China is effectively reshaping the industry’s future trajectory to its own long-term advantage.
Topic:: Sustainability, Industry, Solar Power, and Energy
Political Geography:: China and Asia

3. Energy Infrastructure and the Defense Industrial Base

Author:: Joseph Majkut, Alexander Palmer, and Raj Sawhney
Publication Date:: 03-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Can the energy infrastructure serving the U.S. defense industrial base sustain production under mobilization? This paper focuses on three scenarios for mobilization consistent with baseline production, defense buildup, and peer war. Using embodied energy methods, the research team estimates that war production rates would require 17.4 petajoules (PJ) of energy annually, a relatively small amount nationally, but one that would need to be concentrated at facilities in already stressed grid regions. Facilities for the defense-critical production of steel, aluminum, titanium, and semiconductors are clustered in regions already facing eroding reserve margins and surging data center demands. Natural gas deliverability constraints compound these risks, as key facilities depend on gas both as direct fuel and as the primary source of regional electricity generation. This paper recommends extending defense-critical electric infrastructure designations to industrial nodes, creating dedicated permitting and finance pathways to facilitate energy production, and integrating energy resilience into supply chain risk assessments.
Topic:: Climate Change, Energy Policy, Infrastructure, Geopolitics, Sustainability, and Defense Industry
Political Geography:: Global Focus

4. Defragmenting European Union climate policy

Author:: Michael Pahle, Darius Sultani, and Georg Zachmann
Publication Date:: 02-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: There is broad agreement that the European Union’s post-2030 climate policy architecture – the framework of rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – needs to be simpler and more flexible, with market actors less constrained in how they mitigate emissions. However, simplification should not compromise the EU’s climate goals and changing the architecture is politically contentious. Ringfencing of established climate compliance mechanisms and any delay in containing the emissions of lagging sectors could result in even more fragmentation in an already-fragmented climate-policy architecture. The cost of maintaining this fragmentation will rise, making the system even more inefficient. Higher costs and limited control over emissions in some sectors will undermine the EU’s ability to credibly signal commitment to its climate target, undermining the confidence of investors and international partners. To avoid these risks, simplicity and flexibility must mean the application of a carbon price across all parts of the EU climate architecture, with prices converging gradually. This can be achieved by linking the different systems through exchange rates that guide convergence towards a common carbon price, with the EU emissions trading system as the central hub. Climate policy is most efficient when emissions reductions take place where they deliver the greatest climate benefit at lowest cost. Today’s fragmented climate architecture prevents the efficient allocation of abatement resources, such as clean energy. Firms increasingly have incentives – arbitrage opportunities – to shift mitigation activities between differently priced compliance systems, raising overall costs. As more sectors and international links are added to the EU’s climate architecture, these distortions will grow, requiring ever more intrusive and politicised regulation. Managed convergence of different climate policies should become a core design principle of the EU’s climate policy architecture. By predictably phasing out fragmentation, overly pervasive regulation and complexity can be avoided.
Topic:: Climate Change, Industrial Policy, European Union, Sustainability, Decarbonization, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe

5. Risks for Europe of US dominance of global asset management

Author:: Dirk Schoenmaker
Publication Date:: 04-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: Asset managers work on behalf of asset owners, such as pension funds and insurance companies, allocating their holdings of household or other savings. In Europe, the market share of United States asset managers is rising, while that of their European counterparts is declining. US asset managers may even be about to overtake European asset managers in Europe. However, there are differences between US and European asset managers, and these could play out in the context of the European Union’s savings and investment union plan. On environmental, social and governance (ESG) engagement, European asset managers remain active, while their US counterparts increasingly vote against social and environmental resolutions. This is counterproductive for Europe’s sustainable finance agenda. To preserve the efficiency and efficacy of the EU asset management market, three steps should be taken: 1) strengthen stewardship policies, 2) create a central supervisor and 3) enhance strategic autonomy. Stewardship policies should be tightened and asset managers should highlight how their ESG policies aligns with those of the asset owners for which they work. A major element of this tightening would be the requirement to publish a detailed record of voting on shareholder resolutions. Strong supervision by the European Securities and Markets Authority should ensure that US asset managers are appropriately supervised across the EU. Asset managers apply a hub-and-spoke model, operating from Dublin and Luxembourg. National supervisors cannot effectively oversee the Europe-wide operations, which may create blind spots. A successful savings and investment union needs strong European players to allocate European savings to European investments. The European Commission should act to counter a home bias towards US investments. When hiring asset managers, pension funds and insurers should evaluate not only the lowest cost in the short term, but also financial and ESG performance in the long term.
Topic:: Climate Change, Finance, Investment, Sustainability, Capital, and Banking
Political Geography:: Europe, North America, and United States of America

6. Green finance or financing green? Bridging the EU’s sustainable-finance and capital-market architectures

Author:: Rebecca Christie
Publication Date:: 06-2026
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: The European Union has not done a good job of integrating its green goals with its overall approach to finance. Sustainability disclosure and capital markets policy are too separate, even though they both operate in the same global environment. Projects that help the climate transition need money, meaning they need optimal market conditions as well as environmental credentials. Connecting market and green-finance policies would help. At their best, sustainable finance disclosures are used by companies for self-assessment, peer comparison and aligning business models with the needs of the green transition. This, in turn, can lead to innovation, jobs and growth, and more care for the natural environment. At their worst, these disclosures become compliance burdens, demanding tremendous resources to produce data that is little used. EU efforts to simplify sustainable finance rules have not reduced complexity or reconciled the EU’s departures from global sustainable finance standards. To make its sustainable finance policy more fit for purpose, the EU should prioritise the solving of technical challenges; look beyond green bonds to equities, venture capital and other asset classes; use guarantees and subsidies sparingly to incentivise investment and market tools such as securitisation; reduce the role of the EU taxonomy and simplify data collection; and pare back the role of so-called double materiality so that EU rules can be more compatible with global standards, such as those developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board.
Topic:: Finance, Investment, Sustainability, Banking, Green Deal, and Capital Markets
Political Geography:: Europe

7. Allocating international loss and damage finance through national climate funds: prospects for African LDCs

Author:: Mariya Aleksandrova, Washington Onyango Kanyangi, Assouhan Jonas Atchadé, Joanes Atela, and Charles Tonui
Publication Date:: 01-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:: The new loss and damage funding framework under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) emphasises the importance of channelling support through national systems and mechanisms. This approach could prove particularly challenging for African least developed ountries (LDCs), which have been prioritised for support. These countries remain confronted with major challenges to access and utilise international climate finance, especially through direct access. National climate funds (NCFs) can have a potential role in delivering international loss and damage finance to African LDCs that is in line with their national priorities. NCFs can be defined as entities mandated to finance the implementation of national climate strategies and to manage and/or coordinate domestic and international sources of climate finance. NCFs can enhance the institutional capacities of countries by supporting the development of loss and damage strategies, facilitating access to international funding, aligning resource allocation with local priorities, and ensuring the effective tracking of loss and damage finance. This Policy Brief explores the role of NCFs in the evolving global loss and damage finance architecture with a focus on African LDCs. We examine the design features of five NCFs against criteria for assessing their relevance to support measures that address loss and damage. The studied NCFs are: the Benin National Fund for Environment and Climate, Ethiopia’s Climate-Resilient Green Economy Facility, Burkina Faso’s Intervention Fund for the Environment, the Mali Climate Fund and the Rwanda Green Climate Fund. Key policy messages • Despite that only a limited number of African LDCs have established NCFs, these demonstrate their potential to channel loss and damage funding, especially for environmental rehabilitation and climate-resilient recovery efforts. Particular strengths relate to their role in priority sectors for climate change adaptation and in relation to biodiversity loss, drought, land degradation and desertification. • Existing NCFs in African LDCs have inadequate mandates and capacities to manage the complex funding needed for loss and damage. An emerging issue is their presently limited role in linking climate and disaster risk finance. • The NCFs of African LDCs can be instrumental to promote coherence and complementarity with other funding sources at the national level. Countries must establish comprehensive legislative, policy and regulatory frameworks to define the institutional roles of NCFs in loss and damage response, supported by international funding to strengthen their institutional capacities.
Topic:: Climate Change, Development, Climate Finance, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Africa

8. Not yet Trump-proof: an evaluation of the European Commission’s emerging policy platform

Author:: Heather Grabbe and Jeromin Zettelmeyer
Publication Date:: 01-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: The economic strategy being defined by the 2024-2029 European Commission seems to follow the prescriptions on innovation and single market reform, and the expansive approach to industrial policy, set out by Mario Draghi in his September 2024 report on European Union competitiveness, with two important differences. First, the Commission stops short of calling for World Trade Organisation-prohibited subsidies – this is welcome. Second, the Commission proposes a new state aid framework for national industrial policy rather than expansion of EU-level public investment funding. This runs the risk of weakening the single market and harming competition, with the unintended consequence of protecting incumbents and inhibiting structural change. In terms of specific policies, on defence, the Commission is right to face up to the challenge of defining an EU procurement mechanism that offers sufficient speed and cost advantages to justify large-scale funding. On economic security and international partnerships, the Commission is right to take a broader approach than a foreign economic policy focused only on supply chains. What is lacking is a much greater commitment to providing support for climate mitigation in developing countries. The second Trump presidency creates risks for the Commission strategy. President Trump has gone further than expected in threatening territorial expansion and with the speed, aggression and disregard for the rule of law with which he has started to implement his policies. These factors will complicate the EU-United States relationship. The best defence against both Trump and the competitive and security threats posed by China is to accelerate policies that address the EU’s structural weaknesses: raising productivity growth, defence capacity and economic security. Economic security, in turn, requires more resilient trade relationships, less financial dependence on the US and an improved standing with emerging market and developing economies. The EU should also seize the opportunity offered by the shift in US policy from subsidies to deregulation. While the EU should not race Trump to the bottom on environmental or financial deregulation, it should rapidly improve its own regulatory framework while building on its core strengths: human capital and the rule of law. Unlike tariff wars or discriminatory subsidies, a competition to provide a good business environment is not a zero-sum game.
Topic:: Security, Economics, Industrial Policy, Budget, European Union, Digital Economy, Trade Policy, Donald Trump, Sustainability, European Commission, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe and United States of America

9. How to improve the European Union’s sustainable finance framework

Author:: Silvia Merler
Publication Date:: 02-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: The European Union has sought to steer corporate behaviour to support its climate goals by adopting a large body of rules on sustainable investment, sustainability disclosures and sustainability labelling of financial products, underpinned by a taxonomy of activities considered sustainable. It is unclear, however, if this effort has had significant results. Examination of financial market data and metrics of investment flows towards green and sustainable investment shows up several weaknesses – both contingent and structural – in the EU sustainable finance framework, which could limit its effectiveness in aligning capital flows with climate objectives. The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) is aimed at making the sustainability content of financial products more transparent but rests on a concept of ‘sustainable investment’ that is too broad and loosely defined. Meanwhile, the EU Taxonomy Regulation has not yet become established as the reference framework for corporate bond issuance or sustainable investing. The EU also lacks a coherent framework for transition finance – or investment that is not yet classified as sustainable but that represents progress to greater sustainability – despite this being the market segment to which the largest volumes of investment will need to flow in the short to medium run. Five adjustments would make the EU sustainable finance framework more effective at delivering the desired alignment of incentives. First, the taxonomy framework should be completed and clarified. Second, the SFDR definition of sustainable investment should be toughened. Third, the neutrality of the framework across capital market instruments, in particular debt versus equity, should be ensured. Fourth, a dedicated framework for transition finance should be developed. Finally, formal sustainable and transition labels for financial products should be introduced. This approach would make the sustainable finance framework more easily applicable to all kind of companies and all types of capital market instruments, regardless of whether they limit the use of proceeds, and it would be naturally extendable into a framework for transition finance and into a transparent sustainability labelling regime for financial products.
Topic:: Climate Change, European Union, Regulation, Finance, Macroeconomics, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

10. Building coalitions for climate transition and nature restoration

Author:: Jean Pisani-Ferry, Beatrice di Mauro, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer
Publication Date:: 07-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: Global climate and biodiversity outcomes will largely be determined in emerging and developing economies (EMDEs). We propose a four-pillar strategy to support climate and nature preservation in line with the economic interests of both developing and advanced countries. This would move beyond voluntary pledges to embed climate and nature objectives into the structures of trade, finance and industrial policy, creating a self-reinforcing system of cooperation and reducing the net costs of the green transition. Under Pillar 1, a coalition of advanced and developing countries would link tiered carbon pricing with a common carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). Pillar 2 would create a climate-finance coalition to decarbonise the power sectors of developing countries. Pillar 3 would involve partnerships to develop clean energy-intensive industrial production stages in developing economies with rich renewables endowments; these would feed into the supply chains of the European Union and other energy-importing advanced economies. Pillar 4 would redesign markets to create scalable and credible mechanisms to fund carbon removals. Technology-based removals can be incentivised through the introduction of clean-up certificates into the EU emissions trading system, while nature-based removals would require improved market design centred on a new asset class: nature shares. The four pillars reinforce each other. A multi-country CBAM and carbon pricing coalition (Pillar 1) would reduce the cost of financing power sector decarbonisation (Pillar 2). Linking EMDE membership of the CBAM and carbon-pricing coalition to financial support for the decarbonisation of power sectors would also make it more attractive for EMDEs to adopt carbon prices. Decarbonisation of power sectors (Pillar 2) would be a precondition for developing clean, highly energy-intensive industry in renewables-rich EMDEs (Pillar 3). The Pillar 1 coalition should include the EU, China and as many other countries as possible. Advanced countries and China could underpin the Pillar 2 financier coalition. Pillar 3 would involve the EU and potentially other energy-poor advanced countries, along with EMDEs that are richly endowed with renewables. Pillar 4 would include the main custodians of the planet’s natural capital. Enabling these coalitions will require EU leadership.
Topic:: Climate Change, Economics, Industrial Policy, Trade, Sustainability, Decarbonization, and Green Transition
Political Geography:: Europe

11. Rethinking Social Security from a Global Perspective: What Congress Can Learn from the Experiences of Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden

Author:: Romina Boccia and Ivane Nachkebia
Publication Date:: 06-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Social Security is projected to reach technical insolvency by 2033, threatening retirees with automatic 23 percent benefit cuts as the program will be unable to pay full benefits on time. The program’s looming trust-fund insolvency creates a legislative forcing mechanism and thus presents an opportunity to reimagine how Social Security could work. Policymakers should consider fundamentally rethinking the program’s structure and transform it into a system that ensures seniors are protected from poverty when they can no longer work, while also freeing up resources for younger workers to save more on their own. With Social Security running large and rising cash-flow deficits since 2010, and given a political desire to protect most current retirees from being affected by benefit reductions, Congress should act now to stabilize the system—not procrastinate any longer, which only ensures that inevitable changes will be more drastic and economically harmful. The longer Congress waits, the more people will be locked into the current unsustainable system, and the higher the burden will be on younger generations to finance it.
Topic:: Poverty, Reform, Fiscal Policy, Social Security, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Canada, Germany, Sweden, and New Zealand

12. Strengthening EU Participatory Governance: Lessons Learnt from the Platform on Sustainable Finance

Author:: Sebastian Emde
Publication Date:: 10-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:: The European Commission’s participatory governance framework plays a crucial role in shaping EU policies, as exemplified by the Platform on Sustainable Finance (PSF). However, the PSF’s first two mandates revealed deficiencies in terms of transparency, balance, fairness, and accountability, limiting the body’s capacity to enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of policymaking. As the PSF’s second mandate ended in March 2025, this policy brief discusses several lessons that can be learnt from this experience. It recommends structural reforms to strengthen both the legitimacy and quality of EU sustainable finance policymaking and to enhance participatory governance in the EU more broadly.
Topic:: Governance, European Union, Finance, Transparency, Sustainability, and European Commission
Political Geography:: Europe

13. Harnessing AI for ASEAN’s Future: Governance, Adoption, and Sustainability under the DEFA

Author:: Hilmy Prilliadi
Publication Date:: 05-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
Abstract:: Artificial intelligence (AI) presents transformative opportunities for ASEAN, as its market is projected to reach US$30.30 billion by 2030. AI adoption is expected to contribute 10%–18% of ASEAN’s gross domestic product, benefiting key sectors such as manufacturing, health care, and energy. However, AI integration also highlights challenges, including governance gaps, disparities in AI readiness amongst ASEAN Member States, data governance issues, and sustainability concerns. While ASEAN has made progress through initiatives like developing the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, policy fragmentation and uneven AI adoption across ASEAN Member States underscore barriers to inclusive growth. The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) provides an opportunity to align AI governance in ASEAN with global standards, ensuring a regulatory framework that balances innovation with accountability. This brief highlights AI’s role in ASEAN’s digital economy and proposes policy recommendations to strengthen AI governance; enhance the population’s digital skills; support AI adoption amongst micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; promote culturally diverse datasets; and advance sustainable AI infrastructure. By fostering regional cooperation and embedding AI-related commitments into the DEFA, ASEAN can harness AI’s potential while actively mitigating its risks.
Topic:: Science and Technology, Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, and ASEAN
Political Geography:: Asia

14. A Burden or a Boost? Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence in European Agriculture

Author:: Marjoleine Hennis
Publication Date:: 06-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:: The next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) cycle is being discussed amid geopolitical and global trade tensions, and a shift in focus (by the European Commission) to the competitiveness of the European Union (EU). The discussions are taking place in parallel with the introduction of certain sustainability measures of the Green Deal. These measures, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), are often presented as contrasting with competitiveness, or as an additional administrative burden. Instead, this policy brief highlights the potential benefits of the sustainability measures for European agriculture. It argues that, if applied astutely, the measures could boost the EU’s competitiveness and food security, whilst easing regulatory burdens, and reinforcing the position of farmers in agri-food chains.
Topic:: Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Sustainability, and Green Deal
Political Geography:: Europe

15. Budgets Allocated to Disasters and Risk Reduction by Metropolitan Municipalities Before and After February 6 Earthquake

Author:: Kamu Harcamalarını İzleme Platformu (KAHİP)
Publication Date:: 04-2025
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: Disasters such as earthquakes, floods and forest fires in recent years have brought disaster and disaster risk reduction issues to the agenda in Türkiye. This study aims to examine the budgets of 30 metropolitan municipalities and water-sewerage authorities in areas such as pre-disaster risk reduction and post-disaster response. In line with this objective, the performance programs of metropolitan municipalities and water-sewerage authorities for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 have been examined.
Topic:: Natural Disasters, Governance, Budget, Accountability, Urban, Transparency, Sustainability, and Earthquake
Political Geography:: Turkey and Middle East

16. Keys for sustaining Tanzania’s economic development

Author:: Oliver Morrissey and Maureen Were
Publication Date:: 03-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: Sustainable economic development hinges on the ability of firms and households to maintain growth and wellbeing. How have Tanzania’s firms and households performed in recent decades, and what policies can improve their resilience against future shocks?
Topic:: Economy, Economic Development, Sustainability, and Resilience
Political Geography:: Africa and Tanzania

17. On the Role of Local Government in Promoting Peace and Political-Environmental Sustainability

Author:: Kim Noach
Publication Date:: 01-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
Abstract:: The paper discusses the rising power of local government and its ability to independently create and/or advance foreign relations in order to promote peace and good neighborly relations. One of the prominent areas in which local government engages and cooperates with others today is the environmental and climate field, notably in light of the foot-dragging of nation-states around these issues. Given this reality, the paper examines whether relationships and cooperation on the environment might be built between local authorities when their respective nation-states maintain no relations or only cold ones, or are in ongoing conflict. The paper analyses three theoretical axes: 1) the rising political power of local authorities vis-à-vis their nation-states, and as significant actors in global diplomacy; 2) growing local involvement with environmental problems; and 3) the promotion of environmental peacebuilding. The paper analyses the feasibility of joining these axes, and gives relevant examples, focussing on the Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian space. The main argument arising from the analysis is that local government has the tools and the effective opportunity to advance environmental cooperation as a stimulus to making peace; and further, that processes of this sort are particularly important when there is no political horizon. While Israel and its region are indeed the focus of this paper’s examination of local government and its potential for building relationships, the general insights derived are applicable to other regions of conflict.
Topic:: Climate Change, Environment, Politics, Peace, Sustainability, and Local Government
Political Geography:: Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan

18. Three risks that must be addressed for new European Union fiscal rules to succeed

Author:: Lucio Pench
Publication Date:: 05-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: The debate on the reform of the European Union’s fiscal rules, the Stability and Growth Pact, has largely focused on their design. This nearly exclusive focus has distracted attention from the equally, if not more, important aspects of implementation. The reform, completed in April 2024, left implementation unaddressed, or at least open to very different potential outcomes. In particular, the reform failed to clarify the interplay between EU countries’ medium-term fiscal structural plans (MTFSPs), which embody the new focus on debt sustainability, and the excessive deficit procedure (EDP), which remains the main enforcement tool under the rules. The need for clarification is urgent as several countries are set to enter EDPs for breaching the SGP’s 3 percent of GDP deficit threshold at the same time as their first MTFSPs are endorsed in autumn 2024. There is a risk that the adjustment paths prescribed by EDPs may be at least temporarily less demanding than the debt-sustainability requirements of the MTFSPs would normally imply. Even if consistency between EDPs and MTFSPs is ensured from the start, inconsistencies may arise over time and be resolved in a way that further postpones the necessary adjustment. The main risk is that the 3 percent of GDP deficit might be perceived as the only target that matters for countries that enter EDPs in 2024, as repeated revisions of the MTFSPs undermine the cogency of the debt sustainability requirements. This scenario is likely to materialise if the countries are allowed to exit their EDPs upon bringing their deficits to or below 3 percent of GDP, while being still far from the necessary correction of the debt trajectory. It is important to shape countries’ expectations on the implementation of the upcoming EDPs in a way that is conducive to the immediate internalisation of the debt sustainability constraint implied by the new rules, rather than allowing it to be viewed as a distant objective. This change in expectations could be achieved by clarifying that, even if a country has been placed in an EDP only for breach of the deficit criterion, it should also satisfy the debt criterion for the procedure to be abrogated.
Topic:: Debt, Reform, European Union, Fiscal Policy, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

19. Greening Economies in Partner Countries: Priorities for International Cooperation

Author:: Tilman Altenburg, Anna Pegels, Annika Björkdahl, Clara Brandi, and Hanna Fuhrmann-Riebel
Publication Date:: 01-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:: While polluting industries are still flourishing, the green economy is on the rise. In low- and middle-income countries, the resulting opportunities are mostly underexplored. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)’s new strategy for “Sustainable economic development, training and employment” shifts gears towards a green and inclusive structural transformation, recognising that only a just transition approach with credible co-benefits for societies can gain societal acceptance (BMZ, 2023). It is now essential to provide evidence of how a greener economy can offer direct economic benefits to national economies and the majority of their citizens. Ongoing cooperation portfolios need to be adjusted to this new and timely orientation in the BMZ’s core strategy. We suggest focusing on the following six areas: Eco-social fiscal reform should be a priority area in at least 15 of the over 40 partner countries with whom Germany cooperates on “sustainable economic development”, systematically linking revenues from pricing pollutions to pro-poor spending. Development policy should promote inclusive green finance (IGF) through market-shaping policies, such as an enabling regulatory framework for the development of digital IGF services and customer protection in digital payment services. It should also build policymakers’ capacity in developing IGF policies and regulation. Support in the area of sustainable, circular con-sumption should focus on eco-design, and repair and reuse systems. It should build systems design capa-cities and behavioural knowledge, to integrate con-sumers in low-carbon and circular industry-consumer systems. This will need new collaborations with actors shaping systems of consumption and production, for instance with supermarkets or the regulators of eco-design guidelines. Germany should strategically support national hydro-gen strategies, including a just transition approach and prioritising green over other “colours” of hydrogen. This means strengthening industrial policy think tanks, technology and market assessment agencies, technology-related policy advice as well as skills development, and exploring distributive mechanisms to spread the gains and ensure societal acceptance. Sustainable urbanisation should be a more explicit priority, given its potential for job creation and enterprise development. This means supporting partners in integrating land-use, construction and mobility planning for compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods, and anti-cipating green jobs potential and skills required within cities. Lastly, Germany should support green industrial policy and enlarge policy space in trade rules by promoting the core institutions of industrial policy, for example, technology foresight agencies, coordinating platforms for industry upgrading, and policy think tanks, and working towards reforms of the trading system, such as rules to allow clearly defined green industrial subsidies, preferential market access for green goods and services from low-income countries, or technology transfer. It is evident for all areas that the challenges in low- and middle-income countries will differ from those in high-income countries. It is, therefore, imperative that successful programmes are co-developed with local partners. A just green transition that harvests benefits beyond a healthier environment and is supported by societies will then be achievable.
Topic:: Development, International Cooperation, Economy, Sustainability, and Green Economy
Political Geography:: Germany and Global Focus

20. Getting Special Drawing Rights Right: Opportunities for Re-channelling SDRs to Vulnerable Countries

Author:: Jürgen K. Zattler
Publication Date:: 01-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:: Many developing countries are still grappling with the consequences of the pandemic and the associated high debt burdens while facing huge financing needs, inter alia related to climate change. In response, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued $650 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). The G7 and G20 have committed to re-channelling SDR 100 billion of their allocation to developing countries (on-lending, recycling and re-channelling are used interchangeably in this policy brief). The question now is how to implement these commitments in a way that promotes the global transformation and at the same time supports debt sustainability. It is important to note that there are certain restrictions on the re-channelling of SDRs. Most importantly, the re-channelling must be consistent with the SDR’s status as an international reserve asset. There are different interpretations of these requirements. The IMF has encouraged the use of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) and the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) for re-channelling. It has also signalled general support for re-channelling SDRs to the multilateral development banks (MDBs). The European Central Bank (ECB) has taken a more restrictive stance. Does the re-channelling of SDRs through the above-mentioned IMF trusts (“the current on-lending option”) effectively support the global transformation? Measured against this objective, the current on-lending regime has two shortcomings. First, it does not sufficiently link foreign exchange support to deep structural transformation. Second, it does not allow funds to be leveraged in the private capital market. In this policy brief, we discuss a promising alternative: recycling SDRs for MDB hybrid capital (“the hybrid capital option”). This option can overcome the two drawbacks of the current system. At the same time, it has its own challenges. Moreover, both the current on-lending option and the hybrid capital option raise concerns about debt sustainability. If implemented in their current forms, they would risk exacerbating vulnerable countries’ debt problems. It would therefore be desirable to modify these options to better integrate debt implications. This could be done by using the on-lent SDRs primarily for programmes that are not “expenditure-based”, but rather help to improve the composition of expenditure and revenue in a socially equitable manner, for example the introduction of regulatory standards, feebates and carbon pricing, or the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies. Such an approach could have the added benefit of making previously sceptical member states more receptive to the hybrid capital proposal. The mid-term review of the RST, scheduled for May 2024, as well as the full review in 2025 provide good opportunities to further explore some of the issues raised in this policy brief. In addition, the brief identifies three ways in which interested shareholders of the IMF and MDBs could advance the debate on the hybrid capital option.
Topic:: Development, Sustainability, COVID-19, and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)
Political Geography:: Global Focus

21. From Carrots to Sticks, to Carrots Again? The EU’s Changing Sustainable Trade Agenda

Author:: Victor De Decker
Publication Date:: 02-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:: Although sustainability criteria include references to human, social and labour rights as well as broader environmental concerns, this policy brief will focus on measures related to carbon emission reduction in relation to the Paris Agreement. This policy brief consists of three parts. First, there will be an overview of how Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters have gained prominence in European Free Trade Agreements. The second part will be dedicated to the autonomous, unilateral EU initiatives the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Corporate Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). To conclude, there will be a brief analysis of how the EU is working within a multilateral setting on the issue of climate change. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a landmark framework renowned for its far-reaching vision encompassing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. These goals collectively constitute the “universal policy agenda,” aiming to address global challenges and foster inclusive economic growth. Notable among these goals is the promotion of sustainable international trade, identified as a pivotal policy instrument contributing to overarching SDGs. The 2030 Agenda positions international trade as “an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction” while actively contributing to the broader pursuit of sustainable development.
Topic:: Climate Change, Economics, European Union, Trade, Sustainability, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe

22. Urban Governance and Responsible Artificial Intelligence Interaction for Local Democracy

Author:: Itır Akdoğan
Publication Date:: 08-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This policy brief discusses how the interaction of responsible artificial intelligence (RAI) and urban governance can democratize cities while providing policy recommendations.
Topic:: Governance, Democracy, Artificial Intelligence, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Global Focus

23. The Journey of Data in Gender Equality: Examples from Turkey Demographic and Health Surveys

Author:: Iknur Yüksel-Kaptanoğlu
Publication Date:: 04-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This brief prepared within the scope of the Exploring Data for Gender Equal Cities project carried out with the support of the Consulate General of Sweden in Istanbul, presents the gender equality sensitivity progress in the journey of data from the research question to the advocacy stage.
Topic:: Governance, Inequality, Sustainability, and Gender
Political Geography:: Global Focus

24. New Approaches to Data Production for Monitoring and Mitigating Gender Inequality

Author:: Özge Aktaş Mazman
Publication Date:: 03-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This brief prepared within the scope of the Exploring Data for Gender Equal Cities project carried out with the support of the Consulate General of Sweden in Istanbul, presents new perspectives.
Topic:: Governance, Inequality, Sustainability, Data, and Gender
Political Geography:: Global Focus

25. Inclusive biodiversity conservation and the unsustainability of ‘sustainable use’

Author:: Ross Harvey
Publication Date:: 06-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Good Governance Africa (GGA)
Abstract:: The South African Government’s Reviewed National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (2024) continues to promote trophy hunting as a conservation tool. This policy briefing challenges this approach, arguing that trophy hunting, particularly of endangered species, should be removed from the national biodiversity strategy due to overstated economic benefits and high ecological costs. Instead, the briefing suggests exploring sustainable, non-consumptive alternatives to trophy hunting. Successful pilot programmes should be expanded, integrating local communities into ecotourism and conservation-enhancing agriculture. This strategy aims to join fragmented landscapes into larger, ecologically sustainable areas, providing sustainable livelihoods while conserving biodiversity. Moreover, the current focus on consumptive use, such as game ranching and trophy hunting, needs re-evaluation. This philosophy creates unrealistic revenue expectations and promotes fundamentally unsustainable practices. The briefing emphasises the need to prioritise ecological sustainability over consumptive use, aligning with the constitutional duty to protect the environment for future generations. These recommendations are based on the analysis that the economic value of trophy hunting is often inflated and that the opportunity costs are significant. Non-consumptive alternatives can better support both conservation and community livelihoods, ensuring a genuinely inclusive conservation strategy.
Topic:: Conservation, Sustainability, Hunting, and Biodiversity
Political Geography:: Africa and South Africa

26. Achieving Universal Energy Access in Africa amid Global Decarbonization

Author:: Gracelin Baskaran and Sophia Coste
Publication Date:: 01-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Africa is the most energy-deficient continent in the world, as it hosts 75 percent of the world’s population without access to electricity.[1] Universal access to electricity and clean cooking remains an elusive goal for most states in the region: in 2022, 600 million people lacked access to electricity on the continent, 98 percent of them located in sub-Saharan Africa.[2] There is an urgent need for intervention given Africa’s population of 1.4 billion is forecasted to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, which, when coupled with rising incomes and urbanization, will lead to a significant increase in energy demand.[3] This brief provides six evidence-based insights on Africa’s energy landscape before providing five recommendations on reaching universal energy access amid global decarbonization.
Topic:: Climate Change, Trade, Sustainability, Decarbonization, Energy, and Critical Minerals
Political Geography:: Africa

27. Green Industrial Policy: A Holistic Approach

Author:: Ilaria Mazzocco
Publication Date:: 02-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: In the United States, the rise of the economic-climate agenda and green industrial policy has coincided with growing attention to supply chain resilience, economic security, and a deteriorating U.S.-China relationship. As a consequence, the interaction between trade, geopolitics, domestic economic policy, and climate policy demands a new holistic approach from policymakers and civil society to find more politically sustainable and effective policy solutions. More consideration should be given to the specifics of U.S. climate strategy when it comes to trade and international relations and how to integrate climate strategy with the Inflation Reduction Act and green industrial policy efforts.
Topic:: Economics, Industrial Policy, Geopolitics, Trade, Sustainability, and Green Economy
Political Geography:: China and Asia

28. How Japan Thinks about Energy Security

Author:: Ben Cahill, Jane Nakano, and Kunro Irié
Publication Date:: 05-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Energy security is a significant challenge for Japan. As an import-dependent country, Japan has sought to protect itself from fossil fuel supply disruptions and shocks by cultivating strong relationships with exporting countries and investing throughout the energy value chain. More recently, both its largest utilities and its state institutions have focused on raising investment in renewable energy, aiming to decarbonize while retaining a diversity of energy sources. The country pledges ambitious but realistic emissions reductions. Transition pathways will vary in every country, and Japan naturally takes a different view on energy matters than resource-rich countries like the United States. Japan’s climate targets and energy planning show that progress is possible without following exactly the same trajectory as Washington or Brussels.
Topic:: Climate Change, International Trade and Finance, Geopolitics, Sustainability, and Energy Security
Political Geography:: Japan and Asia

29. Prioritizing Health System Development in the Pacific: A Layered Approach

Author:: Kathryn Paik and Eileen Natuzzi
Publication Date:: 07-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: This brief gives an overview of health challenges across the Pacific Islands region and identifies the need for development partners such as the United States to reframe their approach to health system development. The document provides several recommendations for policymakers and development organizations as they work with the Pacific to effectively meet the health needs of the region.
Topic:: Development, Health, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Asia-Pacific and United States of America

30. Energy Security and the U.S.-Philippine Alliance

Author:: Harrison Prétat, Yasir Atalan, Gregory B. Poling, and Benjamin Jensen
Publication Date:: 10-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: The Philippines’ fragile energy outlook threatens to undermine efforts to secure its strategic autonomy vis-à-vis an assertive China. A tabletop exercise held at CSIS this spring with U.S. and Philippine participants explored the strategic implications of different energy investments and their vulnerability to disruption. Bringing online renewable and clean energy sources is an imperative to providing for Philippine energy security in the long term, but fossil fuels will have a critical stabilizing role in the near term. The United States can support its ally through enhanced alliance programing, technical assistance, and new approaches to interagency cooperation.
Topic:: Security, Sustainability, Green Transition, and Energy Security
Political Geography:: Philippines, Asia-Pacific, and United States of America

31. Storage and Networks: the Achilles’ heel of Renewable Energy Sources expansion

Author:: Michalis Mathioulakis
Publication Date:: 04-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:: This paper analyses the elements that compose two of the structural vulnerabilities of the European energy system and undermine the efforts in Greece and the rest of the European Union to further increase the penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) successfully in their energy mix and accelerate the energy transition. The production of electricity from Renewable Energy Sources in Greece in 2023 as a share of total electricity production was among the highest in Europe, while also throughout the EU the shares of RES increased. However, as RES shares increase, their stochasticity in electricity production can create problems for the stability of the electricity grid since, on a global level, there is a deficit of mature storage technologies and a lack in adequate volume of electricity distribution and transmission network infrastructure. The costs required to cover these deficits are currently passed on to the European consumers in the form of regulated, non-competitive charges, for which consumers cannot freely choose their provider. This issue constitutes a regression from the European structure of a free and competitive common European market, a relapse that increases together with the growing shares of regulated costs in the energy bills of European citizens. However, without sufficient new investments in networks and electricity storage, the EU faces the risk of system instability. In addition, administrative restrictions in production for grid-ready RES systems, deem new investments in RES economically non-viable and carry the additional risk of disinvestment from new RES projects. In this complex environment of interconnected issues and modular problems, it is now crucial to approach the decarbonisation effort through the realization that painful compromises need to be made at an energy policy level, since the future of tackling climate change needs to be hybrid and, unfortunately, not completely green if we want it to be resilient and sustainable in the long term.
Topic:: Climate Change, European Union, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, and Energy Security
Political Geography:: Europe

32. Leveraging EU industrial policy to reshape Greece’s productive model

Author:: Aggelos Tsakanikas and Petros Dimas
Publication Date:: 04-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:: This policy brief explores the evolution and goals of industrial policy in the EU, aiming to identify the ways in which these recent developments can provide significant opportunities for Greece. In this context, we outline some of the key features of the fragmented landscape of Greek industrial strategies and suggest future directions through which the country can leverage the current momentum of industrial policy in the EU to pursue the restructuring of its productive base along the lines of sustainability, the twin (green and digital) transition, and European strategic autonomy. Since the Great Recession of 2008, the EU has openly supported coordinated and complementary policies in an effort to tackle structural deficiencies that render its productive systems vulnerable. The pandemic crisis, the Ukrainian war, and the general call for action against climate change have highlighted the need for the further reconfiguration of industrial development across the world along the lines of inclusion, sustainability, and resilience. The EU New Industrial Strategy and its update in the aftermath of the pandemic provide blends of horizontal and vertical actions that target resilience in the Single Market, EU strategic autonomy, and the acceleration of the green and digital (twin) transitions. In response to the energy crisis, the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age has been promoted to ensure that sustainable competitiveness goals are on track with the recent geopolitical developments. Greece has already aligned its strategic planning to the EU’s industrial policy objectives through a dedicated National Industrial Strategy and other strategic documents that target innovation, the green transition and sustainable development, and digitalization across key industrial ecosystems and value chains. Key initiatives, such as industrial alliances and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs), major reforms through dedicated Acts, and an unprecedented wealth of financing and regulatory instruments outline significant opportunities of transformative potential Greece’s productive model. The country must meet the challenges of implementing its ambitious action plans, while simultaneously monitoring, evaluating, and updating its strategic orientation against the backdrop of a volatile global market environment. Different strategies should be integrated into a unified system of policies that creates a clear connection between, and path dependence for, different objectives, diverse market reforms and policy interventions.
Topic:: Industrial Policy, European Union, Sustainability, Strategic Autonomy, Green Transition, and Digital Transition
Political Geography:: Europe and Greece

33. How demographic change will hit debt sustainability in European Union countries

Author:: Zsolt Darvas, Lennard Welslau, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer
Publication Date:: 09-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: Population ageing is putting pressure on the public debt-to-GDP ratios of European Union countries, both by raising net public expenditures and by lowering potential growth. To keep debt ratios under control and to comply with EU fiscal rules, EU countries will need to run sufficiently high structural primary balances – the difference between non-cyclical revenue and non-interest spending. Because the EU’s fiscal rules require countries to anticipate and offset the fiscal costs of ageing during the adjustment period and in the 10 years beyond, the impact of ageing on overall fiscal indicators, such as the structural primary balance, will be felt mostly during the initial four-to-seven-year adjustment period that begins in 2025. Thereafter, structural primary balances will not need to rise further in most countries. However, in countries in which fiscal ageing costs are rising – all EU countries except Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia and Sweden – fiscal adjustment in the non-ageing portion of the budget needs to continue, even if the structural primary balance does not need to increase. Unless ageing cost can be brought under control, this would require the re-allocation of expenditure from non-ageing to ageing-related items, or further increases in taxation. This creates difficult adjustment choices for many EU countries. Demographic risk factors could add one percentage point of GDP or more to required primary balances, while policies that alleviate demographic pressures – increasing immigration, raising fertility levels and labour force participation, boosting productivity and reducing the cost of long-term care for the elderly – could reduce fiscal pressures by around half a point. The annual country-specific recommendations (CSRs) issued as part of the European Semester include many good ideas to raise labour force participation, reform pension and healthcare systems and raise productivity, but implementation of these recommendations by EU countries has been limited. Furthermore, CSRs contain almost no advice on immigration policy or fertility-enhancing policies, despite a rich academic literature on both. EU countries need to act on existing CSRs to alleviate demographic pressures, while the Commission and the Council should go further in their advice on tackling demographic challenges.
Topic:: Debt, Demographics, European Union, Regulation, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

34. Security of supply in an era of environmental crises: Exploring the potential of Finnish comprehensive preparedness

Author:: Emma Hakala and Helmi Räisänen
Publication Date:: 11-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
Abstract:: Climate change will increase the probability of crises affecting society and security of supply: for example, extreme weather events might disrupt manufacturing and logistics across sectors. Energy transition relies on several raw material supply chains to develop new energy sources. However, growing demand threatens to outstrip supply for some raw materials in the near future, creating a potential bottleneck in the transition. The Finnish model of security of supply, which emphasises comprehensive preparedness, is a feasible framework for addressing climate-related risks, but so far these have not been systematically taken into account. An understanding of climate-related risks needs to be integrated into the shared situational awareness of everyone involved in security of supply operations. Reliance on unsustainable activities might not be possible in a world that is largely moving away from fossil fuels. For example, the procurement of equipment for the Defence Forces must take into account the availability of fuel for decades to come.
Topic:: Security, Climate Change, Sustainability, Supply Chains, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe and Finland

35. Policy Brief 17: Building bridges for nonviolent change: Women insider mediators in peaceful protest movements

Author:: Veronique Dudouet and Johanna-Maria Hulzer
Publication Date:: 09-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Berghof Foundation
Abstract:: This policy brief examines the critical roles of women as insider mediators in peaceful protest movements (PPMs) across Iraq, Thailand, and Venezuela. Based on qualitative interviews and case studies, this brief highlights how these women build bridges between diverse actors and offers recommendations for empowering them to deepen their mediation roles. The findings aim to inform international policy actors and enhance support for sustainable peacebuilding.
Topic:: Women, Protests, Sustainability, Mediation, Nonviolence, and Peacebuilding
Political Geography:: Iraq, Middle East, South America, Venezuela, Thailand, and Southeast Asia

36. Mirror, mirror on the wall, EU reciprocity standards in agri-food as a solution for all?

Author:: Pieter Zwaan
Publication Date:: 11-2024
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:: This policy brief reflects on the use of reciprocal sustainability standards in unilateral trade measures by the EU and its impact on the agri-food sector. The contribution is positioned within the recent calls to better protect European farmers from unfair competition and imported products that face less stringent sustainability standards, but also aims to provide a general overview of the discussion about these measures and their broader impacts. With regard to this impact, the policy brief highlights the difficulty of predicting and assessing what effect these unilateral measures will have. It calls for better impact assessments and a reflexive approach when adopting new unilateral measures. Such an approach should make it possible to set unilateral reciprocal standards when needed, but would reduce or dimmish unforeseen adverse impacts.
Topic:: Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Trade, Sustainability, and Reciprocity
Political Geography:: Europe

37. Development of the Blue Economy in Viet Nam

Author:: Vo Tri Thanh
Publication Date:: 06-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
Abstract:: Viet Nam is exploring various models to promote long-term economic growth and sustainable development, including the blue economy. Viet Nam’s policy documents have no formal definition of the marine economy or the newer concept of the blue economy. However, the policy documents have increasingly captured the essence of the blue economy, especially related to sustainable development. While lacking frequent updates and sufficient scope, the available statistics show the importance of the marine economy in the country. Viet Nam has various advantages for blue economy development, including high levels of sea traffic, a large sea area, a long coastline, and abundant marine resources. New opportunities for blue economy development can arise from consumers’ attention to sustainable development, improvement of the related legal framework, and cooperation with partners and foreign investors. However, Viet Nam needs to improve the awareness of local authorities and people, strengthen institutions for blue economy development, and upgrade the capacity to forecast and warn of natural disasters and climate change at sea, including via international cooperation.
Topic:: Governance, Regulation, Sustainability, ASEAN, and Blue Economy
Political Geography:: Vietnam and Southeast Asia

38. Ocean Issues in Alaska: From Fisheries Management to Public Safety and Security

Author:: Fran Ulmer
Publication Date:: 08-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
Abstract:: Alaska is an important region for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), given the Department’s statutory authority and responsibilities. This reality applies with particular force to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), with its jurisdiction over fisheries enforcement, drug interdiction, marine safety, oil spill response, search and rescue, and more. Challenges facing the USCG in its domains of operation around Alaska—the Arctic Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea, and the adjacent communities—include the following:
Topic:: Security, Science and Technology, Natural Resources, Oceans and Seas, Public Policy, Sustainability, Fishing, and Public Safety
Political Geography:: North America, Alaska, and United States of America

39. After the February 6 Earthquakes: A Critical Overview of the Legal and Administrative Framework

Author:: Akif Burak Atlar
Publication Date:: 10-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This brief assesses urban vulnerability to earthquake risk in relation to legal and administrative interventions that have occurred on building supervision, zoning amnesties and emergency management since the August 17, 1999 earthquake, and offers policy recommendations to reduce this vulnerability.
Topic:: Natural Disasters, Governance, Sustainability, and Earthquake
Political Geography:: Turkey and Middle East

40. Society and State in Turkey Between Two Disasters

Author:: Ulaş Bayraktar
Publication Date:: 10-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This brief assesses the responses of the central government, municipalities, civil society organisations and grassroots communities in the aftermath of the 1999 and 2023 earthquakes in the context of the changes in Turkey’s political and administrative life between these two crises.
Topic:: Civil Society, Natural Disasters, Governance, Sustainability, and Earthquake
Political Geography:: Turkey

41. Cotton Made in Africa: A Case Study of Sustainable Production through Responsible Consumption

Author:: Roger Peltzer and Michael Brüntrup
Publication Date:: 01-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:: Responsible consumption and production are key to sustainable development, and are therefore a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 12) in their own right. Consumption and production patterns also need to be socially responsible and economically viable. Private-sector requirements and state supply chain regulations, which have become more widespread in recent years, are designed to ensure that products consumed in high-income countries but manufactured (at least partially) in low-income countries are produced in line with certain social and environmental standards. Although progress has been made, many questions remain, particularly regarding whether the local social and economic impacts are sufficient. Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) is a certification initiative within the textile industry. Established 18 years ago as part of one of the largest public-private partnerships of German Development Cooperation with private foundations and private companies around an agriculture-based supply chain, CmiA – like its sister scheme the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) – seeks to ensure compliance with specific environmental and social conditions in the cotton production process. Wherever it is implemented and monitored, the CmiA-standard provides retailers and consumers with the assurance that the cotton in the textiles and garments in question has been produced in line with CmiA-requirements. Up to now, about one million smallholder households with six to seven million family members in Africa produce under the label. This Policy Brief reflects on the impact that the introduction of CmiA has had on certified farmers, as well as on the challenges facing this standard following its successful market launch, and draws broader lessons learned for sustainability standards. The key findings are as follows: • CmiA shows that sustainability standards do not only work for high-priced niche markets but can also be implemented in the mass market. • While cotton is a non-food cash crop, the revenues it generates can boost food security among smallholders via the income channel and can also promote local food production through a number of other impact channels. • Standard-setting must be accompanied by support for farmers so that they are able to comply and activate impact channels. It remains a huge challenge not only to guarantee social and ecological standards but also to achieve a “living income” for smallholder farmers. • For all the benefits of publicly funding the start-up phase of implementing sustainability standards, it must be ensured that these standards are subsequently financed from the value chain itself. Textile retailers and consumers ultimately have to pay for the goods they consume and which have been manufactured under sustainable conditions. • As the mass-market implementation of sustainability standards takes time and patience, we cannot expect to see dramatic improvements in the local living conditions and incomes of the farmers in the short to medium term. Instead, this will require continuous investment in smallholder production and in the local environments over many years. • Transitioning from pesticide-intensive production to a system that does not use such products without major productivity losses is challenging but seems feasible. • In order to determine whether, and to what extent, the wellbeing of smallholder farmers is increased by complying with sustainability standards, good and continuous impact assessment is needed and this must be adapted to the especially complex conditions of African smallholder agriculture.
Topic:: Development, Sustainability, Production, Consumption, and Cotton
Political Geography:: Africa

42. Global Perspectives on ESG and Implications for Korea

Author:: Jinyoung Moon, Sang-Ha Yoon, Jiwon Park, Seung Kwon Na, and Sunghee Lee
Publication Date:: 06-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)
Abstract:: ESG, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, has gained significant importance in recent years. Adoption of Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals and efforts to recover from COVID-19 have contributed to this global trend. Businesses and regulators are now placing more emphasis on the sustainability of economic activities and transparent disclosure of ESG information. In light of this, our study focuses on examining global ESG policy trends and supply chain due diligence regulations. We also compare ESG scores of firms across major countries and analyze the impacts of ESG performances on employment and productivity. Based on our findings, we aim to provide recommendations and implications for the government and private sector to address ESG in practice.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Environment, Governance, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Asia and South Korea

43. Towards Enhanced Connectivity and Sustainability in the Mediterranean Transport and Logistics Sector. Trends in Trade, Maritime Transport, and Sustainability

Author:: Enric Ticó, Ghazi Ben Ahmed, Paul Tourret, Maite Roman, and Jordi Torrent
Publication Date:: 02-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Abstract:: The Mediterranean Sea has currently become one of the main centres of international transport through which large quantities of goods are moved every year. Its position as a strategic transit area for a large amount of goods, especially transported by sea, makes it a logistical node of capital importance. According to the report of the Spanish Short Sea Shipping Statistical Observatory (SSS) for the year 2021, overall SSS traffic on the Mediterranean coast increased by 26.9%, exceeding the pre-pandemic figures. The Mediterranean geographical area is characterised, among other things, by the great heterogeneity of countries and actors that are present in the institutional, political, economic, and even social spheres, as it is the meeting point of three continents. This means that, although the movement of goods is a very active sector, there is still much room for improvement in the development of trade among actors of such an area (it has more strength as a logistic node than as a commerce centre itself). The strengthening of trade relations between all countries of the Mediterranean area should have a positive impact on a global level, facilitating the joint development of all those countries. However, the aforementioned existing heterogeneity at the political and economic level sometimes acts as a brake or blocking factor in the development and commercial collaboration among the parties. The first, or simplest, analysis of the applicable regimes or the nature of transactions would be that of a North-South division. This makes sense due to the fact that the majority of the northern front countries are members of the European Union (EU) and, consequently, of the Customs Territory of the Union (CTU), while the remaining are sovereign and independent countries with a very heterogeneous profile, including political or cultural issues. This makes difficult the establishment of stable and long-lasting relations among the parties. We are therefore far from being able to consider that there is a trade regime specific to the Mediterranean Sea, or to companies in such area, apt for the facilitation of international transactions. The current situation represents a historic opportunity for this commercial development: the pandemic has led to a change in production patterns, bringing them closer to the areas of consumption and, therefore, to the Mediterranean Sea itself. Certain supply chains will shift from global to regional, so the improvement of the area’s supply chain is key.
Topic:: Transportation, Sustainability, Logistics, and Connectivity
Political Geography:: Mediterranean

44. Towards a Renewed Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems for Food Security in the Region

Author:: Marko Lovec, Desirée A.L Quagliarotti, Tommaso Emiliani, and Ines Gasmi
Publication Date:: 05-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Abstract:: This joint Policy Study discusses the vulnerabilities of the Mediterranean agri-food system exposed by the food and energy price spikes caused by the war in Ukraine and the implications for human security in the region. The Middle East and North African (MENA) region, as the world’s largest food importer, faces challenges on both the demand and supply sides, including population growth, urbanisation, dietary changes, macroeconomic constraints, scarcity of natural resources, and climate change impacts. Rural populations and farmers often experience food insecurity, while European countries are not immune to high food prices and their socioeconomic consequences. Existing policies focused on international trade and production have failed to address the complex interplay between food, environment, and society. The concept of food sovereignty provides valuable insights for developing context-specific strategies to foster resilient agricultural and food systems. The proposed ‘Euro-Mediterranean blueprint for sustainable agricultural and food systems‘ outlines six pillars, including agroecological transition, support for traditional agricultural systems, initiatives targeting the agri-food chain, promotion of blue foods strategy, participatory policy-making, and macroregional cooperation. The authors emphasise the need for enhanced regional cooperation in agriculture, particularly in the context of changing geopolitics and the disruptive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They suggest various avenues for collaboration, such as involving Southern Mediterranean countries in European Union initiatives, increasing climate funding for agriculture and food, reengaging in regional trade negotiations, fostering partnerships in research and innovation, and promoting unifying narratives. The limitations of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in driving transformative strategies in the Euro-Mediterranean region are discussed in the study, along with recommendations for targeted CAP payments aligned with climate and biodiversity objectives, conditionalities on trade, and support for sustainable practices. The role of climate and digital agendas in agriculture is highlighted, particularly the challenges and compromises associated with implementing Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in the region. The authors emphasise the need for context-driven, climate-smart ideas and solutions, improved water management, policy coordination, strengthened institutions, enhanced access to funding, and increased national investments in climate-friendly agriculture.
Topic:: Agriculture, Food Security, Sustainability, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe, Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean

45. Coordination challenges and opportunities for climate adaptation in African agriculture

Author:: African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Publication Date:: 01-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:: Climate change poses a major global threat, particularly for agriculture, and this knowledge product delves into the context of climate adaptation in African agriculture. It emphasizes the critical role of climate adaptation in safeguarding the sustainability of food systems and rural communities. African agriculture, predominantly comprised of smallholder farmers, bears the brunt of climate change’s adverse impacts, including erratic rainfall, droughts, and heatwaves, which disrupt crop yields and food availability. Climate adaptation is indispensable to ensure food security and resilient livelihoods. Substantial investments are now being directed towards enhancing climate adaptation capacities across the continent. Collaborative efforts involving governments, NGOs, donors, and local communities aim to promote climate-smart agriculture, improve water management, and enhance access to climate information services. Nevertheless, coordination challenges persist, impeding the effectiveness of adaptation endeavors. Africa’s diverse geography, climates, and socioeconomic conditions make coordination of climate interventions and policy at the international, regional, national, and local levels a complex task. In the Sahel, climate adaptation coordination encounters challenges due to varying priorities and capacities among nations. Aligning international climate policies with regional and national strategies remains a daunting task. Conversely, the Southern African region grapples with the impacts of extreme weather events on agriculture, such as floods and cyclones, necessitating coordinated disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Ethiopia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is a model of effective multi-stakeholder collaboration. Government agencies, civil society, research institutions, and local communities collaborate to increase adaptive capacity, focusing on locally tailored solutions derived from farmers’ specific needs and indigenous knowledge. Finally, this policy brief illuminates climate adaptation in African agriculture, recognizing the continent’s vulnerability and the need for coordinated action. It shares valuable insights from diverse regions and initiatives, providing insights into the challenges and opportunities of coordinating climate adaptation. Collaboration, knowledge sharing, and coordinated efforts hold the key to ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for African agriculture in a changing climate.
Topic:: Agriculture, Climate Change, Sustainability, Resilience, and Adaptation
Political Geography:: Africa

46. The Resilience and Sustainability Trust: Early Learning and Challenges from Costa Rica and Rwanda

Author:: Andrew Wainer
Publication Date:: 07-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:: In 2022, as part of the IMF’s recent efforts to re-channel Special Drawing Rights, it created the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), facilitating the transfer of concessional finance from high- to lower-income countries for climate resilience and pandemic preparedness. It is the first new such facility following the polycrises of the early 2020s. Demand for the RST is strong and learning from its pilots can inform how future RST financing can be used most effectively. This research provides case studies of two RST pilots: Costa Rica and Rwanda. Lessons from the pilots are not only relevant for future RST recipients. The RST is operational, and therefore, uniquely worthy of analysis in terms of how additional financing—above and beyond the RST—can be effectively integrated. Our analysis finds that the RST is becoming the IMF’s de facto climate finance facility; is government-driven; is being awarded to countries with strong governance and climate credentials; and that authorities are banking on using the RST to attract additional climate finance. At the same time, the RST faces the challenges of being too small to confront climate resilience; has questionable priorities in terms of supporting climate over poverty reduction in low-income countries; is almost tripling the number of IMF program conditions some countries are facing; and is escalating IMF policy influence over governments in an area where the IMF has limited experiences.
Topic:: International Monetary Fund, Finance, Sustainability, Resilience, COVID-19, and Sustainable Development
Political Geography:: Africa, Latin America, Rwanda, and Costa Rica

47. What’s Next for Oil and Gas Methane Regulations

Author:: Ben Cahill
Publication Date:: 03-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Proposed methane regulations for the oil and gas industry are in the works in the United States and the European Union. These new rules—especially the U.S. regulations—could play a critical role in curbing emissions. This brief summarizes the next steps for methane rules on both sides of the Atlantic, including an overview of the emerging regulations in the United States and a synopsis of the EU methane legislation process. It identifies areas that require more analysis, such as how closely measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV), leak detection and repair (LDAR), and reporting requirements will align. The brief also summarizes the current EU approach to reducing methane emissions from its gas imports as well as its longer-term aspirations, outlining the implications for gas exporters to Europe.
Topic:: Climate Change, European Union, Regulation, Sustainability, Methane, and Energy
Political Geography:: Europe and United States of America

48. Voluntary Carbon Markets: A Review of Global Initiatives and Evolving Models

Author:: Allegra Dawes, Cy McGeady, and Joseph Majkut
Publication Date:: 05-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: The global voluntary carbon market, and its supporting industry ecosystem, has grown substantially from its origins in the early 1990s. Despite this growth, voluntary markets have been hampered by reputational and functional concerns about offset quality and the space remains fragmented. With no long-term regulatory obligations or pricing signals on carbon, firms are left to chart their net-zero paths with little guidance or policy vision. The question is whether organized voluntary carbon markets can help resolve these challenges by creating credible incentives for emissions reductions. This brief reviews recent initiatives aimed at creating more functional, transparent, and effective carbon marketplaces. In many cases, there is a growing intersection between government and private sector activity in voluntary markets. These novel initiatives demonstrate how market design choices imply different goals for voluntary markets. These models suggest new ways for governments to support the legitimacy and success of voluntary markets. This brief considers how these market approaches could be best suited to support U.S. policy and trade strategies.
Topic:: Climate Change, Business, Trade, Sustainability, and Carbon Markets
Political Geography:: Global Focus

49. For North American Energy Security, Go Local: Examining the Role of Natural Gas and Mexico’s Energy Sector

Author:: Ryan C. Berg, Emiliano Polo, and Henry Ziemer
Publication Date:: 08-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: Natural gas is the predominant fuel source in Mexico. However, years of reliance on the United States for cheap, plentiful gas imports has prevented Mexico from capturing the potential of its domestic gas industry. This exposes Mexico to risks in the form of geopolitical distortions and unexpected disruptions in U.S. supply. It also exacerbates inequalities between northern and southern states as high energy prices in the latter serve as deterrent for businesses and investors. This brief breaks down the intersection of energy security, natural gas, nearshoring, and migration, and outlines areas for Mexico to cooperate with the United States on bolstering its domestic energy sector.
Topic:: Business, International Development, Trade, Sustainability, Energy Security, and Natural Gas
Political Geography:: North America and Mexico

50. The Waterfall’s Shadow in the Mekong Region

Author:: Benjamin Jensen, Daniel F. Runde, and Thomas Bryja
Publication Date:: 09-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Abstract:: The United States and its network of democratic partners and allies increasingly find themselves struggling to safeguard the rule of law, free markets, civil liberties, and human security in countries most at risk from climate change and its impact on water security. A network of authoritarian states led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are using infrastructure investment programs like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) alongside gray zone campaigns to gain access and influence, often in areas most at risk of further climate shock and water insecurity, particularly in the Mekong region. As a result, continuing to develop water strategies offers a viable means of integrating development and deterrence to address core human security challenges and deny further authoritarian access and influence across the world’s most climate-stressed societies.
Topic:: Defense Policy, Climate Change, Development, Water, Food Security, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Sustainability, and Economic Security
Political Geography:: Asia and Mekong River

51. Instruments for Sustaining Peace: The Contribution of Strategic Foresight

Author:: Emily Munro
Publication Date:: 05-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
Abstract:: The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General recently observed that “We have war reporters, but there are no peace reporters”.1 Building and sustaining peace is a long-term endeavour and does not create the headlines that war does. However, it is not only the attention of the media, but also that of governments, regional and international organisations, and others that have difficulty focusing on the long-term efforts required to build and sustain peace, and instead focus on short-term crises associated with conflict. This perpetuates a cycle whereby the issues that are growing in importance are not tackled early enough and become the crisis of the day. How can this cycle be broken? The concept of sustaining peace provides one answer.2 This concept, as the UN proposed in 2016, emphasises “a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace, particularly through the prevention of conflict and addressing its root causes”.3 It recognises that the stages or phases of any conflict are not clearly defined categories, and therefore attempts to break down barriers between artificially defined phases. It also includes explicit direction for approaches that are integrated across all sectors, and emphasises early action based firstly on the input of a wide group of stakeholders from across the society of a conflict-affected country and secondly on strong local, regional and international partnerships.4 The implementation of the sustaining peace concept is ongoing.5 Another component of the answer to the question of how to break the cycle referred to above comes from strategic foresight. Strategic foresight is the “structured and explicit exploration of multiple futures in order to inform decision-making”.6 It thus includes both a strategic thinking dimension, but also one of action and agency. Strategic foresight has a long history of increasing application in the public and private sectors across a variety of topics.7 While rapid technological change and the growing impact of climate change were increasing the prominence and value of strategic foresight approaches prior to 2020, more recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have led to an increasing interest in this approach, including in the peace and security domain. How strategic foresight can support efforts to build lasting peace received strong support from the UN Secretary-General in his report entitled Our Common Agenda, when he recommended that the New Agenda for Peace (which is due to be published in the form of a UN Secretary-General Policy Brief in June 2023) focuses in part on “Strengthening international foresight and capacities to identify and adapt to new peace and security risks”.8 Initiatives by Mexico in November 2021 and Japan in January 2023 in the UN Security Council (UNSC) under their respective presidencies of that body have provided opportunities for debate on themes related to sustaining peace.9 A further debate scheduled by Switzerland during its UNSC presidency in May 2023 will renew attention on the issue in the lead-up to the Summit of the Future in 2024 and at a strategic time before the New Agenda for Peace is due. At least one permanent member of the UNSC, the United Kingdom (UK), explicitly encouraged the UN to strengthen its “foresight capabilities to anticipate risks and inform our responses” in the context of the prevention of conflict and the implementation of nationally owned peacebuilding processes during the 26 January 2023 UNSC debate.10 An important backdrop to these recent efforts is the overarching commitment made in the preamble of the UN Charter “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”,11 and renewed emphasis on what today’s policymakers owe future generations.12 This is an issue that Switzerland reminded the UNSC of in the 26 January 2023 debate, stating “the New Agenda for Peace must serve as leverage for building sustainable peace. In these dark times, we owe it to all generations, everywhere in the world, to join our efforts and seize this opportunity”.13 This Policy Brief will address the gaps that exist in the steps we need to take today to build long-term sustainable peace. At its heart it will be a discussion of the instruments that link insights on how the future may evolve with decision-making around building peaceful societies. It will be argued that these foresight instruments need to be both routine and agile, and that they should be embedded in institutions involved in building sustainable peace.
Topic:: United Nations, Institutions, Sustainability, and Peacebuilding
Political Geography:: Global Focus

52. Korea's Official Development Assistance to the Philippine Education Sector: Observations and Inputs

Author:: Inero Ancho
Publication Date:: 03-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)
Abstract:: Advocating inclusive and equitable quality education (SGD 4: Quality Education) is central to sustainable development efforts anchored on collaboration and partnership that enable the policy-to-impact synergy. Agencies and institutions in various levels need to align motivations as they work towards realizing education for sustainable development (ESD). As education fuels sustainable development, school access and completion need to be prioritized, as wealth inequality and gender gap are eliminated. Human capital investment involves the provision of relevant and responsive education systems and training. These mechanisms enable an individual to be productive and contribute to positive outcomes, improved standard of living, and potential gains. As a core element to growth and poverty reduction, human capital suggests implementing significant and concrete progress in core education indices. Further, sustained economic growth, increased productivity value, and favorable social returns are manifested outcomes at the macro level. This paper looks at the ODA from Korea to the Philippines in the context of education. The discussion will be anchored on the Philippine Development Plan and AmBisyon Natin 2040 as roadmaps reflecting the aspirations of every Filipino of having a strongly rooted, comfortable, and secured life.1 Observations and inputs will be offered to ensure effective ODA and provide focus and ways forward towards access to and quality of education, along with programs and projects that contribute into any meaningful development of the Philippine economy.
Topic:: Development, Education, Economy, Human Capital, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Asia, South Korea, and Philippines

53. Climate Change Mitigation for Late Industrialisers: The Role of Technology Intensity in Manufacturing

Author:: Elvis Korku Avenyo and Fiona Tregenna
Publication Date:: 02-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for Business and Development Studies (CBDS), Copenhagen Business School
Abstract:: Many developing countries now have a renewed focus on industrialisation and industrial policy. This is based on the recognition that industrialisation is a key driver of long-term economic progress and is the central route to improve the well-being of citizens in developing countries (Chenery, 1955; Tregenna, 2016; United Nations Industrial Development Organization [UNIDO], 2016). At the same time, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to the global economy and to humanity and has emerged as a challenge to the industrial development prospects and pathways of developing countries. This is because industrialisation is an important contributor to global warming, specifically to anthropogenic emissions of cardon dioxide (CO2.) (Adom et al., 2012; Han & Chatterjee, 1997). Late industrialisers thus face a dual challenge: industrialising while mitigating climate change (Altenburg & Rodrik, 2017). Hence, there is now a degree of tension as to how late industrialisers can achieve long-term economic development under paths involving heavy or intensive industrialisation, while mitigating emissions and environmental damage more broadly. An emerging discourse recognises the critical need for developing countries to push towards industrial development that, while generating growth in productivity and jobs, is also environmentally sustainable. This is especially important, as poorer countries are particularly vulnerable to the immediate effects of the climate crisis (Altenburg & Rodrik, 2017; Padilla, 2017). Thus, transforming towards sustainable production systems and green industrial policies offers developing countries opportunities to industrialise in an environmentally sustainable way while contributing to job creation and economic prosperity (Altenburg & Rodrik, 2017; Padilla, 2017; Rodrik, 2014). However, the high ‘green premia’ and new access barriers to the ‘green’ energy technologies from advanced economies directly threaten this potential sustainable industrial development pathway in developing countries.
Topic:: Climate Change, Development, Science and Technology, Manufacturing, Industrialization, Sustainability, and Carbon Emissions
Political Geography:: Global Focus

54. What needs to change for green funds to be truly green

Author:: Jan Fichtner, Robin Jaspert, and Johannes Petry
Publication Date:: 03-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Abstract:: Green investment funds are growing rapidly. However, their impact on climate change mitigation and sustainability remains unclear. Recent research has identified key shortcomings that need to be addressed in order to reduce greenwashing and make these funds truly green. Green finance is playing an ever more prominent role in recent years. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds, which constitute a key pillar of green finance, saw record inflows of hundreds of billions of US-dollars in recent years, primarily by retail investors. Essentially, these ‘green’ funds are integrating environmental, social and governance criteria, such as greenhouse gas emissions, labour rights and gender diversity into their investment strategy. They claim to invest less in the stocks of firms that are highly polluting or have bad governance practices, and instead buy the shares of corporations that appear to be more sustainable. In industry and policy debates, ESG funds are often cited as advancing the promotion of sustainability and helping to address climate change. However, the ESG concept, its underlying criteria, and its potential effects are highly controversial. Many critics see ESG primarily as ‘window dressing’, with no significant positive impact – either for the environment or for investors and employees.
Topic:: Climate Change, Environment, Oil, Gas, Capitalism, Sustainability, and Minerals
Political Geography:: Global Focus

55. Environmental Protection and Climate Change Budgets of Metropolitan Municipalities

Author:: Nurhan Yentürk, Berkay Hacımustafa, Yakup Kadri Karabacak, Ezgi Ediboğlu Sakowsky, and Işık Baştuğ
Publication Date:: 01-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: This study firstly aims to classify the environmental protection and climate change (EPCC) goals stated in the 2022 performance programs of the 14 metropolitan municipalities (MM) with the highest expenditures in Turkey and their affiliated institutions (AF) (water and sewerage departments and transportation administrations) according to mitigation, adaptation, waste, and other environmental goals and to examine the budget allocated to these targets. The study, also, evaluates the pros and cons of the budgets allocated by the 14 metropolitan municipalities to mitigation, adaptation, waste, and other goals and develops concrete policy recommendations for areas in which budgets should be increased/decreased.
Topic:: Climate Change, Environment, Governance, Crisis Management, Sustainability, Public Spending, and Municipalities
Political Geography:: Turkey, Middle East, and Mediterranean

56. Budget Brief: Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Author:: Neeha Susan Jacob, Sidharth Santhosh, and Avani Kapur
Publication Date:: 02-2023
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for Policy Research, India
Abstract:: Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is Government of India’s (GoI’s) rural drinking water programme to provide functional tap connections to every household for drinking, cooking, and other domestic needs on a sustainable basis by 2024. It subsumes the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). This brief uses government data to report on: ■ GoI allocations, releases, and expenditures; ■ Component-wise trends; ■ Progress on coverage; and ■ Paani Samitis for Operations and Maintenance (O and M).
Topic:: Water, Governance, Budget, Rural, Sustainability, and Public Spending
Political Geography:: South Asia and India

57. ABCs of the IFIs: Understanding IDA20

Author:: Jocilyn Estes and Erin Collinson
Publication Date:: 04-2022
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:: With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting government balance sheets especially hard in low-income countries, the World Bank’s shareholders—including the United States—agreed to an advance replenishment of its grant and low-interest loan window, the International Development Association (IDA). By holding a pledging session one year early, donors sought to ensure IDA, which serves the world’s poorest countries, would have the resources to provide financing where it was needed most. In December 2021, following the final meeting of the 20th replenishment of IDA (IDA20), the World Bank announced a $93 billion replenishment package, leveraging $23.5 billion in contributions from 48 high- and middle-income countries. The United States reclaimed its position as IDA’s top donor, pledging $3.5 billion over three years to support pandemic response and an economic rebound in the world’s poorest countries. The United States has long had a vested interest in the World Bank, and in IDA in particular, working to ensure it is well run and resourced appropriately, and that its policy agenda reflects US interests. The US Congress plays a pivotal role in overseeing US engagement with the institution—managed by the Treasury Department—and providing funding to enable the US to meet its commitments. Due to the acceleration of IDA19, the US has two IDA installments due this year. The president’s fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget request includes funding for a final payment to deliver on its IDA19 commitment and a partial first installment toward the latest US pledge to IDA.
Topic:: Development, Multilateralism, Sustainability, and Banking
Political Geography:: North America and United States of America

58. Unlocking the Power of Reformers to Achieve Better Progress on Extractives Governance

Author:: Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment
Publication Date:: 01-2022
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:: This project arose out of conversations over the past few years between CCSI staff and high-level officials in extractive industry (EI) ministries in Africa, the Cauca- sus, and Latin America. After describing the need for an array of genuine reforms in the governance of their re- spective countries’ energy and mining sectors, these of- ficials expressed their frustration at the resistance they encountered from within their own government when pushing for reform. These pressures come from above and below.
Topic:: Politics, Governance, Reform, Sustainability, and Progressivism
Political Geography:: Global Focus

59. Shift to renewable energy could be a mixed blessing for mineral exporters

Author:: Cullen S. Hendrix
Publication Date:: 01-2022
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)
Abstract:: The world’s transition to sustainable energy systems has suddenly become a boon to countries rich in critical minerals used in clean energy technologies like rechargeable batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Among these critical minerals are aluminum, coltan, copper, aluminum, zinc, tin, rare earths, lithium, tantalum, and cobalt. Given that these minerals are key to building sustainable energy systems, vital for ensuring military might, and often extremely valuable, will countries with large, exportable endowments of these minerals fall prey to the resource curse? Hendrix says these countries may find their newfound wealth to be a mixed blessing. The size of the markets for these resources and their marginal production costs suggest that they do not have the potential to generate massive rents the way that oil and gas production have. Given that these rents are the source of many ills—authoritarianism, reduced investment in human capital, poor human rights records—this is good news. But because several of these minerals can be mined artisanally, they may lead to governance challenges related to armed conflict. Their status as strategic resources will invite major power meddling and interventions—but only if mineral-rich economies are forced to align themselves and access to their resources with a major power, like the United States or China. The 20th century’s scramble to secure oil resources led to cursed dynamics in oil-rich societies, but historical precedent is not destiny. Mineral-rich countries may avoid the resource curse, especially if they develop diverse investment and trading relationships to balance major power interests in their mineral wealth and embrace industry- and civil society–led good governance initiatives around mineral resources.
Topic:: Economy, Exports, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, and Minerals
Political Geography:: Global Focus

60. Local Governance of the Demographic Transition Process in Turkey: Aging Society and Urban Policies

Author:: Mehmet Şahin
Publication Date:: 09-2022
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: Demographic transition theory was developed in Europe as a result of the long-term monitoring of birth and death rates. While Turkey has been going through this process with its specific dynamics as a part of the demographic transition process, it is commonly said that as distinct from other countries of the world, it has a young and dynamic population, which is perceived as an advantage over other countries. This demographic imagination, which is desired to be seen as an advantage, functions as some kind of a moral support against unfavorable developments, socioeconomic crises, and unexpected failures.
Topic:: Demographics, Governance, Aging, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Turkey and Middle East

61. Why Should Turkey Comply With The Global Climate Regime?

Author:: Ahmet Atıl Aşıcı
Publication Date:: 04-2022
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: It is clear that Turkish economy is in need of a new trajectory. Under the current circumstances, it is not possible to offer jobs and hope to young people, and a secure future to the society. Therefore, it is necessary to reverse this vicious circle with a well-designed transformation program in an attempt to establish a durable and promising economic structure.
Topic:: Climate Change, Governance, Economy, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Turkey and Middle East

62. The EU Green Deal and Its Industrial and Political Significance

Author:: Hosuk Lee-Makiyama
Publication Date:: 02-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)
Abstract:: The European Green Deal, the flagship initiative of the incumbent European Commission, aims to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 55% by 2030 (from the current target of cutting 40% of 1990 levels) by overhauling fiscal, trading and regulatory regimes. Brussels is well-placed to deliver the interregional distribution or the minutiae of technical regulations that this challenge calls for. Energy diversification is also central to EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy. But this initiative is not costless: its official impact assessment points to a GDP loss of additional -0.3 to -0.7%, by 2030, relative to the previous level of ambition. The full loss could be up to -2.5%. These costs are also unevenly, and the inability to cushion asymmetrical shocks have nearly torn the Union apart in the past. A carbon-neutral Europe could also make losers out of today’s winners among stakeholders and give the EU a significantly different industrial structure, forcing over-exporting Northern Europe into reforms that are probably overdue. Most importantly, the gap between the financing needed and the financing available is unprecedented. The success of the European Green Deal and a cost-efficient transition hinge on the rapid and effective mobilisation of investments – as the diffusion period for new energy-related technology is 40-50 years. Therefore, a smart climate policy does not just distribute costs and investments between different groups, but also over time: The investments are needed now, if we are to reap their benefits before 2050.
Topic:: Environment, Industrial Policy, International Political Economy, European Union, Green Technology, Sustainability, and Green Deal
Political Geography:: Europe

63. Data-Driven Strategy Development for Children’s Play in the City

Author:: Bora İyiat
Publication Date:: 03-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: When we consider which areas in the city children use to explore, socialize and play, the first ones coming to mind are school gardens, parks, green areas and playgrounds that are reserved for them with the intent to support their development. These areas which have an important place in the daily urban life of children are designed and planned by local governments. All urban and green spaces, including playgrounds which are areas created especially for children in the city, should be based on spatial planning and quality factors that include children’s needs and preferences. And planning requires the use of data.
Topic:: Governance, Children, Urban, Sustainability, Data, and Urban Planning
Political Geography:: Turkey, Middle East, and Mediterranean

64. COVID-19 and Data-Driven Urban Resilience Policies

Author:: Bahadir Keşan and Ayşe Yetiş Bayraktar
Publication Date:: 04-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: The process of COVID-19 pandemic has once again revealed the significance of urban resilience in the face of sudden crises. As the pandemic process has taken longer, urban life has been seriously affected in economic, social and environmental terms; local governments have also begun to develop new policies to restructure the cities so as to adapt to the changes faced. In this brief, Strategy Development Directors of Sultanbeyli and Maltepe Municipalities share their collaboration experience for data driven urban resilience policies during the pandemic.
Topic:: Governance, Sustainability, Pandemic, Resilience, COVID-19, and Urban Planning
Political Geography:: Turkey, Middle East, and Mediterranean

65. Resolving Human Wildlife Conflict in Botswana Through Social Protection

Author:: Israel R. Blackie
Publication Date:: 05-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis
Abstract:: This policy brief is based on a national tracer survey covering 66 villages in Botswana. The main aim of the study was to ascertain the magnitude and social impacts of human wildlife conflict (HWC) on victims and their families. In addition, the study sought to assess the relevance and effectiveness of the ex gratia compensation scheme to victims of wild animals’ attack which was introduced in 2015. The key findings reveal that local people exposed to life threatening wildlife attacks express fear and animosity towards wild animals, and also feel rejected and disappointed from a fragmented government service delivery system. Major policy recommendations to be considered by government and other stakeholders include provision of comprehensive therapeutic rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery to HWC victims, comprehensive compensation according to the severity of injuries sustained, and establishment of an Ex Gratia Scheme or Ex Gratia Tribunal.
Topic:: Economics, Environment, International Political Economy, Sustainability, Ecology, and Wildlife
Political Geography:: Africa and Botswana

66. Recommendations for Strengthening the Role of the EITI in the Fight Against Corruption

Author:: Sebastian Sahla and Matthieu Salomon
Publication Date:: 09-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Natural Resource Governance Institute
Abstract:: Corruption in the extractive industries is one of the biggest obstacles to the accountable and sustainable management of natural resources. While EITI has the potential to contribute toward the fight against corruption, the initiative is falling short in realizing this potential in many countries. NRGI’s new memo details recommendations for EITI to strengthen its relevance for anticorruption efforts. This memo builds on a review of EITI disclosures from around the world conducted by NRGI, the findings of which are summarized in a February 2021 report titled How Can Anticorruption Actors Use EITI Disclosures?.
Topic:: Corruption, Natural Resources, Sustainability, and Industry
Political Geography:: Global Focus

67. Increasing Global Climate Ambition and Implications for Korea

Author:: Jinyoung Moon, Soo Hyun Oh, Youngseok Park, Sunghee Lee, and Eunmi Kim
Publication Date:: 05-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)
Abstract:: Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, wider and decisive actions to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been called for in the international community. Many countries are seeking a sustainable economic recovery plan that reflects climate change and environmental considerations. The private sector has also been trying to expand environmentally sustainable investments and disclose relevant information on climate change. In particular, major GHG emitters such as China, the United States (U.S.), European Union (EU), Japan and Korea have pledged to move forward carbon neutrality. For this goal, the EU has established action plans for the European Green Deal, including a plan for introducing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). In this context, this study aims to propose policy recommendations for Korea by analyzing measures to strengthen reduction targets and the economic impact of the EU's CBAM. The following implications can be derived. First, it is necessary to support low-carbon transition efforts in industries. Second, it is also important to support low-carbon technological innovation. Third, monitoring and response measures for the CBAM should also be prepared. Fourth, the private sector should expand voluntary efforts to reduce emissions and environmentally sustainable investment. Lastly, it is necessary to actively engage in international cooperation, not only in terms of reducing GHG emissions but also responding to climate change.
Topic:: Climate Change, Environment, Science and Technology, Sustainability, Carbon Emissions, and Paris Agreement
Political Geography:: Asia and South Korea

68. Accounting for climate policies in Europe’s sovereign debt market

Author:: Marta Dominguez-Jimenez and Alexander Lehmann
Publication Date:: 05-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: International debt investors increasingly demand assets that are aligned with environmental, social and governance objectives. Sovereign debt is being belatedly swept up in this change. This huge asset class represents a uniquely long-term claim and funds a wide range of public expenditure, both brown and green. Public capital expenditures will be a central part of the roughly €3 trillion investment budget needed to pay for the European Green Deal. European Union countries have so far met investor appetite for climate-aligned assets through sovereign green bonds, the issuance of which has rapidly grown since 2017. The EU itself will also issue green bonds in large volumes. However, because of some inherent flaws in such instruments and as their still-weak frameworks, these bonds are unlikely to meet the environmental criteria demanded by investors, and will complicate established principles in sovereign debt management. Much more comprehensive information is needed on the climate related aspects of the public budgets of EU countries. Greater transparency in this respect would support stability and improve the functioning of capital markets, given that sovereign debt plays a pivotal role in all investor portfolios and also in regulatory and monetary policy. Adoption by sovereign issuers of green budgeting principles, based on a common taxonomy of sustainable activities, would enhance transparency. It could also be driven by investors who, under new EU rules, must disclose the climate-related aspects of all financial instruments offered in the capital market.
Topic:: Climate Change, Debt, Markets, Sovereignty, European Union, Finance, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

69. Análisis crítico de la Política de Crecimiento Verde

Author:: Jhandra Melissa Díaz López, Luis Carlos Ávila, and Edgar Forero
Publication Date:: 02-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios sobre Desarrollo (CIDER), Universidad de los Andes
Abstract:: La economía colombiana se proyecta como una de las de mayor crecimiento a nivel regional (entre los años 2000 y 2015 tuvo un crecimiento del 4.26%) (CONPES; DNP, 2018), lo cual ha tenido efectos en el país sobre la disminución de la pobreza, la desigualdad y el desempleo. Sin embargo, esta presenta grandes problemas relacionados con su diversificación, productividad y sostenibilidad, así como con la baja generación de bioproductos, las deficientes capacidades en Ciencia y Tecnología, y el control de los efectos del cambio climático. Este panorama ha expuesto la necesidad de formular diversas políticas y leyes que propicien espacios para promover el desarrollo productivo, la mitigación y la adaptación al cambio climático. Al no haber una política integradora, en el año 2018 se propuso la Política de Crecimiento Verde, cuyo objetivo es impulsar la competitividad y productividad económicas del país, sin dejar de lado la necesidad de garantizar la gestión sostenible de recursos naturales, la igualdad social, la mitigación y adaptación frente al cambio climático, y el manejo adecuado de biotecnología y recursos sólidos, todo esto con un horizonte definido al año 2030. En este documento se presenta una revisión crítica de la política, compuesta por la descripción de sus principales objetivos y motivaciones, un ejercicio de identificación de sus principales limitantes, una discusión sobre su alcance y aplicabilidad y una propuesta de ajuste a sus objetivos y estrategias de comunicación y socialización. Entre los principales puntos críticos que se presentan, están aquellos relacionados con su carácter continuista, que propone la adaptación de los recursos naturales y sociales al servicio de la economía, la falta de cambios estructurales que permitan avanzar hacia una gestión equilibrada de los recursos, la prevalencia contradictoria de la competitividad sobre los objetivos de investigación e innovación y la necesidad de tomar en cuenta los intereses generales por encima de los particulares. Así mismo, se realiza una propuesta orientada a cómo consideran los autores que se deben reestructurar los objetivos de la política y la necesidad de integrar una propuesta de gobierno abierto dirigida a fomentar la socialización y divulgación, la participación social y colaboración ciudadana, y la transparencia y rendición de cuentas.
Topic:: Science and Technology, Economic Growth, Green Technology, Economic Development, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Colombia

70. Who gets Involved? Insights on Civic Engagement in Africa and Implications for Fostering Volunteerism

Author:: Carolyn Logan, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, and Kangwook Han
Publication Date:: 03-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Afrobarometer
Abstract:: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set ambitious targets for countries and societies to improve lives and livelihoods around the world. While the expectations of meeting these goals largely fall on governments, it is widely recognized that joint efforts by citizens and their governments will be needed to achieve the best outcomes. Citizen action takes place in many forms and forums, including organizing and working together on shared goals, providing mutual support and assistance, campaigning or advocating for shared needs, and engaging with governments, making demands on them, and holding them to account. While some citizens may become involved in a formal capacity, such as through paid employment in nongovernmental advocacy or service organizations and through employment with governments or other service providers, large numbers will – and must – be engaged in a voluntary capacity. Understanding the nature of this voluntary engagement is a key goal of this analysis. Advocates of volunteerism in Africa have been plagued by a lack of data on who engages in voluntary service, how much they contribute, in what formats, and what the outcomes are. Only a handful of governments have collected data on this topic. Yet our ability to foster and build support for volunteerism is partly dependent on how well we understand the ways people are already engaging every day in these critical but uncompensated contributions in pursuit of the public good. Afrobarometer data can help to fill this void. Although Afrobarometer has not collected data with the explicit aim of studying volunteerism, for more than 20 years it has captured extensive, nationally representative data on respondents’ levels of political and civic participation (much of which can be classed as volunteerism) across seven rounds of surveys in 38 countries. This includes membership in religious and civic organizations and participation in individual and collective efforts to engage with leaders and to voice community needs. In particular, in addition to membership in associations, Afrobarometer tracks the contact of respondents with political and community leaders, their attendance at community meetings, and their efforts to join with others to address issues or express their views. These kinds of civic engagement are the cornerstone of volunteerism to solve problems and improve lives. Understanding who engages, under what circumstances, and why provides a foundation on which to more effectively promote civic engagement and volunteerism in pursuit of the SDGs and other development objectives. This paper explores Afrobarometer data on civic engagement with four main goals: specify how Afrobarometer indicators of civic engagement link to core understandings of volunteerism and its various typologies; map profiles and patterns of the people who engage in volunteerism, especially at the country level; model voluntary civic engagement to identify the key factors and contexts that facilitate or inhibit it at both the individual and country levels; and use these profiles and models to identify entry points for activists who want to foster or support voluntary civic engagement. Our analysis identifies several factors that shape voluntary civic engagement, from socio- demographic ones such as education and wealth to citizens’ socio-political engagement, their personal sense of efficacy, and their overall trust in their governments. Country contexts are important, as we see wide cross-country differences in levels of volunteerism. Among other aspects, wealthier countries, on average, report less volunteerism, while democracies report more. We have found evidence that confronting unmet needs – whether one’s own or those of others – is a major motivating factor of voluntary engagement. These findings suggest a number of opportunities and entry points for increasing citizen engagement. The paper is organized in four parts. Part A begins with a discussion of knowledge on volunteerism and participation, highlighting the lack of evidence and data sources on Africa and how civic engagement intersects with volunteerism. Part B develops descriptive profiles of the participants in voluntary civic engagement. Part C explores key driving factors at the individual and country levels. The final section presents recommendations for acting on these findings.
Topic:: Development, Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainability, and Civic Engagement
Political Geography:: Africa

71. National Development Bank – BNDES and New Development Bank – NDB: a strategic partnership for development and sustainability?

Author:: Maria Elena Rodriguez Ortiz and Paz Andrés Sáenz De Santa María
Publication Date:: 11-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: BRICS Policy Center
Abstract:: The precedence afforded in recent decades to environmental issues and to the centrality of a sustainable development agenda has led financial institutions to redefine and redirect their funding as well as their institutional and market arrangements to contribute towards balanced and inclusive development, such as strategies to support national environmental targets that will secure the sustainable development goals. This research will therefore explore some elements that underline the relation between the NDB and the BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank, which can be considered one of the main agencies implementing funding geared for Brazil, with various joint projects approved.
Topic:: Development, Environment, Partnerships, Banks, Sustainability, and BRICS
Political Geography:: Brazil and South America

72. A US Infrastructure Plan: Building for the Long Haul

Author:: Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board
Publication Date:: 02-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Conference Board
Abstract:: Addressing America’s severe infrastructure needs—finally—must be at the top of the nation’s agenda. Improving infrastructure is one of the few issues that enjoys strong bipartisan support among the American public. Eighty percent of Americans support rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure—more than almost any other top issue facing the nation—and roughly two-thirds of Americans rate their own local roads as in fair or poor condition.1 A similar proportion say that the country is not doing enough to meet infrastructure needs.2 Modern, effective infrastructure is essential for virtually all US commerce and, therefore, for growth and prosperity that is widely shared among all Americans. Transportation and other forms of infrastructure must remake themselves to remain productive as the economy changes around them. But the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the US economy makes improving our infrastructure, keeping America competitive, and getting Americans back to work that much more urgent. The pandemic has forced an accelerated integration of technology into the work, school and personal lives of many Americans. But that has revealed inequities in access to reliable, high-speed internet. This experience is one more example of how our nation’s deficient infrastructure slows our economic growth generally. Around 24 million US households lack access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet. If not addressed, weak infrastructure can deprive many Americans of equal access to opportunity. And at the same time, climate change threatens the foundations of our economy.
Topic:: Climate Change, Infrastructure, Economy, Transportation, Sustainability, and COVID-19
Political Geography:: North America and United States of America

73. Municipal Development Policy in Germany: Current Status and Prospects

Author:: Christopher Wingens, Paul Marschall, and Eva Dick
Publication Date:: 01-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:: German municipalities are getting increasingly involved in development policy work in Germany and abroad, with the nature of that involvement becoming ever more diverse. However, very little is known about the background or the type of these activities. Against this backdrop, the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) has conducted a study of municipal development policy (MDP) in Germany. Financed by the Service Agency Communities in One World (SKEW) of Engagement Global, this research drew upon a previous study carried out by DIE in 2009 (Fröhlich & Lämmlin, 2009) with the aim of identifying the current status of and trends in development for this policy area. To this end, DIE collaborated with the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) to conduct a survey of municipalities throughout Germany. In addition, semi-structured qualitative interviews were held with representatives of municipalities and relevant national and federal-state institutions. As the results show, involvement in MDP on the part of German municipalities is increasing in the context of enabling national policies and changing frameworks for international cooperation (e.g. 2030 Agenda). Large municipalities engage far more often in development policy than small municipalities. The latter often focus on low-threshold activities with fewer requirements for project management, such as the promotion of fair trade. In a number of cases, small municipalities carry out projects based on inter-municipal cooperation. MDP covers many different topics, from information and education work to diverse forms of partnerships with municipalities in the Global South. The number and variety of stakeholders involved in the municipal administration partnerships are increasing, along with the functions they carry out. Municipalities serve as implementing agents, facilitators and networkers. They are partly motivated in their international work and corresponding activities by self-interest. Their involvement, for instance, may allow them to take on international responsibility or increase their appeal as an employer to new recruits. Development policy is a shared responsibility of the German national government, federal states and municipalities. MDP is a voluntary municipal activity and is thus not practised everywhere. Human resources are often insufficient and the required knowledge is difficult to obtain. In some cases, municipalities consider the expenditure associated with the management of MDP projects to be too high. Nonetheless, municipalities make a key contribution to transnational sustainability policy through their work, most especially by enabling global objectives to be localised and/or contextualised. One of the specific benefits of MDP is its proximity to citizens and direct contact with local stakeholders in Germany and abroad. However, when measured using conventional metrics and indicators for development cooperation (such as Official Development Assistance, ODA), the municipal contribution is still insufficiently discernible. It is important to continue providing support to municipalities, with as little red tape as possible, in order to fully exploit the potential MDP has in municipalities that are already involved in this work and those which are not yet involved.
Topic:: Development, International Cooperation, Sustainability, and Municipalities
Political Geography:: Europe and Germany

74. The European Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Strategy Review: the key to a return to sustainable growth in Europe

Author:: Nicolas Goetzmann
Publication Date:: 05-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
Abstract:: On 23 January 2020, a few weeks before the Covid19 pandemic began, Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), announced that a "strategy review" would be held with the aim of evaluating the monetary policy conducted since May 2003, the date of the last "review". Faced with an inflation rate significantly below 2%, whereas its objective is "below but close to 2% over the medium term", the ECB had no choice but to carry out such a procedure.
Topic:: Monetary Policy, Economic Growth, European Central Bank, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

75. Peace and illicit drugs at the margins: A borderland view of Afghanistan’s SDG 16

Author:: Orzala Nemat
Publication Date:: 10-2021
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU)
Abstract:: Afghanistan is in the process of developing its national goals and targets in relation to the global sustainable development goals (SDGs). There are 17 SDGs which have been broken down into a total of 169 targets. But how are these globally agreed goals being addressed in Afghanistan? In what ways do they specifically address the particular political challenges that Afghanistan faces, and the geographical divisions of the country? Drawing from long-term research on the drug economy and the more recent research of the Drugs & (dis)order project in three borderland provinces in Afghanistan – Badakhshan, Nangarhar and Nimroz – this briefing paper argues that the current A-SDG 16 fails both to identify the challenges that these borderlands pose to the achievement of SDG 16, and to recognise the opportunities that they might offer for peace building.
Topic:: Development, Borders, Drugs, Illegal Trade, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Afghanistan and Middle East

76. The Future is Green, Digital and Social: Europe’s new growth model and its Recovery Plan

Author:: Christina Kattami
Publication Date:: 07-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:: The policy brief* outlines the agenda of the new Commission before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and aims to analyse the ways in which the crisis has reinforced and strengthened key points of that agenda. It further outlines the Commission’s Recovery Plan proposal, and examines its links to the aspiring green and digital transition. Finally, it showcases the legal base and timeline of the Recovery Plan proposal and highlights the main points of agreement and contention across the Member States, outlining the July deal of the European Council and the ensuing resolution of the European Parliament. It overall argues for the need of a holistic recovery, that takes into account the unprecedented policy window brought by public and private funding, and ensures that the eventual indebtedness of the next generation is at least compatible with the aspirations and goals of an economy and society of the future.
Topic:: Science and Technology, European Union, Economic Growth, Institutions, Coronavirus, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

77. On the road to sustainable mobility: How to ensure a just transition?

Author:: Sofia López Piqueres and Sara Viitanen
Publication Date:: 12-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: European Policy Centre (EPC)
Abstract:: As the European Commission launches its long-awaited Strategy for sustainable and smart mobility, EU and national efforts to continue the transition to sustainable mobility will ensue. However, the green transition often overshadows and, at times, even comes at the expense of the most affected and vulnerable groups of society. The precarious, the elderly, people with disabilities and rural residents still face unfair conditions and access to mobility. Green alternatives are often scarce and far away, if they exist at all. Sofía López Piqueres and Sara Viitanen highlight the lack of inclusiveness in and the omittance of rural areas from European mobility systems and outline 11 recommendations which would ensure distributional justice, procedural justice and recognition justice. The carrots and sticks that are used to incentivise people to adopt more sustainable mobility options must be carefully studied. Moreover, process matters. Achieving buy-in for the transition requires considering the varying needs of people and placing special focus on vulnerable groups with limited mobility options, who may end up carrying a disproportionate cost of the transition without seeing the immediate benefits. It is time to accelerate the transition towards a climate-neutral economy and society with mobility systems that are both environmentally friendly and socially just.
Topic:: Climate Change, European Union, Green Technology, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

78. Doing business the right way: Pushing for green and social corporate governance

Author:: Sofia López Piqueres
Publication Date:: 05-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: European Policy Centre (EPC)
Abstract:: Reforms to corporate governance and EU company law could support the Union’s recovery efforts and promote a sustainable economy at the same time. This Policy Brief assesses two instruments in the EU corporate governance toolbox: the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which requires large companies to disclose information about how they are run and how their activities impact the environment and human rights, and the Shareholder Rights Directive II (SRDII), which aims to strengthen the position of shareholders and reduce short-termism and excessive risk-taking by companies. It also covers the principle of shareholder primacy – the idea that shareholder interests should take precedence over all else – and executive remuneration.
Topic:: Governance, Law, Reform, European Union, Business, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

79. Preparing for a Looming Water Crisis: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 in the Middle East and North Africa Countries

Author:: Jamal Saghir and Yasmina El Amine
Publication Date:: 05-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University (ISID)
Abstract:: The challenge of water security is growing globally. Achieving and sustaining water security, in both developed and developing countries, is likely to increase in complexity and priority as climate change intensifies, but also as the demands of economic growth increase. For most MENA countries that were already facing water security and major social, health and economic challenges before COVID-19, this additional pressure is particularly excruciating. Like COVID-19 and climate change, water scarcity in MENA is a global problem that requires collective action. There is no more urgent time to address the MENA’s water crisis than now, when people are constantly being reminded to use water to combat the spread of the virus. The Arab world appears to have averted significant health impacts from COVID-19, possibly shielding to a certain extent its health sector, however other sectors are at risk of collapsing, as the region is on the brink of an even more devastating water crisis. Drawing on countries’ responses to the outbreak and on unique traits and issues typical to the region, this policy paper discusses COVID –19 and the MENA and explores lessons learnt from the pandemic, in light of the upcoming water crisis in the MENA. It examines the issues of inequality and regional cooperation. It argues that fostering innovation for resilience is crucial in the absence of strong institutional response or capacity of governments, while also tackling critical ways to address and prepare for increasing water scarcity in the region. Finally, the paper provides policy recommendations that represent fundamental requirements for sustainable water development in the MENA countries.
Topic:: Development, Water, Crisis Management, Sustainability, and COVID-19
Political Geography:: Middle East and North Africa

80. Sustainable finance: the road to greater energy security in the Visegrad region

Author:: Linda Zeilina
Publication Date:: 06-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:: Linda Zeilina wrote a policy paper as a part of the Think Visegrad platform on the topic of sustainable finance and energy security of the Visegrád group countries. The coronavirus outbreak has made the unthinkable happen, with major economies grinding to a halt and international travel coming to a standstill. Now, it is time to think what is often seen as unthinkable: to reimagine economic models and energy systems, and to position the Visegrad countries well for the economic models of the future. By doing so, the region will also make itself much more secure and prosperous.
Topic:: Security, Energy Policy, Finance, Coronavirus, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe

81. In Defense of both Climate and Justice: The Climate Justice Movement

Author:: Baran Alp Uncu
Publication Date:: 12-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: Today, we are living in a world that is on average about 1 degree warmer than the pre-industrial period. If we do not limit this human-caused temperature rise to around 1.5 degrees until the end of the century, various disasters we are already experiencing such as the rise in sea levels, melting of ice sheets and glaciers, extreme weather events, floods and inundations, drought and water scarcity will increase in intensity and scope and furthermore assume an irreversible condition.
Topic:: Climate Change, Governance, Social Movement, Crisis Management, Urban, Justice, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Global Focus

82. The Development of Environmental Legislation through Procedural Means and the Right of Participation

Author:: Ilgın Özkaya Özlüer
Publication Date:: 12-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:: Rather than recommending “new” means to be established for the first time in terms of Turkish legislation, “The Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters” (“The Aarhus Convention”, in short) will ensure that already existing procedural means that implement rights such as the right to information, the right of participation and the right to environment are compatible with international networks. In this sense, the Aarhus Convention is the body of “procedural means” that is clearing the path to establishing a participatory public administration that can transform the aforementioned rights into effective tools for their beneficiaries, to assist in the creation of an egalitarian, transparent and effective administration and a new public order facilitating the social integration of disadvantaged groups like the elderly, the youth, women, children and immigrants.
Topic:: Civil Society, Environment, Governance, Legislation, Accountability, Urban, Transparency, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Global Focus

83. Sustaining Peace in Burkina Faso: Responding to an Emerging Crisis

Author:: Christian Lara and Gabriel Delsol
Publication Date:: 05-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:: In 2017, the UN launched a system-wide effort to support the implementation of the sustaining peace agenda in Burkina Faso. Since then, a rapidly deteriorating security situation and an imminent humanitarian crisis have forced the UN, the Burkinabe government, and their partners to recalibrate their efforts. This ongoing recalibration, together with the changes resulting from the UN development system reforms, makes this an opportune moment to assess the state of efforts to sustain peace in Burkina Faso. This paper examines the implementation of the UN’s peacebuilding and sustaining peace framework in Burkina Faso, looking at what has been done and what is still needed. It focuses on the four issue areas highlighted in the secretary-general’s 2018 report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace: operational and policy coherence; leadership at the UN country level; partnerships with local and regional actors; and international support. Burkina Faso provides lessons for how the UN’s sustaining peace efforts can respond to growing needs without a change in mandate. Continued support for the UN resident coordinator in Burkina Faso is necessary to ensure that these efforts are part of a holistic approach to the crisis, together with local, national, and regional partners. Such support could underpin Burkina Faso’s status as a buffer against spreading insecurity in the Sahel and make the country a model for the implementation of the sustaining peace agenda in conflict-prone settings without UN missions.
Topic:: Development, United Nations, Peacekeeping, Peace, Sustainability, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:: Africa and Burkina Faso

84. Unpacking the UN’s Development System Reform

Author:: Lesley Connolly and Jimena Leiva Roesch
Publication Date:: 07-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:: On January 1, 2019, a far-reaching reform of the UN development system went into effect. This was referred to by the deputy secretary-general as “the most ambitious reform of the United Nations development system in decades.” While this reform has only briefly been in place, questions have already arisen about its implementation and implications. This issue brief aims to contribute to the understanding of this ongoing reform and its significance. It provides a detailed overview of the UN development system reform at the headquarters, regional, and country levels, highlighting why it was undertaken and identifying some of the political and bureaucratic complexities it entails. The report concludes that more than a year into the reform of the UN development system, significant progress has been made, but it is too early to assess the reform’s long-term impact. What is clear, however, is that bringing about change of this scope will require the UN to adapt not only its structure but also its way of working.
Topic:: Development, United Nations, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Global Focus

85. Green certificates: a better version of green bonds

Author:: Dion Bongaerts and Dirk Schoenmaker
Publication Date:: 11-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Bruegel
Abstract:: The market for green bonds is growing rapidly and has been boosted by the European Commission’s plan to raise through green bonds 30 percent of the up to €750 billion that will be borrowed under the Next Generation EU coronavirus economic recovery programme. But while green bonds can reduce the financing costs of green projects and technologies, their current design means they fall short of fulfilling their full potential. Issuing green bonds alongside regular bonds fragments bond issues, reducing liquidity and thus increasing financing costs. Moreover, green bond prices reflect liquidity, credit risk and environmental performance jointly, which makes it difficult to isolate the part of the return on the bonds that relates to environmental performance. We propose an alternative: issuance of regular bonds with attached green certificates that ensure earmarking for green purposes. The new design would lead to more liquid securities (as only regular bonds are issued), which would reduce financing costs and in turn would provide incentives to start a greater number of environmentally-friendly projects. The new design would also make market prices more informative about environmental performance. In addition, green certificates would address the criticism that green bonds are used mostly for refinancing existing green projects rather than for new projects. Sovereigns are among the largest issuers of bonds and are therefore natural candidates for implementation of green certificates. The European Commission could also issue regular bonds and green certificates to finance the European Union’s recovery package, and should include green certificates in the under-preparation EU Green Bond standard. Commission issuance of green certificates would give a major boost to EU bonds as liquid safe assets while promoting green investment.
Topic:: Climate Change, Energy Policy, Finance, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Global Focus

86. How a pinch analysis can help visualise emission cuts for developing countries - Philippines

Author:: Dominic Foo and Raymond Tan
Publication Date:: 03-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham
Abstract:: Policy makers should use the carbon emissions pinch analysis (CEPA) as a graphical technique to allow the energy-climate nexus to be analysed visually and easily. This will help decision makers achieve the emission cuts they need. We illustrate the usefulness of CEPA by applying it to the case of the Philippines as a representative developing country.
Topic:: Developing World, Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainability, and Carbon Emissions
Political Geography:: Philippines and Global Focus

87. How a pinch analysis can help visualise emission cuts for transition economies

Author:: Dominic Foo, Raymond Tan, and Purusothmn Nair
Publication Date:: 03-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham
Abstract:: Policy makers should use the carbon emissions pinch analysis (CEPA) as a graphical technique to allow the energy-climate nexus to be analysed visually and easily. This will help decision makers achieve the emission cuts they need. We illustrate the usefulness of CEPA by applying it to the case of Malaysia as a representative for transition economies.
Topic:: Climate Change, Energy Policy, Sustainable Development Goals, Renewable Energy, Economic Development, Sustainability, and Carbon Emissions
Political Geography:: Malaysia

88. Water quality monitoring in the Red River Delta (Vietnam): how to improve water resource management in the region

Author:: Suzanne McGowan
Publication Date:: 03-2020
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham
Abstract:: Policy makers should use collected datasets to inform policy making that supports improved water resources management. The Red River Delta has a long history of collecting water quality data. These datasets can help policy makers understand how population growth and urban development has impacted water quality in the region. This brief suggests new methodologies and approaches to guide collection, analysis and interpretation of water quality monitoring datasets for improved water resources management.
Topic:: Natural Resources, Water, Sustainable Development Goals, Urban, Population Growth, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Asia and Vietnam

89. Water: A Key Driver for Sustainable Growth

Author:: Jamal Saghir
Publication Date:: 12-2019
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University (ISID)
Abstract:: Why is water important in the MNA region? • It matters for people. MNA countries cover 10 percent of the world’s area and home to 6% of the world’s population but receive less than 2% of the world’s renewable water supply. With rapid population growth since the mid 1970s, this has caused dramatic contraction in per capita renewable water resources. The MNA region is now the world’s driest region in the World. • It matters for the economy. Over 60 percent of the population of MNA lives in area of high-water stress compared to some 35% for the rest of the World. Water stress in MNA will be severe in the next 20 years as freshwater per resources per capita is estimated to keep on declining steadily unless fundamental shift occurs. The MNA region has the greatest expected economic losses from climate-related water scarcity, estimated at 6–14 percent of GDP by 2050. The MNA region will have to learn to do more with less – no matter what. • It matters for the environment. wastewater, 82% of which is not being recycled in the region, compared to just 30% in highincome countries. This presents a major threat to human and environmental health but also a massive opportunity to better satisfy water demand. Wastewater is the only natural resource that increases, as cities and populations grow. • It matters for equality. Equality between men and women; between urban and rural and between nations. MNA countries need to comprehend water as a political, economic and security issue in the region that plays a profound role in the future of the region and its growth and development, and take more concerted actions now.
Topic:: Agriculture, Energy Policy, Natural Resources, Water, Economic Growth, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Middle East, North Africa, and Global Focus

90. Sustaining Peace in Papua New Guinea: Prevention in Practice

Author:: Lesley Connolly and Laurie Mincieli
Publication Date:: 09-2019
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:: Papua New Guinea is facing two major challenges to peace: a November referendum on the future political status of Bougainville, the site of a brutal conflict from 1989 to 1998; and the recent increase in intercommunal violence in the Highlands region. This makes it an important test case for the UN’s approach to peacebuilding and sustaining peace and the recent reforms to the UN development system. This paper, a publication of IPI and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), examines the implementation of the UN’s peacebuilding and sustaining peace framework in Papua New Guinea, looking at what has been done and what is still needed. It focuses on the four issue areas highlighted in the secretary-general’s 2018 report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace: operational and policy coherence; leadership at the UN country level; partnerships with local and regional actors; and international support. Despite ongoing challenges in Papua New Guinea, implementation of the secretary-general’s recommendations on sustaining peace is already underway, offering examples of how to use the UN’s tools and resources to reduce and prevent violence and sustain peace. It reveals the importance of getting a resident coordinator with the right skill set; taking a long-term, preventive approach; building the capacity of government and civil society; ensuring continuous and flexible funding; and working with the Peacebuilding Commission to bring political attention in New York.
Topic:: United Nations, Peace, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Australia/Pacific and Papua New Guinea

91. Are the Dutch really going green? Policy Brief Climate politics in the Low Lands (part two)

Author:: Paul Hofhuis
Publication Date:: 09-2019
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:: This is the second Clingendael Policy Brief on climate policy development in the Netherlands. The first 'Are the Dutch going Green' was published in January 2019 and dealt with the political context and policy proposals made between autumn 2017 and the end of 2018. This policy brief focuses on the most recent developments until mid-September 2019. During this period the Dutch Parliament adopted a Climate Bill, provincial elections were won by a climate-sceptical party, and political agreement was reached on a comprehensive package of climate policies: the national Climate Agreement. This agreement, referred to as the ‘biggest refurbishment of the Netherlands since the Second World War’, was pre-cooked in an extensive negotiating process between government and civil society. The policies target especially the industrial, energy, transportation, housing and agriculture sectors. A key element of the societal debate focused on the costs of climate policies and how they should be allocated. In order to hammer out a political deal, the Dutch government had to change key assumptions of its constituting coalition agreement of 2017, and adjust some of the proposals developed by civil society, notably those favoured by industry. A lesson learned from the Dutch case is that setting ambitions may be relatively easy, but translating them into effective climate action is a tougher job, particularly when political decisions have to be taken on who will pay for what.
Topic:: Climate Change, Treaties and Agreements, Green Technology, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Europe and Netherlands

92. Climate Security: Making it #Doable

Author:: Dan Smith, Malin Mobjörk, Florian Krampe, and Karolina Eklöw
Publication Date:: 02-2019
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:: Climate-related events left no region unaffected in 2018. These events demonstrate how climate change impacts are worsening. Despite increased geopolitical tensions that seem to undermine the Agenda 2030 or the Paris Agreement, global and regional organisations have been able to achieve some progress in addressing and mitigating climate-related security risks. This report, prepared for the Planetary Security Conference taking place in The Hague on 19-20 February 2019, feeds into the conversation by sketching the past year’s trends in relation to climate and security. Assisted by Rickard Söder and Mikaela Wang, authors Dan Smith, Malin Mobjörk, Florian Krampe and Karolina Eklöw review the progress made in global and regional organisations on addressing and mitigating climate-related security risks despite the turmoil in global politics at large. It builds on the two previous progress reports for the Planetary Security Initiative (PSI). The report focuses on progress in the UN and in regional intergovernmental organisations, both showcasing achievements and highlighting new challenges.
Topic:: Security, Climate Change, United Nations, Sustainability, and Paris Agreement
Political Geography:: Global Focus

93. International Sustainable and Climate Finance: Where are we and which is the role of China on this?

Author:: Alice Amorim
Publication Date:: 03-2018
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: BRICS Policy Center
Abstract:: This brief focuses on climate finance, as it encompasses a substantive part of the resources in this broader sustainability agenda. Having a better understanding of this field is important given the possible risk of other development resources being hijacked by the climate finance rhetoric. The paper also presents updated data on climate finance flows and for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Finally, it presents some evidence of how China and Chinese-led financial institutions are becoming key players in this field.
Topic:: Climate Change, International Trade and Finance, Regulation, Finance, Risk, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: China

94. Gender and Energy approaches by BASIC countries

Author:: Alice Amorim and Marco Antonio Teixeira
Publication Date:: 01-2018
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: BRICS Policy Center
Abstract:: This Policy Brief analysis how the BASIC countries have incorporated gender and energy issues in their NDCs and assesses some of the interrelations between key energy and gender inequalities of the bloc.
Topic:: Climate Change, Energy Policy, Gender Issues, Renewable Energy, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: China, India, South Africa, and Brazil

95. Towards a Socially Responsible Aquaculture Stewardship Council

Author:: Sake Kruk and Henk Peters
Publication Date:: 06-2018
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a certification initiative which aims to promote responsible aquaculture. Oxfam regards ASC as an initiative to transform the sector, but there is a need for urgent improvements on social aspects such as fair contracts for farmers, decent labor rights in the industry, and effective and transparent stakeholder consultation including farmers, workers, communities, and civil society. Currently, smallholder farmers are effectively excluded from certification, the burden of change is put on farmers rather than shared throughout the chain, and the quality and effectiveness of social impact assessments are lacking. This paper presents several recommendations on how ASC should address these issues, so that it can truly claim to promote social responsibility.
Topic:: Agriculture, Maritime Commerce, Sustainability, and Supply Chains
Political Geography:: Global Focus

96. El desarrollo económico local y la consolidación de la paz en contextos de ilegalidad

Author:: Gonzalo Vargas
Publication Date:: 10-2018
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios sobre Desarrollo (CIDER), Universidad de los Andes
Abstract:: Consolidar trayectorias de desarrollo económico local incluyente y sostenible en los munici-pios más afectados por el conflicto es una tarea crucial para consolidar la paz en Colombia. Sin embargo, sus economías alojan un amplio espectro de actividades ilegales que afectan la sa-lud y destruyen el ambiente. En algunos municipios dichas actividades tienen una importancia marginal, pero en otros son esenciales para la economía local. La literatura internacional reco-noce que uno de los retos de la consolidación de la paz es la persistencia de economías ilegales y ofrece algunos lineamientos generales de política para enfrentarlas, por ejemplo, la impor-tancia de promover trayectorias de desarrollo que generen empleo para la mano de obra menos calificada en las zonas donde prosperan economías ilegales. En Colombia se han propuesto en-foques adaptados al contexto local, los cuales no siempre han dado frutos. Sin embargo, para formular recomendaciones basadas en evidencia es necesaria una comprensión más detallada de la relación entre economías legales e ilegales y un análisis comparado de las economías loca-les que han transitado desde economías basadas en la violencia y la ilegalidad hacia economías locales incluyentes y sostenibles.
Topic:: Local, Peace, Economic Development, Sustainability, Legal Sector, and Municipalities
Political Geography:: Colombia

97. Local Governance in Benin: A Guarantee of Sustainable Development?

Author:: Romaric Samson and Richard Houessou
Publication Date:: 03-2018
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Afrobarometer
Abstract:: Faced with the disappointing performance of centralized systems, many African states opted for decentralization in the 1990s in a bid to ensure that their citizens receive quality services (Anago, 2009). In theory, decentralization involves withdrawing some powers from the central state and transferring them to elected bodies at the local level. This introduced the concept of local governance, whose practical implementation supposes that all actors understand the institutional framework within which they function as well as their roles, responsibilities, and room for maneuver. In Benin, since the installation of the first communal and municipal councils in February 2003, decentralization has become one of the pillars of development, making better governance in local matters a fundamental element of the process. Municipal councils have taken on a number of responsibilities once left to the central state, such as maintaining local marketplaces and community hygiene, issuing bicycle licenses, and collecting some taxes. In order to manage and monitor financial resources allocated to local bodies, the central state established the Communal Development Support Fund (Fond d'Appui au Développement des Communes) in 2008. Despite good intentions and political decisions in favor of the decentralization process, good governance in our communities faces significant hurdles. Local populations express dissatisfaction with local councillors, and the transfer of powers and financial resources from the central state to local bodies is still not completely effective. Fifteen years after the first steps toward local governance in our municipalities, what lessons should be learned? How do Beninese citizens assess this governance process, and what roles do they play in its implementation? Has decentralization impacted the most vulnerable, i.e. the poorest? What are the interactions between local councillors and their constituents? Afrobarometer data from Benin make it possible to examine citizen perceptions of local governance. Our analyses reveal that popular assessments of local government performance are largely negative and haver worsened over time. We find a link between the level of popular trust in the municipal council and the perceived quality of local governance, as well as between communal development and perceptions of the local authority's activities.
Topic:: Development, Governance, Local, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Africa and Benin

98. The Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Mechanisms for Developing Countries under the UNFCCC: an analysis of the BASIC countries Biennial Update Reports

Author:: Alice Amorim
Publication Date:: 11-2017
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: BRICS Policy Center
Abstract:: This Policy Brief has three main objectives: Firstly, to present the basic international policy framework for the MRV for developing country Parties under the UNFCCC; Secondly, to provide a short comparative analysis of the latest version of the BURs presented by the countries that belong to the BASIC bloc, with an emphasis on the national MRV component of the Reports; Thirdly and lastly, to provide a set of policy recommendations for the BASIC countries.
Topic:: Climate Change, Development, Developing World, Regulation, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: China, India, South Africa, and Brazil

99. Sustainable Infrastructure Development in Sub Saharan Africa: A View from the Ground

Author:: Jamal Saghir
Publication Date:: 04-2017
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University (ISID)
Abstract:: The objective of this policy brief is to discuss issues affecting sustainable infrastructure development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)2 countries including challenges, opportunities, and investment options facing SSA countries. Sustainable infrastructure refers to the designing, building, and operating of infrastructure 3 projects taking into account social, economic, financial, ecological and environmental considerations. Sustainable infrastructure enhances quality of life for citizens, helps protect vital natural resources and environment, and promotes a more effective and efficient use of financial resources.4 Infrastructure development and financing are an indispensable component of growth for any economy, and are an essential building block for SSA countries to get on the path of sustainable development. However, at present, SSA countries lack adequate and sustainable infrastructure to support increased economic growth. Overall and by all indicators, SSA is the least endowed region of the world in terms of infrastructure, even when compared too low- and middle-income countries in other developing regions. Moreover, private sector investments in SSA infrastructure remain among the lowest in the world. This is due to a number of contributing factors, including small country size that affects economies of scale and service delivery costs; low incomes that constrain affordability; weak institutions; underdeveloped domestic capital markets resulting in lack of locally-denominated long term capital; and relatively poor business environments. Closing SSA’s infrastructure gap would thus require a multi-track approach to increase all forms of public and private investments and leverage a variety of financial instruments, including guarantees.
Topic:: Development, Infrastructure, Economic Growth, and Sustainability
Political Geography:: Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa

100. Starting with People: A Human Economy Approach to Inclusive Growth in Africa

Author:: Kathy Wright
Publication Date:: 05-2017
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: High levels of inequality across Africa have prevented much of the benefits of recent growth from reaching the continent’s poorest people. To combat inequality in Africa, political and business leaders have to shape a profoundly different type of economy. It must start with the needs of Africa’s women and young people for good quality sustainable jobs, rather than the needs of the richest and of foreign investors. Leaders must use economic policy, taxation policy and social spending to build a human economy for Africa.
Topic:: Poverty, Inequality, Economy, Tax Systems, Sustainability, and Inclusion
Political Geography:: Africa

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COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS