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1. Nature-based Solutions for a Sustainable Critical Minerals Value Chain

Author:
Lara Fornabaio, Sara Saloum, Perrine Toledano, and Kirsten Hund
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:
Critical minerals production is essential for a net-zero future yet mining land footprint overlaps with sensitive ecosystems: of the sector’s 101,583 square kilometers of mining concessions, 7% are in biodiversity hotspots, 8% are in protected areas, and 16% are in “wilderness” areas of high ecological integrity. The value chains of mining operations “both depend on and impact nature” (ICMM, 2024), creating a responsibility for mining actors to manage and mitigate the impacts of operations on the landscape. This responsibility includes addressing nature loss, supporting the well-being of communities, and contributing to the resilience of ecosystems. Nature-based solutions (NbS), which are based on the idea that healthy ecosystems deliver valuable services to society, offer one method of working towards these goals
Topic:
Mining, Sustainability, Value Chains, Net Zero, Critical Minerals, and Sustainable Development
Political Geography:
Global Focus

2. Getting Debt Sustainability Analysis Right: Eight Reforms for the Framework for Low-Income Countries

Author:
C. Randall Henning
Publication Date:
02-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
Assessing the sustainability of developing countries’ debt is an essential task of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, but it is also a controversial one. The two institutions are currently reviewing the debt sustainability framework for low-income countries (abbreviated as LIC-DSF). This paper provides a primer on the framework’s basic elements, an overview of critiques from a variety of perspectives, and analysis of selected issues, including the endogeneity of analysis of sustainability, analysis of debtors’ institutional strength, analysis of domestic political conditions, role and exercise of staff judgment, and collaboration between the World Bank and the IMF. The paper recommends eight improvements, including streamlining the institutional indicators, better separating economic analysis from political judgment, adopting certain procedures for applying judgment, and selectively introducing climate considerations.
Topic:
Debt, World Bank, Sustainability, IMF, and Global Economy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

3. Advancing Accountability in Development Finance: The Sandra Smithey Fellowship

Author:
Rachel Nadelman and Anushka Bose
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Accountability Research Center (ARC), American University
Abstract:
The Sandra N. Smithey Fellowship for Equity and Accountability in International Development was created to honor the career of Sandra Smithey, particularly her legacy in amplifying frontline voices that champion transparent and accountable approaches to development finance. Between 2023 and 2025, the Smithey Fellowship, administered by the Accountability Research Center (ARC) at American University, provided support to eight advocates advancing accountability in development finance. The central premise of the Fellowship is that accountability work is most effective when driven by those directly affected by development decisions and supported by flexible, trust-based funding. ARC worked with each of the fellows to define their own strategic goals and approaches within the time or resources available, seeking to ensure that each could meet the most pressing opportunities or challenges they faced. It provided them with significant flexibility to make mid-course changes to respond to political realities on the ground. The philosophy of “putting the fellows first” resulted in eight bespoke fellowships that reflected the breadth of civil society efforts to promote community- and context-based accountability in international development finance. Across these experiences, several key lessons emerge: Flexibility is a foundation for impact and sustainability. When fellows were given space to adapt to rapidly changing contexts, they achieved outcomes that rigid programs might have constrained. Altering conventional fellowship designs can change the balance in north-south knowledge hierarchies. An adaptable fellowship structure enabled some fellows to pursue their projects whilst embedded in their local communities, accessing support where their work was already taking shape. Translating knowledge can enable power shifts. Fellows who converted technical or bureaucratic language into practical tools enabled communities to engage institutions on their own terms. Collaboration is a vehicle for continuity of both projects and relationships. Collaboration among mentors, allies, and civil society organizations extended the reach of individual projects and embedded learning in broader movements. Longer-term influence depended on intentional efforts to maintain networks, communication, and financial stability after formal support ended. Enabling frontline expertise to shape accountability narratives can effectively support existing movements for rights and remedy. The fellows demonstrated that it is those closest to injustice that have the insight and credibility to define what accountability should mean in their own contexts as a basis for transformative change. This Accountability Note describes the work of these fellows and explores how a targeted package of direct funding, reflecting the fellows’ priorities and accompanied by trusted partners, enabled them to respond effectively to new and changing conditions. Ultimately, the Smithey Fellowship demonstrated that modest, well-structured support, grounded in trust, autonomy, and solidarity, can enable progress towards accountability and enable advocates to define and pursue their own paths in building durable movements for justice.
Topic:
Accountability, Sustainability, Fellowships, and Development Finance
Political Geography:
Global Focus

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Transforming Towards Regional Sustainability: A Framework Based on Sustainability Transitions and Nexus Thinking

Author:
Nathan Marom
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
Abstract:
The twenty-first century confronts humanity with an unprecedented constellation of interrelated challenges and crises – environmental, economic, social, political, technological – that together demand far-reaching transformations in our modes of living, our societies and governance systems, and our ecological impacts on the planet. Because these multiple crises are interconnected across countries and continents, sectors and scales – recently described through the notion of “polycrisis” – our responses must be interconnected as well. Addressing them requires “nexus thinking”, recognizing the multiple interdependencies, trade-offs, and synergies across energy, water, and food systems, climate and ecological changes, socio-economic settings, and geo-political conflicts. It also demands “transformation thinking”, the capacity to reimagine and redesign systems so they transition from their current crisis trajectories toward sustainability and peace. Together, these two approaches form the foundation for the Nexus Transformations framework explored in this paper. This paper develops a new conceptual framework of Nexus Transformations to support regional sustainability and peacebuilding efforts. It hopes to make several contributions to how sustainability is perceived within the fields of security and peace studies and adjacent policy fields. At the same time, the paper will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with the fundamental question of our age: how to contribute to transforming existing conflictual and detrimental systems into more stable and sustainable systems conducive to peaceful conditions – in our region and beyond. First, the paper introduces two of the most prominent approaches in the academic study of sustainability and in the fields of environmental and climate policy: namely, Sustainability Transitions (ST) and Nexus approaches. It offers a brief and accessible introduction to the main concepts and themes of these two approaches – intended to researchers in security and peace studies, as well as to policymakers and practitioners working in post-conflict reconstruction or in sustainable development more broadly. Second, the paper offers a conceptual yet practical synthesis of the Sustainability Transitions and Nexus approaches. Despite common concerns and potential synergies, these two influential approaches have, by and large, been addressed separately in the academic and policy literature. However, there are good reasons for combining them in different policy domains and in real world applications. We could think of their complementary qualities in a simple and practical way: The Nexus approach is concerned with the interrelations between systems that require integration and transformation. It focuses on what to transform, and offers technical, infrastructural, and spatial insights. However, it lacks a theory of systemic change and a detailed understanding of institutional and social-economic dynamics shaping these systems. Sustainability Transitions offers such a theory of systemic change. It focuses on how to transform, and adds important organizational, institutional, social-economic, and temporal insights. But, so far, it mostly lacks the powerful interrelational outlook of the nexus that connects these distinct socio-technical systems in real places. To bridge this gap, the paper introduces an integrated framework of Nexus Transformations as a systematic way to address these interrelated questions of how to transform and what to transform. Third, the Nexus Transformations framework offers an expanded and holistic articulation of nexus approaches, interconnecting the FEW nexus of food, energy, and water systems, critical at the urban scale, with the MORE nexus of regional mobility, economic, and ecological systems, and with the PLENTY nexus of security, prosperity, and peace within planetary boundaries. Nexus Transformations thus frames seemingly local and site-specific sustainable development challenges, including post-conflict reconstruction, as multi-level and multi-scale opportunities for systemic transformation. To apply the Nexus Transformations framework and further specify the FEW-MORE-PLENTY path, the paper outlines a series of stages, considerations, and guiding questions. This is proposed as a roadmap to guide policy makers and practitioners in planning, shaping, and catalyzing multi-level sustainable transformations. In this way, the Nexus Transformations framework can be applied across diverse domains and scales of sustainable development, from integrated infrastructure, urban, and regional development, through post-conflict reconstruction, to the governance of transitions for living within planetary boundaries. While the paper remains at a conceptual level, it connects to several recent Mitvim initiatives, including policy papers on a humanitarian strategy for Gaza and post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Region. It wishes to push further the definition and the ambition of reconstruction – as a profound systemic transformation towards sustainability and peace. This is relevant not just for Gaza, but across the Middle East and the planet at large. The hope, therefore, is that this paper, together with its predecessors, could open a set of discussions with partners across the region and globally, who are committed to the principles of transforming holistically from conflict and climate emergency towards sustainability and peace.
Topic:
Peace, Sustainability, Green Transition, 2023 Gaza War, and Climate Diplomacy
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza

8. Financing Sustainable Reconstruction of Gaza

Author:
Hafez Ghanem and Liel Maghen
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
Abstract:
This paper argues that the reconstruction of Gaza will depend not only on the amount of funding mobilized, but on how financing is structured, governed, and anchored within a broader political context. In a setting shaped by movement restrictions and weak institutions, financial design is not neutral but shapes priorities, distributes power, and determines what can be implemented on the ground. The paper examines the key challenges that have limited the translation of financial commitments into actual projects, alongside emerging approaches that seek to address these barriers, and argues for a financial architecture that strengthens local capacity, ensures transparency, and supports long term recovery rather than reinforcing dependency and fragmentation. It contends that such an approach can only be effective if it is accompanied by a clear political horizon, including the lifting of the blockade, which will support the well-being of the local population and create the conditions to reduce risk and attract private investment.
Topic:
Reconstruction, Investment, Sustainability, Post-Conflict, and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, and Gaza

9. Affordable Housing in Baku: Proposals for Sustainable Urban Living

Author:
Carl Haddrell and Aysel Karimli
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Baku Dialogues
Institution:
ADA University
Abstract:
The current housing problem in Baku did not begin with the post‑Soviet real‑estate boom. Its roots reach back to the late Russian imperial period, when the first oil boom transformed Baku from a small‑town port into one of the empire’s fastest‑growing industrial cities. Wealth generated by oil produced a sharply uneven urban landscape: elite mansions, administrative buildings, and prestigious apartment houses rose in the central city, while the influx of workers from other parts of Azerbaijan, the empire, and surrounding states produced intense pressure for cheaper accommodation near the oil fields and industrial districts. Baku’s modern housing question, therefore, emerged at the same time as its modern prosperity. Under Soviet rule, this earlier imbalance was not eliminated so much as reorganized. From the 1920s onward, Baku became the site of repeated planning experiments, including worker settlements around the industrial periphery, new general plans for the city and the Absheron Peninsula, and later the mass construction of standardized apartment blocks. These interventions expanded access to housing and built the foundations of the residential city that still exists today. Yet they also embedded a different set of long‑term problems: heavy reliance on standard typologies, weak maintenance cultures, and a tendency to subordinate housing quality to industrial and demographic urgency. By the late Soviet period, the city had acquired large microdistricts and extensive prefabricated housing, but much of this stock was already beginning to age mechanically and spatially. The legacy is therefore double. Baku inherited from the imperial era a housing market shaped by uneven access and speculative pressure; from the Soviet era, it inherited a vast but increasingly fragile stock whose technical life and social logic were never meant to carry the full weight of a twenty‑first‑century metropolis. Despite considerable and commendable efforts by the Azerbaijani government and the city authorities, Baku is currently facing the prospect of a housing crisis marked by severe affordability constraints and significant deterioration of its pre‑1990 housing stock, which may, if not successfully addressed, lead to growing socioeconomic inequality. Housing prices substantially exceed median household income levels, and the opportunity to secure a mortgage and take the first steps toward property ownership remains a significant challenge for many. At the same time, nearly half of the city’s residential buildings face long‑term structural risk due to decades of deferred maintenance. As a result, housing in Baku functions not only as a sectoral challenge but as a systemic driver of social disparity and fiscal strain. Drawing on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 framework (“Sustainable Cities and Communities”), this paper proposes an integrated reform agenda for Baku focused on affordability measures, large‑scale structural rehabilitation, institutional reform, and the modernization of housing data systems. Without coordinated intervention, Baku risks intergenerational inequality and accelerating infrastructure decline; however, targeted reforms could position the housing sector as a foundation for sustainable, resilient urban development.
Topic:
Urbanization, Sustainability, Post-Soviet Space, and Affordable Housing
Political Geography:
Caucasus, Azerbaijan, and Baku

10. Africa in the G20 and Debt Sustainability

Author:
Bitania Tadesse, Patrick Hajayandi, and Tim Murithi
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:
The African Union’s admission to the G20 as a permanent member in 2023 marked a major milestone in global economic governance, giving the continent its first collective seat at one of the most influential decision-making forums on debt, trade, climate finance, and development. While this corrected a long-standing imbalance in representation, key questions remain about whether this institutional presence will translate into substantive influence. This issue brief examines how the AU organizes its participation in the G20 and assesses the progress made under South Africa’s 2025 presidency, particularly on debt sustainability. It highlights initiatives such as the ministerial declaration on debt and the Africa Expert Panel proposals for reforms to the global debt architecture, while underscoring the continued limitations of existing G20 mechanisms, and the structural challenges posed by high borrowing costs.. The brief finds that while Africa has generated momentum within the G20, sustaining progress will require stronger coordination within the AU, the operationalization of key institutional mechanisms, and a more focused and strategic approach to advancing continental priorities in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
Topic:
Debt, G20, Geopolitics, Sustainability, and Global Economy
Political Geography:
Africa

11. 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

12. 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

13. Investing for tomorrow: long-term investment, economic scale and the green transition

Author:
Philip Ushchev and Guntram B. Wolff
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Bruegel
Abstract:
We seek to explain positive correlations between green investments and long-term financial holdings, the size of the economy and the variance in GDP. To this end, we develop a model for green investments that expands on a standard non-cooperative private provision of public goods game, with heterogeneous agents and intertemporal choices. Agents differ in, first, time preference and, second, wealth/income. Our model shows that: (a) green bonds tend to account for larger shares of the portfolios of long-term oriented investors, (b) larger economies tend to invest more in climate mitigation, and (c) more heterogeneity among types of agents increases climate investments. Our model has significant implications for climate policy: it points to the importance of long-term investors in the green transition and to the importance of larger groups of countries agreeing on cooperative frameworks, for example, in the form of climate clubs, to increase overall investment in climate mitigation.
Topic:
Climate Change, Investment, Macroeconomics, Sustainability, and Decarbonization
Political Geography:
Global Focus

14. 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

15. Status of Environmental Justice in Karamoja and West Nile Sub-Regions in Uganda

Author:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
This report presents a comprehensive assessment of the status of environmental justice in Uganda, with a particular focus on the Karamoja and West Nile regions. These two regions, though distinct in ecological and socio-economic characteristics, are united by their position which is at the frontline of environmental change, governance challenges, and livelihood vulnerability. Karamoja is characterized by semi-arid landscapes and pastoral livelihoods, faces intensifying pressures from climate variability, land degradation, and expanding extractive and conservation activities. West Nile, by contrast, represents a complex humanitarian–ecological interface shaped by one of the largest refugee-hosting contexts in Africa. West Nile is where population influxes are placing unprecedented strain on land, forests, and water resources. These two regions provide a critical lens through which to understand how environmental governance systems shape outcomes like equity, inclusion, and sustainability in Uganda.
Topic:
Climate Change, Governance, Sustainability, Ecology, and Environmental Justice
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

16. Old and new narratives on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in times of political turmoil

Author:
Pieter Zwaan and Louise Van Schaik
Publication Date:
02-2026
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:
The European Union is entering a decisive phase in the reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2027-2034. This takes place amid geopolitical instability, climate pressures, and growing expectations and demands for more sustainable food systems and stable farm incomes. The European Commission has tabled reforms that substantially reconfigure both the budgetary architecture and direction of EU agricultural support. This report a) analyses the unfolding debate and negotiations on the CAP; b) compares stakeholders and European Parliament groups positions on several proposed CAP interventions; and c) examines the possible implications of the proposals and possible changes to it, in particularly for the Netherlands. Core themes in the CAP debate The analyses shows that three general themes dominate discussions on the future CAP: 1. Food security and strategic autonomy, increasingly framed through a productionist and neo-mercantilist discourse, linked to geopolitical shocks, market volatility, and input dependencies. 2. Competitiveness versus sustainability, with diverging views on whether competitiveness is a prerequisite for, or in tension with, environmental ambitions; and the 3. Targeting of support, where broad consensus exists on the need for a bettertargeting and fairer distribution of income support, but disagreements exist on how far to move away from area-based payments with mandatory conditions. The Commission’s narrative marks a return to a more productionist discourse (where income support to farmers is justified by their contribution to food production and security) compared to the Farm to Fork Strategy, which reflected a more multi-functionalist discourse (where income support to farmers is largely justified by or conditional on the their contribution to public good that are not rewarded by the market). The Commission’s vision and policy proposals on the CAP still reference climate and biodiversity goals but prioritise food security, competitiveness, simplification and flexibility, and a shift from environmental obligations to incentives.
Topic:
European Union, Food Security, Geopolitics, Sustainability, Strategic Autonomy, and Agricultural Policy
Political Geography:
Europe

17. Ageing costs, public debt sustainability and EU fiscal rules

Author:
Meryem Gökten and Philipp Heimberger
Publication Date:
06-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW)
Abstract:
This paper examines the role of ageing costs in the reformed EU fiscal rules. Governments must pre-emptively tighten fiscal policy to offset projected ageing cost increases, but required adjustments depend on underlying assumptions. Using alternative scenarios, we show that small changes in ageing cost assumptions can lead to marked differences in debt paths and consolidation needs. The framework ignores ageing-related uncertainty in these projections. Lower ageing costs may even raise long-run debt by reducing upfront tightening. Overall, our results highlight that fiscal adjustment requirements – and their economic effects – are highly sensitive to uncertain and arbitrary ageing-related assumptions.
Topic:
Economics, European Union, Fiscal Policy, Aging, Sustainability, and Public Debt
Political Geography:
Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Romania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, and Slovenia

18. Navigating Debt Sustainability: An In-Depth Analysis of the IMF's Debt Sustainability Framework and Its Critique

Author:
Hasan Cömert, Güney Düzçay, and T. Sabri Öncü
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
Abstract:
This paper evaluates the IMF's debt sustainability analyses (DSAs), delving into their methodologies and implications and highlighting their problems. Since 2002, the DSAs have been the cornerstone of the IMF programs, providing the primary analytical tool to justify and determine the paths and targets specified. Although the DSAs evolved significantly over time, they have severe foundational problems. They rely heavily on strong assumptions and staff judgments, and thereby, they are primarily non-transparent. Secondly, there are significant issues regarding the conduct of DSAs. They have grown excessively complex, hindering consensus on components without necessarily improving assessment quality. Thirdly, the IMF makes very high-stakes decisions with low precision, relying on persistent over-optimism in growth forecasting and paving the way for tighter fiscal policies. Fourthly, the debt dynamics equation of DSAs is inconsistent with stock flow dynamics because it focuses heavily on the primary balance as the main driver. Fifthly, the IMF's framework does not pay enough attention to the underlying reasons for accumulating external debt in developing nations. It often treats external borrowing as a substitute for domestic debt without accounting for the asymmetric international financial architecture.
Topic:
Debt, Fiscal Policy, Sustainability, and IMF
Political Geography:
Global Focus

19. 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

20. How to deal with the current debt crisis of developing countries?

Author:
Jürgen K. Zattler
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:
Many countries are still struggling with high and rising debt levels. The economic impact of the pandemic, as well as some longer-term structural factors, explain this situation. The key problem is the high level of debt service relative to government revenues, which makes it difficult to address growing development, social and climate challenges. As this is a particular problem for low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), the focus should be on these countries. But even within this group, the situation is not uniform. A differentiated approach with different components is therefore needed, depending on countries’ individual situations and their own priorities and choices. There have been many contributions to this debate and proposals on how to address the current problems. This paper builds on some of those contributions presenting a practical and coherent approach to address the current debt crisis which focuses as far as possible on incentives for debtor countries and private creditors. Importantly, a distinction should be made between countries with high debt levels that are at risk of debt distress and those with liquidity problems. Therefore, debt sustainability assessments (DSAs) are needed to decide which countries (a) are not in debt distress, (b) have an insolvency problem, and (c) have a liquidity problem. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank should be asked to classify all LICs and LMICs accordingly, based on updated DSAs, using a prudent approach with conservative projections. These DSAs must emphasise debt service indicators. For countries with liquidity problems, they need to identify those countries where the problem is of a longer-term nature, with a risk that the liquidity squeeze will turn into acute debt distress. All LICs and LMICs facing insolvency or liquidity problems should be offered a moratorium similar to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) to give them breathing space (of 2-3 years). The expectation is that this would help countries with liquidity problems to maintain basic social and economic services until market conditions improve or debt relief is implemented. In cases where debt service remains high after the moratorium expires, the country would be expected to request debt relief. Countries at risk of default would be expected to use the period of the moratorium to engage promptly in restructuring discussions and to prepare negotiations with creditors on a debt relief programme. The IMF would make its resources conditional on a suspension of debt service payments. The question is whether private creditors, including sovereign bondholders, should be required to participate. It is suggested that a distinction be made between two categories of countries. For countries at risk of insolvency, including those with longer-term liquidity problems, the moratorium should be conditional on private participation on comparable terms, as their creditworthiness is likely to be affected anyway. In contrast, with countries facing short-term liquidity problems the approach should be more flexible. While pressure on private creditors to join a standstill should be maximised, this should be complemented by strong incentives. Countries with unsustainable debt would request treatment under a reformed G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatment (CF) with the option of a more comprehensive debt relief arrangement (“CF+”), including the following enhanced or new components: • At the beginning of the process, countries would have to present a “Just Green Transition Programme” (JGTP), monitored by the IMF and the World Bank. • The CF+ would be accompanied by more comprehensive debt relief, thus creating more fiscal space to allow the country to finance transformational and social investments. Debt service after rescheduling should be based on DSAs, which pay greater attention to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) investments and countries’ particular circumstances, leaving countries with substantial room to absorb shocks. The objective would be to limit the debt burden to external creditors as a share of revenue after rescheduling to around 10-15 per cent. • For those countries where a large part of the debt service will be due to multilateral creditors, the involvement of multilateral institutions should be considered. This should be the case for those multilateral creditors which are not willing, or able, to provide positive net flows at highly concessional terms. • The issuance of “Brady-like” bonds could be considered for specific country cases. The issuance of Brady-like bonds could be an incentive to maximise private creditor participation in exchanging old debt for new bonds with a significant discount or “haircut”.
Topic:
Debt, Development, Sustainability, and COVID-19
Political Geography:
Global Focus

21. The Impact of Energy Security on Inter-Relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Author:
Haila Al-Mekaimi
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The concept of energy security in the Arabian Gulf region refers to the ability to meet the energy needs of countries in the region without interruption in a way that guarantees the economic, social, and political stability of these countries. The concept of energy security in the Arabian Gulf includes several aspects: Ensuring strategic supplies. This relates to ensuring the continuous availability of oil and gas to producing and consuming countries in the region and beyond, avoiding any disturbances in the global market, and ensuring price stability. Energy diversification means diversifying energy sources and relying on them. Diverse energy, such as renewable energy, reduces total dependence on oil and gas and provides future economic opportunities. Strengthening energy independence: This includes developing national capabilities in the energy sectors, including developing the infrastructure and technologies necessary to extract and refine oil and gas and generate renewable energy. Achieving environmental sustainability: This requires achieving a balance between meeting energy needs, protecting the environment, and reducing harmful emissions. Regional and international cooperation Energy security also consists of enhancing cooperation between countries in the region and other countries in the field of energy, whether in exchanging knowledge and technology or in developing joint projects for generating and transmitting energy. This paper adopts a comparative methodology between Gulf countries to measure their ability to confront energy security in light of climate change. This paper reaches the most prominent conclusion, which is that the Gulf countries’ varying capabilities in achieving future energy security will play a major role in reshaping the inter-relations between the Gulf countries.
Topic:
Climate Change, Diversification, Sustainability, Gulf Cooperation Council, Regional Politics, and Energy Security
Political Geography:
Middle East and Gulf Nations

22. Distinguishing Among Climate Change-Related Risks

Author:
Lisa Sachs, Denise Hearn, Matt Goldklang, and Perrine Toledano
Publication Date:
02-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:
Understanding the diverse types of climate change-related risks is crucial for developing effective strategies to address the global climate crisis. A holistic yet disaggregated approach allows for a comprehensive view of the challenges while enabling targeted responses from various stakeholders. This document outlines three main categories of climate-related risks: planetary, economic, and financial, detailing their relevance to various stakeholders, timeframes, and potential response strategies. This short brief aims to disentangle the complex nature of risk discussions for productive discourse and appropriate risk management approaches for different stakeholders. In practice, discussions related to assessing and responding to climate change risk have conflated categories of risk, confusing discussions and undermining the effectiveness of related strategies. We hope this brief can bring clarity and rigor to analyses of risk and support constructive discussion among policymakers, financial institutions, social sector actors, and the public. We plan to follow this short briefing with a longer report including more detailed analysis, integrating feedback to these initial ideas.
Topic:
Climate Change, Finance, Economy, Investment, Risk, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Global Focus

23. Reforming Iran’s Energy Policy: Strategies for Sustainability, Subsidies, and Global Integration

Author:
Behdad Gilzad Kohan and Hamid Dahouei
Publication Date:
04-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
Iran’s energy sector, rich in natural gifts and brimming with potential, struggles to realize its promise due to systemic inefficiencies, heavy dependence on fossil fuels, outdated infrastructure, and the weight of international sanctions. These challenges plague Iran with recurring energy crises, including seasonal energy shortages, environmental degradation, and socio-economic discontent. This article investigates the root causes of Iran’s energy challenges and offers a comprehensive analysis of the critical deficiencies of Iranian energy policies. Based on these insights, the article proposes a strategic roadmap with immediate, medium-term, and long-term policy recommendations to stabilize the sector, most critical of which include subsidy reforms, ambitious renewable energy integration, and energy efficiency improvements. The proposed reforms emphasize the importance of transparent governance, targeted investments, and stakeholder engagement to achieve meaningful change. By aligning its energy policies with global sustainability trends and addressing domestic inefficiencies, Iran can transform its energy sector into a model of innovation and equity.
Topic:
Sanctions, Reform, Fossil Fuels, Sustainability, Subsidies, and Energy Sector
Political Geography:
Iran and Middle East

24. Europe’s next watershed – how liberal Europe should react to Trump 2.0

Author:
Fabian Zuleeg
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre (EPC)
Abstract:
The return of Donald Trump to the White House and his “America first” doctrine inevitably poses a fundamental challenge for the EU. Trump’s second presidency represents a new watershed moment: the policies of the next US administration are not just likely to put Europe at a global disadvantage, they will threaten its core objectives of prosperity, sustainability, security, and democracy. This is why European countries will have to act decisively to safeguard the bloc’s unity and strengthen its autonomy in a changed world. Assuming that a second Trump administration will resemble the first would be a serious error. Trump has become more extreme in his policy positions, while facing fewer constraints and operating in a more favourable international environment. As a result, preparing for a worst-case scenario may be a wise approach. Trump’s adversarial, zero-sum approach to international trade is likely to undermine the structures and processes of multilateral economic governance. Measures such as tariffs also threaten the EU’s growth and competitiveness and risk deepening divisions within the bloc. Global progress towards greater sustainability is certain to suffer. A disengagement on behalf of the US from its leadership role in environmental and climate governance will be a significant setback in these efforts. Should the US turn away from its climate goals, this would send a strong signal to other countries that these objectives are no longer a priority. On security, any potential benefit that a Trump presidency might produce in terms of strengthening EU unity is strongly undermined by his stance on Ukraine, which is set to increase the threat facing Europe from Russia. A US-imposed ceasefire would be no guarantee of lasting peace or security for Ukraine or for Europe. In response, the EU and its members will have to take a much bolder and more proactive role, sharply increasing Europe’s own military capabilities and spending. Policies that signal a tolerance for the use of open and covert force, in violation of international law, will also have profound consequences for global security. Far-right and anti-democratic forces within Europe are likely to be emboldened by an incoming Trump government. His actions to exploit Europe’s political divides are set to put significant pressure on European integration – a project Trump will have no qualms in undermining. The entrenchment and normalisation of Trump’s style of populistic, divisive politics and ‘us against them’ rhetoric risks eroding democratic debate more broadly. His amplification of falsehoods and disinformation will undermine public trust in the US and beyond, and could also boost political figures adopting similar strategies in Europe. There is strong potential for Trump’s anti-establishment narrative to gain further ground in Europe, and Europe’s illiberal, regressive and new-nativist forces will no doubt seek to harness this to increase their power. Should they be successful, there is a very real risk of the EU becoming hollowed-out and ineffectual. In this context, achieving consensus and acting with unity will be a greater challenge than ever for the EU27. Those within the EU who are prepared to take the necessary steps to rise to the challenge posed by Trump may have to explore unconventional forms of cooperation to act effectively. Moving forward in this way poses its own legal and political risks. But with European democracy at stake, it may be the only path to achieving the necessary level of ambition and unity to mount a strong response to Trump 2.0.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, European Union, Donald Trump, Sustainability, and Democratic Backsliding
Political Geography:
Europe

25. Navigating Malaysia’s National Shipping Carbon Accounting Framework towards Alignment with the IMO GHG Reduction Strategy

Author:
Egbert Adolf Naintin, Syuhaida Ismail, and Datuk Hj. Dickson Dollah
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Maritime Institute of Malaysia
Abstract:
Malaysia is taking significant strides in modernising how it accounts for carbon emissions in the shipping sector, aligning with its ongoing International Maritime Organization (IMO) lobbying strategy and reinforcing its commitment to global maritime sustainability. Nonetheless, this progress is not just about keeping up with international standards, yet also about ensuring that Malaysia plays a proactive role in climate action for future generations. By shifting from an outdated method of self-regulated individual ships to establishing a proactive national initiative, Malaysia is paving the way for a more sustainable shipping sector.
Topic:
Climate Change, Maritime, Sustainability, Carbon Emissions, Shipping, and International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Political Geography:
Malaysia and Indo-Pacific

26. Rethinking development finance in Tajikistan: Towards more sustainable and inclusive fiscal pathways

Author:
Jovid Ikromi
Publication Date:
05-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
United Nations University
Abstract:
This paper rethinks development finance in Tajikistan through the lens of fiscal sociology, arguing that sustained reliance on foreign aid and external borrowing may weaken state-society trust and erode institutional legitimacy. Anchored in the political economy of development finance, the paper explores how alternative financing strategies, such as tax reform, diaspora bonds, thematic bonds, and blended finance, interact with domestic institutions, investor confidence, and citizen perceptions of fiscal fairness. While external flows have financed essential infrastructure and social programmes, they have also limited incentives for domestic resource mobilization and weakened public accountability. Issues of debt sustainability increasingly constrain long-term planning, while climate finance is emerging as both a challenge and an opportunity for diversifying development funding. Drawing on policy analysis and secondary data, the paper shows that financial instruments succeed not only through technical design but through their ability to reinforce the fiscal social contract. Tajikistan’s case illustrates that without improvements in governance, transparency, and citizen engagement, even well-structured innovations in development finance may fail to gain traction. The findings offer practical insights for low-income countries seeking to reduce aid dependency while building more credible and inclusive systems of public finance.
Topic:
Development, Foreign Aid, Finance, Climate Finance, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Central Asia and Tajikistan

27. Are bad governments a threat to sovereign defaults? The effects of political risk on debt sustainability

Author:
Samantha Ajovalasit, Andrea Consiglio, Giovanni Pagliardi, and Stavros Zenios
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Bruegel
Abstract:
Political risk is a significant determinant of bond yields and economic growth in both developed and emerging markets and we develop a debt sustainability analysis model with both channels using a country ratings proxy of political risk. Political risk also affects a sovereign’s willingness to pay and it can render debt unsustainable, triggered by changes in the rating level, volatility or both. Conversely, sustainability can be restored through reforms that can be as effective as large-scale quantitative easing programmes. The political effects on debt are especially large for high-debt countries during periods of high interest rates, and have an impact on debt management through the choice of optimal financing maturities.
Topic:
Governance, European Union, Macroeconomics, Sustainability, Public Debt, and Sovereign Debt
Political Geography:
Europe

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. Europe’s Strategic Imperative: Advancing Sustainability for Global Stability

Author:
Reinhold Brender
Publication Date:
04-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
Europe’s long-term security depends not only on military strength, but also on global stability shaped by sustainable development and effective multilateralism. From the outset, Donald Trump’s second presidency has placed additional strain on an international system already under pressure, further weakening key pillars of the rules-based international order. Geopolitical divisions continue to paralyse the UN Security Council on critical issues. In this increasingly fragmented landscape, the EU must advance a dual security imperative: strengthening its defence capabilities while tackling the root causes of instability beyond its borders. This policy note outlines six strategic priorities for the EU to advance security through sustainability: (i) implementing the UN Pact for the Future; (ii) helping finance global sustainability through more innovative and coordinated mechanisms; (iii) shaping a strategy for EU engagement with the Global South that reflects geopolitical realities and mutual interests; (iv) delivering on the promise of Global Gateway by addressing operational shortcomings and sharpening its strategic focus; (v) rethinking the SDG framework beyond 2030 to sustain global development momentum; and (vi) winning the battle of narratives through stronger, more strategic communication and credible engagement. These priorities are examined against the backdrop of growing geopolitical fragmentation and structural vulnerabilities that shape both global stability and Europe’s strategic outlook.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, European Union, Political stability, Multilateralism, Economic Development, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Europe

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. Enhancing the Efficiency and Sustainability of Investmentsin Cameroon

Author:
Stephane Atangana
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Nkafu Policy Institute
Abstract:
Cameroon’s drive toward economic emergence by 2035 hinges on ensuring the maximum impactand long-term viability of its investments—public, private, or foreign. Current data, however,highlights ongoing challenges that include reductions in public investment budgets, insufficientinfrastructure, and fluctuating foreign direct investment levels ( 1 ) . These constraints highlight theurgency of a coordinated strategy for reinforcing investment management and governancestructures. This policy brief concentrates on identifying the most significant determinants ofinvestment in Cameroon, examining both the factors that undermine efficient capital allocation andthose that facilitate better outcomes. Such determinants range from macroeconomic conditions,like elevated inflation and external debt, to governance issues, such as weak institutionalframeworks and corruption. The primary objectives of this analysis are to assess how existing investment policies function,propose relevant modifications that align with the national development strategy (SND30), andaddress accountability gaps. Methodologically, it draws upon existing legislation, official economicand competitiveness assessments, as well as statistical data on investments. The approachintegrates insights from successful practices and contextualizes them within Cameroon’s uniqueeconomic structure. This document begins by clarifying the nature of the investment challenges and exploring avenues for improvement, then critically discusses suitable policy choices in light ofCameroon’s institutional and economic context, and concludes with policy recommendations andpotential lines of future investigation to foster an inclusive and transformative investmentframework.
Topic:
Economics, Investment, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Africa and Cameroon

37. Informe sobre Sostenibilidad en España 2025: Competitividad y Justicia Ambiental

Author:
José Luis de la Cruz Leiva
Publication Date:
11-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
La transición ecológica representa el mayor desafío de nuestro tiempo, una encrucijada donde convergen la urgencia climática, la necesidad de competitividad y un clamor por la justicia social y territorial. Este informe analiza en profundidad esta compleja interacción en España y Europa, cuestionando si el actual modelo de transición está logrando ser verdaderamente justo e inclusivo. A través de sus páginas, se revela una realidad paradójica: mientras avanzan los objetivos de descarbonización, crecen también las desigualdades y los conflictos. Desde la brecha entre la retórica y la realidad en los Convenios de Transición Justa, hasta el sentimiento de agravio en los territorios rurales por el despliegue de renovables, pasando por la insostenible huella de consumo de las grandes economías, las desigualdades en la gestión de residuos o el impacto de la pobreza energética en los hogares más vulnerables , el estudio documenta cómo las cargas de la transición recaen de forma desproporcionada sobre las comunidades y territorios con menos recursos. Frente a este diagnóstico, el informe sostiene que la justicia ambiental no puede ser un mero apéndice de las políticas de competitividad, sino su eje vertebrador. Propone un cambio de paradigma basado en la planificación anticipada, una gobernanza que garantice la participación ciudadana y la obtención de una «licencia social» para los proyectos. Solo así, integrando la equidad como pilar fundamental, la transición ecológica dejará de ser una fuente de conflicto para convertirse en un verdadero motor de cohesión, prosperidad compartida y resiliencia para el futuro.
Topic:
Climate Change, Human Rights, Economy, Political Science, Global Warming, Sustainability, Industry, and Green Transition
Political Geography:
Europe, Spain, and Global Focus

38. El impacto social de la responsabilidad ampliada del productor en España

Author:
Luis Medina-Montoya Hellgren, Begoña de Benito Fernández, Manuel Riera Salís, and Sara López González
Publication Date:
07-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
El concepto de Responsabilidad Ampliada del Productor (RAP) fue formulado por primera vez por Thomas Lindhqvist en 1990. Según la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE), la RAP o EPR, por sus siglas en inglés (extended producer responsibility), es un enfoque de política ambiental en el que la responsabilidad del productor se extiende a la etapa postconsumo del ciclo de vida del producto. En este sentido, la RAP implica que las empresas se responsabilicen por los impactos ambientales de los productos que ponen en el mercado, definiendo legalmente objetivos y medidas concretas para su cumplimiento. Este concepto se ha consolidado en las políticas ambientales de numerosos países, y actualmente existen cerca de 400 sistemas RAP en funcionamiento a nivel global, centrados en flujos de residuos estratégicos. En los últimos años, se han desarrollado o están en proceso de implementación sistemas RAP en países como Sudáfrica, Chile, Colombia o Kenia, orientados a la gestión de residuos de envases, embalajes o aparatos eléctricos y electrónicos, entre otros.
Topic:
Climate Change, Natural Resources, Economy, Sustainability, and Industry
Political Geography:
Europe and Spain

39. Planetary Health and the Perils of Progress: A Framework for Governing the Global Commons

Author:
Pey Peili
Publication Date:
08-2025
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Abstract:
As the Planetary Health movement marks its tenth anniversary, the global community faces a critical dilemma, exemplified by the debate over deep-sea mining for the green transition. This NTS Insight argues that this is not a new challenge but a recurring historical pattern of progress-driven environmental degradation, with a clear precedent in the 19th-century annihilation of the American bison. This analysis demonstrates how the Planetary Health framework, by integrating principles of systems thinking, precaution, and justice, provides the essential governance lens needed to diagnose and break this destructive cycle. The piece concludes with policy pathways for embedding a Planetary Health approach into the governance of the global commons, including navigating regional norms like ASEAN’s non-interference principle, to ensure that the pursuit of sustainability does not create new zones of ecological sacrifice and geopolitical inequity.
Topic:
Environment, Governance, Mining, Sustainability, ASEAN, and Green Transition
Political Geography:
Asia and Global Focus

40. Reshaping Environmental Peacebuilding: Lessons of the War against Ukraine

Author:
Nataliia Slobodian and Svitlana Andrushchenko
Publication Date:
06-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
This paper discusses how the Russian war in Ukraine has highlighted the significant role of climate security in conflicts, which is often overlooked. The environmental consequences of this war, such as pollution, wildfires, and ecosystem destruction, have far-reaching implications beyond borders, impacting areas like energy and food security, social stability, and healthcare access. Ukraine’s efforts in environmental peacebuilding during the conflict emphasize democratic values, sustainability, climate protection, and justice as essential for negotiations and post-war reconstruction. President Zelensky’s focus on incorporating environmental security principles into the peace process is a unique and noteworthy approach, calling for a deeper understanding of these strategies in global conflicts for both the present and future recovery phases.
Topic:
Environment, Geopolitics, Sustainability, Peacebuilding, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Europe and Ukraine

41. Pathways for Energy Justice in Lebanon’s Post-war Reconstruction

Author:
Yasmina El Amine
Publication Date:
10-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Arab Reform Initiative (ARI)
Abstract:
This study evaluates Lebanon’s energy needs for postwar reconstruction through the framework of the energy trilemma – security, sustainability, and affordability – while incorporating a fourth pillar of resilience to reflect the conflict and post-conflict context. It analyses patterns of destruction and damage in the energy sector, examining impacts on the national grid, decentralized communal renewable systems, and household renewable energy. Methodologically, the study draws on stakeholder interviews with municipal actors, energy experts, donors, renewable energy providers, journalists, and civil society organizations to capture both institutional perspectives and local experiences. Site visits were conducted during the month of March 2025 to 10 locations in the south of Lebanon and Bekaa (see section 4) where interviews were conducted with municipal actors, the electricity utility EDL, the private company Mrad Electric tasked with grid repairs, and solar distributers and installers to get preliminary insights on the extent of damage and reconstruction progress and related challenges. Following that, 15 in-depth interviews with energy experts, donors, journalists, and civil society actors provided additional perspectives on the destruction and reconstruction processes, as well as on the potential integration of renewable energy and energy justice into the broader reconstruction framework. Complementary sources of secondary data were also consulted, compiled by the founder of Takom Energy and the LSES, who provided mappings of municipal renewable energy systems for water projects and electricity. The study further assesses secondary data from CNRS-L of satellite imagery analysis to evaluate the overall destruction of solar infrastructure (including household level) across the Bekaa and south Lebanon, offering regional insight into the scale and intensity of damages. This report also engages in a critical analysis of existing policy and regulatory frameworks to identify structural gaps, implementation barriers, and opportunities for reform. In parallel, it examines donor strategies and international recovery frameworks, with a focus on how financing instruments, conditionalities, and reconstruction priorities are shaping the postwar energy agenda. By integrating these dimensions, the study not only assesses the material impacts of the war on Lebanon’s energy sector but also interrogates the political, financial, and institutional dynamics that will influence reconstruction outcomes and the sector’s recovery. Ultimately, it seeks to provide evidence-based, justice-oriented policy recommendations to support a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable energy future.
Topic:
Reconstruction, Sustainability, Armed Conflict, Energy, Power Sector, and Renewable Energy
Political Geography:
Middle East and Lebanon

42. Optimizing Trade Flows and Investments Between India andCEMAC for Sustainable Industrialization in the Region

Author:
Stephane Atangana
Publication Date:
04-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Nkafu Policy Institute
Abstract:
Despite significant economic potential, CEMAC countries face structural and institutionalchallenges limiting sector diversification and competitiveness. Key constraints include inadequateinfrastructure, regulatory barriers, limited technological access, and institutional uncertainty, all ofwhich restrict industrial growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) ( 1 ). Trade between India and CEMAC, largely focused on raw materials, particularly crude oil, remainsunderdeveloped compared to its full potential. Similarly, Indian FDI, mostly resource-driven, isinsufficiently utilized. This brief proposes concrete strategies—drawing from endogenous growthand international trade theories—to address these barriers, enhance bilateral cooperation,encourage technology transfers, and promote robust public-private partnerships. Such measurescould significantly boost sustainable industrialization and global competitiveness in CEMAC.
Topic:
Investment, Trade, Industrialization, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
South Asia and India

43. 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

44. Fault Lines in Disaster Management: Risk Reduction and Response Preparedness in Mersin

Author:
Ulaş Bayraktar
Publication Date:
08-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
The report prepared within the scope of Developing a Model for Data-Driven Disaster Governance in Municipalities Project carried out by TESEV with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ MATRA Fund, seeks to evaluate the disaster management efforts undertaken in Mersin. To this end, the report first examines the official disaster management approach and then reviews the existing plans and practices related to disaster management in Mersin while aiming to address disaster management not only as technical expertise but also as a democratic and pluralistic governance practice.
Topic:
Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Governance, Urban, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Turkey, Middle East, and Mersin

45. Responsabilidad y coordinación en la implementación de la RAP en España

Author:
Ricardo Luis Izquierdo, Julio López Rubio, Alodia Pérez, Ignacio Aguilar, and Rubén Esteban
Publication Date:
07-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
La Responsabilidad Ampliada del Productor (RAP) representa un pilar fundamental en la gestión moderna de residuos y en la transición hacia una economía circular. Este concepto traslada la responsabilidad de la gestión de los productos al final de su vida útil desde las administraciones públicas y los consumidores hacia los propios fabricantes y distribuidores. La idea central es que los productores deben asumir un papel activo en la gestión de los residuos que generan, lo que incentiva el diseño de productos más duraderos, reutilizables y reciclables, así como la implementación de sistemas eficientes de recolección y reciclaje. Este enfoque no es meramente una modificación regulatoria; se trata de una reconceptualización profunda de la actividad económica. Al fomentar el ecodiseño y la reducción de residuos en vertederos, la RAP impulsa un modelo de economía circular, distanciándose del tradicional modelo lineal de «tomar-hacer-desechar». Esta transformación sistémica implica que las consideraciones ambientales se integran desde las primeras etapas del diseño del producto, pasando de soluciones de «fin de tubería» a un pensamiento de ciclo de vida completo. La RAP no solo minimiza la generación de residuos no aprovechables, sino que también estimula la innovación en técnicas de reciclaje y remanufactura, prácticas esenciales para la circularidad.
Topic:
Climate Change, Natural Resources, Economy, Sustainability, and Industry
Political Geography:
Europe and Spain

46. Upwelling: Fishers Organizing for their Rights and Sustainable Fisheries

Author:
Judy Gearhart and Connor Moynihan
Publication Date:
05-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Accountability Research Center (ARC), American University
Abstract:
Fishers face increased risks to their lives and livelihoods. Climate change and overfishing are sending fishers out to sea for longer periods of time or at distances beyond the capacity of their vessels. In response, fishers are pursuing new strategies to organize, build power, and defend their rights. This paper presents lessons from fisher organizing in diverse sectors. It aligns with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 188 (C 188) on Work in Fishing, which defines fishers as all those working in marine capture, from artisanal fisherfolk to workers on the distant water fleet (DWF). The research reviews organizing trends in six countries and identifies common challenges and factors contributing to fisher organizing. In all six countries—Ecuador, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, Taiwan, and Thailand—new organizing initiatives have recently emerged. This research considers a range of dynamics that affect fisher organizing and their ability to access information, seek remedy, and influence policy outcomes. It provides insights from interviews with organizers and other fishery experts. The findings highlight areas where more work and strategizing are needed to build stronger and more influential fisher organizations.
Topic:
Climate Change, Sustainability, Labor Rights, and Fisheries
Political Geography:
Africa, Indonesia, Taiwan, Asia, Latin America, Mexico, Thailand, Ghana, and Ecuador

47. For G20 Food Security Task Force: Food Price Stabilization in an Age of Overlapping Emergencies: The case for multilevel buffer stocks

Author:
Isabella M. Weber, Jayati Ghosh, Sophie van Huellen, Merle Schulken, and Sudeep Jain
Publication Date:
10-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
Abstract:
Food price volatility is increasingly affected by overlapping emergencies including climate change, armed conflicts and trade wars. Buffer stocks can stabilize food prices and contribute towards long-term goals such as food sovereignty and sustainable farming. We propose a regional African food reserve comprising regionally grown and imported grain, to stabilize prices over time and across locations as well as to incentivize more sustainable food cultivation in the region. Additionally, we propose global virtual and physical reserves to stabilize the prices of globally traded commodities and support regional reserves.
Topic:
Agriculture, Food Security, Sustainability, Food Sovereignty, and Price Stabilization
Political Geography:
Global Focus

48. Climate Clarity: On the Future of Climate Action in the United States

Author:
Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, Noah Gordon, and Milo McBride
Publication Date:
09-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
People in the United States who care about fighting climate change are shellshocked. After four years of insufficient, but nevertheless unprecedented, policy support for climate action, there has been a sudden, abrupt reversal. Under the headline of “Energy Dominance,” President Donald Trump’s administration has scrapped environmental regulations, taken a sledgehammer to the green industrial policy of its predecessor, and removed the United States from international climate diplomacy. Programs of every description addressing or even indirectly touching climate action have been cut, and congressionally appropriated funds for decarbonization and strengthening climate resilience have been cancelled, frozen, or delayed indefinitely. The gutting of IRA tax credits and other support for clean energy this July was a major blow to climate action in the United States, and the Trump administration has followed up by obstructing wind and solar projects, even some that were nearly ready to deliver crucial power to Americans. This dramatic U-turn is the product of electoral outcomes, but it is also the result of an important shift in the battle of ideas, one that is playing out in the United States and also in other countries. Opponents of climate action have pivoted from simply denying that human activity is changing the climate and toward what is best described as a “New Denialism”—a narrative based on convincing the public that climate solutions don’t work or are too expensive, that decarbonization is too difficult and unrealistic a goal, and that everyone should make peace with the fact that fossil fuels will be around forever, so the United States might as well produce more of them. Climate change will inflict some damage, but it’s a small price to pay for progress, New Denialists argue. New Denialism is more subtle and thus perhaps more dangerous than its predecessor. It thrives on the fact that the energy transition is complex and nuanced, and that the scientific consensus, though settled on the fundamentals, is uncertain about the magnitude, cost, and timeline of climate damages. The New Denialism exploits these features to undermine the public’s confidence in the entire decarbonization project, while largely ignoring adaptation (or, in some cases, sophomorically suggesting it will be easy). If these ideas take root, they may prevent the formation of coalitions for meaningful climate action in the future, even if a climate-friendly party eventually takes the White House and Congress. Building a fresh, durable consensus for climate action will require not just confronting the New Denialism but also setting forth a new approach that takes an objective, fact-based view of the promise and limitations of the global energy transition and of what the United States needs to do to adapt to climate impacts. But even more important is building a narrative that relates climate action to two other things that Americans are urgently demanding of their political leadership: an affordable way of life and better health for themselves and their loved ones. Many climate solutions can lower the cost of living and safeguard human health, and it is possible—in fact, imperative—to make life more affordable, longer, and healthier for the people of the United States while addressing climate change at the same time. We call our approach Climate Clarity, and it’s based on four foundational ideas that stem from our research and that of our peers. These ideas may be controversial in some quarters, but we are convinced they will lead to a more constructive, reality-aligned public debate about the future of climate policy and action at a key historical juncture in the United States: Clean energy technologies today are effective and cost-competitive relative to fossil fuel alternatives. That is why the global energy transition, led by China and Europe, is now well under way, and why U.S. policy shifts are unlikely to derail it. A wave of disruptive, clean energy innovations is getting close to maturity and will further accelerate the transition. Out of self-interest, the United States should be part of the energy transition rather than sitting on the sidelines and hitching its star to fossil fuels. This will allow Americans to benefit directly from clean energy markets that are growing much faster than fossil fuel markets, enable the global transition to move faster, and keep the goal alive of reaching net zero emissions. Negative emissions technology needs to advance urgently and is an area where the United States could lead. Americans need to prepare for the impacts of climate change by taking a hard, dispassionate look at climate risk and adopting a risk-management philosophy. That means prioritizing the protection of vulnerable groups, ensuring that Americans have the information they need to make climate-informed decisions, and facilitating the mobility of people across and within different regions of the country. Technological innovation alone won’t be enough. Building lasting support for climate-friendly policies that support those technologies will require forming a new political coalition. And that, in turn, will require linking climate solutions to Americans’ most important everyday concerns, namely affordability and health.
Topic:
Climate Change, Industrial Policy, Regulation, Domestic Politics, Innovation, Donald Trump, Sustainability, and Energy Transition
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

49. Measuring GDP at risk in the low-carbon transition

Author:
Dirk Schoenmaker and Willem Schramade
Publication Date:
08-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Bruegel
Abstract:
As sustainability challenges push economies into low-carbon transitions, the question arises of what share of GDP is exposed to transition? We develop a two-stage model to examine the share of GDP facing transition risk. The first stage examines which sectors are directly exposed to transition(s) and the second stage assesses the transition preparedness of the exposed sectors. Applying this model to the energy transition in the European Union, we find that Sweden and France have low shares of GDP facing transition risk, while Poland and Bulgaria have high shares of GDP facing transition risk. The main driver is a country’s carbon intensity, which we use as a proxy for transition preparedness. Our GDP-facing-transition risk model can inform policymaking. Countries can stimulate directed change towards low-carbon activities with a combination of taxes for high-carbon technologies and subsidies for low-carbon technologies. Moreover, countries can accelerate reallocation of labour towards low-carbon technologies and sectors by investing in education and retraining.
Topic:
Climate Change, GDP, Economy, Sustainability, and Carbon Emissions
Political Geography:
Europe

50. Characterizing Green and Carbonintensive Employment in India

Author:
Andres Ham, Emmanuel Vazquez, and Monica Yanez-Pagans
Publication Date:
08-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS)
Abstract:
Transitioning toward sustainable development practices is expected to result in broad changes to economic activity, which will subsequently impact labor markets and change the demand for skills. India established the Skill Council for Green Jobs to identify green jobs and define the skills required for these occupations. This paper applies the Skill Council for Green Jobs definition of green jobs and an international definition of carbon-intensive jobs to data from the 2019-20 Periodic Labour Force Survey to estimate the size of green and carbon-intensive employment, document patterns between and within occupations, characterize workers by attributes and skills, and study wage differentials. The results highlight the importance of monitoring green and carbonintensive jobs with robust labor market monitoring systems to guide decisions on the sustainability transition and suggest key aspects to consider when investing in green skills and the potential distributive consequences of sustainability policies on the population.
Topic:
Climate Change, Employment, Sustainability, Labor Market, Skills, Green Jobs, and Carbon-Intensive Jobs
Political Geography:
South Asia and India