Reform of support for fossil fuels is often identified as a priority for a country’s fiscal consolidation efforts and for climate action to align financial flows with low-carbon pathways. Its implementation, however, remains elusive for many countries as they face seemingly irreconcilable policy agendas of economic growth and sustainability coupled …
The world's water supply is being strained by climate change and the growing food, energy and sanitary needs of a fast-growing population, according to a United Nations study that calls for a radical rethink of policies to manage competing claims. "Freshwater is not being used sustainably," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova …
In recent years, patenting has been considered one of the major drivers for enhancing national competitiveness and most of the advanced countries have been more actively enforcing patent protection. However, the indicators proposed in previous studies have not been able to deal adequately with the various dimensions of patenting, rather …
This report by Copenhagen Economics has been commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers to give an overview of the industries at risk of carbon leakage in the Nordic countries, and estimate the expected extent of carbon leakage from unilateral climate policies in the Nordic countries. The report also assesses …
Study predicts loss of Rs 10,800 crore in the city by 2050 because of a one-in-100-years flood coupled with climate change impacts. The eastern fringe of Kolkata, the fastest growing part of the city, is expected to be hit the hardest by climate change-induced impacts, and the poor will be …
Demand for transport fuel is expected to grow massively in developing countries such as India and China over the next 40 years, outpacing the requirement of developed countries by 2025, a report by the World Energy Council has said. The World Energy Council (WEC) expects that transport fuel demand in …
Rising global energy demand and the need to drastically cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions require a transformation in the way nations produce, deliver and consume energy, according to a new joint report from the OECD (Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development) and IEA (International Energy Agency). The Green Growth Studies: …
The weather may not always have been kind to cocoa farmers in West Africa, but until recently it was at least broadly predictable. Temperature always hovered between 22 and 29 degrees Celsius, rains fell between April and July -- plus another short period between October and mid-November -- and the …
The government wants a new globally binding climate deal to be "operational" by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep world temperature rises to a limit of 2 degrees Celsius, the UK's minister for energy and climate change said. "The key thing is to have a deal to …
Global subsidies for fossil fuel consumption are set to reach $660 billion in 2020 unless reforms are passed to effectively eliminate this form of state aid, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday. "Governments and taxpayers spent about half a trillion dollars last year supporting the production and consumption …
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Energy Agency Tuesday urged governments world-wide to cut billions of dollars in fossil-fuel subsidies, arguing the rollbacks would bolster sagging government budgets while cutting wasteful energy use and carbon emissions. A group of 24 industrialized countries now spends $45 billion …
The biggest polluters in the world are known to be the United States of America and China. In 2007, China overtook the United States for the dubious role of world's greatest carbon emitter. However, because the United States is so much wealthier per capita than the People's Republic, individual US …
The rise in agricultural commodities prices has led to the lowest support by rich countries to their farmers in nearly three decades, according to new figures released by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The share of farmers income derived of subsidies fell in 2010 to 18 per cent …
Green bonds could raise hundreds of billions of dollars a year to spur a shift to cleaner economic growth if governments set strong environmental goals such as for slowing climate change, the OECD said on Wednesday. In a review of efforts to promote greener growth, it urged more innovation to …
Norway could buy and retire carbon permits from the European market to achieve promised deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Thursday. Norway is not an EU member but is linked to the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS), making …
World food prices will rise this decade, boosted by a growing population and changing diets, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in their annual outlook report.
This report by OECD and FAO presents a consistent view on the evolution of global agricultural markets over the next decade and provides a baseline for further analysis of alternative economic or policy assumptions. Says that world food prices will rise this decade, boosted by a growing population and changing …
This paper proposes an analytical framework for assessing policies that will contribute to a better integration of environmental externalities in the pursuit of economic efficiency and growth objectives. The framework consists of two parts. The first part lays out principles and criteria for the identification and selection of policies that …
Prior to the Copenhagen meeting on developing a new framework for climate-change policy there were sharp differences between the positions of developed and developing countries regarding the role of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in fostering international technology transfer (ITT). Expanding effective ITT is central to meeting needs for acquiring and …
Juliette Jowit World Bank and OECD say water must be valued at a higher price in order to force prudent use and create efficient supply systems. Precious drops:Water going waste from a public tap in Salem. Experts say highly subsidised prices cause people to not use water prudently. Major economies …
