Reports and Documents

Four environmental dimensions of energy security—climate change, air pollution, water availability and quality, and land-use change—and the environmental impact of 13 energy systems on each are discussed in this paper.

This CERES report provides new data and interactive maps on the risks facing U.S. corn production, as well as detailed recommendations for how corn-buying companies and their investors can catalyze more sustainable agricultural practices that will reduce these risks, preserve and enhance yields, and protect precious water resources.

This working paper by Ashok Gulati and Shweta Saini of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) approaches the question of disconnect between El Nino and Indian droughts by exploring the timing of El Nino developments in a year and its relation with monsoon rains. Read full text.

This important study by Nicholas Stern, the leading climate economist from Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and Dr Simon Dietz from Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy warns that the financial damage caused by global warming will be considerably greater than what the current models have predicted.

Germany has drawn international attention for its energy policies in recent years. The term Energiewende – the country’s transition away from nuclear power to renewables with lower energy consumption – is now commonly used in English. The focus, however, has recently shifted to the role of coal in Germany.

With the sustainability of food systems becoming central to achieving food security, this report of the 2013 workshop on voluntary standards for sustainable food systems addresses in particular issues from the point of view of the many different stakeholders involved.

This paper published by Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) uses the National Sample Survey for the 68th employment-unemployment round (2011-12) to examine the performance of states in terms of
participation and rationing of women in the programme relative to that of men. In addition, it documents these indicators from various sub-populations of women, including widows, mothers of young children, etc. who typically face serious constraints in the context of labour market participation.Read full text

This paper documents a significant impact of climate variation on urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in more arid countries. By lowering farm incomes, reduced moisture availability encourages migration to nearby cities, while wetter conditions slow migration. The paper also provides evidence for rural-urban income links.

This new report on development and ecological sustainability in Uttarakhand by Ravi Chopra, environmentalist analyzes Uttarakhand, India, current development pattern in terms of equity and sustainability in the context of floods and landslides which affected the region. Says that the devastation in Uttarakhand on June 15-17, 2013 was aggravated many times over by the heavy constructions and the model of infrastructure-led development undertaken in the mountain state. It outlines development actions that can enhance ecological sustainability, equity and reduce regional imbalances and argues that establishment of effective disaster management systems and procedures at the community, district and state levels will require good governance, and active engagement of the civil society as an active partner in disaster management

The report, Changing What We Eat, states that changing our eating habits is crucial to improving public health and reducing the environmental footprint of food, which accounts for around 30% of greenhouse gas emissions.