In the context of oil price volatility and the need to reduce carbon emissions, biofuels are an emerging area of interest for many developing nations as alternative energy sources that, in some instances, can also enhance livelihoods in deprived agricultural areas. There are, however, a number...

O cumprimento dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento do Milênio (ODMs) continua sendo um desafio enorme para muitos países face aos pequenos orçamentos nacionais e ao limitado apoio dos doadores. Este Policy Research Brief destaca a contribuição, para a realização dos ODMs, de estratégias de...

The Rio +20 meeting in 2012 was an opportunity for the global policy framework to review 20 years of action on Agenda 21 and what has been delivered and to whom. The ripple effects of the global economic crisis?i.e. the weakening of the insurance sector, lower demand for exports and reduced...

As recent events in the Arab region have amply demonstrated, the problems of poverty, unemployment and social and political exclusion cannot be forever ignored without there arising demands for change in the basic arrangements of society. Today, the dramatic revolts in diverse Arab societies...

Access to basic services is a universal human right, and access to a decent ?quality? of water, energy and food are key to sustainable human development. With them, people?s capabilities, opportunities and basic freedoms can expand exponentially. This interconnectedness between the quantity and...

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remains a daunting challenge for many countries in the face of small state budgets and limited donor support. This Policy Research Brief highlights the contribution of a low-cost water supply strategy to a number of MDGs. It also discusses...

About 33 million people currently live with HIV. The disease has reduced life expectancy by about 20 years. Nearly 12 million children are orphaned. It is now well established that the epidemic demands an immediate increase in resources. The main questions that arise are where the resources will...

GDP per capita is by far the most popular measure of international levels of development. It is fairly well understood and widely available across countries and time. But it is also recognized that GDP per capita is an imperfect proxy for important factors such as health, education and...