Digital Commons Network^™

Strengthening A Just Energy Transition In Egypt By 2035: Policy Options And A Practical Road Map, Basmala Zahran

COP30

Egypt’s dilemma is twofold: reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses in line with international commitments while safeguarding the livelihoods of workers and communities dependent on fossil-fuel industries. Egypt’s continued subsidies on fossil fuels, natural gas powered electricity generation, and regional skill and energy access gaps could lead to an inequitable and politically unstable transition. This paper analyzes the evidence, reviews lessons from Spain and Indonesia, and proposes a hybrid, actionable policy package: (1) a National Green Jobs Training & Reskilling Program, (2) a phased, socially-protected removal and reallocation of fossil-fuel subsidies, and (3) a rooftop-solar mandate for public buildings. Implementation strategies, …

Boosting Carbon Sequestration In Agri-Food Systems Through Nature-Based Solution(Nbs) For People, Planet And Prosperity., Carlos Colorado

COP30

In 2015, 195 United Nations’ Parties adopted the Paris Agreement at COP21, marking a historical milestone in the Climate Negotiations to limit global warming to well below 2°C above the pre-industrial levels by 2030. Since then, countries have committed to present their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to tackle the rise of global temperatures. Achieving the 1.5°C climate target demands transformative climate action, especially in the Agri-Food System, as it is both, one of the major contributors and victims of Climate Change, accounting for up to 13-21% of total Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission annually. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) appear …

Transferring Green Hydrogen Solution For Decarbonization: A Comparative Review Of Germany And Brazil’S Mitigation Pathways To Net Zero, Fagr Mohamed

COP30

According to the Paris agreement, there is a global narrative to limit global warming to 1.5 c, which requires urgent decarbonization of energy incentive sectors, particularly industry and heavy transport which amount to 50% of global CO2 emissions. Among emerging technologies green hydrogen which is hydrogen produced via electrolysis process by renewable energy such as solar and wind and hydro offers a high potential zero emission energy vector for sectors where direct electrification remains challenging.

This paper assesses Germany’s green hydrogen strategy as a successful model of mitigation policy, and examines its potential transferability to Brazil, a developing country with …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition Policy Paper (Mitigation), Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Structuring South-South Co-Operation: Legal Pathways To Compulsory Licensing And Beyond Voluntary Climate Contributions, Livia Luckson

COP30

The UNFCC framework1

recognises that Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) plays a vital role for a better climate action, highlighting the importance of educating all stakeholders to directly involve themselves in the implementation and delivery of policy. The increasing shift towards locally owned solutions with South-South Co-operation (SSC) is a reminder for the much-needed emergence of key policies for equitable technology transfer and capacity building. Aligning with COP30’s theme of adaptation as the central focus, models of the SSC can best promote local ownership of climate solutions and equitable technology transfer through the key roles of peer learning, co-development and …

Digital Capacity Building For Climate Empowerment: Evaluating Post-Cop29 Implementation And Gaps In Ace Delivery, Lilian Eldin

COP30

With an emphasis on young involvement and capacity-building, this policy paper assesses the execution of digital Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) programs after COP29. While COP29 brought promising initiatives to improve digital learning and inclusivity, such as the Youth Delegate Program and the Capacity-Building Hub, there are still significant gaps in long-term follow up, transparency, and regional participation. Although regional digital participation was launched by the Presidency Youth Climate Champion (PYCC) project, its impact is tough to evaluate due to a lack of public reporting and categorized data. Similarly, the Capacity-Building Hub did not include regional digital access or language …

Digital Tools For Climate Action: A Strategic Review Of Education, Policy And Finance, Janeeta Awan

COP30

The global community faces an urgent and escalating climate crisis, and a critical barrier to effective action is the widespread disparity between expert and public understanding of climate change. This report presents a structured literature review on the pivotal role of digital tools— online platforms, mobile applications, and AI-driven systems—in democratizing climate knowledge and training at scale. The analysis confirms that digital solutions offer a powerful, multimodal toolkit for learning, from structured online courses to gamified mobile apps that drive behavioral change. Case studies in agriculture and K-12 education demonstrate tangible benefits, such as improved resource efficiency and enhanced youth …

Chambers Of Change: Students’ Unions As Civic Accelerators Of Ace, Bassem Helal

COP30

The transformative potential to incorporate students’ unions as an institutional gateway for the implementation of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) in higher education systems is discussed in this paper. Working on the outlines of the Glasgow Work Programme and prominent ACE frameworks as a basis of support, it asserts that student governments are structurally aligned with ACE goals, providing them procedural legitimacy, direct access to young people, and the capacity to put all six ACE pillars into practice: education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation. The study applies case studies from the University of Florida, …

Capacity Building And Action For Climate Empowerment (Ace): A Technical Review, Salman Almudawib

COP30

Capacity Building and Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a core pillar for climate change mitigation through people’s participation, education, and empowerment (UNFCCC, n.d.; Action for Climate Empowerment, 2025). This article describes technological and digital resources that support ACE, particularly in the COP30 environment. It also identifies inventive methods and the stumbling blocks alongside the best digital instruments that facilitate local-level empowerment, targeting innovation centers, AI education, indigenous knowledge systems, and the integration of policies (IFLA, 2025; Mbuvha et al., 2024). One of the key anticipated outcomes is the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap, aimed at mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually for climate action …

Advancing Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation: A South-South Indigenous Knowledge Exchange Platform Proposal Between Brazil And Egypt, Kimberlly Xavier

COP30

Indigenous and rural women in the Global South play a crucial role in climate resilience through traditional knowledge in food systems and natural resource management. Despite their importance, climate policies in Brazil and Egypt have yet to effectively embed their leadership and Indigenous knowledge, weakening adaptation efforts. This paper highlights systemic barriers in both countries and showcases successful women-led practices like Brazil’s Quebradeiras de Coco Babaçu and Egypt’s ancestral irrigation systems led by rural and Bedouin women. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the establishment of the South-South Indigenous Knowledge Platform (SS-IKP) under the UNFCCC framework, alongside broader recommendations …

Learning Platforms: A Future In Environmental Education Or A Motionless Present?, Nazareno Calvo

COP30

In a global context marked by the climate crisis, environmental education and training have taken a different path, adapting to current technologies. It is in these circumstances that learning platforms (from now on LP’s) emerge, changing the way we learn and perform around climate change. This type of web app can provide remote knowledge, and has taken on a growing role the last few years. However, despite their potential, challenges remain, such as inequality in digital access, poor variety of languages and cultural adaptation, a lack of media outreach, and the absence of assessments of their real impact on communities …

Unlocking Private Stakeholders Engagement In The Gst Follow Up Roadmap, Salsabil Nasry

COP30

SIMULATION

Executive Summary

. Situation Analysis:

Progress toward the 1.5C target is limited by weak private sector inclusion. Despite their crucial role in climate finance, private actors face restricted access and fragmented engagement in GST follow up. Their contributions are often excluded from UNFCCC. The Belem Action Agenda calls for clear mechanisms to enable structured public private collaboration.

. Problem Significance:

1. Economic Significance: Governments alone can't close the implementation gap. Private sector drives sustainable investment and lowers costs. 2. Political Significance: Continuity despite political changes. Inclusiveness and shared responsibility. 3.Social Significance: Enhancing community engagement and local Ownership. Advancing social …

Theme 7: Global Stocktake & Cop30 Implementation Agenda, Karam Abuodeh

COP30

The first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 showed what many feared: current national plans are not enough to keep warming near 1.5C. The GST is an accurate, urgent diagnosis, but a diagnosis without a delivery plan will not change outcomes. This paper recommends that COP30 adopt a practical Globally Determined Contribution (GDC) as a shared benchmark and gives concrete ways to link that benchmark to national planning, measurement, and finance. Three pillars are essential: (1) an operational GDC with transparent allocation rules and a UNFCCC-hosted technical panel to publish annual syntheses; (2) mandatory, time-bound integration of GST findings into NDCs, …

Global Urban Green Space Initiative For Climate Capacity Building: A Policy Blueprint For Youth, Collaboration, And Climate Action, Finley Moore

COP30

This is a policy paper recommending the implementation of a Global Urban Green Space Initiative for Climate Capacity Building (GUGSI-CCB). Following the success of the UK’s National Education Nature Parks (NENP) this paper explores how the policy could be transferred to the international stage by using the UNs Race to Zero education campaign. It highlights the policy being a method of collaboration between the north and south which national governments have failed at in recent years. The policy paper focuses on the importance of decreasing youth anxiety towards climate change, the benefit of a global database on climate change, and …

Climate Transparency Pact (Ctp) For Post-Gst Accountability A Policy Framework For Strengthening Global Climate Governance Through Transparency, Incentives, And Behavioral Insights, Sandy Elnenay

COP30

The Climate Transparency Pact (CTP) is an actionable proposal to bridge the credibility gap in the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake (GST). While the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) sets a reporting structure, it remains largely voluntary and lacks strong compliance measures. The result is clear: despite successive COP negotiations, global temperature projections remain at 2.5-2.9C above pre-industrial levels (UNEP, 2023), threatening ecosystems, economies, and human security. Drawing upon Dr. Robert Cialdini's six principles of persuasion, the CTP is built not only as a legal instrument but also as a behavioral framework: Authority: Embedding the CTP under UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Implementation …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition, Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Circular Carbon Markets For Renewable Energy Transitions: Integrating Circular Economy Models With Carbon Trading To Accelerate Just And Equitable Renewable Energy Deployment In Emerging Economies, Omaima Ahmed

COP30

In the wake of the Paris Agreement ratified by 195 UN Parties in 2015 the global community committed to limiting the average temperature rise to well below 2°C, with an aspirational threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Meeting this ambition requires transformative mitigation measures across all sectors, with the energy sector playing a decisive role given its substantial contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Renewable energy stands at the forefront of decarbonization efforts; however, its large-scale deployment in emerging economies remains constrained by financial limitations, technological dependencies, and socio-economic disparities. This policy paper introduces the Circular Carbon Markets for …

Community-Based Learning Experiences Of Graduate Education Students Within Applied Statistics And Science: Emerging Insights, Carla J. Thompson, Sandra B. Davis

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Integrating community-based learning in graduate education programs is an emerging trend in the United States. This study examined community engagement in graduate educational statistics and science education using four procedures: (1) defining a conceptual framework aligned with National Standards for Community Engagement; (2) examining 10 community-based learning applications from graduate education programs in statistics and science relative to standards; (3) determining specific emerging characteristics of community-based learning; and (4) providing insights for graduate education programs.

Cultivating Community-Engaged Faculty: The Institution’S Role In Individual Journeys, Eric Malm, Nicholas Rademacher, David Dunbar, Mary Harris, Erin Mclaughlin, Caroline Nielsen

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Campus-community partnerships are increasingly recognized as important parts of curricula and have become central to the missions of many colleges. Yet while the notion of service is becoming more prominent at the institutional level, the number of faculty who are actually teaching community-engaged courses is alarmingly low. This paper addresses the problem of inadequate faculty participation in campus-community partnerships through the case study analysis of the pathways that brought six faculty members from different backgrounds and disciplines into the world of the engaged classroom. From the stories of individual faculty members, a model of involvement emerged that illustrates a common …

Review Of: Deep Transformations: A Theory Of Degrowth, Daina Cheyenne Harvey

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Dalit And Tribal Women As Ecological Victims, Dhinakaran Savariyar

The Journal of Social Encounters

The essay examines the ecological marginalization of Dalit and tribal women in India, especially by analysing the three points of intersection, namely, caste, patriarchy, and gender. Though it starts with a global outlook on the African water crisis, it substantiates the argument with Indian realities of water inequality and resource depletion. While showing caste as the root cause of water discrimination in the country, it exposes the abetting roles of patriarchy and gender in keeping the Dalit and tribal women at the lowest position in the Indian social fabric. Environmental casteism and exclusion from decision-making processes add to the invisibility …

Willingness To Pay For A Restored And Protected Watershed: Evidence From The Countryside, Sherrie Ann Cananua-Labid, Julie Ann M. Quilatan, Lovely Rose A. Bolante

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Climate change and human activity have severely degraded watersheds, jeopardizing their sustainability. The willingness of residents to pay for watershed management is essential for developing sustainable environmental protection efforts. This study determined the respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) for the restoration and protection (RP) of the Ulot Watershed of Samar Island Natural Park using a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation approach. The researchers used the Kish grid method to draw respondents from 150 households. The study revealed that families with an average annual income of approximately $2746.70 were ready to contribute $0.78 per month, or $9.36 annually, to the watershed …

Upper Peninsula Regional Economic Development Strategy, Iryna V. Lendel, Chloe Wieber, Gerrit Anderson, Sevrin Williams

Upjohn Institute Technical Reports

This comprehensive report describes the economy of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, outlining both persistent issues and emerging opportunities. The region faces several structural challenges, including a decline in prime-age workers and bachelor’s degree attainment that falls below state and national averages, while shortages in housing and healthcare further limit its ability to attract and retain residents. Despite those challenges, the U.P.’s universities, longstanding industries, abundant natural resources, and robust outdoor recreation economy provide strong foundations for future development. The report recommends strategies such as strengthening retention of the talent pipeline, expanding housing and healthcare capacity, fostering small and mid-sized firms in …

Regulatory Impacts On Us Hazardous Waste Exports, Xiaofan Ji, Mengyu Wang, Tianyi Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

This paper examines the impact of key domestic and international regulations on US hazardous waste exports, focusing on shifts in export destinations and waste types from 2002 to 2023. Since 2005, OECD countries and US Trade Agreement Partners have become primary destinations for US hazardous waste, with significant surges after 2018 and a notable decline in 2022. An analysis of the regulatory landscape reveals that, while international frameworks such as the Basel Convention of 2021 have had a relatively limited impact on reducing US hazardous waste exports, domestic policies—particularly those in California—have more directly influenced export behaviors. Additionally, the US …

The Impact Of The Mcgirt Supreme Court Decision On Federal Water Policy Within Shared Watersheds, Travis Alexander Younce

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explored the following research question: What are the public policy implications of the McGirt Supreme Court decision on federal water policy and regulations governing shared watersheds between state, tribes, and federal control? Specifically, this study examined the changing freshwater availability within Oklahoma and Montana. Oklahoma is one of the nation’s most diverse water management lands, with over 85% of its water within tribal boundaries. Eleven lakes and reservoirs in central Oklahoma provide water to the increasingly urbanized population. This dissertation aimed to identify integrated regulations regarding water policy and impacts by examining requirements, use, clarity, and climatological data …

Financial Policy For A Green Economy In A Resource-Rich Emerging Economy, Arlyana Abubakar, Prayudhi Azwar, Riris Shanti, Salman Fathoni, Noer Aida Triandini

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This paper analyzes policies aimed at fostering a green economy in a resource-abundant, megadiverse nation such as Indonesia. This study use Delphi and Analytic Network Process methodologies, grounded in the perspectives of regulators, academics, experts, and practitioners in the green economy, to identify the determinants of green financial policies, revealing that fiscal instruments are of paramount importance. Furthermore, both the case and the respondents are Indonesian. This underscores the necessity of instituting incentives in environmentally sustainable sectors and disincentives in carbon-intensive industries. Therefore, the suitable allocation of green budgets within fiscal policy is essential for addressing market failures and expediting …

Earthjustice: The Role Of The African Regional Human Rights System In Containing Climate Change, Bright Nkrumah, Ebenezer Durojaye, Maria Usang Assim

Journal of African Policy Studies

At the turn of the millennium, the landscape of Africa has been punctuated by intense weather conditions. With a disproportionate percentage of the continent’s population bearing the brunt of climate-induced heatwaves, deluges, and drought, it is expected that this phenomenon will spur regional climate litigation. The essay argues that although there is an evolution of climate cases submitted at the national level, this development has not evolved to the African regional human rights system. The lack of cases at the regional level beckons one to explore why (potential)victims are unable or unwilling to explore these mechanisms given their role in …

Planetary Thinking: Hellbenders As Emissaries Of Appalachia, Tierra R. Curry

Critical Humanities

Hellbenders are prehistoric salamanders that have thrived in cold rivers since before the continents divided. Once found throughout Appalachian watersheds, due to exploitation and habitat degradation only a few dozen healthy populations survive. Monstrous yet fascinating, hellbenders were often reviled historically, but in recent decades they have gained iconic status and are now celebrated as charismatic indicators for clean rivers. Hellbenders are symbols of the wild because of their ancient history, elusive nature, and contribution to ecosystem resilience. The same forces that drove the decline of these amphibian sentinels have sacrificed public health in Appalachia. Their demise echoes the struggle …

Energetic And Economic Aspects Of Rebound, Part Ii: Applications Of The Framework, Matthew Kuperus Heun, Gregor Semieniuk, Paul Brockway

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Widespread implementation of energy efficiency is a key greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measure, but rebound can ‘‘take back’’ energy savings. However, the absence of solid analytical foundations hinders empirical determination of rebound magnitudes. In Part I, we developed foundations of a rigorous, analytical, consumer-sided rebound framework that is approachable for both energy analysts and economists. In this paper (Part II), we develop energy, expenditure, and consumption planes, a novel, mutually consistent, and numerically precise way to visualize and illustrate rebound. Further, we operationalize the macro factor (k) for macroeconomic rebound. Using the framework and rebound planes, we calculate and show …

An Alternative To The Liberal World Order: China, Brics, And Middle East Diplomacy, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat, Juan Pablo Sims

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

This paper explores how China and BRICS are emerging as strategic alternatives to the liberal international order, particularly in the realm of diplomacy and mediation for periphery states in the Middle East. Drawing on a realist theoretical framework, the study argues that these platforms offer pragmatic, interest-based avenues for engagement that contrast sharply with the conditionalities and normative expectations of Western-led institutions. Through case studies such as China’s mediation in the Iran–Saudi Arabia normalization and the expansion of BRICS+ to include Middle Eastern actors, the paper demonstrates how sovereignty, non-interference, and multipolarity have become central organizing principles for a new …