Publications & Documents

OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Mexico 2013

Mexico can do more to promote socially-inclusive green growth

Mexico is faced with difficult trade-offs as it pursues its economic, social and environmental goals. Like other emerging economies Mexico is balancing the need to protect its natural resources with the need to address high levels of income inequality and poverty.

Conference: Innovation in skills development for SMEs competitiveness (Ankara, Turkey)

The conference discussed the results of the project as well as policy recommendations on training and skills development for the creation of an innovative and competitive SME sector in OECD countries.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a cost effective way in Switzerland

Switzerland has low greenhouse gas emissions per capita as compared to other countries, which reflects the strong reliance on energy sources emitting few greenhouse gas emissions, especially in electricity generation, and little heavy industry.

Testing the Effect of Defaults on the Thermostat Settings of OECD Employees - Environment Working Paper No. 51

Default options have been shown to affect behaviour in a variety of economic choice tasks, including health care and retirement savings. This study uses data from a randomized controlled experiment in which the default settings on office thermostats in an OECD office building were manipulated during the winter heating season, and employees’ chosen thermostat setting observed over a 6 week period.

Launch of the 2012 Development Co-operation Report “Lessons in linking sustainability and development”

Secretary-General Angel Gurría launched the 2012 Development Co-operation Report “Lessons in linking sustainability and development” at the 48th High Level Meeting of the Development Assistance Committee in London.

Workshop: Measuring the potential of green growth in Chile (Santiago, Chile)

Chile's OECD membership presents challenges both in the context of changing patterns of production and consumption, and in the framework of a more sustainable economy. Specifically, green growth emphasizes improving growth rates, particularly through greening existing industries, as well as through new eco-businesses.

Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in Africa: Evidence from Patent Data - Environment Working Paper No. 50

This paper presents comparative data on innovation in selected climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies in the context of Africa. Such analysis informs policy aimed at encouraging international technology transfer and development of domestic innovation capacities.

Sustainable Materials Management: Making Better Use of Resources

Worldwide, 62 billion tons of natural resources – minerals, wood, metals, fossil and biomass fuels, and construction material – are extracted. On average, that’s almost 10 tons for every person on the earth. Of that, about one fifth ends up as waste and must be reused, recycled or disposed of in a way that is safe for people and the environment.

Energy and Climate Policy: Bending the Technological Trajectory

This book presents a series of papers that explore the extent to which technological innovation can lower the cost of achieving climate change mitigation objectives.