Economies that Work for Sustainable Development

The IISD Economic Law and Policy Program provides technical and legal expertise to help governments, particularly in developing countries, design policies for equitable and environmentally sustainable growth. The program focuses on reforming investment, finance, trade, government procurement, and industrial policy to facilitate transitions to renewable energy and resilient infrastructure. Key areas of activity include shaping international investment agendas, fostering sustainable industrial policies, leveraging public procurement for green growth, and promoting responsible trade through voluntary standards and corporate social responsibility.

• Developing countries require an annual investment of US$4.5 trillion in sectors covered by the Sustainable Development Goals.
• China requires US$460 billion in annual financing across its key green economic sectors.
• Public procurement is identified as a powerful market lever, with EU public authorities spending 18% of their GDP on such procurement.
• The program focuses on improving treaties, domestic laws, and contracts to help developing countries attract investment for a sustainable economy, with specific emphasis on mining and agricultural investments.
• The program aims to integrate environmental and social criteria into the public procurement cycle to drive green growth, innovation, and technology transfer.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Economies that Work for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-economic-law-policy-program-brochure.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Economies that Work for Sustainable Development. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-economic-law-policy-program-brochure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Economies that Work for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-economic-law-policy-program-brochure.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndeconomies, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Economies that Work for Sustainable Development}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-economic-law-policy-program-brochure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }