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The National Chairman's Annual Statement 2007 from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) discusses South Africa's role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and the challenges of balancing its aspirational, human-rights-based foreign policy with the realities of global realpolitik.

Dr. Jonathan Pershing's 2007 testimony to the US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality outlines the urgency of global climate action, the necessity of differentiated responsibilities for countries, and the need for a multi-faceted approach involving carbon pricing, technology development, and adaptation strategies.

This amicus curiae submission, filed by a coalition of legal and environmental organizations, argues that the investor Biwater Gauff (Tanzania) Limited failed to meet its professional and legal responsibilities during the privatization of water services in Dar es Salaam. The submission contends that the investor's failure to conduct proper due diligence and its potential use of a 'renegotiation strategy'—bidding low to win a contract with the intent to renegotiate terms later—should preclude it from seeking compensation for the contract's termination by the Government of Tanzania.

Earthjustice reports a federal court victory in West Virginia where a judge ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the Clean Water Act by issuing mountaintop removal mining permits that permanently buried headwater streams. The ruling, which affects numerous pending permits in Appalachia, underscores a lack of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of stream mitigation projects in the region.

A fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute detailing the costs, benefits, and federal funding mechanisms for hybrid-electric buses in the United States as of 2007.

This briefing by Dr M Masiiwa of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the strategic options for Zimbabwe as it faces a choice between joining the proposed Customs Unions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). While Zimbabwe has stronger existing trade links and political ties with SADC, the document suggests a preference for COMESA due to its larger market, more balanced economic competition, and faster pace of integration.

A statement from Earthjustice attorney Clayton Jernigan delivered at a March 5 public hearing in Washington DC, supporting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act due to the impacts of global warming.

This legal analysis by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), presented to the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on March 1, 2007, examines the international legal personality of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and their responsibilities regarding human rights law. The document argues that IFIs are subjects of international law and cannot escape human rights obligations, despite a historical reluctance to recognize civil and political rights and the inadequacy of their internal accountability mechanisms.

This report examines how the consolidation and increased market power of global supermarket chains affect global supply chains, specifically focusing on the challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers in the developing world, with a particular emphasis on the fresh fruit and vegetable (FFV) sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies examines the risks associated with the development of counterterrorism legislation in Egypt, arguing that such laws may be used to target political opposition and undermine political reform rather than effectively combating terrorism.

The Threatened or Protected Species Regulations, 2007, issued under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004, establish a comprehensive legal framework for managing restricted activities involving listed threatened and protected species in South Africa. The regulations detail a permit system for activities such as hunting, breeding, and trade, and mandate the registration of facilities including captive breeding operations, game farms, and sanctuaries. It includes strict prohibitions on certain hunting methods and activities involving large predators and rhinoceros species, while providing mechanisms for risk assessments, appeals, and the establishment of a Scientific Authority.

A statement by Drexhage to the House of Commons Legislative Committee on Bill C-30 regarding the implications of the Kyoto agreement for Canada.

This document is an order from the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) regarding a petition by five non-governmental organizations to participate as amicus curiae in the case of Suez, Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona, S.A., and Vivendi Universal S.A. v. The Argentine Republic. The Tribunal grants the petition, allowing the organizations to make a joint submission based on the public interest nature of the dispute, while denying their request for unrestricted access to arbitration documents.

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) proposes specific revisions to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules to increase transparency and public participation in 'State arbitrations'. The authors argue that arbitrations involving a State as a party differ fundamentally from private commercial arbitrations because they implicate the public interest, public treasuries, and public policy issues.

This report, commissioned by Hawai`i County Mayor Harry Kim and authored by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), provides a whole-system evaluation of the county's 2005 goals. It identifies the loss of local land control to outside investors as the island's most critical challenge and offers specific recommendations to accelerate progress in affordable housing, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental stewardship. The document emphasizes the use of measurable indicators to ensure government transparency and the adoption of 'whole-system thinking' to address root causes rather than symptoms of community stress.

This research paper by Kurt Shillinger analyzes South Africa's transition from a regional hegemon during the apartheid era to a self-appointed champion of the 'Global South' in international diplomacy. It argues that while regional strategic rebalancing within southern Africa is not currently underway, South Africa is actively pursuing a rebalancing of global economic and diplomatic power through non-aligned blocs and the United Nations.

This report analyzes the carbon footprints and attitudes toward climate change of individuals aged 50 and over in the UK, dividing them into baby boomers (50-64), seniors (65-74), and elders (75+). It finds that baby boomers have the highest overall carbon footprint due to high spending on travel and consumption, while elders have the highest climate impact per pound spent due to carbon-intensive home heating. While the over 50s generally express fear and motivation regarding climate change, they report frustration with barriers to low-carbon living and believe the UK government and businesses must provide stronger leadership.

The paper critiques African regional economic communities, particularly the Southern African Development Community (SADC), for lacking the transparency and organizational capacity to achieve their goals. It argues that these bodies often serve as diplomatic facades for national leaders rather than effective instruments for regional development, and calls for the application of the African Union's standards of accountability to these multinational organizations.

This research paper examines the conflict between the African Union's (AU) commitment to democracy and its rotational system for selecting the annual chairmanship, specifically regarding Sudan's claim to the position in 2007. The author argues that appointing Omar al-Bashir, amidst the Darfur crisis, would damage the AU's international credibility and operational effectiveness.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues for the implementation of special measures to protect women and children from sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by private security companies (PSCs) and private military companies (PMCs) during peacekeeping missions. The author highlights a regulatory gap where UN-specific protections do not apply to private contractors, leaving them largely unregulated by express terms of international law.