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20,303 documents added on 17 August 2026
What to Consider in Creating a Strategic Alliance
This 2006 practice note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a guide for not-for-profit organizations on creating and managing strategic alliances. It distinguishes alliances from other collaborative models like coalitions or partnerships, emphasizing the need for integrated management systems, shared value appropriation, and corporate ownership to achieve greater capacity, influence, and financing.
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Document type: Guide
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
The Sustainable Development Timeline is a fact sheet published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that chronicles key environmental, social, and economic milestones from 1962 to 2005. It tracks the evolution of sustainable development through the formation of advocacy organizations, the publication of influential scientific reports, the adoption of international treaties, and the occurrence of major environmental disasters.
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Document type: Fact sheet
AIDING, TRADING OR ABETTING? THE FUTURE OF TRADE, AID AND SECURITY
This policy brief series by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and IUCN examines the intersection of international trade, foreign aid, and security. It argues that current global trade rules and aid practices often exacerbate instability and conflict in developing countries by promoting economic dependence on volatile primary commodities, maintaining inequitable market access, and supporting unaccountable regimes. The document proposes a shift toward 'conflict-sensitive' policies, including the restriction of 'conflict resources,' the promotion of transparent natural resource revenue management, and the implementation of responsible business conduct to prevent the funding of violent conflicts.
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Document type: Policy brief
Trading into the Future
This research paper by Mark Halle examines the failures of the current multilateral trading system and proposes how it could be restructured to support a 'Great Transition' toward sustainable development. The author argues that while the fundamental principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are sound, the system has become a 'one size fits all' model that primarily benefits rich nations and ignores social and environmental goals. The paper explores three future archetypes—Agoria, Ecodemia, and Arcadia—demonstrating that a rules-based trading system can be adapted to serve any of these diverse socio-economic models if trade is treated as a tool for sustainable development rather than an end in itself.
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Document type: Research paper
YCLSF PARTICIPANT MANUAL 2006/2007
The YCLSF Participant Manual 2006/2007 is a comprehensive guide for recent Canadian graduates participating in the Young Canadian Leaders for a Sustainable Future (YCLSF) program. Managed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the program provides entry-level overseas work experience in sustainable development to help participants build careers in the field. The manual details administrative requirements, placement preparations, financial compensation, reporting obligations, and strategies for adapting to living and working abroad, as well as the process of re-entering Canada.
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Document type: Guide
CHARTING PROGRESS, MAPPING THE FUTURE
This 2006 report by the Institute for Security Studies and the Restorative Justice Centre documents the state of restorative justice (RJ) practice in South Africa. It maps over sixty projects across various sectors—including probation services, correctional services, civil society, and traditional leadership—to evaluate the scope and quality of services provided to victims and offenders. The authors argue that RJ should be viewed as a philosophy and approach rather than a specific programme, and they advocate for its 'mainstreaming' within the criminal justice system through a partnership where civil society leads direct service delivery while the state acts as an enabler, resourcer, and guarantor of quality.
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Document type: Report
Identifying Export Opportunities for SACU in the US Market
This report analyzes the potential for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to increase goods exports to the United States by transitioning from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) to a formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It concludes that while an FTA could provide legal certainty and extend duty-free access to specific products, the most significant benefits would likely come from relaxing rules of origin and limiting the use of US trade remedies, such as anti-dumping duties.
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Document type: Report
Meeting the Sphinx
This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the experiences of South African firms operating in Egypt. It analyzes Egypt's macroeconomic stability, its shift toward a liberalized market economy, and the specific challenges faced by South African investors, including cultural barriers, bureaucratic red tape, and corruption. The document provides policy recommendations for both the Egyptian and South African governments to enhance bilateral trade and investment.
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Document type: Report
The Role of South Africa in Global Structural Policy
This research paper, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in 2006, analyzes South Africa's position as a regional hub and its role in global structural policy. It examines the country's economic integration, socio-economic challenges, environmental policies, and its evolving approach to global governance and trade, specifically focusing on its relations with Germany and other developing nations.
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Document type: Research paper
Ülevaade keskkonnamõju hindamise praktikast Eestis
This report examines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practices in Estonia. A survey of 118 local governments reveals that most environmental specialists handle waste and water management rather than EIA, with only 5% having extensive EIA experience. The report notes a significant increase in building permits between 2003 and 2005, though very few of these triggered an EIA process.
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Document type: Report
Urine Diversion: One Step Towards Sustainable Sanitation
This 2006 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines urine diversion as a sustainable sanitation alternative to help meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It details the technical, organizational, and economic aspects of separating urine from faeces to enable nutrient recycling in agriculture, drawing heavily on Swedish municipal experiences and international case studies from West Africa, China, and El Salvador.
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Document type: Report
Why the Millennium Development Goals won't help Africa
The research paper argues that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are insufficient for developing Africa because they focus on the symptoms of poverty rather than the underlying causes of economic stagnation. The author contends that by prioritizing measurable social targets over growth and productivity, the MDGs create an opportunity cost that diverts resources from essential commercial infrastructure, technical skills, and governance reforms. To address these gaps, the document proposes a set of 'African Millennium Growth Goals' focused on infrastructure, rural economies, skills, financial systems, and the rule of law.
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Document type: Research paper
Political blindness: claiming credit before checking reality
This research paper critiques the Red Door initiative in South Africa's Western Cape province, arguing that political pressure to claim success has led to the funding of a superficial training programme that prioritizes quantity of participants over actual job creation and business viability.
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Document type: Research paper
Northern Uganda – from a forgotten war to an unforgivable crisis – the war against children
This 2005 briefing describes the insurgency in northern Uganda as a 'war against children,' highlighting the LRA's systematic abduction of youth and the resulting displacement of over 1.6 million people into squalid 'protected villages.' It critiques the Ugandan government's military failures, including Operation Iron Fist I, and discusses the complex regional involvement of Sudan. The report emphasizes the collapse of health and education services in the north and the challenges of achieving peace through the International Criminal Court's warrants and local amnesty processes.
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Document type: Briefing
Notes from seminar on strengthening parliamentary democracy in SADC countries: Mozambique Country Report
This briefing documents a December 2005 seminar in Maputo regarding a country report on the strength of parliamentary democracy in Mozambique. The text records a debate between researchers and members of parliament (MPs) from the Frelimo and Renamo-EU parties, as well as civil society representatives, focusing on the parliament's capacity for representation, legislation, and executive oversight.
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Document type: Briefing
Combating Corruption in Malawi
This research paper examines the structural and institutional mechanisms established to fight corruption in Malawi since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1994, with a specific focus on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
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Document type: Research paper
the tyranny of free trade wasted natural wealth and lost livelihoods
This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and regional free trade agreements prioritize corporate profit over environmental sustainability and human rights, leading to the loss of livelihoods for millions of small-scale farmers, fishers, and indigenous peoples. The document details how trade liberalization facilitates the privatization of natural resources, undermines food sovereignty, and exacerbates climate change and desertification across various global regions.
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Document type: Report
The Marine Seafood Export Supply Chain in India
This 2005 research paper analyzes India's marine seafood export supply chain, highlighting a stark contrast between the high hygiene standards of exporters and the poor conditions at the fisherman and supplier levels. While India is a global leader in fish production, the author argues that sustainability requires a bottom-up approach, including the formation of fishermen cooperatives and improved infrastructure at landing centers. The paper also examines the influence of stringent EU and U.S. import regulations, noting that while process regulations (like HACCP) have organized the industry, product regulations based on 'zero tolerance' for residues are often viewed as non-tariff trade barriers.
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Document type: Research paper
Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports
This report by the South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) analyzes tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting five select Nepalese agricultural exports: tea, natural honey, floriculture, medicinal plants, and vegetable seeds. It examines market access across 12 international markets, distinguishing between the high tariff barriers found in neighboring South Asian countries and the high incidence of non-tariff measures (NTMs) in developed economies.
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Document type: Report
Paying for Broken Promises
This research paper analyzes the political decline of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki following a failed constitutional referendum. It details how Kibaki transitioned from a reformist leader in 2002 to a figure accused of reviving ethnic cronyism, nepotism, and corruption, while failing to honor pre-election agreements and constitutional promises.
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Document type: Research paper