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This report reviews Phase One (December 2001 – December 2003) of a project by IUCN, IISD, SEI-B, and Intercooperation aimed at reducing the vulnerability of poor communities to climate change. The project advocates for an integrated approach to adaptation that combines disaster risk reduction, environmental management, and poverty reduction, specifically emphasizing sustainable livelihoods (SL) and ecosystem management and restoration (EM&R). Phase One focused on establishing a theoretical basis, collecting evidence through case studies and desk-based assessments, and communicating this approach to policy audiences to prepare for the operationalization of adaptation in Phase Two.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on South African agricultural exports to the US. It argues that while AGOA has facilitated growth in specific niche agricultural products and clothing, its overall impact is limited by pre-existing low tariffs, complex rules of origin, and significant non-tariff barriers such as US agricultural subsidies and restrictive standards.

This briefing analyzes Brazil's strategic position and challenges within the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations as of February 2004. It details the friction between Brazil and the United States over agricultural subsidies, non-tariff barriers, and the 'Singapore issues,' while examining how the US strategy of bilateral agreements and the outcomes of the WTO Cancun summit have influenced the shift toward a more flexible 'ALCA-lite' framework.

The 'Standards for Sustainable Trade' project, implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the European Commission, investigated how regional cooperation can reduce technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures for developing countries. The report concludes that while regional centers of excellence can offset national capacity gaps, the WTO's TBT Agreement is often unrealistic for developing nations, which act as 'standards takers' rather than 'makers' due to a lack of institutional and scientific resources.

A letter from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to representatives of the Department of State Subcommittee on Investment, criticizing a draft report on the U.S. Model Bilateral Investment Treaty for being inaccurate and biased in favor of the investment community.

A joint statement from several environmental and labor organizations urging the U.S. Department of State and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to revise a draft model bilateral investment treaty (BIT). The authors argue the draft grants foreign investors excessive rights compared to U.S. citizens, lacks investor obligations, and threatens the ability of governments to protect public interests such as health, safety, the environment, and workers' rights.

A coalition of organizations wrote to the U.S. Trade Representative in 2004 requesting that the USTR increase transparency in trade negotiations by publishing proposed agreement texts and negotiating proposals on its website and soliciting public comment via the Federal Register. The authors argue that the current ad hoc disclosure process risks bias and excludes non-insider stakeholders, suggesting that the U.S. should require negotiating partners to agree to such transparency as a condition of entry into negotiations.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the fragile peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea following the 2000 Algiers Peace Accord. It focuses on the failure to physically demarcate the border, specifically the symbolic and contested town of Badme, and the lack of political dialogue between the two nations, which the author argues creates a high risk of renewed conflict.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on Mexico ten years after its 1994 implementation. The author argues that while the agreement created significant challenges for certain sectors—particularly agriculture—it has been an empirical success in terms of trade, investment, and macroeconomic stability, providing a case study for the South African Customs Union (SACU).

This report documents a two-day workshop held in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, in October 2003, focused on delivery mechanisms for rural electrification in Eastern and Southern Africa. It explores the intersection of energy supply technologies and organizational management to support rural development, emphasizing that electricity alone is insufficient for poverty reduction and must be integrated with education, social services, and income-generating activities.

This case study examines the legal ruling in RICHTERSVELD COMMUNITY v ALEXKOR LTD & ANOTHER [2004], which establishes that the Land Claims Court of South Africa has the competence to order the repair of environmental damage or the payment of compensation for such damage as part of land restitution claims.

The South Centre and CIEL IP Quarterly Update for the second quarter of 2004 analyzes international intellectual property (IP) policy-making, focusing on the upcoming WIPO General Assembly and developments across multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral fora. The report highlights the challenges developing countries face when developed nations shift negotiations to bilateral 'TRIPS-plus' agreements to circumvent multilateral flexibilities. Key areas of concern include the protection of genetic resources, the proposed broadcasting treaty, and the Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT).

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the South Centre provides a first-quarter 2004 update on international intellectual property (IP) policy. It highlights a strategic shift by developed countries, particularly the United States, away from multilateral forums like the WTO toward bilateral and regional trade agreements to implement 'TRIPS-plus' standards. The document specifically analyzes the risk of 'non-violation complaints' being applied to IP in these bilateral deals, which could erode the flexibilities available to developing countries under the TRIPS Agreement.

The report provides a quarterly update on international intellectual property (IP) developments for the third quarter of 2004, focusing on the intersection of IP and development. It specifically analyzes the implementation of the FAO's International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and tracks IP-related negotiations across multilateral bodies like the WTO and WIPO, as well as regional and bilateral free trade agreements.

The report provides an overview of international intellectual property (IP) developments in the fourth quarter of 2004, focusing on the tension between IP protection and development goals. It details ongoing negotiations within the WTO Council for TRIPS, WIPO, and various bilateral and regional trade agreements, highlighting the efforts of developing countries to maintain flexibilities and prevent 'TRIPS-plus' standards.

This report details the proceedings of the 20th meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), held in Ottawa, Canada, on April 1-2, 2004. The document outlines updates on the Small Grants Program (SGP) and Capacity Research Networks (CRN), proposes methods for synthesizing CRN I results, and expresses urgent concern regarding the stability of the Institute's scientific programs.

This report, produced by the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative (a partnership between UNDP, UNEP, and OSCE), assesses the linkages between environmental stress and human security in the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia). It identifies how environmental degradation, natural hazards, and Soviet-era industrial legacies can exacerbate social tensions and conflict, while proposing that technical environmental cooperation can serve as a tool for peace-building and regional stability.

This report, produced by the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative—a partnership between UNDP, UNEP, and OSCE—analyzes the intersection of environmental degradation and human security in the South Caucasus. It identifies priority risk areas in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, focusing on how resource scarcity, industrial legacy, and urban growth can exacerbate social tensions or, conversely, serve as catalysts for regional cooperation.

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2004, provides a framework for monitoring, assessing, and evaluating formal knowledge networks, specifically those focused on environment and international development. It argues that networks should be measured against external benchmarks and strategic plans rather than solely against the internal expectations of their members.

This 2004 practice note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explores the convergence of knowledge management, information and communications technologies (ICTs), and community engagement. It maps how trends from the private sector, social sciences, and international development are merging to create new forms of governance and knowledge mobilization aimed at sustainable development.