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20,303 documents added on 17 August 2026
PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE SCOPE OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES (GATS)
This research paper analyzes the substantive scope of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), specifically focusing on Article I:3, which determines whether 'public services' are covered by the agreement. The author examines the legal definitions of services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority, evaluates the inconsistent interpretations provided by the WTO Secretariat and member states, and applies principles of public international law to argue for potential methods of narrowing the agreement's scope to protect national policy objectives.
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Document type: Research paper
Case Studies of Power Sector Reform in Developing Countries
This report analyzes the restructuring of Bulgaria's power sector around 2000, detailing the transition from a state monopoly (NEC) to a 'Single Buyer' model with independent producers and distributors. It highlights the heavy influence of the IMF and World Bank, the failure to implement a fully transparent regulatory framework, and the social strain on low-income households. Key technical data includes a total capacity of 12,668 MW, dominated by thermal (51.7%) and nuclear (29.7%) power. The report also notes Bulgaria's GHG emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol and the critical state of its district heating systems.
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Document type: Report
An environmentally sustainable health care system
A letter from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) to the Commissioner of The Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, urging the inclusion of environmental sustainability in the assessment of the Canadian health care system.
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Document type: Statement
TOWARDS A FULL REVIEW OF THE WTO’S TRIPS AGREEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 71.1
This 2001 research paper by CIEL argues for a comprehensive review of the WTO's TRIPS Agreement under Article 71.1 to ensure it supports sustainable development and the interests of developing countries. The authors highlight concerns over declining technology transfer, extreme industry consolidation in biotechnology, and a lack of general exceptions for public health and the environment. They recommend expanding the use of compulsory licensing, imposing obligations on patent holders, and maintaining the moratorium on non-violation complaints to prevent private property rights from overriding essential public policy goals.
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Document type: Research paper
Attorney Glenn Wiser discusses the disconnect between the IPCC reports concerning the impacts of global warming on future generations and proposed budget surplus fixes
Attorney Glenn Wiser argues that the US government is ignoring the IPCC's warnings of catastrophic global warming—including a potential 10.4-degree temperature increase by 2100—by prioritizing tax cuts over climate investment. He contends that the cost of transitioning to renewable energy and energy efficiency is a small fraction of the $3 trillion budget surplus predicted by the Congressional Budget Office for the following decade.
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Document type: Statement
tripsmay01-5f3ca590e96831bd.pdf
This joint discussion paper by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and WWF International examines the tensions between the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It analyzes how intellectual property rights (IPRs) can hinder the CBD's goals regarding benefit sharing, traditional knowledge, and technology transfer, and provides a set of international and national recommendations to harmonize these legal frameworks.
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Document type: Report
Protecting Grizzly Bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
This case study by Earthjustice details legal efforts to maintain Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, highlighting the impact of climate change on bear diets and population trends.
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Document type: Case study
Notice Requesting Public Comment on Proposed United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement
A joint statement from several environmental organizations providing recommendations to the U.S. Trade Representative to ensure that the proposed United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) protects environmental standards, incorporates the precautionary principle, and avoids trade liberalization in sensitive sectors like forestry and mining.
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Document type: Statement
Open letter to the President of the World Bank concerning the International Advisory Group
An open letter from civil society representatives in Chad and Cameroon to World Bank President Wolfensohn expressing concerns over the terms of reference for the International Advisory Group (IAG) created to monitor the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project.
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Document type: Statement
Solicitud de Comentario Público sobre el Acuerdo de Libre Comercio entre Estados Unidos y Chile
A joint statement by several environmental organizations providing public comments on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Chile. The document argues that the FTA must not weaken environmental laws and should instead promote higher environmental standards, the precautionary principle, and transparency in dispute resolution.
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Document type: Statement
YCLSF Host Organization Guide
The YCLSF Host Organization Guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2001, provides operational instructions for organizations hosting interns under the Young Canadian Leaders for a Sustainable Future project. The project is part of the Government of Canada's Youth International Internship Program (YIIP), designed to provide unemployed or underemployed Canadian youth up to age 30 with their first paid international career experience in sustainable development.
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Document type: Guide
Protecting whistle blowers in South Africa: The Protected Disclosures Act, no 26 of 2000
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the Protected Disclosures Act, no 26 of 2000, analyzing its role in South Africa's anti-corruption strategy and the legal protections it provides to employees in both public and private sectors who report workplace malpractice.
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Document type: Research paper
Brittle Power: Energy Strategy for National Security
This preface to the 2001 re-release of 'Brittle Power: Energy Strategy for National Security' argues that U.S. energy security is compromised by a reliance on centralized, vulnerable infrastructure. The authors contend that domestic energy sources are not inherently secure and that true resilience requires a shift toward diverse, dispersed, and renewable energy systems.
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Document type: Statement
Battling Fuel Waste in the Military
The report 'Battling Fuel Waste in the Military' by Amory Lovins (RMI) argues that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) suffers from systemic fuel inefficiency due to a failure to account for the high cost of fuel delivery (logistics). By ignoring these costs during the design of weapons platforms and ships, the DOD maintains inefficient equipment that increases operational costs and inhibits warfighting capability. The author suggests that adopting fuel-saving technologies and 'green design' could save billions of dollars annually and improve military agility and security.
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Document type: Report
ASSESSING GOOD PRACTICES IN POLICIES AND MEASURES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
This research paper describes the development and application of a set of six criteria used to assess 'good practices' in climate change mitigation policies and measures (PAM) across six Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), the project aimed to help economies in transition find low-emission development paths and build institutional capacity to meet UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol obligations.
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Document type: Research paper
DECLARATION OF AREAS AS MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
This government notice, published on 29 December 2000 by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, declares several areas as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) under Section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998. The document defines the precise geographic boundaries of these MPAs across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces and outlines specific stipulations regarding permitted fishing activities and restrictions on vessel use and wildlife interaction.
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Document type: Statement
XII Reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo del IAI / XII IAI Executive Council Meeting
The document is a participants list for the XII IAI Executive Council Meeting, which took place in San José, Costa Rica, from December 4 to 5, 2000.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Clean Renewables and Efficiency, not Coal, are the Key
This statement by Ken Wicker and Karl R. Rábago of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues against the increased use of coal for electricity generation in Colorado, advocating instead for a diversified energy portfolio centered on energy efficiency and clean renewable resources.
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Document type: Statement
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION EXPLORING THE LINKS
This research paper by Anantha Kumar Duraiappah of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) critiques the last 50 years of poverty alleviation strategies and proposes a new working model based on the principles of sustainable development. The author argues that previous approaches failed because they confused the means of economic growth with the end goal of poverty reduction, and suggests integrating Joseph Stiglitz's stakeholder-based transformation model with a guiding principle of sustainable development to ensure distributive and inter-generational justice.
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Document type: Research paper
The Reality Behind the Rhetoric: The US, South Africa and Africa
This document provides introductory quotes from Strobe Talbott, Deputy US Secretary of State, and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, framing the diplomatic and economic relationship between the United States and South Africa within the context of an 'African Renaissance'. It notes that the publication originated from a May 2000 conference co-hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
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Document type: Report