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This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a critical, low-cost tool for enhancing ecosystem productivity and human well-being. It highlights RWH as a decentralized alternative to large-scale water infrastructure that supports rainfed agriculture, urban water security, and climate change adaptation.

This policy brief examines China's increasing influence in the agribusiness, hydropower, and mining sectors of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, driven by China's demand for inexpensive natural resources.

This research paper examines the lack of coordination between four policy and research communities—disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, environmental management, and poverty reduction—that aim to reduce socio-economic vulnerability to natural hazards. It highlights the increasing impact of hydro-meteorological hazards and proposes a structured dialogue to facilitate collaboration and information exchange between these groups.

A joint statement by Friends of the Earth and ten other environmental and consumer advocacy organizations criticizing a U.S. energy bill for failing to address global warming or oil dependence while providing subsidies to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries.

This report examines the integration of sustainable development into the regional and bilateral trade arrangements of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), comprising South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. It analyzes the tension between trade liberalization and national development goals, the impact of the SACU Revenue Sharing Formula, and the outcomes of various Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The study concludes that most trade deals focus almost exclusively on market access, neglecting social and environmental pillars of sustainable development.

This research paper examines the role of product energy performance standards and processes and production methods (PPMs) in mitigating climate change and their interaction with international trade law. It argues that while energy efficiency standards are highly cost-effective and should be supported by trade regimes, PPM-based measures are more legally complex and controversial, particularly regarding their impact on developing country exporters and their consistency with WTO rules.

This 2008 submission to the U.N. Special Representative on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations, authored by the Center for International Environmental Law and partners, argues that the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Performance Standards and the Equator Principles (PS/EPs) fail to provide a robust framework for project sponsors to respect or remedy human rights. The report identifies critical gaps in substantive standards, due diligence procedures, and grievance mechanisms, concluding that the PS/EPs must be significantly amended to align with international human rights norms.

The briefing 'Forests are more than carbon' by Friends of the Earth International argues that forest agreements must prioritize the total cessation of deforestation and the protection of Indigenous land rights over carbon-market mechanisms. It warns that REDD mechanisms may incentivize monoculture plantations and allow industrialized nations to avoid economic transformation through offsetting, while advocating for funding via carbon taxes and national programs for community-driven conservation.

This fact sheet from Friends of the Earth International argues that forest conservation policies must prioritize biodiversity, human rights, and the land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities over carbon-centric market mechanisms like REDD, which the author claims undermine sovereignty and climate goals.

This research paper by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) examines the role of trade liberalization in diffusing climate mitigation goods and the challenges associated with negotiating environmental goods and services (EGS) within the WTO Doha Round. It argues that while lowering trade barriers can reduce costs and facilitate technology transfer, liberalization alone is insufficient without complementary financial, regulatory, and technical assistance frameworks to support developing countries.

This research paper examines the role of product standards, energy labelling, and processes and production methods (PPMs) in addressing climate change and their interactions with international trade law and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This background paper, prepared by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) for a 2008 seminar in Copenhagen, examines the complex relationship between intellectual property (IP) rights and the transfer of climate-related technologies. It analyzes how IP can act as both an incentive for innovation and a barrier to the diffusion of technology, specifically exploring the role of the WTO TRIPS Agreement and the UNFCCC framework in facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This 2008 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the intersection of an ageing population and climate change, specifically focusing on the United Kingdom. It analyzes how older people are both contributors to carbon emissions and uniquely vulnerable to climate-related threats due to physical, financial, and social factors. The report proposes a national policy framework to reduce this vulnerability through improvements in housing energy efficiency, local accessibility, and integrated health and social care.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the European Union (EU) and South Africa, culminating in a July 2008 Heads of State summit in France. The document details the shift from a development-focused relationship to a strategic alliance aimed at addressing global geopolitical changes, energy security, and African development.

This research paper examines the socio-economic and environmental impacts of copper mining in Zambia, focusing on the transition from state ownership under Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited (ZCCM) to privatisation. It argues that while privatisation and high global copper prices have increased production and corporate profits, the benefits have not reached local communities, leading to increased social conflict, environmental degradation, and a decline in social services.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute critiques the UK Department for Transport's (DfT) cost-benefit analysis regarding the expansion of Heathrow Airport. The authors argue that the DfT's projection of positive net benefits relies heavily on 'generated user benefits'—a theoretical construct of consumer surplus—which they claim is based on speculative and biased assumptions about future airfares, fuel costs, and passenger demand.

This 2008 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes global forest product commodity chains with China as the central manufacturing hub. It examines how China imports primary raw materials from developing nations—specifically focusing on case studies in Mozambique and Russia—and exports finished wood products to developed Western markets. The report identifies a systemic failure in sustainability where capital from timber sales often fails to return to forest regeneration, leading to asset-stripping and illegal logging, exacerbated by poor governance in supplier countries and irresponsible corporate behavior. It provides a series of policy recommendations for the Chinese government to transition toward sustainable procurement, capacity-building in supplier nations, and international leadership in carbon accounting and legality verification.

This report, commissioned by the European Parliament, evaluates sustainability criteria for the proposed EU Directive on renewable energy, specifically focusing on liquid biofuels. It analyzes the potential for biofuel production globally and within Europe, the impacts of land-use change on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the feasibility of using degraded lands for energy crops. The document provides technical critiques of GHG accounting methodologies and suggests harmonizing EU standards with international frameworks like the IPCC and UNFCCC to ensure environmental integrity and global equity.

The research paper examines the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) trilateral coalition, highlighting its shift from purely political goals, such as UN Security Council reform, toward pragmatic economic and social cooperation. While the coalition seeks to enhance south-south trade and technology exchange, the author notes that these countries remain heavily dependent on northern markets and investment.

This research paper argues that African countries, particularly within the SADC region, should adopt biotechnology and genetic modification to combat food insecurity and climate-change-induced droughts. The author contends that current regulatory stances in Africa are overly influenced by external pressures from the European Union and the Cartagena Protocol, leading to 'regulatory overkill' that may conflict with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and hinder the timely delivery of food relief.