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This briefing examines the tension between trade liberalization and environmental protection within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a specific focus on the Mekong subregion. It argues that while regional strategies and national laws exist, actual implementation is often weak, frequently driven by foreign donor interests rather than internal political will, and hindered by a regional preference for non-binding 'soft law'.

This fact sheet examines the challenges of balancing trade liberalization and environmental protection in the Mekong Subregion. It highlights the gap between regional policy rhetoric and actual implementation, the impact of illegal trade on biodiversity, and the dominant role of foreign donors in driving environmental agendas within trade policy.

This report analyzes the barriers and opportunities for clean energy investment in South Africa, focusing on the transition from a coal-dependent energy system dominated by the state-owned utility Eskom to a more diversified renewable energy mix. It examines national policies, regulatory frameworks, and the role of provincial and local governments in promoting sustainable energy.

This report analyzes the impact of the 2006–08 global food crisis on Latin America and the subsequent policy responses. It evaluates the effectiveness of short-term 'coping' strategies versus long-term 'curing' strategies, examines the conceptual shift toward 'food sovereignty' and the 'right to food', and discusses the need for balanced agricultural investments and international governance to ensure future food security.

This report analyzes potential international frameworks for reforming fossil-fuel subsidies, evaluating the roles of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the G-20. It argues that while a formally negotiated agreement is the long-term goal, the immediate path requires a multi-forum approach leveraging the political leadership of the G-20 and the technical capacities of various international organizations.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the 'Safe Chemicals Act of 2010' (Lautenberg bill) and the 'Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010' (Rush-Waxman discussion draft). It evaluates how these proposed reforms to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) would provide the implementing authority necessary for the United States to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the LRTAP POPs Protocol, and the Rotterdam Convention.

This research paper analyzes fossil-fuel subsidy reforms in France, Ghana, and Senegal to identify lessons for other countries, concluding that while no single formula for success exists, six key strategies are essential for effective reform.

This research paper introduces the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model, an integrated assessment model (IAM) designed to analyze the intersection of climate mitigation and international economic development. The model's primary innovations include a focus on global equity through a concave utility function and the use of McKinsey marginal abatement cost curves to project mitigation costs. The authors argue that achieving climate stabilization requires either a very low discount rate or significant capital transfers from high-income to developing nations.

This report examines the restructuring of the coal-mining industry in Poland following the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy starting in 1989.

This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in April 2010, synthesizes five research papers on the economic, environmental, and political dimensions of fossil-fuel subsidies. It argues that these subsidies lock economies into fossil-fuel reliance, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and divert funds from social services. The document provides a framework for reform, emphasizing the need for transparency, political strategy, and a two-track approach involving both domestic reporting and a new international data-gathering regime.

This report examines the potential for sectoral approaches and agreements to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the iron and steel sectors of China and India, arguing that national approaches combining price and non-price incentives are more viable than transnational trading or carbon pricing alone.

This research paper argues that South Africa's foreign policy under the Zuma administration has become rudderless, characterized by a lack of strategic clarity and a managerial vacuum that risks eroding international goodwill and the country's status as a reliable developmental partner.

This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of the advanced biofuels industry in the United States following the 2008 economic recession. It analyzes national policy trends, identifies critical barriers to commercialization—including technological hurdles, market volatility, and regulatory uncertainty—and provides ten specific policy recommendations for state governments to support sustainable, local biofuel development during periods of limited fiscal capacity.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the state of negotiations and implementation pathways for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) following the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. It examines the outcomes of the Copenhagen Accord, the role of the UNFCCC's various working groups, and the technical challenges regarding monitoring, safeguards, and financing for REDD-plus activities in developing countries.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the state of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) negotiations following the 2009 Copenhagen Conference (COP15). It outlines the outcomes of the Copenhagen Accord, the methodological guidelines for REDD-plus, and the critical technical and political challenges remaining for implementation, including monitoring, financing, and the protection of indigenous rights.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of agricultural trade policies and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations on the food security of net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs). It analyzes how trade-distorting subsidies, export restrictions, and tariff reforms affect the affordability and accessibility of food in low-income societies.

This report analyzes the opportunities and barriers for clean energy, specifically Non-Conventional Renewable Energies (NCRE), in Chile's electricity sector. It examines the current energy matrix, regulatory frameworks, investment trends, and the impact of climate change policies, identifying a transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent system toward a more diversified one supported by legal quotas and financial incentives.

This research paper argues that nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence are interconnected problems that can be solved simultaneously by shifting energy strategy away from nuclear power and fossil fuels toward energy efficiency and 'micropower' (distributed renewables and cogeneration). The author contends that nuclear power is economically unviable and inherently linked to proliferation risks, while integrative design and renewable technologies offer more profitable and faster paths to energy security and carbon reduction.

This report, an excerpt from a paper presented at the Banff Dialogue in April 2010, reviews 57 reports from Canadian think tanks to identify common recommendations and research gaps regarding a national clean energy strategy. It highlights a fundamental tension between a 'climate view'—which prioritizes top-down carbon pricing to drive energy choices—and an 'energy view'—which emphasizes market-driven supply and investment certainty.

This report, an excerpt from a paper presented at the Banff Dialogue in April 2010, argues for the creation of a coherent national energy strategy for Canada to better manage its diverse energy resources and navigate its heavy trade dependence on the United States while transitioning toward low-carbon energy.