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This report examines the distribution of legislative authority between the federal and provincial governments of Canada regarding the regulation of oil and gas development, detailing the specific jurisdictional powers the federal government can exercise.

Natural Justice provides a legal and rights-based critique of South Africa's 2025 draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). While acknowledging progress in absolute emissions targets, the organization argues that the draft lacks the 'stringent' due diligence required by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and fails to provide concrete, costed implementation plans for adaptation and loss and damage. Natural Justice advocates for unconditional commitments to phase out fossil fuels, the integration of human rights indicators into monitoring frameworks, and the establishment of a grant-based domestic loss and damage facility funded by taxes on fossil fuel profits.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Amazon 2030 analyzes legal partnership models in Brazilian administrative law to facilitate the large-scale restoration of degraded public lands, particularly in the Amazon. It evaluates the current standard of forestry concessions alongside alternatives such as ordinary tenders, common public service concessions, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), assessing their viability, risk distribution, and applicability to different land categories.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) and Amazônia 2030 analyzes legal partnership models for restoring degraded public lands in the Brazilian Amazon. It evaluates the current standard of forest concessions against alternatives such as common tenders, common public service concessions, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to improve risk distribution and attract private investment through carbon markets.

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the proposed international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution (the Plastics Treaty) must be grounded in a human rights-based approach. It asserts that plastic pollution violates multiple internationally recognized human rights and that the treaty should operationalize both substantive rights, such as the right to a healthy environment, and procedural rights, such as access to justice and public participation, to ensure equity and accountability.

This report analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks for protecting traditional knowledge (TK) in Mozambique, focusing on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and traditional medicine. It identifies a significant gap in functional regulatory frameworks specifically for TK associated with biological resources, though it highlights ongoing efforts to review access and benefit-sharing (ABS) regulations and develop a national TK database.

This fact sheet introduces a forthcoming report by the Center for International Environmental Law titled "Remedy and Reparations for Climate Harm: The Human Rights Case." It argues that the climate crisis is a human rights crisis and asserts that existing international legal frameworks already establish the right to remedy and the obligation of States and corporations to provide reparations for climate-related loss and damage.

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the legal distinctions between decisions made by a Conference of the Parties (COP) and the more formal processes of treaty amendments or new annexes. Using examples from various multilateral environmental agreements, it argues that COPs generally cannot fundamentally alter Party rights or obligations through simple decisions, highlighting the importance of securing strong provisions during initial treaty negotiations, particularly for the future plastics treaty.

This research paper by Neha Mishra examines the intersection of international trade law and global data governance, arguing for a balanced approach to cross-border data flows that reconciles commercial goals with privacy, security, and equity. The author proposes a multi-layered framework to bridge the gap between trade rules and data governance, emphasizing the need for digital inclusion for developing nations and the move away from polarized narratives of 'free flow' versus 'data sovereignty'.

This legal memorandum analyzes the potential for company directors in South Africa to be held personally liable for failing to address, disclose, and prepare for climate-related financial risks. It examines the intersection of the Companies Act 71 of 2008, common law, the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the recently enacted Climate Change Act 22 of 2024, arguing that climate risk is a material financial risk that falls under existing directors' duties of care, skill, and fiduciary loyalty.

This research paper analyzes the Rempang Eco-City project in Batam as a case of 'accumulation by dispossession,' where government policies prioritize capital expansion and investment over the livelihoods and land rights of local residents in traditional villages.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) analyzes the 2023 activities of UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding states' human rights obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related references in state reporting procedures and examines specific themes such as fossil fuel extraction, the right to a healthy environment, loss and damage, and intergenerational equity.

This legal memorandum by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the May 21, 2024, advisory opinion (AO) from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) regarding States' obligations to protect oceans from climate change. The document details how the ITLOS AO defines anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as marine pollution under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and discusses the implications of this ruling for ongoing climate advisory proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes historical negotiation timelines of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) to provide pathways for the development of a future international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It argues that the current ambition to complete the plastics treaty by the end of 2024 is tight and suggests that previous treaties, such as the Rotterdam, Minamata, and BBNJ agreements, demonstrate that negotiations can legally and practically extend beyond initial deadlines without requiring new mandates from governing bodies.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the impact of the Pillar Two global anti-base erosion (GloBE) rules on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) reduces the effectiveness of traditional corporate tax incentives, prompting a need for countries to shift toward non-fiscal incentives and sustainable investment models.

This policy brief examines the impact of the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) rules and the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that traditional income-based tax incentives used in SEZs are becoming less effective and may lead to revenue loss to other jurisdictions. The document recommends transitioning toward non-fiscal incentives, cost-based incentives, and better coordination between investment and tax authorities to maintain competitiveness while complying with international standards.

A joint statement by six environmental and health organizations providing recommendations to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada on the implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment (R2HE) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that twelve major insurers, termed the 'Dirty Dozen', are restricting homeowners insurance in California due to climate risks while simultaneously profiting from fossil fuel investments and underwriting.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines the legal limitations of Conference of the Parties (COP) decisions, contrasting them with treaties, protocols, and amendments. Using examples from the Basel and Kyoto frameworks, it warns that relying on future COP decisions to establish critical obligations for a future plastics treaty may lead to significant delays or failure due to ratification requirements and consensus-based voting.

This briefing, submitted by a coalition of civil society organizations to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, argues that the current structure of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) established at COP28 fails to meet international human rights standards. The authors contend that states have a legal obligation to provide full reparation for climate-induced losses and damages, particularly based on historical emissions, and that the LDF's reliance on voluntary donations and its denial of legal liability undermine the right to justice for affected communities.