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The document outlines four decades of activism by Friends of the Earth International, highlighting specific successes in banning commercial whaling in Spain, prohibiting open-pit mining in Costa Rica, and establishing the first climate change law in the UK. It details diverse campaigns against coal power in Germany, oil pollution in Nigeria, and genetically modified organisms in Europe, while emphasizing the role of grassroots mobilization and legal action in achieving environmental protections and human rights.

This report highlights the achievements of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) over four decades, detailing specific campaigns against extractive industries, pollution, and unsustainable development. It documents legal victories, such as the ban on open-pit mining in Costa Rica and the recognition of water as a human right in Uruguay, as well as grassroots successes in reforestation in Belgium and the protection of eucalyptus forests in Australia. The text emphasizes the role of international solidarity and legal action in challenging neoliberal globalization and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue (ShAD) has developed a comprehensive set of standards for responsible shrimp farming, organized into seven principles covering legal compliance, biodiversity conservation, community relations, labor practices, shrimp health, broodstock management, and resource efficiency. The standards emphasize performance-based benchmarks over prescriptive methods, requiring tools like Biodiversity-inclusive Environmental Impact Assessments (BEIA) and participatory Social Impact Assessments (p-SIA). Key environmental targets include the prohibition of farms in protected areas, a requirement to reforest 50% of affected mangrove areas for farms sited before May 1999, and strict limits on nitrogen and phosphorus effluent. Social standards align with ILO core principles, mandating a minimum employee age of 15 and fair wages based on national minimums or 50% of median country income. The document also outlines a transition toward 100% certified sustainable feed ingredients and the prohibition of transgenic shrimp.

The report challenges the claims of the biotechnology industry, specifically the ISAAA, regarding the success and benefits of GM crops. It argues that GM plants are primarily used for animal feed and biofuels rather than human nutrition and that they lead to increased pesticide use, soil degradation, and the displacement of indigenous peoples. The document specifically critiques the 'climate scam'—the claim that GM crops can mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration or drought resistance—and proposes agroecology as a sustainable alternative.

The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue (ShAD) has developed a comprehensive set of draft standards for responsible shrimp aquaculture, focusing on seven core principles: legal compliance, environmentally suitable siting, community consideration, responsible labor practices, shrimp health management, broodstock and stock management, and resource efficiency. The standards employ a performance-based approach, defining acceptable impact levels rather than prescribing specific production methods, and are intended for the top 20 percent of farms globally. Key environmental requirements include the prohibition of siting in mangroves and natural wetlands (with limited exceptions for infrastructure), the mandate for Biodiversity inclusive Environmental Impact Assessments (BEIA), and strict limits on nutrient effluent loads (nitrogen and phosphorus). Social standards require participatory Social Impact Assessments (p-SIA) and adherence to ILO core conventions regarding child and forced labor. The document also outlines strict biosecurity measures to prevent disease and mandates the transition toward 100% closed-loop hatchery sourcing for Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon. The standards are designed to be verified through third-party certification via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

The report examines the complexities of agricultural development in Southern Africa, highlighting the need for increased investment in infrastructure and the potential role of genetically modified organisms and supermarket cold chains. It notes the possibility of investment relocation driven by global climate mitigation policies, while warning of climate protectionism and the direct impacts of climate change. The document also emphasizes the need for transparent terms for foreign land access and the potential of Malawi's input subsidy model.

The document contends that GM crops are not a solution to global hunger, as hunger is caused by poverty and lack of resource access rather than production deficits. It asserts that GM crops do not increase yields—and in some cases decrease them—while increasing pesticide use and costs for farmers. The text highlights that the primary beneficiaries are biotech giants like Monsanto, which maximize profits through 'trait penetration' and rising seed and herbicide prices, while the model favors large-scale export agriculture over small-scale farmers.

The report examines the integration of sustainable development into Peru's trade policies, noting that external pressures from the EU and the US-Peru FTA drove the adoption of environmental and social clauses. While these clauses were accepted by the state to secure economic liberalization, they are viewed as opportunities by NGOs and labor unions. Implementation is hindered by labor market informality and institutional weakness, while the trade framework now shapes domestic debates on energy and agriculture.

The report analyzes how sustainable development issues enter Argentina's trade and investment agenda, noting that external pressures are significant for environmental and food safety standards but less so for labor and climate change. It highlights Argentina's unique position due to its lack of north-south trade agreements and its low-polluting economic structure, while emphasizing the need for a holistic, coordinated approach to manage future international commitments and unilateral measures.

This report by Friends of the Earth International examines the socio-economic and environmental impacts of GM crops, specifically focusing on the dominance of a few corporations like Monsanto. It argues that GM technology does not solve hunger, as most crops are used for animal feed or biofuels in wealthy nations. The document highlights a trend of increasing pesticide use and the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds in the US, Argentina, and Brazil. It further claims that GM crops often result in lower yields than conventional varieties and suggests that agroecological and organic farming are more effective alternatives for food security.

The report analyzes the evolution of Peru's trade policy from the 1990s liberalization to the implementation of the US-Peru FTA. It argues that sustainable development standards were primarily adopted as a 'cost' to maintain open markets rather than from internal priority. The text details the creation of the Ministry of Environment, the impact of Andean Community regulations, and the tensions between agricultural productivity (including GMOs) and biodiversity conservation. It also examines the potential of biocommerce and the transition toward a renewable energy matrix involving biofuels.

The document examines the intersection of global trade policy and food security in Southern Africa, arguing that reducing dependence on First World agricultural subsidies and improving domestic production capabilities are critical for long-term stability. It analyzes the potential impacts of the WTO Doha Round, specifically regarding preference erosion for African exports and the disciplining of export restrictions. The author highlights the risks posed by biofuel production and the limitations of current trade models in predicting gains for Africa, suggesting that a 'no deal' outcome at the WTO may not be entirely disadvantageous.

The report analyzes the complex political economy of Southern African agriculture, identifying governance and external financing as the primary uncertainties affecting the region's future. Through a stakeholder workshop in Harare, four distinct scenarios were developed, ranging from a high-investment, high-policy-quality future ('I believe I can fly') to a state of total failure ('This is the end'). The authors argue that while the region currently sits in a precarious position characterized by poor domestic policy and weak state capacity, there are opportunities to pivot toward growth through improved infrastructure, transparent land tenure management, and the strategic adoption of agricultural technologies like GMOs.

The research examines how sustainable development themes enter Argentina's trade and investment policy. It finds that environmental and food safety standards are heavily influenced by external factors and multilateral agreements, whereas labor standards are primarily driven by domestic actors. The paper also analyzes the impact of 'agriculturization' (specifically soy expansion), large-scale mining, deforestation, overfishing, and the transition toward biofuels within the Argentine economy.

The document examines the shift of South American countries from a defensive posture toward sustainable development in trade to a more nuanced engagement driven by free trade agreements (FTAs) and market demands. It analyzes the specific vulnerabilities of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru due to their reliance on natural resource exports and identifies emerging risks such as carbon-intensive foreign direct investment and new technical trade barriers from developed nations.

The report analyzes the shift in South American countries from a defensive posture toward sustainable development in trade to a more integrated approach. It examines four case studies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru), identifying how structural dependencies on natural resources and the influence of developed markets—particularly the US and EU—drive the adoption of environmental and labor standards. While Chile and Peru have integrated these themes through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Brazil and Argentina have remained more resistant officially, though private sectors in Brazil are increasingly adapting to international certifications. The document highlights risks such as 'carbon leakage' (the shift of high-emission industries to the region) and new trade barriers related to biofuels and chemical regulations.

The document analyzes the shift in South American countries from a defensive posture toward sustainable development in trade to a more complex engagement driven by free trade agreements (FTAs) and market demands. It highlights how resource-intensive export profiles make these nations vulnerable to unilateral environmental and labor regulations from developed markets, particularly the EU and US. While Chile and Peru have integrated these themes through FTAs, Brazil and Argentina remain officially resistant, though private sectors in Brazil are increasingly adapting to international sustainability standards.

The report argues that the drive for agrofuels in Latin America is based on a cash-crop model of intensive monocultures that benefits large landowners and international agribusiness while causing widespread deforestation, water shortages, and human rights abuses. In Brazil, sugarcane expansion is linked to slave-like working conditions and the displacement of family farms. Argentina's soy-based biodiesel industry has led to significant deforestation and the concentration of land ownership, with 46% of production controlled by 2.2% of producers. In Colombia, oil palm expansion is associated with paramilitary violence and the forced displacement of Afro-descendant and indigenous communities. Central American countries, including Costa Rica, Guatemala, and El Salvador, are increasing production to meet US and EU demand, which the report warns will exacerbate child labour and food insecurity. The document highlights the influence of multilateral banks like the IADB and the World Bank, and corporations such as Cargill and Bunge, in financing and driving this transition.

The International Federation of Friends of the Earth rejects the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS), claiming it provides a facade of sustainability for multinational corporations while ignoring the systemic impacts of industrial soy monocultures. The document details how soy expansion leads to biodiversity loss, climate change, human rights violations, and food insecurity. It specifically criticizes the promotion of genetically modified (GM) soy, noting significant increases in pesticide use in Brazil and the US. The text argues that demand is driven by intensive livestock farming and biofuels, and calls for structural land reforms, reduced meat consumption, and a shift toward organic and local agriculture.

The report argues that genetically modified (GM) crops provide no substantive environmental, social, or economic benefits. It highlights a significant increase in pesticide use, particularly glyphosate, due to the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds in the US, Brazil, and Argentina. The document further contends that GM crops do not increase yields—citing evidence that Roundup Ready soy may actually suffer yield losses—and that they do not address global hunger, as most are used for animal feed or biofuels in wealthy nations. Additionally, it criticizes the concentration of seed control by a few multinational corporations, which increases costs and restricts farmers' ability to save seeds.