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The document examines the Vegetable Oil Development project (VODP) in Uganda, a partnership involving the Government of Uganda, IFAD, Wilmar International, and Bidco. It reports that the project has led to the displacement of local communities, the destruction of approximately 3,600 hectares of forest, and increased food insecurity. The report highlights violations of national land and environmental laws, the lack of required Environmental Impact Assessments, and the fact that production targets far exceed domestic needs, suggesting a focus on exports over local food security.

The document serves as a tool to democratize international law by grouping fragmented legal provisions into an integrated framework of 'Traditional Resource Rights'. It categorizes rights into substantive (e.g., land tenure, cultural integrity, and food sovereignty) and procedural (e.g., free, prior and informed consent and impact assessments), while analyzing the legal weight of binding 'hard law' versus non-binding 'soft law'.

The IAI Science Advisory Committee (SAC) has alerted the Executive Council and Conference of the Parties (CoP) to a critical membership shortage. With six vacancies opening in June 2013 and three more in 2014, the SAC faces a near-complete turnover of membership. The committee is seeking highly qualified scientists with expertise in natural sciences, social sciences, and public health to provide credibility and guidance for the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) programs over the next five years.

The report examines the increasing pressure on Indonesia's land resources due to national development plans and palm oil expansion. It proposes the use of Natural Capital Assessment (NCA)—a process of mapping social, biophysical, and economic data—to identify land suitable for production while protecting critical ecosystems. The document outlines NCA principles based on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, reviews various technical mapping tools, and provides case studies from Kalimantan and Trinidad & Tobago to illustrate the necessity of combining technical data with political commitment to achieve sustainable land-use changes.

The briefing explores how natural capital assessment (NCA) can help Indonesia resolve tensions between short-term economic gains and long-term environmental and social health. It highlights a 'window of opportunity' created by legal developments, such as Law No. 32/2009 and Constitutional Court ruling MK45, and the need for low-carbon development. The text details the principles of NCA—relevance, credibility, and legitimacy—and reviews technical tools like WRI's Suitability Mapper, which identified 3.3 million hectares of potentially suitable degraded land for oil palm in Central Kalimantan. It concludes that technical data alone is insufficient without the political will and commitment of local decision-makers to integrate these findings into spatial planning.

The document provides a detailed critique and set of recommendations for the World Bank's Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies. It argues that the Bank has failed to incorporate current international standards and suffers from inadequate monitoring, noting that between 1999 and 2008, more than one-third of projects were inadequately monitored. The authors advocate for the adoption of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) as a cross-cutting requirement for all safeguards, the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs) as legitimate conservation measures, and the integration of human rights due diligence into the Bank's operational framework.

The report examines the tension between environmental restoration and energy production in Sweden's mature hydropower sector. It finds that production gains from renovating 39 stations (2003–2012) were approximately 24 times larger than production losses from concession reviews (1990–2010), suggesting that significant river restoration can occur without compromising overall energy capacity. Through case studies of the Edensforsen, Furudal, and Hedefors stations, the author analyzes the legal and institutional hurdles of modifying and reviewing hydropower concessions under the Swedish Environmental Code (SEC) and EU directives. The report concludes that the current legal framework often leads to inefficiencies and adversarial processes, recommending the creation of a common compulsory fund for hydropower producers to finance restoration measures and streamline the review process.

The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes a transition from industrial agriculture to 'healthy farms' based on agro-ecological principles. The brief identifies four key strategies: adopting a landscape approach to biodiversity, increasing crop rotation diversity, reintegrating livestock and crops, and expanding the use of cover crops. It argues that these methods can maintain high yields and profits while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, mitigating pollution, and enhancing soil fertility. The document concludes that this transition requires systemic policy changes, including increased financial incentives, expanded technical assistance, and more publicly funded research into sustainable practices.

The Centre for Environmental Rights is seeking clarification from Minister Susan Shabangu on why a mining right application from Duiker Mining (Pty) Ltd was accepted for the Chrissiesmeer Biodiversity Site, despite previous ministerial assurances that mining in this ecologically sensitive area was prohibited. The Centre notes that while the Minister claimed the process was complete, no formal declaration under section 49(1) of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) has been published in the Government Gazette. They urge the Minister to formally prohibit prospecting and mining in the site for at least 20 years to ensure ecological sustainability and provide certainty to stakeholders.

The text, written by Alexander Bonde, Minister for Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection of Baden-Württemberg, advocates for a shift from industrial agriculture to a sustainable 'green triangle' model. This approach prioritizes quality over quantity, promoting organic farming, GMO-free production, and eco-tourism to support family farms and biodiversity while meeting consumer demand for high ecological and social standards.

The author criticizes the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as an unequal and unsustainable system that prioritizes industrial production over environmental health and small-scale farming. The text advocates for a shift toward 'sustainable food systems'—defined as those guaranteeing food sovereignty and internalizing environmental costs—and highlights the role of the Greens in Belgium in promoting short supply chains, urban agriculture, and the relocalisation of food production to protect rural social fabrics.

The author advocates for a European agricultural policy that prioritises 'Quality not quantity', linking public payments to the delivery of social and ecological goods. This vision is contrasted with an industrial lobby pushing for export-oriented, intensive production. The author highlights the 'magic triangle' of agricultural production, nature conservation, and tourism as a wealth-creating model, citing the specific policy implementations in Baden-Württemberg, such as support for organic conversion, GMO-free mandates, and sustainable tourism initiatives.

The document examines how Bolivia's indigenous populations use traditional knowledge for weather forecasting and resource management to adapt to climate change, while highlighting the risks of this knowledge disappearing. It assesses the Law of Mother Earth as a tool for protecting natural resources but notes its lack of enforcement mechanisms. The brief recommends fostering partnerships between scientists and indigenous knowledge holders to improve adaptive strategies and calls for increased indigenous participation in national and international climate policy.

The document advocates for a 'cultural and social revolution' in food systems to replace the industrial agro-industry, which it links to environmental degradation and public health crises. It critiques the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for favoring large-scale production over small farmers and biodiversity. Through various regional case studies—including France's 'malbouffe' crisis, land-grabbing in Hungary, and organic farming in Spain—it promotes short supply chains, agro-ecology, and the reconnection of consumers with producers. It also highlights specific Green political initiatives in Belgium and Germany aimed at promoting organic and GMO-free agriculture.

Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific (FoE APac) expresses concern that the South Korean government is promoting the 'Four Rivers Project' as a model for a similar water management contract in Thailand despite evidence of ecological destruction. FoE APac asserts that the project damaged river ecology by blocking flows with dams and straightening serpentine rivers, and argues that claimed benefits like flood control and water quality improvement were used to obfuscate these impacts. The statement also condemns the South Korean government's labeling of critical environmental NGOs as "unpatriotic" and "anti-state" during a Cabinet meeting on January 15th, viewing this as an attempt to suppress civil society and hinder collaborative environmental responses.

The document lists criminal offences and penalties for mining activities under several South African legislative frameworks, including the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, the National Environmental Management Act, the National Water Act, and the Mine Health and Safety Act. It details specific violations such as operating without environmental authorisations, polluting water resources, and failing to ensure employee safety, alongside the corresponding fines and imprisonment terms.

The report examines the vulnerability of the Tabalak pond, a Ramsar site in Niger, to climate risks, particularly droughts and floods. It finds that while the local population is highly dependent on the pond for agrosilvopastoral activities, they are severely affected by recurring droughts and environmental degradation. The document recommends improving governance through inter-communal cooperation, establishing continuous environmental monitoring, and accelerating restoration efforts to ensure the pond's sustainability.

The report argues for a paradigm shift in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from a focus on commodity production to the preservation of natural capital and ecosystem resilience. It identifies a 'triple challenge'—viable food production, sustainable resource management, and balanced territorial development—and proposes transition pathways including increased resource efficiency, embracing agricultural diversity, and expanding Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The analysis highlights the interdependence of these goals, noting that ecosystem degradation undermines both food security and the economic viability of rural areas, particularly in less prosperous regions.

The document outlines a framework for businesses to eliminate tropical deforestation from their supply chains through public pledges, transparent sourcing, and the promotion of sustainable goods. It identifies palm oil, wood/paper, and meat (specifically beef) as key drivers of forest loss and provides sector-specific recommendations, such as strengthening RSPO standards for palm oil and reducing beef in processed meats to lower land-use pressure.

The IAI science-policy liaison office's 2013-2015 workplan focuses on establishing a baseline of current policy standing, strengthening relationships with member countries and the Conference of the Parties (CoP), and positioning IAI research within international conventions and organizations. The strategy emphasizes a three-pronged approach: institutionalizing brokerage mechanisms, positioning global change as a relevant policy issue, and spurring collective action through use-oriented research.