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The report assesses the first decade of GM crop commercialization, focusing on soy, maize, cotton, and rapeseed. It argues that the promised benefits—such as increased yields and reduced pesticide use—are largely myths. In the US, it notes that GM crops have not increased potential yields and have actually increased overall agrochemical use. In South America, specifically Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, the expansion of GM soy is linked to deforestation and increased pesticide use, with GM varieties showing higher susceptibility to drought than conventional ones. In Asia and Africa, the report highlights the failure of Bt cotton in China, India, and Indonesia, citing the emergence of secondary pests and increased farmer indebtedness. It concludes that the primary beneficiary of this technology is Monsanto, which has consolidated control over the global seed market, while small farmers face increased dependency and economic risk.

The document serves as a strategic manual for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to navigate WIPO's complex institutional framework. It analyzes how WIPO's focus on increasing intellectual property protection often conflicts with sustainable development goals in areas such as public health, food security, and biodiversity. The guide details WIPO's governing bodies, the influence of the International Bureau, and the mechanisms for civil society participation, while highlighting the WIPO Development Agenda as a key opportunity for institutional reform.

The document analyzes the gap between the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) framework on traditional knowledge (TK) and the demands of indigenous peoples, while reporting on IP negotiations at the WTO, WIPO, WHO, and UNCTAD, as well as various bilateral trade agreements.

The research paper introduces a two-phase methodology to quantify policy coherence by analyzing the frequency of shared goals, instruments, and actors across international agreements. Applying this to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Ramsar Convention, the UNFCCC, and the MDGs, the study finds a significant level of policy incoherence. Specifically, it calculates a 52% degree of incoherence among the four MEAs and a 62% degree of incoherence when the MDGs are included. The CBD is identified as the most coherent agreement, while the Ramsar Convention and UNFCCC show the lowest levels of integration with other frameworks.

This fact sheet outlines the evolution of sustainable development through a timeline of milestones. It tracks the emergence of environmental awareness in the 1960s, the establishment of international frameworks like the UN Environment Programme and the Montreal Protocol, and the formalization of the 'sustainable development' concept via the Brundtland Report. The timeline also documents ecological disasters, the rise of environmental NGOs, and the development of climate-specific initiatives such as the IPCC and the Kyoto Protocol.

The document examines the 'policy integration puzzle,' specifically why political intentions for environmental policy integration (EPI) often fail to translate into practice. Drawing on the 'Policy Integration for Sustainability' (PIntS) project, it analyses the Swedish energy and agriculture sectors, identifying a lack of strategic thinking and a gap between agency-level learning and ministerial-level decision-making. It proposes a 10-point action plan based on trust, ownership, capacity, and knowledge. Additionally, it provides an international perspective on OECD trends, noting a peak in EPI interest in the mid-1990s followed by a decline due to concerns over economic competitiveness. The report concludes that while 'easy wins' in pollution control have been achieved, systemic challenges like climate change require deeper 'double-loop learning' and stronger political leadership.

The document argues that effective responses to global environmental change (GEC) require a non-linear, iterative dialogue between scientists, policy-makers, and society. Based on an assessment of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), it identifies key attributes for making science policy-relevant: credibility, practicality, usefulness, accessibility, and acceptability. The brief emphasizes that trust is the foundation of societal credibility and suggests that early engagement, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the involvement of social scientists are essential to bridge the gap between scientific research and concrete policy actions in the Americas.

The document analyzes the role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) within the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA). It argues that IIRSA's focus on transport, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure poses significant risks to biodiversity and indigenous communities. The report claims the EIB's involvement, formalized through a 2004 memorandum with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), primarily benefits European corporations rather than local populations. It highlights a lack of environmental and social standards and criticizes the EIB for withholding project information. The report concludes that the alliance, supported by the European Parliament, promotes a developmentalist model that exacerbates social inequality and environmental degradation in Latin America.

The 23rd SAC meeting focused on evolving the IAI's mission to better bridge the gap between scientific research and policy application. Key discussions centered on a new strategic plan, the integration of social and natural sciences, and the development of a human subject research policy. The committee also reviewed the allocation of approximately USD 1.0 million in remaining CRN II funds and established performance metrics to evaluate the SAC's mandate regarding integrated science, collaboration, and informed actions.

The 23rd SAC meeting in Toronto focused on evolving the IAI's mission to better bridge the gap between global environmental change science and policy. Key discussions included the need for a 10-year strategic plan, the integration of social and natural sciences, and the importance of ecosystem services as a unifying theme. The committee also addressed ethical frameworks for human research, the allocation of approximately USD 1 million in remaining CRN II funds, and the transition of leadership to Michael Brklacich as the new SAC President.

The 12th IAI CoP meeting focused on institutional governance, financial planning for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, and the selection of new leadership. Key outcomes included the election of Dr. Holm Tiessen as Executive Director and the approval of a basic budget of $1,012,405. The meeting also reviewed the progress of the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) and Small Grants Programs, and discussed the integration of scientific research with policy-making. Additionally, the CoP approved amendments to its voting regulations and the affiliation of CPTEC/INPE as an IAI institution.

The report investigates stewardship planning for the Saskatchewan government, focusing on two modes of influence: internal operations (e.g., green procurement, energy use) and external influence (e.g., legislation and policy). It analyzes case studies from the United Kingdom, Canada, Manitoba, and Oregon, as well as corporate reporting frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and PotashCorp. Key findings emphasize the need to integrate stewardship planning with existing budgeting and accountability frameworks to ensure effectiveness and organizational capacity.

The report critiques the 'agro-business revolution' of GM crops, specifically targeting Monsanto's influence on global agricultural policies and the misleading data provided by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). It argues that GM crops have led to increased pesticide use, land concentration, and the erosion of farmers' rights through restrictive intellectual property regimes. The document concludes that the primary beneficiaries of this technology are biotechnology companies, while small-scale farmers and the environment suffer negative impacts.

The document critiques the 'biotechnological revolution' in agriculture, specifically the role of Monsanto and the ISAAA in promoting GM crops. It argues that the industry has used deceptive marketing, bribery, and political influence to bypass regulations and establish dominance over the global seed market. The report claims that GM crops have not reduced poverty or hunger, have increased pesticide use, and have led to land concentration and the erosion of farmers' rights, particularly in the Global South.

The document outlines a timeline of milestones in sustainable development, beginning with the 1962 publication of Silent Spring. It tracks the emergence of environmental NGOs like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, the establishment of international frameworks such as the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol, and major UN summits including the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The timeline also highlights critical environmental crises, such as the Bhopal chemical leak and the Exxon Valdez oil spill, alongside the development of global goals like the Millennium Development Goals.

The report examines how trade liberalization, specifically through the WTO's Doha Round and NAMA negotiations, facilitates the privatization of natural resources and harms marginalized populations. It provides case studies on the depletion of fisheries in the Philippines and Seychelles, deforestation in Indonesia and Central America, and the impact of industrial pig farming and soy expansion in Denmark and Argentina. The document advocates for food and energy sovereignty and the recognition of water as a human right over a tradable commodity.

The paper assesses the evolution of sustainable development indicators (SDIs), noting a shift from long 'menus' of indicators toward core 'headline' sets and goal-oriented measures like the Millennium Development Goal Indicators (MDGIs). It critiques the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development's (UNCSD) previous approach, which provided a broad list of indicators that lacked a common global framework and strong policy linkage. The authors argue that SDIs often remain 'environmental add-ons' rather than integrated policy tools due to institutional, methodological, and technical challenges, particularly data gaps. To address this, the document proposes a 'Synergy World' scenario, advocating for a gradual, evolutionary approach that aligns SDIs with the System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the MDGIs, focusing on a small set of high-priority indicators linked to capital maintenance and specific policy targets.

The Community Sustainable Development Action and Knowledge Inventory is a tool developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the Manitoba Climate Change Communities Challenge (C4). It is designed to help community-led organizations identify local strengths, knowledge assets, and priorities across various environmental sectors to inform future climate planning. The inventory focuses on non-governmental initiatives, complementing municipal government profiles. It includes a structured assessment framework covering water, waste, energy, buildings, transportation, and biodiversity, specifically examining how these issues intersect with climate change impacts and community capacity.

The document examines the relationship between environmental health and rural poverty, asserting that neoliberal policies—such as trade liberalization, privatization, and industrial agribusiness—exacerbate poverty by stripping local communities of their natural resources. It provides global case studies where community-led management of forests, fisheries, and water, alongside sustainable energy and agroecological farming, offers a viable path toward poverty eradication and environmental restoration.

The policy brief examines the evolution and application of prior informed consent (PIC) in the context of genetic resources, highlighting the rights of States and indigenous communities. It argues that the intellectual property system, specifically through the TRIPS Agreement, should require evidence of PIC during patent applications to prevent the misappropriation of biological wealth and ensure the fair sharing of benefits.