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The document serves as a comprehensive manual for professionals and decision-makers on the safe and effective application of human urine in agriculture. It details the nutrient composition of urine, provides evidence from global field trials showing yields comparable to mineral fertilizers, and outlines a 'multiple barrier' risk management strategy based on WHO guidelines to prevent pathogen transmission. The guide also addresses the economic value of urine, institutional frameworks for implementation, and provides a specific local guideline example for Niger.

In this 2011 commencement speech at the University of California at Berkeley, Amory Lovins advocates for "applied hope"—a pragmatic, action-oriented approach to solving global crises. He argues that the most effective way to improve the future is through tangible, scalable solutions that leverage resource efficiency to turn scarcity into abundance. Lovins envisions a future where oil, coal, and nuclear energy are phased out in favor of energy efficiency, distributed renewables, and combined-heat-and-power, leading to stabilized global climates and the end of energy-driven conflicts.

The guide outlines a comprehensive checklist for public-sector entities to transition from a 'best value for money' approach to 'best value across the project/product life cycle'. It emphasizes the importance of legal mandates, life-cycle costing (LCC), and e-procurement in integrating environmental and social risks into purchasing decisions. The document argues that the public sector's significant spending power—representing 13-17% of GDP in high-income countries and up to 47% in Brazil—can trigger private sector innovation and the commercialization of green technologies. Key recommendations include using performance-based specifications, negotiating bulk discounts or leasing to offset higher upfront costs, and maintaining dialogue with suppliers to foster green competitiveness.

The report examines China's position as the world's largest producer and consumer of refined copper, detailing the supply chain from extraction to recycling. It highlights the industry's significant economic contribution and employment generation, while addressing environmental risks such as heavy metal pollution and toxic gas emissions. The document also outlines the Chinese government's regulatory framework, including the 'Admittance Qualification of Chinese Copper Smelting Industry', which sets strict energy, resource recovery, and environmental standards for smelters.

The document argues for a paradigm shift from linear to circular urban metabolism in sanitation, emphasizing the recovery of water, energy, and nutrients. It critiques conventional centralized sewerage for its high energy costs and nutrient loss, proposing instead a variety of decentralized and source-separating systems. The report provides a multi-level planning framework (Sanitation 21) and highlights the importance of participatory, demand-driven approaches to overcome socio-cultural and institutional barriers, illustrated through global case studies.

This report analyzes the environmental and social impacts of the global cotton textile product chain, focusing on China's role as a major producer, importer, and exporter. It evaluates the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental degradation, proposing a transition toward sustainable cotton production and the internalization of environmental costs to maintain long-term competitiveness.

The proceedings detail a two-day workshop in Sweden where experts from various global 'knowledge nodes' discussed the barriers and drivers for implementing nutrient reuse in sanitation. Key findings highlight a persistent gap between national legislation and local enforcement, the necessity of 'champions' to drive policy change, and the importance of technology-neutral policies that prioritize actual reuse over the mere possibility of recycling. Case studies from Sweden, the Philippines, Uganda, Colombia, South Africa, and China illustrate diverse regional challenges, including urban transport costs for nutrients and the social stigma associated with excreta reuse.

The report argues that while ICT innovation is a primary driver of global economic growth and productivity, it creates significant sustainability challenges through rapid hardware obsolescence, increasing energy demands of data centres, and a global e-waste crisis. It proposes viewing the sector as a 'Global Connectivity System' that includes not only manufacturers but also standards bodies, civil society, and end-users. The document highlights the tension between the Internet's origins as an open, participatory tool for social organization and emerging trends toward corporate control, government surveillance, and restrictive intellectual property rights.

The report examines China's pivotal role as a major cotton producer, importer, and textile exporter, highlighting the environmental degradation caused by intensive chemical and water use in domestic production. It compares these impacts with those in other regions, noting that rain-fed production in West Africa offers a more sustainable alternative. The document evaluates four future scenarios up to 2020, arguing that internalizing environmental costs and shifting sourcing toward sustainable African production can improve global sustainability. Key recommendations include developing a national information strategy on sustainability, adopting international standards like the Better Cotton Initiative, and eliminating duties on African cotton imports.

The report analyzes the environmental and social impacts of China's role as a global leader in e-product manufacturing and e-waste processing. It identifies energy use and toxic chemical release as primary environmental threats and highlights the health risks associated with informal e-waste recycling. The document recommends a National Sustainable E-Product Growth Strategy, a National E-waste Strategy, and an International Action Plan to harmonize standards and manage the responsible trade and disposal of e-waste.

The report examines China's role as a global leader in electronics manufacturing and a primary destination for electronic waste (e-waste). It utilizes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to show that the production and use phases—particularly for high-energy appliances like air conditioners—cause the most significant environmental damage. The document highlights the severe health and pollution risks associated with China's informal e-waste recycling sector, particularly in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. It argues that while the industry drives economic growth and employment, it creates critical occupational hazards and public health threats. The report concludes with a three-pronged strategy: implementing a national sustainable electronics strategy focused on eco-design, strengthening national e-waste management legislation, and establishing an international action plan to regulate the transboundary movement of e-waste.

The document analyzes the global forest product commodity chain, where developing nations act as raw material bases, China serves as the primary processing center, and Western nations are the final consumers. It highlights a critical failure in the 'funding loop' for countries like Mozambique and Russia, where timber revenues do not return to forest regeneration, leading to over-logging and illegal activities. Conversely, New Zealand is presented as a success story of sustainable forest management (SFM) and integrated industry. The report argues that China's trade policies—specifically zero tariffs on raw logs and high export rebates for finished goods—have historically incentivized unsustainable imports and low-value production. To mitigate these risks, the report recommends that China improve its 'ecological footprint' monitoring, support forest governance in supplier nations, encourage sustainable overseas investment, and reform fiscal policies to shift toward high-value, certified sustainable wood products.

Thailand's rapid growth in the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector has led to significant environmental degradation, including soil and water contamination and a 12% annual increase in e-waste. The report argues that while trade liberalization poses environmental risks, adopting sustainable production and recycling methods can enhance Thailand's global competitiveness. Key recommendations include enacting the draft Thai WEEE Act, utilizing Board of Investment (BOI) incentives for de-manufacturing, and improving waste management through training and certification.

The report provides a comprehensive review of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) practices globally, noting that while OECD member states lead in national program implementation, local governments in both developed and developing regions are highly active. It identifies critical barriers to SPP, such as the traditional 'best value for money' mindset and high upfront capital costs, and argues for a shift toward full-life costing. The document analyzes the compatibility of SPP with international trade agreements like the WTO's Agreement on Government Procurement and details specific national efforts in countries such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, emphasizing the need for dedicated legal frameworks and multistakeholder collaboration to scale sustainable purchasing.

The WTO Panel found that Brazil's import ban on retreaded tyres (via Portaria SECEX 14/2004 and Portaria DECEX 8/1991) and its associated fines (Presidential Decree 3.179/3.919) are inconsistent with Article XI:1 of GATT 1994. The Panel also ruled that the State of Rio Grande do Sul's marketing restrictions (Law 12.114/12.381) violate Article III:4. While the Panel acknowledged that Brazil's policy of reducing waste tyre accumulation to protect human, animal, and plant health falls within the scope of Article XX(b), it concluded the measures were not justified because they were applied in a manner that constituted "unjustifiable discrimination" and a "disguised restriction on international trade," primarily due to the significant volume of used tyres imported via court injunctions to benefit domestic retreaders.

The report examines the environmental challenges facing Thailand's rapidly growing electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector, which accounted for US$44.6 billion in exports in 2006. It highlights significant risks from soil and water contamination, resource depletion, and a growing volume of e-waste, which is increasing by 12 per cent annually. The document analyzes the existing regulatory framework, including the Hazardous Substances Act and a draft National Strategic Plan for e-waste, while emphasizing the need for the urgent enactment of the Thai WEEE Act. It further discusses the necessity for Thai exporters to comply with EU directives (WEEE and RoHS) to maintain market access and recommends government incentives for clean production and the development of a domestic de-manufacturing industry.

The report provides a framework for China to move from the rhetoric of a circular economy (CE) to implementation by establishing a robust system of indicators. It argues that material flow analysis (MFA) is the most relevant tool for this purpose, as it allows for the monitoring of physical material and energy flows across macro, meso, and micro levels. The document details key MFA indicators—such as Direct Material Input (DMI) and Total Material Requirement (TMR)—and examines how the European Union, United States, and Japan have institutionalized these measures to track eco-efficiency and the decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressure. It concludes with recommendations for China to integrate CE indicators into national accounts and collaborate with international practitioners.

The document argues that reducing environmental impact requires a shift from selling products to providing services, alongside a massive transition to renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. It outlines 'eco-design' principles and specific energy options—such as combined heat and power, hybrid engines, and various renewables—while encouraging science and engineering graduates to seek employers committed to reducing life-cycle impacts.

The document argues that scientists and engineers possess significant power to reshape the world and should take responsibility for planning its sustainable use. It introduces 'sustainability appraisal' as a methodology to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of activities, moving beyond traditional cost-benefit analysis to seek 'win-win-win' solutions. The author emphasizes that a revolution in design is necessary, targeting reductions in energy use by 90% and resource use by 80%. Practical examples of sustainable re-engineering are provided, such as the Interface Company's reduction of chemicals in floor coverings and a sustainable hanging basket project in West Yorkshire.

In 1998, Nike launched the World Shoe Project to target emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with a primary focus on China. The project utilized a 'local-for-local' manufacturing model and a 'design-for-manufacture' approach to create affordable shoes, such as the Series 100 priced at $15. Despite these innovations, by January 2001, sales failed to meet expectations due to rigid corporate profit margin requirements, a distribution network geared toward high-end urban retail, and the absence of a dedicated marketing strategy. The company faced stiff competition from local Chinese brands like Li Ning and Kangwei, which had better market penetration and lower price points.