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This case study examines the restoration of the Loess Plateau in north-central China between 1994 and 2005. The initiative, involving the Chinese government and the World Bank, focused on curbing soil erosion and improving food security through terracing, afforestation, and the 'Grain for Green' program. While the project achieved significant reductions in sediment runoff and increased per capita grain output, the document highlights long-term sustainability challenges related to species selection, water shortages, and the reliance on government subsidies.

This policy briefing examines the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), a joint authority managing the Cubango-Okavango River System between Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. It analyzes the drivers of OKACOM's 20 years of successful cooperation and identifies future challenges, including climate change and asymmetrical economic benefits, while providing recommendations for sustainable trans-boundary water governance.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) argues against the 'financialization of nature,' which it defines as the process of turning biodiversity and ecosystem functions into financial assets and tradable instruments. FoEI contends that pricing nature leads to the privatization of the commons, marginalizes Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and allows corporations to continue destructive activities through offsetting mechanisms.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) argues against the 'financialization' of biodiversity, which it defines as the process of converting nature into financial assets and commodities. The document critiques market-based mechanisms such as biodiversity banking, natural capital bonds, and payment for ecosystem services, asserting that these tools facilitate corporate control over nature, marginalize Indigenous and local communities, and provide 'false solutions' that allow continued environmental destruction through offsetting.

This report explores the intersections between climate change, agriculture, and development, specifically analyzing conceptual frameworks and their application within the agriculture sector. It is part of a CDKN-funded project examining the use of climate compatible development (CCD) principles in African agricultural research and advisory services.

This research paper examines the organizational challenges and requirements of science-stakeholder interactions within the Swedish forestry sector, specifically regarding climate change impacts on ecosystem services.

This research paper proposes 'solution scanning' as a systematic method for identifying environmental interventions to maintain and enhance regulating ecosystem services, providing a comprehensive list of options to improve policy decision-making and cost-effectiveness.

This background brief outlines the mission and strategic framework of the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) Mining and Sustainable Development Initiative. The initiative aims to ensure mining contributes to inclusive growth and social development without compromising the environment by shifting the focus of mining agreements from narrow fiscal benefits to a broader range of economic and social expenditures.

This policy brief describes the results of the GES-REG project (2011-2013), which aimed to harmonize the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) among Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden. The document focuses on improving socio-economic analysis (SEA) capabilities and regional cooperation to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in the Baltic Sea by 2020.

This policy brief summarizes the findings of the GES-REG project, which aimed to harmonize the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in the central and north-eastern Baltic Sea. The project focused on improving Economic and Social Analysis (ESA) to help Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden develop cost-effective Programmes of Measures to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020.

This research synthesis brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the challenges of managing chemicals for sustainable development, focusing on the gap in chemical safety between developed and developing nations, the role of international agreements like SAICM, and the need for new hazard assessments to address planetary boundary threats.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that national economic decision-making is overly reliant on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and fails to adequately measure 'natural capital' and 'inclusive wealth'. The author contends that shifting focus toward a portfolio of produced, financial, natural, human, and social assets would promote long-term sustainability and better integrate economic, environmental, and social development goals.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines policy tools for transitioning to a green economy, focusing on financing mechanisms. It uses Costa Rica's Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) as a case study to illustrate how direct financial support, funded by taxes and international agreements, can reduce deforestation and create green jobs, while discussing the challenges of securing public funding in Manitoba.

This June 2013 report from the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the selection of 10 international research teams for the CRN3 program, addresses critical membership vacancies within the SAC, and outlines strategic alignment with the 'Future Earth' framework and the IAI's administrative restructuring.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the implementation of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) from 2007 to 2013 and assesses proposed reforms for the post-2013 period. It argues that the CAP has had limited success in reducing environmental impacts and suggests that future reforms should better embrace the region's agricultural diversity and foster transboundary cooperation to protect common water bodies.

This think piece, co-authored by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and WWF-UK, explores the barriers and opportunities for adopting integrated, collaborative governance approaches to address climate change, development, and environmental sustainability. Based on 2010-2011 research and workshops in Belize, Nepal, and Tanzania, the report advocates for 'collective learning' and systems thinking to overcome fragmented sectoral policies and institutional silos.

This research paper examines the implementation of wetlands in the Swedish agricultural landscape, focusing on the governance systems, stakeholder engagement, and the potential for 'multifunctional' wetlands. While Sweden failed to meet its 2000-2010 target of 12,000 hectares of new wetlands, achieving only 60%, the study identifies key drivers and barriers to success. It argues that shifting focus from narrow nutrient reduction to a broader range of ecosystem services—such as flood control, irrigation, and biodiversity—could increase stakeholder commitment and improve outcomes.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that traditional natural resource management has failed and that African nations should adopt Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes and economic valuation to protect their natural assets, which are critical for poverty reduction and livelihoods.

This policy brief describes Ecuador's Socio Bosque programme, a voluntary incentive-based scheme managed by the Ministry of Environment (MAE) that provides annual payments to private and communal landholders to maintain forest cover and alleviate rural poverty.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the ecosystem services concept, detailing the various benefits nature provides to humans and the methodologies used to assign them monetary value. It explores the classification of services into supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural categories, while also introducing the concept of 'ecosystem disservices'. The document offers guidance for integrating these values into policy-making at national, local, and corporate levels to promote sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.