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This briefing outlines the ongoing efforts by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to revise its 1976 Arbitration Rules to increase transparency in investor-State disputes. It highlights that while these rules are widely used, their origin in private commercial law allows for secrecy in cases involving public interests—such as environmental protection and natural resource management—and large financial awards. The document notes that on June 27, 2008, the Commission agreed by consensus to ensure transparency, with specific work on this issue scheduled to begin in September 2009.

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.

A briefing explaining the fundamental mechanics, structure, and regulatory environment of the electric transmission grid, emphasizing its role in integrating clean energy and the need for future investment.

In a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 15, 2009, Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute (WRI), advocated for the urgent enactment of domestic U.S. climate legislation. Representing the United States Climate Action Partnership (US CAP), Lash argued that climate trends are accelerating faster than models predicted and that the U.S. must lead a transition to a low-carbon economy through a market-driven, economy-wide cap-and-trade program and complementary clean energy investments.

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) formally notified the IUCN of its decision to withdraw its membership due to the IUCN's corporate partnership with Shell and other corporations, arguing that such partnerships serve as 'greenwashing' and undermine environmental and human rights struggles.

This IISD commentary discusses the impact of fraud allegations within the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) sector, specifically citing the Satyam Computer Services Ltd. scandal, while arguing that the sector remains essential for sustainable development and globalization.

This report presents a pilot Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of hydropower development in Viet Nam, conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) for the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). The study evaluates the hydropower plans within the context of Power Development Plan (PDP) VI, comparing the base scenario against alternatives where hydropower is replaced by thermal power. The SEA concludes that while hydropower is the least-cost option for meeting energy demands, current mitigation measures for social and environmental impacts are inadequate. It proposes a comprehensive mitigation framework based on international best practices, including the Impoverishment, Risk and Reconstruction (IRR) model for displaced people and community forestry for the zones of influence. The report recommends the full institutionalization of SEA into the PDP VII process to internalize external costs and ensure sustainable development.

This 2009 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a Rapid Trade and Environment Assessment (RTEA) for Ecuador. It analyzes the intersection of international trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and environmental sustainability, focusing on five key sectors: flowers, shrimp, timber, tourism, and mining. The document highlights a systemic tension where economic growth driven by raw material exports often occurs at the expense of critical ecosystems, such as mangroves and native forests, and notes a lack of coordinated state policy to integrate environmental costs into productive models.

This 2009 case study by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the impact of investment incentives on the mining and quarrying industry in Vietnam between 2000 and 2006. The report finds that while tax incentives are highly valued by foreign invested enterprises (FIEs), they are not a prerequisite for investment decisions and have failed to drive sustainable development behaviors. FIEs outperformed domestic firms economically but showed passive approaches to social welfare and environmental protection, often doing only the minimum required by law.

This 2009 report by the National Economic Research Institute, commissioned by the IISD and IUCN, examines the role of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in managing the rapid growth of the plantation industry in Lao PDR. It highlights a critical gap between the MPI's role as the final investment decision-maker and its limited capacity to integrate environmental and social considerations into that process, recommending stronger inter-agency coordination and the establishment of monitoring systems.

This 2009 report by the Centro de Estudos de Integração e Desenvolvimento (CINDES) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the evolving relationship between Brazil's trade agenda and sustainable development (SD). While the Brazilian government has historically opposed linking trade negotiations to environmental and social standards, the report highlights how private actors, agribusiness, and transnational companies are increasingly forced to adopt these standards due to international market pressures, investment requirements, and unilateral measures from developed nations.

This 2009 report by Edmundo Claro for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the integration of sustainable development—specifically environmental and labor standards—into Chile's trade and investment policies. While Chile has actively included these themes in many of its free trade agreements (FTAs), the report identifies significant gaps in its foreign direct investment (FDI) framework and its approach to climate change.

This report analyzes the evolution of Peru's trade and investment policies from the 1990s through 2009, focusing on how sustainable development standards—specifically labor and environmental regulations—have been integrated into its national agenda. The author argues that these standards were primarily driven by external pressures and conditionalities from trade agreements, most notably the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, rather than internal priorities.

This report by RMI argues that nuclear power is an uncompetitive and inefficient solution for climate change compared to decentralized alternatives. The authors contend that nuclear power suffers from escalating capital costs, high financial risk, and slow deployment speeds, making it unattractive to private investors. They suggest that 'micropower'—including wind, solar, and cogeneration—along with end-use efficiency, provides a more cost-effective, reliable, and secure path to reducing carbon emissions.

This document contains the proceedings of a two-day workshop held in August 2009 by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and EcoSanRes. The workshop focused on the legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks required to promote the sustainable reuse of nutrients from wastewater, human excreta, and greywater across various global regions.

This report, titled 'México: Estudio sobre la disminución de emisiones de carbono (MEDEC)', provides a comprehensive economic and technical evaluation of low-carbon development options for Mexico. It identifies 40 specific interventions across five key sectors—electricity, oil and gas, end-use energy, transport, and agriculture and forestry—to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. The study compares a 'baseline' scenario of continued fossil fuel reliance against a 'MEDEC' scenario, demonstrating that Mexico can stabilize its emissions at 2008 levels while maintaining economic growth through a combination of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable land management.

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute outlines the foundational agreements and key points of contention leading up to the December 2009 climate negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark, including the roles of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Bali Action Plan.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute synthesizes country submissions to the UNFCCC regarding technology and financial support for climate mitigation, mapping party positions across the stages of innovation from research and development to commercial deployment.

This policy brief examines China's increasing influence in the agribusiness, hydropower, and mining sectors of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, driven by China's demand for inexpensive natural resources.

A transcript of a December 2008 address by Jonathan Lash of the World Resources Institute outlining key environmental questions for 2009, focusing on green economic stimulus, U.S. climate legislation, U.S.-China relations, and global forest protection.