Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for integrating environmental and public interest protections into the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The author argues that the new agreement should move beyond the 'soft legal obligations' of recent mega-regional deals like CETA and the TPP, instead strengthening the legacy of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to ensure trade liberalization aligns with sustainable development.

The IEA Training Manual is a capacity-building guide developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). It provides a structured, participatory methodology for conducting Integrated Environmental Assessments (IEA) at subglobal levels, based on the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) approach. The manual is designed to help practitioners move from reactive crisis management to forward-looking, policy-relevant environmental reporting.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the integration of biodiversity protection into mining governance, focusing on the application of the Mitigation Hierarchy (MH) in Senegal and Turkey. It provides a framework for governments to balance economic development with environmental preservation, detailing how avoidance, minimization, rehabilitation, and compensation can be used to achieve No Net Loss (NNL) or a Net Positive Impact (NPI) on biodiversity.

This briefing, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in August 2021, evaluates the readiness of governments to manage mine closures and the transition to post-mining land use. Based on a survey of 17 Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) members and 14 Mining Policy Framework (MPF) assessments across 30 countries, the document finds that while awareness is high, many governments lack the necessary policies, financial guarantees, and technical capacities to effectively manage the hundreds of medium- and large-scale mines expected to close over the next 20 years.

This research paper examines the legal perspectives surrounding the effects of climate change in Africa, specifically focusing on the role of environmental law and legal mechanisms as tools to enforce policy decisions and shape human behavior regarding the environment.

This guide from Natural Justice provides a framework for communities to monitor, evaluate, and revise biocultural community protocols. It details methods for assessing internal community changes, managing relationships with external stakeholders, and updating the protocol as a living document to reflect evolving visions and priorities.

Natural Justice submitted a commentary to the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment opposing the proposed exclusion of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations from the requirement to obtain environmental authorizations. The organization argues that replacing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process with a web-based Screening Tool undermines constitutional rights to public participation, administrative justice, and environmental protection, potentially increasing litigation and investment risk.

This briefing, compiled by the Human Rights in Biodiversity working group, provides guidance on integrating a human rights-based approach (HRBA) into the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It argues that an HRBA is a necessary condition for equitable and sustained biodiversity conservation and offers specific recommendations to strengthen the GBF's draft text, including explicit references to international human rights law, the protection of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), and the empowerment of women and youth.

This document is a summary of findings and orders from the High Court of Kenya regarding Petition No 22 of 2012. The court addressed various legal and procedural challenges brought by petitioners against the LAPSSET Project, specifically focusing on environmental assessments, public participation, indigenous rights, and the protection of cultural heritage in Lamu County.

This report documents a thematic workshop held in February 2020 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, focused on integrating a human rights-based approach into the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Co-convened by several organizations including Natural Justice and UN Environment, the workshop aimed to provide text proposals and strategic options to ensure that biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing are aligned with international human rights standards.

This fact sheet describes the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), an international non-profit research organization focused on sustainability, climate change, and environmental policy. It outlines SEI's organizational structure, its commitment to open access and collaborative research, and the specific thematic focuses of its eight global centers.

This report analyzes the decisions made by Estonian environmental supervisors (the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Board) regarding the approval of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) programs and reports between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2014. The study evaluates whether these decisions align with the requirements set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management System Act (KeHJS).

This SEI briefing summarizes a regional foresight workshop held in Bangkok in December 2023, conducted as part of a UNEP strategic foresight initiative. The workshop involved 42 academics and practitioners from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific to analyze plausible future scenarios for the region leading up to 2050, focusing on the intersections of technology, cultural values, economic power, and environmental sustainability.

The World Resources Institute's 'A Community Action Toolkit' provides practical guidance for civil society and marginalized communities to use environmental rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and justice—to combat air, water, and solid waste pollution. Developed through the STRIPE project, the toolkit uses eight modules to help users conduct policy research, collect pollution data, and build evidence-based advocacy campaigns to hold governments and private companies accountable.

This document is a Form 990 'Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax' for the World Resources Institute (WRI) for the 2001 calendar year (ending September 30, 2002). It details the organization's financial status, governance structure, and program accomplishments as an environmental think tank.

This document is a Form 990 'Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax' for the World Resources Institute (WRI) for the tax year beginning October 1, 2002, and ending September 30, 2003. It details the organization's financial status, including total revenue of $47,908,366 and total expenses of $49,691,442, as well as its programmatic goals and expenditures across various environmental initiatives.

This document is the 2011 IRS Form 990 tax return for the World Resources Institute (WRI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It details the organization's financial activities, governance, and program accomplishments for the tax year ending September 30, 2012.

This document is a management response from the World Resources Institute (WRI) to an external review conducted by Philanthropy Support Services (PSS) Inc. between January and March 2012. The response evaluates WRI's progress regarding its 2008-2012 Strategic Plan and outlines management's agreement with recommendations for the subsequent 2013-2017 planning period, focusing on global expansion, institutional innovation, and the balance between research and practical implementation.

This brochure from WWF South Africa outlines the Graduate Internship Programme, which aims to develop environmental leaders and enhance green economy skills for graduates from South African universities through 18-month paid placements.

The Environmental Sustainability Question Framework is a guide produced by WWF South Africa and the Investment Solutions Partnership. It provides a structured questionnaire for companies to assess and report on their environmental governance, resource consumption, waste management, and energy emissions.