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Global Witness and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment have welcomed the suspension of reclamation projects in Manila Bay by the Department of Natural Resources (DENR), pending reviews of environmental and social impacts. The organizations are urging President Marcos to issue a written order to ensure this suspension covers all developments, including the US $15 billion New Manila International Airport. This airport project, led by San Miguel Corporation, is accused of displacing hundreds of families and destroying climate-critical habitats since its approval in September 2019.

An investigation by Global Witness, Der Spiegel, and Mediapart reveals that the Ngoki oil project in the Republic of the Congo is linked to the family of President Sassou-Nguesso and businessman Claude Wilfrid Etoka, whose bank accounts were closed by BNP Paribas due to corruption risks. The report argues that the project's environmental impact assessments are obsolete and fail to account for the presence of carbon-rich peatlands, which could store 1.34 gigatonnes of carbon in the Ngoki block alone. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the announced oil reserves of 359 million barrels may be economically unviable, as major firms like Shell and Total previously rejected the project based on seismic data.

The document highlights the critical situation of environmental defenders in Mexico, noting that the country led the world in environmental murders in 2021. Despite ratifying the Escazú Agreement, Mexico faces significant gaps in political will, judicial capacity, and transparency, particularly regarding megaproyects like the Tren Maya. The author calls for the effective implementation of the agreement to protect activists and ensure access to environmental information and justice.

The 'Guidelines for Social Responsibility in Chinese Outbound Mining Investment', developed by the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters (CCCMC), establish a framework for Chinese mining companies operating abroad. The guidelines are structured around eight core subjects: organizational governance, fair operating practices, value chain management, human rights, labor issues, occupational health and safety, environment, and community involvement. They emphasize compliance with host country laws, ethical business conduct, the protection of human rights and indigenous peoples' rights (including Free, Prior and Informed Consent), and the mitigation of environmental impacts. The document also outlines requirements for supply chain due diligence to avoid 'conflict minerals' and mandates the implementation of environmental and social impact assessments.

The document provides a comprehensive guide to the South African regulatory environment for Black Soldier Fly (BSF) agriculture, focusing on waste treatment, animal feed, fertilisers, and air quality. It details the necessary Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) under NEMA and specific licensing requirements for waste management and atmospheric emissions. The brief also covers standards for exporting BSF-based products to the EU and US, as well as regulations for human food chains and land use zoning.

Mpumalanga is positioned as a strategic hub for South Africa's renewable energy transition due to its significant grid capacity and proximity to industrial demand. However, developers face substantial hurdles, including a lack of a public mining cadastre and delays in Section 53 land-use applications under the Mineral and Petroleum Resource Development Act. Environmental risks, specifically the lack of precise data on endangered bird flight paths, create uncertainty for wind projects. The document suggests short-term mitigations like the Energy One Stop Shop and Strategic Infrastructure Project registration, while advocating for long-term solutions such as a public mining rights database and comprehensive bird monitoring studies.

A comprehensive training resource featuring 17 case studies on science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on environmental governance, health, space cooperation, and sustainable resource management.

The Sustainable Development Timeline tracks the evolution of environmental and development milestones, starting with the 1962 publication of Silent Spring. It documents the rise of influential NGOs like Greenpeace and the Environmental Defense Fund, the establishment of international frameworks such as the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol, and the emergence of critical scientific warnings regarding ozone depletion and climate change. The timeline also highlights the intersection of social equity and environmentalism, noting the role of the Global South, the impact of the Millennium Development Goals, and the economic arguments for climate action presented in the Stern Report.

The document argues that the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) requires a dedicated hemispheric framework to ensure trade liberalization supports sustainable development. It reviews sub-regional models—including Mercosur, CARICOM, the Andean Community, the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development, and NAFTA—to identify best practices in environmental management and civil society participation. The authors propose a new Americas Environmental Accord (AEA) based on the 2001 Mercosur Framework Agreement on the Environment, suggesting it include shared objectives for environmental protection, dispute settlement mechanisms, and protocols for natural resource management. Additionally, the paper recommends conducting ex-ante sustainability impact assessments (SIA) for the FTAA and establishing a Public Advisory Committee to foster inclusive dialogue between governments and civil society.

The document examines the complex relationship between international trade and the environment, detailing how trade liberalization can either harm or benefit ecosystems depending on accompanying policies. It analyzes the legal frameworks of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), exploring conflicts and synergies between them. Key areas of focus include the impact of processes and production methods (PPMs), intellectual property rights (TRIPS), agricultural subsidies, and the role of regional trade agreements. The handbook emphasizes the need for integrated assessments, capacity building in developing countries, and greater openness in trade policy-making to achieve sustainable development goals.

The document examines the complex interactions between the multilateral trading system, primarily the World Trade Organization (WTO), and international environmental governance, including Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). It analyzes how trade liberalization can both benefit and harm the environment through scale, structural, and product effects. The text details the legal tensions surrounding Process and Production Methods (PPMs), intellectual property rights (TRIPS), and agricultural subsidies, while advocating for the 'mutual support' of trade and environmental goals. It also explores the role of regional trade agreements as laboratories for innovative environmental governance and emphasizes the importance of capacity building and environmental impact assessments in trade policy.

The document analyzes how trade liberalization affects the environment through product, scale, structural, and direct effects. It examines the legal tensions between World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), specifically focusing on Process and Production Methods (PPMs), intellectual property rights (TRIPS), and agricultural subsidies. It argues that trade liberalization does not automatically harm or help the environment, but its outcome depends on the integration of economic and environmental policies.

The document argues that NAFTA's Chapter XI creates a system of international economic rights for private investors that can override national public welfare regulations. It analyzes key disciplines—national treatment, minimum standard of treatment, performance requirements, and expropriation—concluding that broad interpretations by arbitral tribunals risk creating 'regulatory chill' and undermining environmental management. The author criticizes the lack of transparency and institutional legitimacy in the investor-state dispute settlement process and proposes amendments to promote sustainable investment and protect the state's right to regulate.

The report details extensive environmental degradation and human rights violations linked to the operations of Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS). Key findings include severe air pollution from toxic gas leaks (SO2, SO3, and fluorides) causing crop necrosis and respiratory illnesses, soil contamination with phosphorus and cadmium, and the discharge of untreated fluosilicic acid into the sea at Weuta beach. The audit also highlights the loss of agricultural livelihoods due to the expanding mining front, inadequate compensation for land expropriation, and a systemic lack of transparency regarding environmental impact assessments. It recommends that ICS improve its waste management and that the Senegalese state revise expropriation rules and sanction harmful mining practices.

The document introduces 'biocultural community protocols' as tools for Indigenous and local communities to articulate their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes to external actors. It provides a structured four-part framework for facilitators to guide communities through the process of documentation, implementation, and reflection. The toolkit emphasizes endogenous development, legal empowerment, and participatory methods—such as community mapping, participatory video, and 'Legislative Theatre'—to reduce power asymmetries and safeguard collective biocultural heritage against external threats like land grabbing and industrial resource extraction.

The document outlines strategies for using biocultural community protocols to establish dialogue with external stakeholders, raise awareness internally and externally, and participate in legal and administrative decision-making processes. It emphasizes the use of participatory communication tools—such as video, photography, and community mapping—to balance power dynamics and ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The guide also provides practical advice on navigating national and international legal frameworks, negotiating binding agreements, and resolving conflicts through non-violent, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

The document defines biocultural community protocols as participatory instruments used by Indigenous and local communities to document their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes. These protocols aim to bridge the gap between community worldviews and external actors—such as governments and companies—to prevent resource exploitation and ensure the respect of customary stewardship. The toolkit outlines a four-part process: understanding the community, documenting the protocol, using it for engagement, and reflecting on outcomes. It provides a wide array of participatory tools, including community sketch maps, trend line analysis, and participatory theatre, to empower communities through legal awareness and social mobilization.

The document outlines a framework for using biocultural community protocols to manage interactions with governments, companies, and NGOs. It details methods for establishing dialogue, raising awareness through participatory media, and engaging in impact assessments and international legal processes. It emphasizes the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and provides guidance on conflict resolution and responding to human rights violations.

The document describes Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) as community-determined frameworks that define values, procedures, and priorities to guide engagement with governments, companies, and NGOs. It outlines how BCPs help communities secure customary rights and respond to threats like illegal mining or infrastructure projects. The briefing provides case studies from Ghana, Malaysia, Kenya, India, and South Africa, illustrating the use of BCPs for resource mapping, legal empowerment, and the protection of traditional knowledge and biodiversity. It also promotes a four-part Toolkit for Community Facilitators to support the endogenous development of these protocols.

Natural Justice challenges the Basic Assessment Reports (BARs) for four prospecting projects in South Africa's West Coast region, citing 'fatal flaws' in biodiversity and water supply assessments. The organization argues that the reports ignore climate change commitments, fail to meaningfully consult vulnerable groups like the Guriqua communities, and overlook the potential destruction of sacred cultural sites and the impact on the region's primary agricultural and fishing sectors.