Search Climate Insights Directory

The Integrated Environmental Assessment Training Manual provides a framework for conducting comprehensive environmental assessments to support sustainable development. It emphasizes the use of the DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impact, Response) framework to analyze the interactions between human activities and the environment. The manual outlines the process of selecting indicators, analyzing data, and reporting findings to inform policy decisions, specifically highlighting the role of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in capacity building for these assessments.

The author argues that the collapse of the Seattle WTO Ministerial Meeting was the result of long-standing frustrations among developing countries, environmental NGOs, and labour movements, compounded by a rift between North America and Europe over agricultural liberalization. The document asserts that the WTO has lost legitimacy by prioritizing trade liberalization over social and environmental goals. To recover, the author proposes three reform pillars: increasing transparency and civil society participation, formally adopting sustainable development as the WTO's end-purpose to guide the evaluation of agreements like TRIPS, and establishing a more equitable system for adjudicating conflicts between trade policy and environmental or development objectives.

The Institute for Policy Integrity, founded in 2008, employs academic research and economic analysis to advocate for government protections for the environment, public health, and consumers. The organization was established to counter the biased use of cost-benefit analysis by industry groups and to provide advocacy groups with the economic tools necessary to justify smart government protections.

The research employs a lobby group model and cross-country data from 104 countries to analyze the drivers of environmental policy stringency. The authors find that a higher number of environmental lobby groups generally leads to stricter policies. Crucially, the study identifies an interaction effect where political competition increases policy stringency primarily in countries with high levels of democratic participation, whereas participation alone has no effect in pure dictatorships. The results suggest that supporting local environmental NGOs in developing countries may be an effective channel for international donors to improve global environmental quality.

The text examines the ideological divide in environmental debates and proposes 'natural capitalism' as a synthesis that integrates economic viability with ecological health. It argues that businesses must shift from incremental improvements to systemic innovations in resource productivity to avoid catastrophic environmental failures. The author highlights a growing global movement of organizations and a shift in corporate strategy—exemplified by companies like OK Petroleum—that view environmental sustainability as a competitive advantage rather than a regulatory burden. Ultimately, it calls for a fundamental reevaluation of how society values natural and social capital to ensure long-term stability.

Between 2010 and 2014, Palau received US$6.2 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with 55% allocated to adaptation and 45% to mitigation. An additional US$28.2 million in Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided co-benefits for climate objectives. The primary sources of this finance were the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Australia, and Japan, focusing on environmental policy, research, and biodiversity.

SEI Asia employs a multi-channel strategic communication approach to bridge the gap between science and policy. By utilizing diverse tools—including podcasts, documentary films, online courses, and media grants—the organization aims to make complex scientific findings accessible to policymakers, media, and marginalized communities. Their efforts focus on fostering inclusive dialogue and enhancing the capacity of early-career journalists to report on environmental issues such as climate change and water insecurity.

The document provides a comprehensive multilingual glossary of terms essential for those working or studying in the fields of sustainable development, environmental policy, and human development. It covers a wide array of topics including renewable energy, ecological economics, climate change, and social indicators, aiming to standardize the understanding of these concepts within the context of Agenda 21 and sustainable development in Estonia.

The Association for Science Education (ASE) has no listed investments in arms or fossil fuels but maintains corporate links through sponsored educational projects and partnerships. Specifically, 15% of sponsors for its largest programme, School Science, are fossil fuel companies, and 17% of sponsors for the Optoelectronics College are military industrial organisations. The ASE lacks a formal environmental or ethical investment policy.

The document examines the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), finding extensive financial ties to the arms industry through event sponsorship, corporate partnerships, and donations. While the IET lacks a specific ethical investment policy and an overarching environmental policy, it demonstrates some environmental efforts, such as a 'very good' BREEAM rating for its London office. The study notes a lack of transparency regarding the specific corporations in which the IET's £110 million listed investments are held, suggesting likely but unconfirmed links to fossil fuel companies.

The Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) is a professional body with approximately 3,500 members that promotes environmental science and sustainable development. An assessment of its public documents and annual reports indicates that the IES has no financial involvement with the arms or fossil fuel industries and holds no investments. The organization maintains extensive environmental policies, including a professional code of conduct requiring members to have "full regard for the enhancement of environmental quality and sustainable development and the mitigation of environmental harm." Additionally, the IES was one of 24 UK-based societies that endorsed a joint Climate Communiqué prior to COP 21, urging governments to take immediate action against climate change risks.

The Royal Academy of Engineering maintains extensive financial ties with the arms and fossil fuel sectors, particularly in its school education programmes and high-prestige events, while lacking a specific internal environmental or ethical investment policy.

The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) demonstrates a commitment to climate science through its mission and the endorsement of the 2015 Climate Communiqué, but lacks a comprehensive environmental policy for its own operations. While no direct financial links to fossil fuel or arms industries were found in its corporate memberships, events, or education programmes, the society's lack of a specific ethical investment policy and transparency regarding its £670,000 investment portfolio suggests that such links are likely present in its financial holdings.

The Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, maintains a significant investment portfolio of approximately 200m but provides limited transparency regarding the specific companies held. While it lacks a formal overarching environmental policy, it has endorsed climate action via the 2015 Climate Communiqu. The study finds that the Society's ethical investment policy is narrow, specifically excluding only tobacco, which makes investments in arms and fossil fuel corporations likely. Additionally, the Society has received 'outstanding' donations from Rolls-Royce (arms industry) and Tata Sons (fossil fuel sector), and manages an 'Industry Fellowships' grant scheme funded by Rolls-Royce.

The report finds that while the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has no evidence of financial links to fossil fuel or arms corporations in its education programmes, events, or magazine, it has a 'Very high' level of involvement with the fossil fuel industry through its investments. Approximately 31% of the 'known' investments (which represent at most 21% of the total £1.7 million portfolio) were in the fossil fuel sector. The RSS lacks an overarching environmental policy and an ethical investment policy, although it recently approved a change to invest between 5% and 15% of assets in 'global sustainable equities'.

The case study finds that the BCS — The Chartered Institute for IT has no direct listed investments or prestige event sponsorships linked to the arms or fossil fuel industries. However, it notes a lack of transparency regarding corporate members and criticizes a previous environmental policy for questioning the scientific consensus on CO2 emissions as the primary driver of climate change. While the institute maintains some green IT initiatives, the current status of its formal environmental policy remains unclear following its removal from the website in 2018.

The Science Council provides quality assurance and professional registration for scientists and technicians. An assessment of its corporate links found no financial ties to the fossil fuel industry and no relevant investments. However, the Council maintains a relationship with the Atomic Weapons Establishment through its 'Employer Champion' programme, and it lacks a published environmental policy.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) has implemented an ethical investment policy that excludes fossil fuel extraction and armaments sold to oppressive regimes, following pressure from its members. However, the BPS lacks a public environmental policy and maintains limited transparency regarding its £12.9 million investment portfolio, meaning investments in nuclear weapons modernisation cannot be ruled out. No direct financial links to fossil fuel or arms corporations were found through event sponsorship or advertising.

The Energy Institute (EI) maintains extensive financial and corporate ties to the fossil fuel industry, particularly oil and gas, across its investments, event sponsorships, corporate memberships, and governing council. While the EI adopted a strategic theme of "supporting the transition to a lower carbon world" in 2016 and has some professional guidance on environmental issues, it lacks an overarching environmental or ethical investment policy. The study finds that fossil fuel corporations heavily sponsor its major events, such as International Petroleum Week, and make up approximately 40% of its corporate members. The EI's governing council also shows strong links to the oil and gas sector, with nearly half of its members having such backgrounds. Links to the arms industry were found to be low, though the lack of an ethical investment policy suggests some indirect exposure is likely.

The document investigates EngineeringUK's corporate associations, finding significant financial ties to the arms and fossil fuel sectors. It highlights that while the organization promotes engineering to young people, its flagship events and programmes are heavily sponsored by companies like BAE Systems and Shell. The report notes a lack of environmental or ethical investment policies and criticizes the transparency regarding the scale of funding from these controversial sectors.