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Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific (FoE APac) expresses concern that the South Korean government is promoting the 'Four Rivers Project' as a model for a similar water management contract in Thailand despite evidence of ecological destruction. FoE APac asserts that the project damaged river ecology by blocking flows with dams and straightening serpentine rivers, and argues that claimed benefits like flood control and water quality improvement were used to obfuscate these impacts. The statement also condemns the South Korean government's labeling of critical environmental NGOs as "unpatriotic" and "anti-state" during a Cabinet meeting on January 15th, viewing this as an attempt to suppress civil society and hinder collaborative environmental responses.

The author argues that the European Commission's proposal for the 7th EU Environment Action Programme is a 'mockery' of environmental policy because it contains no concrete actions, instead repeating existing Treaty provisions and vague objectives. The text claims this approach prioritizes economic growth over environmental protection and warns that the EU's failure to provide strong environmental leadership may lead to the renationalization of environmental issues by Member States.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) implemented the web-based Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication (PMEC) system in 2010 to systematically track project outcomes. Based on the International Development Research Centre’s Outcome Mapping methodology, PMEC shifts focus from activities to the influence on 'boundary partners'—specific people and organizations the project aims to affect. The system integrates project planning, budget management, and communications, requiring all SEI projects to use it for monitoring progress via 'progress markers' and 'journals'. For projects with budgets exceeding 200,000 SEK, an outcome evaluation of specific indicators is mandatory. PMEC also feeds into SEI's organizational learning by tracking contributions to six key performance areas and four institutional themes, ultimately informing reports for funders like the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the SEI Board.

The report assesses climate change adaptation preparedness in southern Africa to support requests for finance and fund administration. Focusing on Zimbabwe, it finds that the country lacks a specific climate change policy, relying instead on fragmented sectoral policies across environment, water, agriculture, and disaster management, highlighting a need for mainstreaming and harmonisation.

This fact sheet outlines a series of global events, publications, and policy agreements from 1962 to 2012 that have shaped the concept of sustainable development. It tracks the progression from early environmental warnings, such as the publication of Silent Spring, through the establishment of major international bodies like the UNEP and IPCC, to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol and the Millennium Development Goals. The timeline highlights the increasing intersection of environmental protection, economic policy, and social equity, noting the rise of the 'green economy' and the critical role of both developed and emerging nations, particularly China, in the global energy transition.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of ecosystem services, categorizing them into supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural services. It discusses the economic valuation of these services, contrasting market-based and non-market valuation methods, and argues that assigning monetary value is essential for sustainable policy-making and corporate risk management. The report also introduces 'ecosystem disservices'—negative impacts of nature on human well-being—and provides practical frameworks for local governments and businesses to integrate natural capital into their strategic planning.

The document argues that the current international environmental governance (IEG) regime is fragmented and fails Africa by prioritizing negotiations over implementation and accountability. It proposes a shift toward a 'green economy' supported by four guiding principles: sustainable development, equity, accountability, and implementation. Key recommendations include establishing a 'sustainability risk assessment' for macroeconomic policies, creating a global mechanism to track sustainable development finance, and transforming UNEP into a more powerful international specialized institution. The report emphasizes that reform must move beyond institutional naming to include specific mandates for operational capacity, stable funding, and a stronger link between international promises and on-the-ground results in Africa.

The paper analyzes the strategic interactions between countries in pollution control, comparing simultaneous (Cournot-Nash) and sequential (Stackelberg) move equilibria. By introducing a pre-play stage where countries choose their timing, the author demonstrates that while simultaneous play is prevalent when strategies are substitutable, a leader can emerge endogenously when strategic complementarities exist. The study finds that sequential play under complementarity leads to lower global emissions and higher welfare than simultaneous play. The analysis utilizes supermodular game theory to avoid restrictive assumptions like concavity or uniqueness of equilibria.

The report investigates how positions are formulated within the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), highlighting the tension between intergovernmentalism and supranationalism. It uses the 2009 Copenhagen climate negotiations as a case study to show how national interests and regional rivalries—such as those between Ethiopia and Sudan—undermine a unified African voice. The document also critiques the EU's approach to Africa, particularly the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), arguing that the EU often ignores the complexity of African regional dynamics. Finally, it assesses peace and security architectures in Southern Africa (SADC) and the Horn of Africa (IGAD), noting that external financial incentives often drive missions that lack a solid local mandate.

The document serves as a comprehensive guide for interns in South Africa's environmental sector, bridging the gap between academic study and professional work. It outlines the roles of various government and civil society entities, explains the national environmental policy landscape rooted in the Constitution, and provides practical tools for time management, communication, and workplace ethics. Additionally, it offers guidance on performance appraisals, the rights and responsibilities of interns, and strategies for transitioning into full-time employment within the green economy.

The document examines the implementation of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) in the Babuyan Islands, Philippines, arguing that the paradigm's assumption of a definable 'equilibrium' ecosystem state is undermined by diverging local agendas. It finds that the resulting collapse of the ICM framework allows local elites and 'strongmen' to co-opt resource access through unethical influence and patronage networks. This process marginalizes poor fisherfolk and leads to continued environmental degradation, including illegal fishing and metal salvaging from shipwrecks, while disempowering national line agencies like BFAR and DENR.

The report examines the tension between trade growth and environmental sustainability in the Greater Mekong Subregion, highlighting how trade liberalization and infrastructure development contribute to environmental degradation. It identifies a lack of legally binding environmental commitments and weak enforcement capacities as primary obstacles. The document proposes specific measures to combat illegal wildlife and timber trade and suggests mainstreaming climate change into the ASEAN Institutional Framework for Economic Cooperation.

The report examines how ecolabelling, while intended as a trade-positive tool, often acts as a barrier to trade in developing countries due to high implementation costs. In the Greater Mekong Subregion, environmental standards are in early stages and are primarily driven by the requirements of developed country markets for industrial products, neglecting domestic environmental impacts. The document recommends building national standards bodies, increasing public capacity building, and improving policy-maker knowledge to balance trade growth with environmental protection.

The report challenges the 'conventional wisdom' that young Americans are more engaged with climate change than older adults. While young adults (18-34) are more likely to believe in human-caused global warming and trust scientists and President Obama, they are significantly less likely to have thought about the issue previously and more likely to discount immediate harms. The data reveals a strong ideological divide between liberals and conservatives that persists across age groups, though young political moderates and those with uncertain views show the most openness to changing their minds.

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) traces the evolution of the sustainable development movement. It highlights a progression from early environmental warnings, such as Rachel Carson's 1962 book, through the establishment of major international frameworks like the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, to contemporary challenges including the 2008 global financial and food crises and the 2009 Copenhagen climate negotiations.

The report examines the effects of the 2009 formation of the Estonian Environmental Board on nature conservation. Survey results from 84 officials indicate a significant increase in bureaucracy and office work, with 83% reporting an increase in office workload. While the general reputation of nature conservation remained largely stable, officials expressed concerns over the lack of on-site supervision and unclear role divisions between the Environmental Board and the State Forest Management Centre (RMK). Most respondents believe their work will become more complex and important in the future, though they feel a lack of sufficient legal and societal support.

The research evaluates the effectiveness of Environmental Assessment (EA) by analyzing Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), screening decisions for Natura 2000 sites, and stakeholder perceptions in Estonia. It identifies a generally satisfactory but inconsistent quality in EIS, with significant gaps in project descriptions and alternatives. The study finds that screening for Natura 2000 sites is poorly conducted and that stakeholder expectations often diverge. The author proposes a theoretical framework of five interlinked drivers for EA effectiveness: clearly defined objectives, effective participatory processes, high-quality documentation, positive influence on project design and decision-making, and cost-time efficiency.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total revenue of $50,079,176 and total expenses of $40,533,012 for the 2010 tax year. The organization focuses on global environmental and development challenges, specifically targeting ecosystem degradation, climate change, and sustainable development. WRI operates globally, providing grants and program services across various regions including East Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its financial position at the end of the year included total assets of $65,224,571 and net assets of $59,901,847.

The report evaluates the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership, highlighting its shift from a development-focused relationship to a high-level political alliance. It details cooperation across 13 pillars, including energy, science, and climate change, while noting tensions over economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations and sanctions on Zimbabwe.

The IAI Directorate reports progress on the CRN II and SGP-HD programs, highlighting the leveraging of US$ 5.5 million in funding and the production of 108 peer-reviewed publications. Key achievements include the establishment of a phenology monitoring network in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, and the delivery of training institutes on climate adaptation and remote sensing. The report also details the 'Assessment of research and institutional needs to cope with the effects of Climate Change on Andean Biodiversity' project and various international collaborations to integrate climate science into policy.