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The author argues that traditional industrial policy is overly focused on manufacturing and must be redesigned for a services-led economy. Services now represent two-thirds of global GDP and act as critical inputs for all sectors. The paper proposes five pillars for a services-oriented policy: infrastructure, foreign direct investment, human capital, regulatory quality, and digital/physical connectivity. It highlights that developing economies can leverage services due to lower capital intensity, smaller scale requirements, and lower carbon footprints. Furthermore, the author notes that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provides governments with more policy space for experimentation than the rules governing goods.

The IISD Economic Law and Policy Program provides technical and legal expertise to help governments, particularly in developing countries, design policies for equitable and environmentally sustainable growth. The program focuses on reforming investment, finance, trade, government procurement, and industrial policy to facilitate transitions to renewable energy and resilient infrastructure. Key areas of activity include shaping international investment agendas, fostering sustainable industrial policies, leveraging public procurement for green growth, and promoting responsible trade through voluntary standards and corporate social responsibility.

The IISD Economic Law and Policy program provides technical support, data, and analysis to policy-makers and businesses to align public and private investment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program focuses on finance, trade, government procurement, and industrial policy, with specific emphasis on agricultural and mining investments in developing countries. Key initiatives include the Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, aimed at building the capacity of officials in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to negotiate sustainable treaties and contracts.

Madagascar has implemented a national organic agriculture strategy and Law No. 2020-003 to transition traditional farming into a certified organic sector. Supported by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the government is piloting 'Organic Agricultural Territories' (TVAB) in the Diana, Sava, and Analanjirofo regions to achieve economies of scale and ensure product integrity for export. Between 2020 and 2024, organic farming area grew by over 60%, increasing from 103,817 to 169,893 hectares, while the number of organic producers rose to 62,000.

The IISD-Europe program on sustainable procurement provides policy advisory and research services to scale up green industrial growth through "whole life value" procurement. The institute advises governments on Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and leads the International Initiative on Procurement and Green Growth. IISD argues that because public procurement accounts for 12–15 per cent of GDP in the EU and US, governments can use their purchasing power to trigger markets for sustainable goods and services and incentivize private sector investment in green technology.

The document examines Tanzania's macroeconomic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that a 'business-as-usual' approach without lockdowns, combined with expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, helped the country avert a recession in 2020. It details specific Bank of Tanzania (BoT) interventions to maintain liquidity and recommends further macroprudential policies, increased healthcare financing, and the implementation of climate-resilient economic strategies.

The document examines Tanzania's transition from socialist policies to a market-determined economy, noting a sustained GDP growth rate of 7% between 2010 and 2019. It analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this growth, causing a decline in tourism and traditional exports, while highlighting that a 'business as usual' approach helped the country avoid a recession in 2020. The paper details fiscal and monetary interventions, such as increasing health spending and lowering discount rates, and recommends further macroprudential policies and social protection to support vulnerable populations and ensure a climate-resilient recovery.

The Sierra Leone Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a pathway to 100% electrification and clean cooking by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from biomass and oil toward hydropower and solar PV, requiring an estimated USD 6.5 billion in capital investment by 2040 and a cumulative USD 15 billion by 2050. Key targets include deploying 745 MW of large hydropower and 932 MW of solar PV by 2040, while integrating electric mobility and green hydrogen by 2050. The transition is expected to double energy-sector jobs to 29,117 by 2050 and support national goals such as the Feed Salone strategy and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Sierra Leone's Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a Low Carbon Development (LCD) scenario to reach 100% electrification and clean cooking access by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from fossil fuel dependency—particularly diesel in mining and transport—toward hydropower and solar PV. Key targets include expanding power capacity to 4.5 GW by 2050 and integrating the mining sector into the national grid by 2030. The transition is estimated to require approximately 39 billion USD in total capital investment by 2050, with the transport sector accounting for the largest share. The plan also integrates social objectives, such as the 'Feed Salone' strategy for food security and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) to ensure a just transition for women and youth.

The project focuses on the Akagera Basin in Rwanda, addressing the increasing competition for water, energy, and food resources driven by population growth and economic transformation. By utilizing the Stockholm Environment Institute's WEAP and LEAP modelling tools, the initiative aims to identify sustainable development pathways and avoid sector-based plan incompatibilities. Key goals include producing 25 technical reports and policy briefs, engaging over 2,000 stakeholders, and supporting over 15 Nature Based Community Enterprises (NBCEs) to enhance climate resilience in the districts of Bugesera, Kirehe, Ngororero, and Rutsiro.

The document analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural vulnerabilities in Colombia's agricultural supply chains, particularly in transport infrastructure and commercialization for small producers. It argues that recovery should prioritize diversifying transport modes (rail and river), enhancing cold chain logistics, promoting short supply circuits, and implementing a national digital information system to improve transparency and climate resilience.

The document argues that Colombian national development banks, specifically Finagro and Findeter, have a significant opportunity to incorporate climate risk and stranded asset analysis into their existing financial management frameworks. While current regulations from the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC) require asset valuation and risk management, they do not explicitly mandate the inclusion of climate variables. The report highlights that in the Global South, stranded assets can extend beyond the energy sector to include agriculture, road infrastructure, and construction. Case studies of Finagro and Findeter reveal that while both comply with SFC standards and report low credit risk, they do not publicly detail how climate-related risks or potential stranded assets are identified or managed, creating a gap in their long-term financial sustainability planning.

The document outlines a comparative analysis of the solar PV and wind industries in five major economies from 2001 to 2011. It investigates how different policy incentives across the value chain—including R&D, manufacturing, installation, and power generation—impacted installed capacity, job creation, and equipment prices. The research aims to identify successful strategies for balancing the dual goals of nurturing domestic manufacturing and providing low-cost energy to the public.

WRI's 2026–2032 strategy for Ethiopia focuses on three interconnected systems—cities, energy, and food, land, and water—to drive a low-carbon transition. The plan targets specific river basins and cities to implement nature-based solutions, expand renewable energy access, and promote regenerative agriculture, supported by improvements in national governance and finance.

WRI Indonesia's 2025-2032 strategy focuses on three core systems: energy, cities, and food, land and water. The organization aims to support Indonesia's goal of 8% GDP growth and a 43% emissions reduction by 2030 through industrial decarbonization, urban redesign, and ecosystem restoration. Key initiatives include promoting responsible critical mineral extraction, expanding green urban spaces, and securing land rights for Indigenous Peoples to enhance forest protection. WRI Indonesia employs a "count it, change it, scale it" methodology to integrate data-driven research with policy implementation across national and local government levels.

South Korea successfully increased its forest cover from approximately 3.5 million hectares in the mid-1950s to 6.4 million hectares by 2007, primarily through active restoration. This recovery was driven by strong government leadership, national awareness campaigns, and a series of multi-year Forest Development Plans. While the restoration provided significant ecosystem services valued at over US$92 billion as of 2013, the study notes caveats including a historical reliance on authoritarian labor practices, low species diversity due to a focus on coniferous trees, and a high dependence on imported wood, including illegally sourced timber.

The document outlines the outcomes of a roundtable hosted by WRI and IIED, identifying a mutual desire for collaboration between donor agencies and the private sector to achieve sustainable development. It highlights significant barriers, including a lack of mutual understanding, donor risk-aversion, and a dearth of evidence on effective business models. The summary proposes five key opportunities for progress: creating learning platforms, developing best-practice guidance, establishing shared performance metrics, encouraging high-risk financial innovation, and leveraging the post-2015 development agenda to foster transformational partnerships.