Search Climate Insights Directory

This report examines China's economic engagement with Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, highlighting a trade structure dominated by Chinese imports of natural resources and exports of manufactured goods, and the increasing role of Chinese state-owned enterprises in the region's extractive sectors.

This policy brief examines China's increasing influence in the agribusiness, hydropower, and mining sectors of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, driven by China's demand for inexpensive natural resources.

This policy brief examines China's increasing economic influence in the Mekong region, specifically Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It details how China's domestic demand for natural resources has driven foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade, filling an investment vacuum left by international financial institutions. While providing infrastructure and capital, Chinese investments in hydropower, mining, and agribusiness present significant environmental and social risks due to a lack of adherence to international sustainability standards.

This research paper, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the IUCN in December 2007, examines the trade and environmental impact of medicinal plants and spices in Lao PDR. It details the country's rich biodiversity, the role of traditional medicine in healthcare, and the economic potential of exporting high-value species like agarwood and cinnamon. The document highlights the tension between commercial exploitation and conservation, noting the risks of over-harvesting and the need for sustainable management practices and international certifications.

A statement from the Center for International Environmental Law and other representatives urging the U.S. Congress to strengthen environmental safeguards in the U.S.-Chile and U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and to reject them as models for future trade initiatives.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how international trade and investment agreements, along with policies from international financial institutions (IFIs), can lock developing countries into the privatization of water services. It argues that these mechanisms may conflict with the recognized human right to water and limit the ability of national governments to regulate essential services for the public good.

A letter from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick opposing the inclusion of a specific grant of jurisdiction regarding investment agreements and authorizations in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

This research paper examines the tension between centralism and decentralization in Mexico, focusing on the state of Oaxaca. It discusses how the diversity of local governments, particularly indigenous municipalities governed by traditional customs, must navigate the pressures of globalization and trade liberalization to achieve sustainable local development.

The document is a guide from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) that provides a community leadership tool designed to improve decision-making for sustainable community development. It introduces a decision-making matrix that allows leaders to evaluate proposed actions against 15 systemic factors, comparing them with 'no-action' or alternative scenarios to identify long-term implications and quality-of-life effects beyond simple financial or technical data.

This policy brief by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development examines resource-backed loans (RBLs) and the collateralisation of mineral resources in African countries. It explores how these financial mechanisms can unlock infrastructure funding for resource-rich but capital-poor nations, while warning of significant risks including debt sustainability crises, lack of transparency, and the erosion of competitive public procurement processes.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is a comprehensive international agreement establishing a legal framework for the use, conservation, and management of the world's oceans and seas. It defines various maritime zones, including the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and the continental shelf, while establishing the International Seabed Authority to manage the 'Area' (the seabed beyond national jurisdiction) as the common heritage of mankind. The document details the rights and duties of coastal and land-locked states, rules for navigation and innocent passage, obligations for the protection of the marine environment, and mechanisms for the settlement of maritime disputes.

This research, led by women researchers and community leaders, examines the role of women in defending territories and natural resources in Central America against extractive activities and a capitalist, patriarchal development model.

This briefing, submitted as written evidence to an International Development Committee Inquiry, outlines the findings of the 'Trade, Aid and Security' initiative. The document argues that while trade and aid are intended to support security and sustainable development, they can instead undermine stability if not designed with conflict sensitivity. It proposes six key policy objectives to ensure that international trade and development assistance contribute to peacebuilding rather than fueling violent conflict, particularly in fragile states dependent on natural resources.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that international security in the 21st century has shifted from state-on-state military conflict to 'human security', where threats include terrorism, climate change, and resource conflict. The author contends that current international trade and aid policies, often designed by wealthy nations, can systematically undermine peace and development in poor states by reinforcing power disparities and creating economic instability.

This policy brief examines China's strategic pursuit of natural resources and its expanding investment footprint in the Mekong region, specifically in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It details China's shift toward securing raw materials through direct investment and state-backed financing, while highlighting the resulting environmental and social risks for host countries.

This report conclusion by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the development trajectory of Algeria, identifying systemic barriers to prosperity and proposing a multi-sectoral policy framework to leverage the country's natural resources and human capital for sustainable growth.

This research paper examines the relationship between natural resources and social conflicts in Africa, arguing against mono-causal explanations involving climate change and advocating for multi-actor, multi-level management approaches to peacebuilding.

This fact sheet by Natural Justice outlines concerns regarding the proposed reform of the Land Law in Mozambique, specifically focusing on 'Draft 1' of the legislation. The document argues that the proposed law moves toward the privatisation of land, removes access to 'unavailable land', and fails to provide legal guarantees for local communities or protection against forced displacement.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides a comprehensive set of participatory methodologies and tools designed to assist facilitators in developing community protocols. It categorizes tools into textual, visual, verbal, and dramatic formats to ensure inclusivity and cultural responsiveness, particularly when engaging with marginalized groups or communities with varying literacy levels. The guide structures these tools around five core elements: the facilitator's perspective, community background, the process of development, the outcome, and the legal landscape.

This research paper by Gregory Mthembu-Salter for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the historical, political, and economic relationships between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), China, and India. It analyzes how these two Asian powers engage with the DRC's mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors, highlighting the contrast between China's state-led, resource-for-infrastructure strategy and India's more fragmented, private-sector-driven approach.