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The report finds that while voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) are increasingly adopted in key agricultural sectors, they remain a marginal force globally, covering less than 1% of global agricultural area as of 2014. VSSs show strong alignment with habitat conservation, with 87% prohibiting production on recently converted forestland, but are poorly equipped to address climate change, with no standards requiring strict GHG emission reductions. The analysis reveals that standards typically mandate practices rather than performance outcomes, and their impact is often limited by a reliance on developed-country demand and a tendency to be adopted where compliance is least costly. The report suggests five policy options, including supporting biodiversity-driven implementation and developing integrated data systems, to better leverage VSSs for biodiversity protection.

The author contends that NAFTA's original framework treated environmental and labour issues as parallel agreements rather than integral components. While Mexico developed robust environmental legislation and institutions like the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources following NAFTA, economic growth has still led to environmental degradation costing 7% of Mexico's annual GDP. The author highlights the investor-state dispute mechanism in Chapter 11 as a critical area for reform, noting it has been used to challenge environmental regulations as de facto expropriations, resulting in $170 million in claims against Canada and $240 million against Mexico. The document suggests that the renegotiation should align the treaty with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and empower the Commission for Environmental Cooperation to lead a regional environmental agenda.

The document highlights Peru's vulnerability to climate events, citing the severe impacts of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the high economic risks of climate change. It advocates for the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to build resilience in priority sectors including water, agriculture, fisheries, forests, and health.

The IISD advocates for a Canada-MERCOSUR free trade agreement that prioritizes the liberalization of environmental goods and services, the adoption of sustainability standards, and a shift in investment models from investor protection to investment facilitation. The statement emphasizes the need for transparency in negotiations and the integration of corporate social responsibility and investor accountability to protect communities and the environment.

Mighty Earth's May 2017 update reveals that major soy traders Cargill and Bunge continue to be linked to deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia despite public commitments. Using satellite monitoring, the organization identified 60 square kilometers of new deforestation and 120 square kilometers of planned deforestation across previously visited sites. The report highlights a disconnect between corporate environmental advertising and operational reality, while noting that several global consumer brands, such as Unilever and Tesco, support expanding collective action to protect other Latin American regions beyond the Brazilian Amazon.

The provided text consists of appendices detailing an optimization model to assess the scalability of diversified crop rotations in Iowa, the potential for substituting corn with oats and alfalfa in livestock feed, and methodologies for calculating soil erosion and greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that longer rotation systems can maintain profitability while improving soil health and reducing pollution. The analysis includes specific scenarios for converting corn acreage in the most erodible counties and across the entire state, utilizing non-linear models to estimate nitrous oxide (N2O) reductions and carbon sequestration benefits.

The document presents evidence that agricultural modernization in Brazil is compatible with forest protection. It highlights that a significant portion of Brazil's cleared land is underused, primarily for low-productivity cattle grazing. Through four case studies, the authors demonstrate that technological innovations, infrastructure improvements, and market shifts lead to yield gains and the conversion of pastures to croplands, which in turn reduces the pressure to clear new forests. The brief concludes that combining the enforcement of the 2012 Forest Code with sustainable marketing strategies can further decouple agricultural growth from deforestation.

The document analyzes India's struggle with food insecurity and malnutrition despite its economic growth and history of self-sufficiency. It discusses the 2013 National Food Security Bill, the legacy of the Green Revolution, and the debate between the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the promotion of seed sovereignty to protect crop biodiversity. The authors argue for a holistic approach to food security that considers socio-political factors, indigenous knowledge, and the impacts of climate change.

The report argues that Burger King lacks transparency and effective policies to prevent deforestation in its supply chain, contrasting it with competitors like McDonald's. Through field investigations and satellite mapping, the authors link Burger King's suppliers—specifically soy traders Cargill and Bunge—to the destruction of the Brazilian Cerrado and Bolivian lowland forests. The document highlights the resulting loss of biodiversity, carbon emissions, and violence against indigenous peoples, while advocating for the expansion of the Brazilian Amazon Soy Moratorium to other Latin American ecosystems.

The document assesses public finance aligned with REDD+ goals in Côte d’Ivoire for 2015, highlighting the risk of total forest loss by 2034 due to agricultural expansion and logging. It argues that 'greening' existing agricultural finance could increase REDD+ aligned funding fivefold to FCFA 101 billion (USD 169 million) and suggests new mechanisms like a National REDD+ Fund to support sustainable land use.

The case study highlights the growth of Kenya's restoration economy through examples like GreenPot Enterprises and Honey Care Africa. It demonstrates that restoring degraded landscapes—using bamboo for soil stabilization or apiaries for pollination—can generate significant revenue and improve farmer incomes. While Kenya's strong GDP growth and government commitment to restore 5.1 million hectares by 2030 provide a supportive environment, the report identifies a critical gap in growth capital, specifically investments in the $3-10 million range needed for scaling.

The document lists various entities awarded for pioneering green bond activities in 2016. Key achievements include the first green sovereign bond from Poland, the largest overall issuer (Shanghai Pudong Development Bank), and the first green bonds from several countries including Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, and the Philippines. It also recognizes the People's Bank of China for regulation and CICERO for its 'Shades of green' assessment model.

The document examines the intersection of gender equality and food security, arguing that gender discrimination is a primary driver of hunger. Through a literature review of 27 articles, it finds that gender-related policies typically have a positive impact on food security, while food security interventions can sometimes constrain women's positions within the family if social norms are not addressed. The brief highlights that women and female-headed households are more prone to food insecurity due to limited access to assets, land, and decision-making power. It calls for gender-differentiated data and a holistic approach to power relationships to ensure that sustainability goals are achieved without leaving women and girls behind.

The report highlights that South Africa wastes approximately 10 million tonnes of food annually, representing a third of its total production. This waste results in significant economic losses of R61.5 billion and substantial environmental degradation, including the waste of 1.7 km3 of water and the emission of greenhouse gases from landfills. The document identifies that most waste occurs at the pre-consumer stage, particularly on farms, and calls for a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target of halving food waste by 2030.

The CBD Alliance describes biodiversity as being in a "state of emergency" and criticizes COP 13 for prioritizing business interests, financial gains, and trade over ecological protection. The statement highlights failures in risk assessment for synthetic biology, the promotion of unsustainable agriculture and tourism, and the marginalization of indigenous peoples and developing country delegations.

The document outlines four established ways to generate revenue from restored land: timber and fuelwood (wood), non-wood forest products (such as fruits and essential oils), improved agricultural productivity for crops and livestock, and nature-based tourism. It also notes the rapid development of new markets for ecosystem services, specifically carbon storage and water quality improvement.

The Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II (RDCP II) successfully reduced the GHG emission intensity of milk production in Rwanda, with extensive systems seeing a 60% decrease and intensive systems a 47% decrease. However, because productivity interventions increased herd size and cow weight, total annual GHG emissions in the project area rose by an estimated 12% compared to business-as-usual practices. Despite this absolute increase, the growth in milk output proportionally exceeded the increase in emissions, indicating a shift toward more efficient and sustainable production patterns.

The Union of Concerned Scientists calls for a coordinated federal food policy to replace a dysfunctional system that prioritizes commodity crop subsidies over public health and sustainable farming. The document advocates for shifting subsidies toward healthy foods, supporting mid-sized family farms, and adopting agroecological practices to mitigate climate change impacts and reduce healthcare costs.

The proposal seeks US$12.222 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as part of a total investment of US$34.148 million to establish a fund for green MSMEs in South Africa. The project utilizes supply chain finance (SCF), where credit decisions are based on the creditworthiness of the buyer rather than the MSME, to overcome chronic lack of access to finance due to insufficient collateral and track records. The fund targets sectors including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and energy efficiency, aiming to reduce lifetime CO2 emissions by 33,001,833 tons and support over 30,000 jobs. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) serves as the accredited entity, with SCF Capital Solutions as the fund manager.

The report argues that Olam, a Singapore-based agribusiness, operates a 'black box' in its palm oil supply chain by concealing the identity of its suppliers, which allows the company to source oil from producers engaged in deforestation. In Gabon, the report alleges that Olam has cleared approximately 20,000 hectares of forest since 2012, violating FSC standards. In Southeast Asia, Olam's lack of transparency is linked to the 'haze' crisis caused by peatland and forest fires. The document calls for Olam to adopt a 'zero deforestation' policy, publish its supplier list, and restore destroyed habitats.