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This report summarizes the seventh Sustainable Development Forum held in Tallinn on October 28,SSSSSS, focused on the maritime economy within the sensitive environment of the Baltic Sea. The event featured presentations and discussions on sustainable blue growth, environmental threats such as eutrophication and plastic pollution, and the development of offshore wind energy and nature tourism in Estonia.

This discussion brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation, arguing for a more integrated approach that addresses the underlying drivers of vulnerability and the wider context of social and economic development.

This research synthesis brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the challenges of managing chemicals for sustainable development, focusing on the gap in chemical safety between developed and developing nations, the role of international agreements like SAICM, and the need for new hazard assessments to address planetary boundary threats.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that national economic decision-making is overly reliant on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and fails to adequately measure 'natural capital' and 'inclusive wealth'. The author contends that shifting focus toward a portfolio of produced, financial, natural, human, and social assets would promote long-term sustainability and better integrate economic, environmental, and social development goals.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development explores how public procurement can transition from buying discrete products to procuring functions and services through performance-based specifications. It argues that this shift can drive resource efficiency, stimulate private sector innovation, and reduce costs, provided the business models are aligned with the environmental impacts of the specific product categories.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), supported by the Environmental Monitoring Group and the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, submitted comments on the draft Infrastructure Development Bill (B49-2013). The CER argues that the Bill violates Constitutional rights, disregards national environmental policies, and undermines the legal framework for sustainable development and integrated environmental management in South Africa.

This research paper examines China's approach to the green economy and its interaction with the G-20, specifically following the 2012 Los Cabos Summit in Mexico. The author argues that while China is domestically committed to greening its economic development due to severe environmental degradation, it remains reluctant to accept mandatory international obligations that might hinder its economic growth. The paper highlights a disconnect between China's internal policy terminology and the 'inclusive green growth' framework promoted at the G-20, suggesting that China's organizational structure for G-20 participation further marginalizes environmental policy.

This research paper examines the tension between the 'green growth' agenda promoted by Mexico and the 'sustainable development' concept advocated by Brazil during the 2012 G-20 summit. It analyzes how Brazil's domestic industrial and energy policies often conflict with green economy goals due to a preference for autonomous industrialization and short-term economic growth, while also assessing Brazil's diplomatic coordination with other BRICS nations on climate issues.

A Co-Chairs’ Communiqué from a high-level event held on 23 September 2013 at the United Nations, where leaders from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Norway called for the inclusion of "sustainable energy for all" as a global goal in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

This research paper evaluates a capacity-building approach designed to help policy-makers in the Caribbean region mainstream Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) into national and regional development strategies. Using a six-step process based on the Driving Forces–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSC-DPSIR) framework, the authors conductedSSSS conducted three training applications in Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia. The study identifies key barriers to implementation, including limited human and financial resources, a lack of cross-sectoral collaboration, and the perception that MEAs are the sole responsibility of a single ministry.

This research paper evaluates the sustainable development benefits of 77 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) bioenergy projects across India, Brazil, and sub-Saharan Africa, finding that projects utilizing agricultural farm residues claim the most benefits, while those using industrial forest residues claim the fewest.

The Green Economy Coalition (GEC) issued a statement responding to the UN High Level Panel's vision for the post-2015 development agenda, praising the move toward a single, unified global agenda while calling for more specific targets on inequality, biodiversity, and green skills.

This research paper examines the persistence of the discourse linking women to the environment in climate change and sustainable development agendas, despite long-standing criticisms of these associations.

This briefing reports on a roundtable workshop held in Beijing on April 24, 2013, convened by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Global Environmental Institute (GEI). The event brought together representatives from the Chinese government, academia, and enterprises to discuss reforming the international investment treaty framework to better balance investor protections with the policy space of host states and the goals of sustainable development.

This guide provides a ten-step framework for parliamentarians, government officials, and local communities to negotiate agricultural investment contracts with foreign investors from a sustainable development perspective. It emphasizes the importance of preparatory data, independent feasibility studies, and legally binding environmental and social obligations to avoid the negative impacts often associated with large-scale land acquisitions.

This guide provides a 10-step framework for parliamentarians, officials, and local communities to negotiate investment contracts for agricultural land and water with foreign investors, focusing on sustainable development and the protection of local rights.

This document contains the heads of argument submitted by the MEC and the Chief Director of the North West Provincial Government (the 1st and 2nd Respondents) in an appeal before the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. The appeal challenges an ex post facto environmental authorization granted under section 24G of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) for the Kgaswane Country Lodge, located in the Magaliesberg Protected Environment. The respondents argue that the appellant's request for the demolition of the lodge is disproportionate and that the review application became academic after the appellant failed to obtain an urgent interdict to stop construction.

The 2013 SAIIA Young Leaders Declaration is a statement of recommendations for the Post-2015 Development Agenda, formulated by South African youth during the 2nd Annual South African Institute of International Affairs Young Leaders Conference in Johannesburg. The document outlines priorities across three thematic areas: addressing inequalities, managing conflict, violence and disasters, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) details a screening exercise to identify Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) concepts for Bangladesh. Using a standardized 'quick screen' methodology, the authors reviewed government planning documents to identify 18 NAMA concepts across six UNFCCC sectors that align with national development goals and offer sustainable development co-benefits.

This report documents a series of workshops organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) between 2008 and 2011. The workshops focused on the intersection of Internet policy, governance, and sustainable development, exploring how technical and policy decisions regarding the Internet impact social, economic, and environmental goals.