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An open letter from civil society organizations to the Member States of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), urging the adoption of clear, objective, and public guidelines for civil society participation and access to information ahead of the Thirty-Ninth Ordinary Session of the UPOV Council on October 27, 2005.

This report, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) for Switzerland, identifies and analyzes 15 principles and approaches of sustainable development and chemicals management for incorporation into the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The study provides descriptions, origins, and proposed textual language for these concepts to establish common ground for the SAICM's development and implementation, specifically aiming for the 2020 goal of minimizing adverse effects of chemicals on human health and the environment.

The report proposes a model for implementing Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) in Winnipeg to engage neighbourhoods in local environmental action. It suggests a service-innovation and delivery focus, anchored by existing community-based organizations and supported by a multi-partite agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Environment Canada, and the Province of Manitoba.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the ongoing WTO negotiations on environmental goods. It argues that current lists of goods for liberalization are dominated by developed countries and proposes including environmentally preferable products (EPPs) and implementing Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) to ensure a balanced distribution of trade gains for developing nations.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, focusing on its ability to provide a "development dividend"—socio-economic and environmental benefits for developing countries beyond greenhouse gas reductions. The analysis finds that the emerging CDM market is skewed toward a few large developing countries and dominated by low-cost industrial projects (such as HFC23 decomposition) that offer minimal sustainable development benefits. The report recommends reforming the CDM Executive Board, shifting from project-by-project to sectoral or policy-based approaches, and increasing support for small-scale projects to ensure more equitable and impactful development outcomes.

This executive summary evaluates the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, focusing on its ability to provide a "development dividend"—benefits to developing countries in economic growth, technology, poverty alleviation, and health beyond climate mitigation. The authors argue that the current project pipeline is under-performing, skewed toward a few countries, and dominated by low-development-benefit industrial gas projects, necessitating reforms in project cycles, rules, and international financing to ensure sustainable development goals are met.

The IISD Model International Agreement on Investment for Sustainable Development is a proposed legal framework designed to replace traditional international investment agreements (IIAs). It seeks to balance the protection of foreign investors with the rights of host states to regulate for sustainable development, introducing binding obligations for investors and a reformed dispute settlement mechanism.

This guide, published by the Center for International Environmental Law and Physicians for Social Responsibility, provides a comprehensive framework for using international law and institutions to protect children's environmental health. It details how human rights, labor, environmental, and health treaties can be leveraged to hold governments accountable, build capacity, and resolve disputes regarding the disproportionate vulnerability of children to environmental toxins and degradation.

This report analyzes the compatibility of eco-labeling standards and green procurement policies with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, specifically for World Bank borrowers. It concludes that WTO rules generally do not present significant legal barriers to 'greening' project procurement, primarily because government procurement is largely excluded from the main WTO agreements for goods and services. However, the report highlights significant concerns from developing countries regarding the costs, technical burdens, and potential market access restrictions associated with eco-labels, particularly those based on non-product-related process and production methods (npr PPMs).

This policy submission by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the challenges of aid delivery to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It argues that while per capita aid is often higher for SIDS than for mainland developing countries, overall aid levels declined by over 50 percent between 1994 and 2004. The document proposes eight reforms to make aid more effective, including untying aid from donor procurement, harmonising policies across donors, and replacing GDP-per-capita assessments with vulnerability indices.

This IISD Knowledge Communications Practice Note outlines eight success factors for strengthening knowledge management (KM) practices within organizations, drawing on examples from development agencies and research institutes. It emphasizes that KM is most effective when tied to operational needs, implemented at the level of project impact, and supported by a combination of internal and external communication strategies rather than a single overarching corporate strategy.

This 2005 practice note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive glossary and framework for the terminology used in knowledge management for sustainable development. It distinguishes between data, information, and knowledge, categorizes types of knowledge (explicit, tacit, and implicit), and defines various collaborative relationship models and communication tools used to mobilize knowledge for policy and practice.

This executive summary details a project conducted between October 2002 and December 2004 by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Climate Change and Development Consultants (CC&D), and the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP). The project explored the use of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to promote sustainable development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Chile's transportation sector, specifically focusing on three case studies in Santiago: bicycle infrastructure, bus technology, and location efficiency.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that the World Trade Organization's (WTO) 'non-agricultural market access' (NAMA) negotiations pose significant risks to the global environment and the economic development of developing nations by promoting the liberalisation of natural resources and the removal of non-tariff barriers.

Published in 2004, this strategy outlines South Africa's approach to climate change, prioritizing sustainable development and poverty alleviation. It identifies critical vulnerabilities in agriculture, water, and biodiversity, and proposes a coordinated government response involving mitigation in the energy and industrial sectors and adaptation in rural and health sectors.

This fact sheet, published by Friends of the Earth International in September 2004, criticizes the European Investment Bank (EIB) for its lack of transparency and restrictive information policies. It argues that the EIB often withholds critical project documentation, such as environmental impact assessments, until after loans are approved, thereby preventing public participation and oversight. The document outlines the EIB's 2002 and 2004 policy updates and presents a series of demands from NGOs to align the bank's practices with international standards and EU law.

This fact sheet, published by Friends of the Earth International in September 2004, evaluates the environmental policies and practices of the European Investment Bank (EIB). It contrasts the EIB's official declarations and commitments to sustainable development and EU environmental standards with the criticisms from NGOs, who argue that a significant gap remains between the bank's rhetoric and its actual investment practices.

This background paper, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for a 2004 MISTRA workshop in Malmö, Sweden, proposes a research agenda for Nordic countries on the intersection of trade and environment. Based on a survey of 315 publications from 2002 to 2003, the document identifies significant research gaps, particularly regarding the Doha Development Agenda and southern perspectives, and suggests priority areas for future academic and policy research to support sustainable development.

This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law chronicles the decade-long struggle of the Mapuche/Pehuenche people against the Pangue and Ralco hydroelectric projects in Chile's Alto BíoBío region. It details the environmental and cultural destruction caused by the dams, the failure of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to oversee social and environmental standards, and the legal battles fought in Chilean and international courts, culminating in a 2003 friendly settlement mediated by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IACHR).

This 2004 policy paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the rapid growth of global aviation is unsustainable due to its significant contribution to climate change and local pollution. It highlights that aviation's radiative forcing makes its emissions three times more damaging than ground-level CO2 and criticizes government subsidies that artificially stimulate demand. The report recommends a shift toward demand management, including the internalisation of external costs, shifting short-haul passengers to rail, and implementing strict noise and emission limits at airports.