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This executive summary, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in May 2022, evaluates the progress made 50 years after the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment. It argues that while knowledge and goals have increased, an 'action gap' persists, with only about one-tenth of global environmental targets achieved. The document proposes three systemic shifts—redefining the human-nature relationship, ensuring lasting prosperity for all, and investing in a sustainable future—alongside improvements in global governance to unlock transformative change.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the disparity between large-scale infrastructure projects and local quality-of-life infrastructure in the state of Pará, Brazil. It argues that the prioritization of logistics for commodity exports has neglected basic services such as sanitation, health, and education, particularly in low-density areas and regions surrounding planned major projects.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and CUTS International, Geneva, analyzes the development-oriented elements of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD). It examines the challenges of implementing Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for developing countries, proposals for promoting sustainable investments through Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and anti-corruption measures, and the potential role of home state measures in facilitating outward foreign direct investment.

This report provides a gendered analysis of employment and skills within Brazil's large-scale mining (LSM) sector from 2009 to 2019. It examines the 'feminization' of the workforce, identifying that while female employment has increased, significant gaps remain in remuneration, leadership representation, and the division of technical tasks. The study combines quantitative data from the Annual Social Information List (RAIS) with qualitative interviews from three mining companies to assess how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategies are being implemented.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the historical and current tensions between international trade rules and environmental protection. It highlights the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), arguing that the removal of harmful subsidies in fossil fuels, fisheries, and agriculture is essential for achieving sustainable development and meeting climate goals.

This policy brief examines the environmental and social challenges of the mining industry and the limitations of current international and domestic governance. It argues that achieving 'sustainable mining' requires a shift toward development partnerships, stronger community consultation, and the integration of UN Sustainable Development Goals into mining operations to mitigate the 'resource curse' and environmental degradation.

This report outlines an internal exercise by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to determine how the organization can better support sustainable food systems research and policy in Canada. Through staff surveys, stakeholder interviews, and literature reviews, IISD identified a need for a holistic, multi-sectoral 'systems approach' to food policy that integrates social equity with economic and environmental goals.

This report, commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), examines how just transition policies can address employment and social justice challenges in developing countries and emerging economies during the shift to an ecologically sustainable economy.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute argues that achieving the Paris Agreement goals and the 2030 Agenda requires a systemic transformation of global development, with a specific focus on providing incentives and frameworks for developing countries and emerging economies.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that gross domestic product (GDP) is an insufficient measure of economic health and national well-being, particularly during the post-COVID-19 recovery. It highlights the 'Measuring Wealth to Promote Sustainable Development Project,' which advocates for 'comprehensive wealth' accounting—incorporating natural, produced, human, financial, and social capital—to guide sustainable government policy and prevent environmental degradation.

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in August 2021, provides a framework for establishing financial assurance for mine closure in Argentina. It aims to ensure that funds are available for environmental rehabilitation and physical stability if a mining company is unable to execute its closure plan. The document details best practices for calculating closure costs, selecting financial instruments, and managing these guarantees throughout a mine's life cycle, drawing on regional examples from Chile and Peru.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the readiness of governments to manage mine closures and post-mining transitions. Based on a 2019-2020 survey of 17 countries and 14 Mining Policy Framework (MPF) assessments, the document finds that while governments recognize the importance of mine closure, many lack the necessary policies, financial instruments, and technical capacity to implement them effectively.

This research paper argues that African countries should incorporate nuclear power into their energy mixes to address severe electrification gaps and align with global transitions toward cleaner energy. The author contends that nuclear energy is a viable economic and environmental option, provided that countries develop robust regulatory frameworks and leverage cooperative regional approaches to overcome challenges in financing and infrastructure.

This research paper assesses the implications of the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) Expanded Mandate, a series of decisions taken between 2016 and 2019 to revitalise the agency. While the expansion has renewed momentum and increased membership, the author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains to avoid distracting from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews.

This policy brief examines the history and effectiveness of United Nations 'mega-conferences' on sustainable development, from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to Rio+20 in 2012. It analyzes how these events have attempted to integrate economic development, social equity, and environmental protection, while highlighting the persistent tensions between industrialized and developing nations regarding financial responsibility and the right to development.

This case study examines the influence of corporate power on the bioeconomy transition in Brazil, arguing that the current trajectory benefits corporate agribusiness at the expense of social equality and sustainable development.

This policy brief examines the international governance of biosafety, focusing on the 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It details the history of modern biotechnology, the tensions between exporting and importing nations regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the mechanisms used to manage the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs) to protect biodiversity and human health.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This report, compiled by civil society organisations in 2020 and 2021, outlines 12 key governance issues in Botswana as a submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). While acknowledging Botswana's history of good governance, the document highlights worrying trends in corruption, lack of accountability, and the need for more inclusive, participatory governance.

This document contains the Short Heads of Argument filed on 11 March 2021 by the First Respondent, Uthaka Energy (Pty) Ltd, in the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria). Uthaka argues against an urgent application for an interim interdict brought by the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa and others, which seeks to stop the commencement of the Yzermyn Underground Coal-mining Project. Uthaka contends that it possesses all necessary statutory authorisations and that the application lacks urgency, a prima facie right, and a reasonable apprehension of irreparable harm.