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The project examines how land use decisions, such as choosing between pastures and agricultural crops, affect water table depth (WTD) and create interdependencies among neighboring farmers in the Argentine Pampas. Initial findings indicate that pastures lead to deeper groundwater levels compared to crops like soybean, wheat, and maize, and that farmers are generally willing to coordinate actions to manage groundwater as a common good.

The paper argues that the EU's current reliance on voluntary certification schemes for biofuels sustainability is insufficient, especially for small-scale producers in developing countries. It proposes the use of bilateral agreements, as permitted by Article 18(4) of the EU-RED, to provide a more flexible, customized, and holistic approach to sustainability verification. Drawing on lessons from the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), the authors suggest that bilateral deals can address institutional weaknesses, reduce non-tariff trade barriers, and mitigate indirect land-use change (ILUC) more effectively than a one-size-fits-all 'meta-standard'.

Civil society organizations are urging the World Bank to integrate the Inspection Panel's twenty years of experience into its safeguard policy review, arguing that the Panel's investigations provide a critical feedback loop for institutional learning.

The report assesses worldwide methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, estimating 2010 emissions at 1,554 MMTCO2e. It argues that methane is a critical target for short-term climate mitigation due to its 20-year global warming potential (GWP) being 72 times that of carbon dioxide. The document details over 80 abatement technologies, such as vapor recovery units and infrared leak imaging cameras, while analyzing barriers including government price controls, lack of industry knowledge, and the complexities of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The report examines the divergence between lawful and wrongful expropriation compensation, the challenges of indirect expropriation, and the various valuation methods used by arbitral tribunals, such as market value and discounted cash flow.

The document examines the complexities of expropriation compensation, contrasting customary international law—which distinguishes between licit and illicit acts—with BITs, which often apply a uniform standard. It highlights the risks associated with indirect expropriation, where general public interest regulations may trigger high compensation costs. The guide evaluates three primary valuation methods: market value, net book value, and discounted cash flow, noting that the latter is often speculative. It concludes by recommending that states explicitly define indirect expropriation and specify interest rates and payment flexibility in their treaties, citing the SADC model BIT as a reference.

The report identifies synergies and trade-offs between climate change mitigation, adaptation, and food security in the agricultural sector. It evaluates existing international funding mechanisms—including carbon markets, multilateral funds, and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs)—and proposes the creation of domestic 'gatekeeper institutions' to coordinate resources and overcome implementation fragmentation for smallholders.

The report argues that stricter chemical laws do not impede innovation but rather accelerate it by pushing companies to develop safer alternatives. Using case studies on phthalates and CFCs, it demonstrates that regulatory pressure correlates with spikes in patent filings. However, it highlights the danger of 'regrettable substitution,' where hazardous chemicals are replaced by structurally similar ones with unknown risks. The document concludes that for innovation to create a safer marketplace, laws must shift the burden of proof for safety to manufacturers, internalize environmental and health costs, and ensure transparent access to hazard information.

The document examines policy risk—defined as unexpected government regulatory changes—and its impact on renewable energy investments. It analyzes existing tools like MIGA and OPIC political risk insurance and World Bank partial risk guarantees, while detailing a new OPIC FiT insurance product. The report concludes with recommendations for improving these instruments through standardization, expanded geographic scope, and better integration with credit rating agency methodologies to enhance project bankability.

The report argues for a paradigm shift in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from a focus on commodity production to the preservation of natural capital and ecosystem resilience. It identifies a 'triple challenge'—viable food production, sustainable resource management, and balanced territorial development—and proposes transition pathways including increased resource efficiency, embracing agricultural diversity, and expanding Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The analysis highlights the interdependence of these goals, noting that ecosystem degradation undermines both food security and the economic viability of rural areas, particularly in less prosperous regions.

The document examines the socio-institutional drivers, governance networks, and barriers to water resources adaptation in three Model Forests (MFs). It identifies a common lack of shared vision and technical data across the sites, while noting that climate change will exacerbate existing biophysical and social stressors. The analysis emphasizes a bottom-up approach, identifying 'agents of change' and strategic entry points—such as generating new technical information and strengthening organizational capacity—to facilitate inclusive water governance.

The document analyzes the mismatch between the stated environmental goals of biofuel policies and their actual political objectives, such as supporting agricultural constituencies. It argues that subsidies often create market distortions and unintended consequences, such as increasing food prices and harming the environment. The authors recommend phasing out support for food-based biofuels, adopting carbon pricing and the removal of fossil fuel subsidies as 'first-best' alternatives, and adhering to good governance principles and the Precautionary Principle to manage uncertainty regarding indirect land use change and food security.

The EESI advises the EPA against waiving the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) despite 2012 extreme weather, arguing that the RFS is not the cause of the economic harm to livestock and poultry producers. The document asserts that market forces and existing RFS flexibility are already reducing corn demand, and that a waiver would create policy uncertainty, deterring the estimated $168 billion in investment needed for advanced biorefineries by 2022. EESI maintains that the long-term benefits of the RFS—including reduced oil imports, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and rural economic growth—outweigh the potential short-term gains of a waiver.

The provided text is a list of academic references from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. It catalogues research on tree-ring analysis (dendrochronology), glacier recession, and precipitation patterns in the Andes, the Canadian Rockies, and Mexico.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submits proposed revisions to the UNCITRAL draft rules on transparency in investor-State arbitration. The submission focuses on expanding the scope of application to existing treaties, mandating the public disclosure of a wide range of case documents, establishing public hearings as the default rule, and tightening the criteria for confidentiality and 'integrity of the process' exceptions to prevent broad tribunal discretion from undermining transparency.

The document addresses the tension between the pursuit of a green economy and the existing international trade system. It argues that while Rio+20 provided general guidance, it failed to establish what constitutes 'appropriate state behaviour' regarding green industrial policies, such as subsidies and local content requirements. The author highlights a rise in trade frictions—including disputes between the U.S., China, and the EU over solar and wind technology—and asserts that the WTO's Dispute Settlement Mechanism is ill-suited to resolve these issues because they stem from a lack of international consensus on policy propriety rather than simple rule breaches. The text advocates for the creation of an institutional space, such as through UNCTAD, to evaluate the effectiveness of green tools and their impacts on trading partners, particularly developing nations, to ensure a just transition.

The document argues that Argentina's shift toward a large-scale extractivist mining model, accelerated by the 2004 National Mining Plan, has led to systemic human rights violations. It highlights the repression of community protests against open-pit mining, citing police violence, arbitrary detentions, and the criminalization of dissent through legislation like the 2011 Anti-Terrorist Law. The text specifically identifies threats to the fundamental right to water and a healthy environment, while documenting numerous clashes in provinces such as Catamarca, Tucumán, and La Rioja.

The statement details the impact of the extractive-export mining model in Argentina, highlighting the systematic suppression of community resistance through police violence and the criminalization of protest. It asserts that mega-mining projects violate constitutional rights to water and a healthy environment, while citing specific instances of arrests and raids in provinces such as Catamarca, La Rioja, and Tucumán.

The report examines China's agricultural investment strategy, noting a transition from market dependence to foreign direct investment. While China remains largely self-sufficient in staple grains, it requires imports of soybeans, cotton, and palm oil for its industrial and energy sectors. The document details various investment models, including aid-driven demonstration farms, joint ventures, and direct land acquisitions. It confirms 54 Chinese projects covering 4.8 million hectares across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while cautioning against the social and environmental risks associated with large-scale land acquisitions.

The IAI's 2012-2013 plan includes the launch of CRN3, co-financing agreements with the NSF's PIRE program, and a MacArthur Foundation project on biodiversity in the tropical Andes. Capacity building events are scheduled for Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador, alongside an editorial forum in Buenos Aires. Administratively, the institute plans to move to Montevideo to address operational instability.