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The document analyzes the drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the policy frameworks necessary to align these flows with sustainable development goals. It distinguishes between types of FDI—natural-resource-seeking, market-seeking, and efficiency-seeking—and examines the impacts of investment on domestic savings, technology transfer, and the environment. The author argues that while international treaties like the WTO's TRIMs and various Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) are common tools for attracting capital, they can constrain a government's ability to regulate for public health and environmental protection. The paper recommends a combination of domestic institutional strengthening—such as robust environmental management and infrastructure—and strategic international engagement to maximize the developmental benefits of FDI.

The document is an annotated bibliography of 165 entries covering water conflicts from 1996 to 2001. It categorizes research into general theoretical and empirical studies, as well as regional studies focusing on the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa. The author analyzes trends in the literature, noting a growth in general conceptual works and a debate between 'alarmists' who predict 'water wars' and 'skeptics' who emphasize cooperation and risk management.

The author examines whether democratic decentralization reduces poverty and inequality, arguing that while it can address regional disparities, it often fails to reduce intra-regional inequality due to elite capture. The paper identifies seven conditions—such as pro-poor ruling parties, political competition for poor voters, and the presence of pro-poor civil society coalitions—that can enable marginalized groups to gain from decentralized governance. Additionally, the author notes specific challenges in the environmental sector, particularly forestry, where bureaucratic cultures of policing hinder the transition to participatory management.

The document analyzes the drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the potential positive and negative impacts on the host country's economy, environment, and social fabric. It argues that while liberalizing legal frameworks is a common first step, sustainable development requires a comprehensive approach including strong national institutions, environmental regulations, and strategic 'third-generation' policies. The report specifically warns against the risks of international investment treaties, such as the Energy Charter Treaty and NAFTA, which may limit a government's ability to regulate for public health and environmental protection through closed-door arbitration processes.

In 1998, Nike launched the World Shoe Project to target emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with a primary focus on China. The project utilized a 'local-for-local' manufacturing model and a 'design-for-manufacture' approach to create affordable shoes, such as the Series 100 priced at $15. Despite these innovations, by January 2001, sales failed to meet expectations due to rigid corporate profit margin requirements, a distribution network geared toward high-end urban retail, and the absence of a dedicated marketing strategy. The company faced stiff competition from local Chinese brands like Li Ning and Kangwei, which had better market penetration and lower price points.

The document analyzes the alignment between eleven key issues raised by youth organizations and the Action Points of the G-8 DOT Force report adopted at the 2001 Genoa Summit. While it finds convergence on topics like ICT access for children, local content creation, and rural connectivity, it notes a lack of explicit reference to youth consultations in the final G-8 report and a deficiency in addressing youth-specific financial sustainability and the role of young volunteers.

The IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) met in May 2001 to review the first-year progress of various Collaborative Research Network (CRN) projects, discuss the upcoming Human Dimension open science meeting, and plan for an ISP Synthesis Conference in 2002. The committee identified a critical need for a standard reporting format to better track scientific outputs and human dimension impacts. The meeting also addressed SAC membership vacancies, the development of the IAI Data Information System (IAI-DIS), and the failure of a proposal for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to secure funding for Latin America.

The paper examines the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, arguing that while poverty does not necessarily cause degradation, the poor are disproportionately harmed by the loss of natural capital. It critiques the 'Environmental Kuznets Curve' and suggests that sustainable development requires tracking total wealth (natural, human, social, and physical capital) and strengthening institutional frameworks to manage common resources.

The report examines how young professionals—including graduate students, interns, and young employees—contribute to and benefit from knowledge networks dedicated to sustainable development. It argues that while youth bring critical ICT skills and fresh perspectives, they are often relegated to technical roles and excluded from strategic decision-making due to a lack of experience and organizational hierarchies. The document provides specific recommendations for network managers, funders, and young professionals to better integrate youth into the leadership and research processes of these networks.

In an address to the Kosovo, Africa and Humanitarian Intervention Conference, President Nelson Mandela highlights a "disparity of treatment" in how the international community responds to crises in different regions. He contrasts the readiness of the international community to intervene and commit resources to Kosovo with the failure to act during the genocide in Rwanda and the lack of promised support for peacekeeping in Sierra Leone. Mandela emphasizes that the lessons from the Independent International Commission on Kosovo should help advance dialogue on conflict resolution and calls for the global village to share concern for human suffering regardless of geography. He concludes by citing the Burundi peace process as a positive example of renewed international interest in African stability and reconstruction.

The World Scientists' Call for Action, signed by 1,586 scientists including 110 Nobel laureates, demands that the 1997 Kyoto Climate Summit result in a strong treaty with legally binding emission reductions for industrial nations. The signatories warn that human-induced global warming threatens sea levels, human health, and food security, while exacerbating existing environmental crises such as deforestation and species loss. They emphasize that the developing world is particularly vulnerable and call for a transition to renewable energy and a new commitment to global environmental stewardship.

The report examines future water requirements through a 'Conventional Development Scenario' (CDS), which assumes a continuation of current demographic and economic trends. It finds that global water withdrawals are projected to increase from 3,700 cubic kilometers in 1995 to 5,000 cubic kilometers by 2025 in a mid-range case, with the most significant growth in developing regions. The study introduces several indices—including use-to-resource ratio, reliability, and coping capacity—to map water vulnerability. Results indicate that by 2025, a substantial portion of the world's population will live in water-stressed conditions, particularly in Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. The report argues that this 'business-as-usual' path is unsustainable and proposes a transition toward a sustainable water future based on efficiency, equity, and ecosystem protection.

The report assesses the vulnerability of Canadian Prairie agriculture to climate change, highlighting the historical impact of droughts in the 1930s and 1988. It projects that while warming may extend growing seasons and open northern lands for cultivation, increased evaporation and potential precipitation deficits could lead to more frequent and severe droughts, reducing average potential yields by 10-30%. The document emphasizes the need for policy shifts to incentivize sustainable land management and diversification, noting that current income protection programs may discourage adaptation. It also discusses Canada's potential shift in global competitive advantage, suggesting increased opportunities for wheat and corn exports if other global regions face diminished production.

The report argues that while many Asian nations have adopted stringent environmental laws based on Western models, these laws are often ineffective due to a lack of integration with economic planning, corruption, and a failure to account for local cultural contexts. It recommends integrating environmental policy into investment promotion, simplifying regulations to reduce corruption, and utilizing land-use planning as a primary tool for prevention. Specifically, it suggests enhancing compliance through community-based monitoring, adopting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and reforming Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) to include public consultation and post-implementation monitoring.

Deja, Inc. was founded by Julie Lewis to create markets for recycled materials through footwear. Supported by former Nike and Avia executives and venture capital, the company developed shoes from recycled components, though it faced technical challenges with its initial polypropylene fabric. Targeting environmentally conscious consumers, particularly women aged 30-45 and Generation X, Deja entered the fragmented casual footwear market with a premium pricing strategy. Despite high production costs and a complex global supply chain involving material sourcing in North America, Europe, and Japan and assembly in Asia, the company gained significant traction with major retailers and green stores due to its innovative sustainable concept.

The paper contrasts the 'business-as-usual' approach of Asian utilities, which focus on increasing electricity sales and capacity, with a model adopted by some U.S. utilities that prioritizes customer efficiency and renewable energy. The authors argue that investing in efficient technologies—such as compact-fluorescent lamps and 'superwindows'—is significantly cheaper than building power plants and is essential for sustainable economic development in Asia.

The report finds that while global attitudes toward climate change remain largely stable, there is a distinct increase in concern and perceived impact within Europe, where salience rose in France, Italy, and Spain, and more people reported noticing heatwaves and droughts.

The report by Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) analyzes ten 'misleading claims' used by fossil fuel interests to delay the energy transition. It argues that fossil fuels are the primary driver of climate change, with 36.6 billion tonnes of the 40.5 billion global CO2 emissions in 2022 originating from their use. The document debunks claims that emissions—rather than fossil fuels themselves—are the problem, and challenges the industry's focus on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, noting that Scope 3 emissions account for 80-95% of total carbon emissions for oil and gas companies. It further critiques technological 'solutions' like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Direct Air Capture (DAC), e-fuels, and 'blue' hydrogen, characterizing them as expensive, inefficient, or unproven at the scale required to limit warming to 1.5C. Finally, it argues that fossil fuel reliance hinders economic growth in Africa and Asia and exacerbates the global cost-of-living crisis.

The document examines the use and impact of atrazine in Canada and globally, highlighting its role as a significant environmental and health risk despite declining sales in Quebec. It details the chemical's persistence in surface and groundwater, its classification as an endocrine disruptor by several governments, and its toxic effects on wildlife, particularly amphibians. The text also discusses the lack of consensus on human carcinogenicity, the risks associated with pesticide 'cocktails', and the legal challenges surrounding its regulation in North America, ultimately advocating for a ban based on the European example.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) aims to reduce anthropogenic methane emissions from agriculture, fossil fuels, and waste to slow global warming. The strategy focuses on driving global action via policy and markets, developing cross-cutting capacity for funding and research, and strengthening multilateral commitments like the Global Methane Pledge. CATF seeks $25.5 million over three years to expand its technical, policy, and communications teams to implement these goals.