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The document presents a series of case studies from Friends of the Earth (FoE) affiliates worldwide, highlighting grassroots efforts to combat deforestation, protect endangered species, promote organic food, and transition to renewable energy. It emphasizes the role of local communities—particularly indigenous peoples and women—in creating sustainable alternatives to corporate-led development. The report also outlines the organization's broader political agenda to challenge international financial institutions and multinational corporations, advocating for 'ecological debt' payments from the Global North to the Global South.

The document examines Monsanto's attempt to redefine its business strategy around sustainable development and biotechnology under CEO Robert Shapiro. While the company achieved significant market share in genetically engineered crops and high initial financial returns, it faced a severe global backlash from NGOs, consumers, and governments, particularly in Europe. The analysis attributes this failure to a 'one-size-fits-all' strategy that ignored the needs of developing countries, a lack of stakeholder engagement, and a corporate culture that prioritized short-term value capture and intellectual property enforcement over transparency and public dialogue. The document concludes that Monsanto's reliance on a 'symbolic' strategic mode—focused on vision without corresponding transactive learning or rational alignment—led to its eventual merger with Pharmacia & Upjohn in 1999.

The document advises Pakistan to move from a reactive to a proactive negotiation strategy at the WTO. It proposes a 'phased' negotiation model to manage 'negotiation fatigue' and prioritize the implementation of existing agreements. Furthermore, it argues that Pakistan should lead developing countries in shaping the trade and environment agenda based on 'sustainable development' and 'Agenda 21' principles, rather than attempting to stall discussions, to avoid being used as a scapegoat by developed nations and to prevent the imposition of protectionist environmental standards.

The report develops a pilot Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) for Sweden (1950-1992), finding that while per capita ISEW grew by over 90%, it lagged behind the more than 100% growth of per capita GNP. The index began to diverge from GNP around 1980, eventually declining by 1992. This divergence was less severe than in the US or UK, which the authors attribute to Sweden's progressive income distribution policies and its reliance on hydropower, which reduced the negative impacts of resource depletion and long-term environmental damage in the index calculations.

The document details a 1994 scenario where the U.S. pulp and paper industry faced pressure to eliminate chlorine bleaching due to the production of dioxins and other organochlorines. It contrasts the positions of the EPA, which proposed the 'cluster rule' to integrate air and water regulations, Greenpeace, which advocated for totally chlorine-free (TCF) processes, and industry players who argued that elemental chlorine-free (ECF) substitution was a more economically viable solution. The text explores the technical differences between ECF and TCF, the estimated costs of compliance—ranging from $4 billion (EPA) to $10 billion (industry)—and the potential for a voluntary 'covenant' to guide the industry's environmental future.

The report warns that Poland's economic restructuring and privatization are attracting 'dirty' foreign investment, where transnational corporations (TNCs) and international financial institutions apply lower environmental standards than in their home countries. It highlights risks such as the transfer of hazardous technologies, illegal waste imports, and the promotion of 'end-of-pipe' solutions over clean production. To mitigate these risks, the document proposes a framework of seven contractual principles—including the right to know, strict liability, and mandatory environmental audits—to be inserted into privatization contracts until robust national legislation is enacted.

The document highlights that just 1% of Austria's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 31 GW of capacity, exceeding the country's 2021 electricity demand and potentially replacing all fossil fuel and electricity imports.

Austria aims for climate neutrality by 2040, necessitating CCS for 'hard-to-abate' industrial sectors, particularly iron and steel which account for 50% of industrial emissions. While a 2011 ban on geological CO2 storage exists, the government recommends lifting it by mid-2025. A 2024 feasibility study suggests a national CO2 pipeline network could be operational by 2034 with an estimated capital investment of €12–18 billion. Due to limited domestic storage capacity (estimated effective capacity of 118–275 Mt CO2), Austria will likely need to export captured CO2 to other countries.

The Climate Knowledge Brokers (CKB) Group, supported by a Coordination Hub at REEEP, operates as a community of practice for approximately 400 brokers across 60 countries. Between 2014 and 2017, the group focused on professionalizing the role of climate knowledge brokering through the 2015 Climate Knowledge Brokers Manifesto, peer-learning workshops, and the development of digital tools like Climate Tagger and Climate Search. The group emphasizes collaboration over competition to ensure decision-makers have access to tailored, high-quality climate information.

The report analyzes EFSA data from 2007-2014, finding that acrylamide levels in many European foods remain unchanged or are increasing despite voluntary industry 'toolboxes'. It highlights significant benchmark exceedances in baby foods and specific products in Belgium and Denmark, concluding that the European Commission's proposal to mandate codes of practice without setting enforceable legal limits is insufficient to protect consumers.

The report details how a network of industry associations and lobby groups, including PlasticsEurope and EUROPEN, worked to weaken the EU's circular economy goals and the Single-Use Plastics Directive. It highlights specific efforts to avoid mandatory tethered bottle caps and to delay separate collection targets. In Austria, the report describes a coalition of retailers and beverage companies, orchestrated by Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA), that has lobbied against the introduction of a deposit return system despite strong public support and evidence of its effectiveness.

The document analyzes the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change, detailing the scientific consensus on global warming and the diplomatic tensions between industrialized and developing nations during its creation. It highlights the lack of binding emissions targets and the complexities of the financial mechanism and technology transfer.

The Climate Bonds Scientific Framework is a scientifically grounded analysis of emission mitigation pathways and technology options used to anchor the Climate Bonds Taxonomy and certification criteria. Overseen by the Climate Bonds Board and implemented by staff alongside Climate Wedge and research institutions, the framework is reviewed by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The research, conducted by Climate Analytics and IIASA, analyzes emission pathways and technology alternatives, including data from the IPCC’s 5th assessment report, to identify technology categories essential for limiting global average surface temperature growth to 2°C.

The document advocates for the use of energy efficiency and domestic renewable retrofits as a 'super-multiplier' for economic recovery in Europe. It highlights the significant potential for job creation in the construction sector, the mitigation of energy poverty, and the necessity of public-private partnerships to overcome high capital costs and low renovation rates. The authors provide historical and international case studies from the US, South Korea, China, and Europe to demonstrate the effectiveness of green stimulus packages in driving long-term economic and environmental benefits.

The document analyzes the legal mechanisms for accessing justice in environmental matters within the European Union, structured around the three pillars of the Aarhus Convention: access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice for breaches of environmental law. It details the scope of review, standing requirements for individuals and NGOs, and the standards of judicial scrutiny required to ensure effective legal protection. The guide specifically highlights the disparities in implementation across Member States and the restrictive nature of judicial review for decisions made by EU institutions.

The document assesses plastic pollution in China, highlighting significant production and leakage into oceans, and contrasts this with the EU's comprehensive regulatory framework. It details EU strategies such as the Waste Framework Directive, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and the 'Plastics 2030' strategy, which aims for 100% reusable or recyclable plastic packaging by 2030. The report suggests China adopt similar integrated land-sea management, eco-design standards, and international cooperation to combat plastic waste.

The LIFE-A2J-EARL project focused on reducing the 'implementation deficit' of EU environmental law, which is estimated to cost approximately €50 billion annually. To address this, the project provided training, legal toolkits, and a comprehensive guide on access to justice to judiciary members, public authorities, and NGOs across nine EU countries. Key outputs included the development of national toolkits for eight countries and a 'Guide on Access to Justice in European Union Law'. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the project exceeded its training targets, reaching 2,090 participants through workshops, training sessions, and webinars, and attracting 285 attendees to a virtual international conference. The project's digital outreach included 163 website articles and a newsletter with over 700 subscribers. Socio-economic impacts identified include increased knowledge of the Aarhus Convention, enhanced cooperation between stakeholders, and the empowerment of NGOs to challenge decisions breaching environmental legislation.

The document argues that the lack of chemicals traceability in industry creates significant legal, financial, and environmental risks, hindering the EU's Green Deal and circular economy goals. It advocates for a horizontal traceability strategy combining strong regulatory incentives via the ESPR and capacity building for industry to ensure companies know the chemical composition of their products.

The paper examines the history and current state of EU environmental governance, detailing the roles of the Commission, Parliament, Council, and Court of Justice. It highlights a systemic failure in the enforcement of environmental law by Member States and the Commission, noting that economic interests frequently override environmental concerns. The author argues that the EU's 'good governance' principles of openness and participation are poorly implemented, leaving environmental NGOs with limited influence and citizens with minimal access to justice. While the EU has a comprehensive body of legislation, the author concludes that the lack of political will makes much of it a 'paper tiger'.

A coalition of European civil society organisations (CSOs) is protesting a campaign of disinformation led by some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the European People’s Party (EPP) and far-right groups. The attack specifically targets the legitimacy of public funding for environmental NGOs under the LIFE programme. The statement argues that independent CSOs are essential for a functioning democracy and a fully informed decision-making process, contrasting the modest public grants received by NGOs with the high spending of corporate lobbyists in Brussels.