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The document critiques the global trend of water privatization, highlighting how the World Bank and IMF use loan conditionalities to force poor nations to privatize water services. It details the dominance of French multinationals like Suez and Vivendi, the impact of trade agreements like GATS, and provides case studies from countries such as Bolivia, Malaysia, and Indonesia where privatization led to price hikes and social unrest. It advocates for water as a social and cultural good rather than an economic commodity, promoting community-based management and ecological restoration.

This document is a petition submitted on August 29, 2002, to an ICSID arbitral tribunal by a group of Bolivian civil society organizations, individuals, and Friends of the Earth-Netherlands. The petitioners seek standing to intervene as parties or amici curiae in an arbitration between Aguas del Tunari, S.A. and the Republic of Bolivia. The dispute concerns a 40-year water concession in Cochabamba that was terminated following widespread public protests over rate increases. The petitioners argue that the tribunal's decision will directly impact water access and public finances in Bolivia and that the process must be transparent to be legitimate.

The document analyzes the conflict between corporate biotechnology and local communities defending agricultural diversity. It argues that the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the US government use trade sanctions and neoliberal policies to impose GMOs and monocultures, which lead to genetic erosion, loss of traditional seed varieties, and the displacement of small-scale farmers. Through case studies in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Canada, it highlights the risks of genetic contamination, the privatization of water and seeds, and the failure of transgenic crops to deliver promised yields. The report concludes by calling for the recognition of food sovereignty, the application of the precautionary principle, and the protection of farmers' rights to save and exchange seeds.

This fact sheet traces the evolution of sustainable development from the 1960s to 2002. It highlights a progression from early environmental warnings, such as Rachel Carson's 1962 work, to the establishment of major international frameworks like the 1987 Brundtland Report and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The timeline documents the rise of environmental NGOs, the creation of UN agencies like UNEP, and the development of climate-specific agreements including the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol. It also notes the intersection of sustainability with social issues, such as poverty eradication, human rights, and gender equality, culminating in the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

The document examines how the transfer of power to municipal governments in lowland Bolivia has affected forest management and the livelihoods of local users. While decentralization has increased the bargaining power of marginalized groups like indigenous people and small-scale timber producers, it has also created bureaucratic hurdles and reinforced the influence of local elites. The author argues that the success of these reforms is constrained by macroeconomic policies, high transaction costs for land titling, and the influence of national political parties on local governance.

The report identifies a significant decline in financial contributions and institutional participation among IAI member countries since 1997. While 19 American countries have joined, only a few maintain consistent funding, with the USA providing the vast majority of programmatic support. The Working Group analyzed data on voluntary contributions, institutional meeting attendance, and scientific program participation to diagnose the lack of interest, concluding that further analysis is required to develop effective recovery strategies.

The IAI invested approximately US$20 million between 1995 and 2000 to establish multinational research networks in the Americas. This was achieved through four primary programs: Start-up Grants (SG), the Initial Science Program (ISP), the Collaborative Research Network (CRN), and the Program to Expand Scientific Capacity in the Americas (PESCA). The IAI's Science Agenda focused on four themes, with the largest funding allocation going to 'Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere, Oceans and Fresh Waters'. The institute reports 145 publications resulting from ISP and CRN funding and emphasizes student training as a key mechanism for regional scientific development. However, the IAI notes a funding gap of over US$6 million for high-quality research proposals that remain unfunded.

The Quito Declaration, signed in May 2000, asserts the critical role of Indigenous Peoples in conserving forests and biodiversity while highlighting their exclusion from the negotiation of the 1992 UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. The document requests that the UNFCCC Secretariat guarantee adequate participation and direct accreditation for Indigenous organizations in COP 6 and related meetings. It specifically calls for an agenda item at COP 6 to examine the impacts of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) on Indigenous lives and territories, emphasizing the need for 'prior and informed free consent' and respect for territorial rights.

The document examines the intersection of biodiversity conservation and indigenous rights, arguing that effective partnerships require a shift from top-down mandates to community-led resource management. Through case studies in Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Papua New Guinea, and Namibia, it highlights the risks of 'culture brokers' and the necessity of secure land tenure. It concludes that sustainable conservation is only possible when indigenous peoples are recognized as legitimate stakeholders with the authority to manage their ancestral territories.

The document is a participant list for the Sixth Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) in Ottawa, Canada. It details representatives from member countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, and various international organizations such as the WMO, OAS, and CARICOM. It also lists IAI staff and Canadian support personnel.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), representing COICA and the Amazon Coalition, requests the reexamination of U.S. Plant Patent No. 5,751 for the 'Da Vine' cultivar of Banisteriopsis caapi. The request argues that the patent is invalid because the plant's characteristics—specifically its rose-colored flowers—are typical of the species and documented in prior art from U.S. herbaria. Furthermore, the document asserts that the plant is found in an uncultivated state and that granting a patent over a sacred plant used in indigenous Amazonian religious and medicinal traditions violates public policy and international principles like the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The document examines how trademarks and geographical indications (GIs) can be used to reward sustainable production and protect traditional knowledge. Through case studies of kava, rooibos tea, quinoa, basmati rice, and neem, it assesses the viability of these legal tools in creating niche markets that benefit local custodians of biodiversity while preventing unauthorized commercial exploitation.

The report examines a shift in Tanzania's rural electrification strategy from a centralized utility model (TANESCO) to locally managed cooperatives. It focuses on the Urambo Electric Consumers Co-operative Society (UECCO), which took over a diesel-powered system in 1993. Key findings indicate that while local management improved service reliability and financial performance compared to TANESCO's isolated branches, the cooperative struggled with high fuel costs, inadequate bookkeeping, and the need for high tariffs to ensure sustainability. The report also evaluates the use of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and photovoltaic (PV) systems, concluding that CFLs and fluorescent tubes are more cost-effective than incandescent bulbs, while individual PV systems are generally more expensive than centralized diesel supply unless the latter is severely under-utilized.

The Lima Workshop on Mining and Sustainable Development in the Americas brought together 76 representatives from 11 countries to establish a shared vision for the industry. The participants identified five strategic objectives—improved living conditions, sustainable technology and economic development, transparent policies, social consensus, and democratic participation—and formed working groups to implement them. The report details lessons learned from various multi-stakeholder dialogue cases across the region, emphasizing the need for transparency, early community engagement, and the building of negotiation capacity within local communities.

The Lima Workshop on Mining and Sustainable Development in the Americas brought together 76 representatives from 11 countries to address the environmental and social impacts of mining. Participants identified five strategic objectives for a vision of "Balanced, Harmonious and Sustainable Development": improved living conditions, sustainable technologies and economic development, transparent regulations and policies, internalized social consensus, and democratic participation of stakeholders. The workshop focused on the mechanics of multi-stakeholder processes, analyzing what facilitates successful consensus (such as third-party facilitators and early stakeholder involvement) and what hinders it (such as unrealistic expectations and short timelines). The event concluded with the formation of five working groups to develop concrete actions for each strategic objective, coordinated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Between October 1997 and January 1998, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and partners conducted three regional workshops in Lima, Peru; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Fortaleza, Brazil. These meetings aimed to use probabilistic seasonal forecast information to reduce socioeconomic disruption caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The workshops involved climate scientists and stakeholders from sectors such as health, agriculture, and fisheries to create regional precipitation forecasts and design pilot application projects. Specific forecasts for the 1997-98 period predicted above-normal rainfall for coastal Ecuador and northern Peru, while predicting drier than normal conditions for most of northeast South America, including northern parts of Northeast Brazil.

The IAI Program Plan for 1998-1999 establishes goals to advance scientific programs, build regional capacity, and enhance the participation of scientists and countries in the Americas. The plan includes a budget of funded activities, such as graduate and postdoctoral training in Brazil and Mexico, and the development of climate forecasts. Future initiatives include CO2 monitoring in the Amazon Basin and the Pan-American Climate Information System (PACIS) for disaster preparedness.

The report evaluates local management of rural electrification in Bolivia, India, and Nepal, concluding that it is a feasible approach in developing countries that can lower costs and accelerate load development. Key findings highlight that success depends heavily on local willingness, clear national policies, and initial technical and financial assistance. While some co-operatives in Bolivia failed due to poor management and restrictive profit laws, others, like CRE in Santa Cruz, thrived by serving both urban and rural loads. In India, co-operatives showed higher electrification rates than state-run schemes, though they struggled with top-down control and fixed tariffs. In Nepal, micro-hydro projects managed by local committees or shareholder companies proved effective in remote areas, often supported by international NGOs.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) testifies that environmental provisions in the NAFTA package are essential for Chilean accession to prevent trade distortions and establish a template for broader hemispheric integration. CIEL proposes a three-tiered 'readiness criteria' system: a 'Starting Line' requiring democratic rights, adherence to international agreements, environmental impact reviews, and basic institutional capacity; a five-year milestone for passing necessary legislation and establishing regulatory frameworks; and a ten-year milestone for effective enforcement of domestic environmental laws. The testimony emphasizes that the current Chilean environmental agency, CONAMA, is severely understaffed and relies too heavily on outside funding. To ensure compliance, CIEL suggests linking trade liberalization progress to environmental milestones through sanctions such as tariff freezes or snapbacks, and proposes an expanded funding mechanism, potentially funded by a tax on short-term international capital flows, to support environmental restoration and protection.

The document is a directory of delegations, observers, and secretariat staff attending the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties in September 1994. It lists representatives from various national governments, scientific institutions, and international organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research.