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The document argues that the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) requires a dedicated hemispheric framework to ensure trade liberalization supports sustainable development. It reviews sub-regional models—including Mercosur, CARICOM, the Andean Community, the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development, and NAFTA—to identify best practices in environmental management and civil society participation. The authors propose a new Americas Environmental Accord (AEA) based on the 2001 Mercosur Framework Agreement on the Environment, suggesting it include shared objectives for environmental protection, dispute settlement mechanisms, and protocols for natural resource management. Additionally, the paper recommends conducting ex-ante sustainability impact assessments (SIA) for the FTAA and establishing a Public Advisory Committee to foster inclusive dialogue between governments and civil society.

The briefing examines the tension between intellectual property rights and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the proposed TRIPS waiver. It details the shift from a broad proposal by India and South Africa to a more limited 'quadrilateral' compromise involving the US and EU, while noting the role of the WHO's C-TAP initiative.

The briefing outlines key environmental priorities for the WTO's MC12, focusing on fisheries subsidies, climate policy alignment with the Paris Agreement, and several member-led initiatives. It highlights the 'Structured Discussions on Trade and Environmental Sustainability' (TESSD), a ministerial declaration on plastic pollution, and a proposal for fossil fuel subsidy reform. The author emphasizes that success depends on integrating the needs of developing countries through enhanced 'Aid for Trade' and inclusive dialogue to avoid a two-speed global green economy.

The document analyzes the tension between the WTO's multilateral and plurilateral paths for regulating digital trade. It focuses on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce (WPEC), the ongoing moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions, and the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-commerce. The author highlights the divide between developed nations seeking permanent rules and developing nations concerned about the digital divide and loss of tariff revenue, noting that decisions at MC14 in March 2026 will shape global digital governance.

The document outlines five common minimum standards for COFFIS members to ensure transparency and consistency in reporting fossil fuel subsidies. These standards cover the coexistence of various subsidy definitions, a comprehensive definition of fossil fuels (including primary and secondary commodities), the identification of beneficiaries across consumption and production sectors, the requirement for preliminary climate and socio-economic impact assessments, and a commitment to annual inventory updates.

The research project examined SD strategies in 19 countries and the European Union, concluding that while innovations exist in strategy types and participation, no country has achieved a truly strategic approach due to fragmented management cycles and weak feedback processes. Key findings highlight that SD strategies often remain peripheral to national budgeting and struggle with 'the administrative trap' of vertical government structures. The document identifies four main strategy types: comprehensive and multi-dimensional, cross-sectoral, sectoral, and integration into existing planning. Specific innovations are noted, such as Sweden's environmental tax shifting and Switzerland's constitutional elevation of sustainable development to a national goal.

The document lists the top 15 oil palm-producing countries as of 2016, including major producers such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea, while categorizing them based on harvest area and VSS compliance.

Argentina reduced direct budgetary transfers to oil producers, saving an estimated US$ 780 million in 2017. However, the government maintained and prioritized subsidies for unconventional gas production, specifically targeting the Vaca Muerta reservoir through the 'Plan Gas'. These reforms were driven by fiscal pressures, including a US$ 50 billion IMF standby agreement requiring deficit reduction. While oil subsidies fell, the government continued to owe US$ 1.5 billion to oil companies as of January 2019. Environmental concerns persist as gas is treated as a transition fuel, despite the high greenhouse gas emissions and water contamination associated with fracking in Vaca Muerta.

The text advocates for demilitarisation based on the premise that traditional military deterrence is often outdated and that security can be more cost-effectively achieved through non-violent means and human security frameworks. It proposes replacing 'rules of thumb' for military spending with rational cost-effectiveness analysis and objective security assessments. The author suggests that transparency in military budgeting is necessary for parliamentary oversight and that a 'National Ministry of Peacebuilding' should be established to manage the transition. While acknowledging the difficulty of generating a domestic 'peace dividend' in developing nations, the document highlights the potential for long-term economic and social gains through the reallocation of resources from military to civilian sectors.

This report provides a spatial analysis of disaster incidence in Central America and the Dominican Republic between 1950 and 2020. It identifies that hydrometeorological events, specifically floods and landslides, are the most recurrent threats, often coinciding with high-density urban areas and coastal zones. The study highlights a significant increase in recorded disasters since 1990, peaking in 2010. It further correlates disaster risk with physical variables, noting that 70.7% of records occur below 1,000 meters above sea level and that a high percentage of critical territories are located in areas with medium to high population density. The analysis also observes a decline in forest cover and an increase in pasture land from 1990 to 2018, linking these land-use changes to increased disaster vulnerability.

The report examines the interaction between ICCAs and international and national laws, finding that while international instruments and some national policies show progress, systemic gaps and discriminatory implementation continue to threaten these areas. It highlights the critical need for the recognition of customary land rights, self-determination, and integrated socio-ecological legislation to support community-led conservation.

The authors argue that non-violent direct action is more effective at undermining autocracies and significantly more likely to lead to democratic transitions than violent conflict. Using a multinomial logit model for the period 1900-2004, the study finds that non-violent campaigns substantially increase the probability of democratization, particularly when the state has a high proportion of democratic neighbors. Conversely, violent direct action is less effective at destabilizing regimes overall and makes transitions to new autocracies relatively more likely. The research suggests that non-violence promotes power dispersion and elite defection, whereas violence tends to centralize power and justify further repression.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) developed the Climate Change and Economic Vulnerability Index (CEVI) and the Climate Change and Economic Resilience Index (CERI) to address the misalignment of climate finance. Using data from 160 countries, the indices reveal that low-income economies, particularly in Africa, face the highest vulnerability and lowest resilience. An analysis of 2021 OECD adaptation finance flows shows that funds are often misallocated, with more resilient and less vulnerable countries sometimes receiving higher per-person funding than those in the most critical need. The paper recommends that international financial institutions mainstream these indices to ensure needs-based allocation of climate support.

The document outlines a strategic framework for Caribbean nations to 'recover better' from the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It highlights the economic benefits, such as GDP growth and job creation, and identifies eight key enablers—including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and the adoption of cost-reflective tariffs—necessary to transition from centralized, fossil-fuel-dependent power systems to resilient, decentralized green energy infrastructures.

The EU-UNDP Low Emission Capacity Building Programme is a collaborative initiative funded by the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. It aims to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to transition toward low-emission, climate-resilient pathways by supporting the development of GHG inventories, Low-Emission Development Strategies (LEDS), and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs).

The document analyzes the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in 13 Latin American countries, focusing on mainstreaming SDGs into national policies, operationalization, and social ownership. While most countries found aligning national priorities with SDGs relatively simple, they face significant hurdles in cross-sectoral coordination, long-term budgetary guarantees, and the inclusion of subnational governments and civil society. The report highlights diverse national strategies, ranging from Colombia's integration of SDGs into its national development plan to Mexico's alignment of over 400 budget indicators with SDG targets.

The SEI strategy 2025–29 focuses on three impact areas: climate transitions, nature and resources, and health and wellbeing. It introduces 'accelerating implementation' as a new strategic outcome to move faster on global goals. The institute aims to pursue innovative research on emerging topics such as critical raw materials, the sustainability of AI, and the intersection of climate transitions and international security, while strengthening its global integration as 'One SEI'.

The report assesses the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in nine European countries, finding that while socio-cultural elements are prevalent, economic and environmental dimensions are underrepresented. It highlights a gap between high-level curricular goals and actual classroom materials, recommending a shift toward individual empowerment and systemic thinking.

The document explains the mechanics of carbon credits, distinguishing between regulated markets under the Paris Agreement and voluntary markets. It highlights that while Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 22% of global carbon credit sales in 2021, the region lacks the robust regulation needed to prevent environmental and social risks. The guide warns against over-reliance on the forestry sector, the risk of 'greenwashing' in voluntary markets, and the potential for 'double counting' of emission reductions. It recommends establishing transparent national registries, ensuring fair benefit-sharing with local communities, and prioritizing structural decarbonization over simple offsetting.

The technical appendices describe the use of a Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) general equilibrium model to simulate the effects of adopting the MyPlate and Harvard Healthy Eating Plate dietary guidelines. The analysis focuses on the resulting shifts in U.S. crop acreage, specifically the reduction of cereal grain production in favor of fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Key findings include a projected 8% decline in U.S. cereal grain acreage under the Harvard scenario and significant changes in land rental rates and production levels for various food sectors.