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Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without
This inaugural address by the National Director of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) argues that Africa's development depends on internal accountability, leadership, and a shift away from aid-dependency. The author highlights the rise of China and India as shifting global power dynamics and urges African states to implement industrial strategies to avoid a new 'scramble' for raw materials. The speech emphasizes the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the need for a vibrant civil society to hold governments accountable.
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Document type: Statement
Aviation and Sustainability
This 2004 policy paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the rapid growth of global aviation is unsustainable due to its significant contribution to climate change and local pollution. It highlights that aviation's radiative forcing makes its emissions three times more damaging than ground-level CO2 and criticizes government subsidies that artificially stimulate demand. The report recommends a shift toward demand management, including the internalisation of external costs, shifting short-haul passengers to rail, and implementing strict noise and emission limits at airports.
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Document type: Policy brief
Whole System Design
This guide introduces 'whole system design' for residential buildings, emphasizing the integration of passive solar strategies, thermal mass, and reflective roofing to reduce energy consumption. It argues that careful planning can make green homes cost the same or less than conventional ones and highlights financing options like Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs).
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Document type: Guide
REBUTTAL TO TROMP ET AL.'S RESPONSE, SCIENCE 302:226-229,10 OCT. 2003
Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute provides a rebuttal to a response by Tromp et al. regarding hydrogen leakage rates. Lovins argues that the 10% to 20% leakage rate assumed by Tromp et al. is unsupported by evidence and technically implausible for commercial systems. He specifically disputes the claim that liquid hydrogen (LH2) boiloff from automotive tanks would contribute significantly to atmospheric emissions, asserting that such gases would be used as fuel or catalytically oxidized. Lovins further contends that the automotive industry is moving toward compressed gaseous hydrogen (GH2) over LH2 due to superior economics, safety, and weight, citing a concept SUV as evidence that high-pressure GH2 tanks can meet or exceed range benchmarks.
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Document type: Statement
South Africa’s Defence Industry
This research paper examines the evolution of South Africa's defence industry from its growth during the apartheid era to its restructuring and reorientation toward global markets after 1994. It details the shift from state-driven self-sufficiency to a commercially focused model based on exports, international partnerships, and strategic procurement policies.
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Document type: Research paper
What future for the WTO in a changing international order?
This briefing by Razeen Sally examines the challenges facing the World Trade Organization (WTO) amidst a shifting global power structure characterized by overwhelming US dominance and the decline of European and Japanese influence. The author argues that the WTO is suffering from regulatory overload, excessive legalisation, and political deadlock, which have crippled its ability to function as a negotiating mechanism. To survive as a vehicle for liberalisation, the author suggests the WTO must return to its core purpose of reducing trade barriers and secure clear US leadership supported by pragmatic coalitions in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Document type: Briefing
Energy Security facts
This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes U.S. energy insecurity, focusing on the risks associated with oil dependence and the potential for energy efficiency to mitigate these threats. Using data primarily from the 2001 EIA Annual Energy Review, the document details the sources and uses of U.S. oil, the economic and security costs of dependence on OPEC and the Persian Gulf, and the technical potential for reducing oil consumption through vehicle efficiency and alternative fuels.
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Document type: Report
The TRIPS Agreement and Biological Diversity
This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the potential conflicts and synergies between the WTO's TRIPS Agreement on intellectual property and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It analyzes how patent laws regarding biological resources, technology transfer, and traditional knowledge intersect with national sovereignty and the goal of equitable benefit sharing.
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Document type: Research paper
International Anti-toxics Groups Urge Canadian Government to Resist Industry’s Challenge of Pesticide Ban
A group of international anti-toxics organizations, including the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), urged the Canadian government to resist a $100 million claim by the Crompton Corporation under NAFTA Chapter 11. The claim follows Crompton's voluntary surrender of its registration for lindane, a persistent organic pollutant used in canola seed treatment. The organizations argue that NAFTA's investor-state mechanism is being used to undermine legitimate public health and environmental regulations.
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Document type: Statement
Virtual Exhibition E-Discussions: Working Together for Sustainable Development
This report summarizes an electronic consultation facilitated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) from May 6 to June 11, 2002, on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Business Action for Sustainable Development (BASD). The consultation, involving over 475 participants, explored the nature, planning, communication, evaluation, and long-term support of partnerships for sustainable development as a contribution to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
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Document type: Report
Report of the Fifteenth Meeting of the IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
The report details the fifteenth meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), held in May 2001. The committee focused on filling SAC vacancies, reviewing the progress of Collaborative Research Network (CRN) projects, planning a Human Dimension (HD) open science meeting, and discussing the development of a standard reporting system for researchers.
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Document type: Report
On Clustering International Environmental Agreements
This research paper by Konrad von Moltke explores the concept of "clustering" as a method to reform international environmental management. Rather than pursuing the daunting task of merging existing international environmental agreements (MEAs), the author proposes grouping related regimes to increase efficiency and effectiveness through shared tools, coordinated governance, and joint institutional frameworks.
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Document type: Research paper
Assessing the Impact of NAFTA on Environmental Law and Management Processes
This research paper analyzes how trade and investment disciplines under NAFTA and the WTO impact the ability of governments to enact and implement environmental laws. The author argues that while there is no inherent conflict between trade rules and environmental protection, the cumulative and retroactive nature of these disciplines creates significant legal and capacity risks for governments, particularly regarding older measures and the expansive interpretations of investment protections in NAFTA Chapter 11.
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Document type: Research paper
A Tale of Two Botanies
A statement by Amory B. Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins critiquing the shift from traditional botany to 'genetic engineering' (transgenics), arguing that the latter prioritizes economic profit and patentability over ecological safety and biological wisdom.
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Document type: Statement
Hypercar® Vehicles Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Hypercar® is a conceptual vehicle developed by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) that integrates ultralightweight construction, ultra-aerodynamic design, and hybrid-electric propulsion to achieve extreme fuel efficiency without sacrificing safety or performance.
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Document type: Fact sheet
ISO 14000 AND BUSINESS STRATEGY
This document is an annotated bibliography prepared for a 1996 conference in Beijing and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. It summarizes various reports, articles, and books concerning the ISO 14000 series of environmental management standards and their implications for business strategy, international trade, and regulatory shifts.
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Document type: Report
TEMPES CORPORATION (A)
This case study describes a strategic design choice facing Tempes Corporation, a manufacturer of precision equipment for extreme sports and scientific research. The company is deciding between two designs for its 'Water Moccasin' deep-sea diving monitor: Design A, which uses traditional acrylic polymer and cadmium coating, and Design B, which utilizes a more expensive but recyclable engineering thermoplastic. The document provides detailed capital costs, operating assumptions, and financial parameters to facilitate a net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) analysis.
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Document type: Case study
A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP)
This case study describes a corporate crisis involving Treeton Chemical, a U.S.-based firm, and its Italian acquisition, Tossico Chemical. The venture, Treeton-Tossico, became the center of an international scandal after it was revealed that the company improperly exported 650 tons of toxic waste to Nigeria in 1987, leading to severe legal, financial, and reputational threats from the Italian government and European environmental coalitions.
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Document type: Case study
Building an Esprit Culture
This case study examines Esprit de Corp's efforts to integrate environmental sustainability into its business model through the creation of 'Ecollection,' a specialized women's clothing line. It details the company's transition from a high-growth 1980s fashion brand to one attempting to balance profitability with social and environmental responsibility, highlighting the technical and financial challenges of organic textile production and the complexities of marketing 'green' products to skeptical consumers.
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Document type: Case study
MAKING MARKETS IN RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
This 1989 research paper by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute argues for the creation of markets in resource efficiency to combat the economic tendency to treat natural resource depletion and pollution as free goods. Lovins proposes treating saved resources—such as 'negawatts' of electricity—as commodities that can be traded, auctioned, and hedged, providing a market-based alternative to regulatory mandates. He asserts that efficient technology is generally cheaper than producing new resources, creating a significant profit opportunity for those who sell efficiency rather than the resource itself.
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Document type: Research paper