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The document argues that the United States has lost its leverage in international climate negotiations due to its failure to enact domestic climate legislation and its opposition to the Kyoto Protocol. It highlights a growing divide between the U.S. and developing nations, particularly China, noting that China is investing more aggressively in clean energy despite U.S. pressure for mitigation commitments. The briefing also discusses a trade petition by the United Steelworkers against China's clean energy subsidies, suggesting this could trigger trade conflicts that undermine UNFCCC goals. It concludes by suggesting the U.S. should utilize the Bali Action Plan's carve-out to allow other developed nations to proceed with the Kyoto Protocol's second commitment period.

The author contends that nuclear power is economically unviable and inherently linked to proliferation, suggesting that a shift toward 'micropower' and energy efficiency provides a superior, profitable path to energy security and climate mitigation.

The report details a workshop on border adjustment mechanisms (BAMs) as a tool to combat carbon leakage and transition from free allowance allocation to full auctioning of carbon permits. It argues that BAMs should be limited to a narrow set of carbon-intensive commodities (1-2% of GDP) to avoid becoming protectionist 'sticks' or non-tariff trade barriers. The discussion explores implementation options, such as basing adjustments on 'best available technology' or 'average domestic production', and suggests international coordination to define eligible products, harmonise procedures, and provide flexibility for least developed countries.

The document outlines the tension between a 'narrow view' of internet governance, focused on critical internet resources, and a 'broader view' that links technical decisions to development outcomes. It details the proposed agenda for the 2008 Hyderabad meeting, specifically the 'Reaching the next billion' theme, and highlights the role of Dynamic Coalitions in addressing the digital divide, human rights, and linguistic diversity. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) specifically argues for the inextricable link between internet evolution and global sustainability.

Civil society organizations have invited candidates for the WIPO Director-General position to a meeting in Geneva on April 15, 2008, to discuss their visions for the organization. The organizations seek clarity on how candidates will mainstream development, integrate civil society into norm-setting, and address the negative impacts of intellectual property rights (IPRs) on areas such as access to medicines and climate change technologies.

The workshop addressed the interface between WIPO and the CBD's Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Working Group, highlighting concerns that the proposed international regime prioritizes state and industry rights over those of indigenous peoples. Presentations covered the framework of ABS discussions, the gap between state and indigenous conceptions of traditional knowledge, and the political use of WIPO by industrialized nations. Participants identified a need for further capacity building on technical concepts like 'derivatives' and 'disclosure of origin', and expressed skepticism regarding governments' willingness to implement commitments to indigenous rights.

The document analyzes the substantive and political linkages between the CBD's Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and the Geneva-based WIPO and WTO. It focuses on two primary areas of overlap: the requirements for disclosure of origin of genetic resources in patent applications and the protection of traditional knowledge. The author suggests that the ABS Working Group's decision to meet in Geneva in January 2008 may be an attempt to leverage the momentum of WIPO and the WTO or to reclaim space on environmental and indigenous issues. The piece aims to outline the formal mandate of the Working Group regarding these organizations and assess the actual nature of their participation in CBD processes.

A group of organizations requested that the WTO web-cast the November 6-7, 2007, hearings for the EC-Bananas III dispute to allow citizens and officials from developing countries, particularly in the ACP regions, to observe the proceedings without traveling to Geneva.

The Center for International Environmental Law and WWF European Policy Office express concern over the European Commission's appeal of the WTO Panel report in the Brazil-Retreaded Tyres case, arguing that the report's interpretation of WTO law supports the ability of members to protect health and the environment. The organizations request that the EC either withdraw the appeal or limit its scope, and further call for increased transparency in the proceedings through the contemporaneous disclosure of pleadings and the web casting of hearings.

The document serves as a strategic manual for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to navigate WIPO's complex institutional framework. It analyzes how WIPO's focus on increasing intellectual property protection often conflicts with sustainable development goals in areas such as public health, food security, and biodiversity. The guide details WIPO's governing bodies, the influence of the International Bureau, and the mechanisms for civil society participation, while highlighting the WIPO Development Agenda as a key opportunity for institutional reform.

The report details a workshop where 40 participants discussed a variety of climate adaptation tools, ranging from information databases to computer-based decision tools and qualitative risk management processes. It identifies a general trend of integrating climate impacts as additional stressors into existing decision-making structures and highlights a gap in tools targeting the middle ground between grassroots communities and senior officials. The document also lists specific tools such as PRECIS, CRiSTAL, and ADAPT, comparing their audiences, spatial scales, and data types.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) urges the Canadian government to move beyond closed-circuit television and adopt a policy of requesting web-cast hearings for all WTO dispute settlements. CIEL argues that current access to hearings in Geneva is limited to those with substantial financial resources, effectively excluding civil society and citizens from the Global South. The document asserts that the WTO already possesses the technical capacity for web-casting and that such a move would improve the credibility and efficiency of the dispute settlement process without interfering with panel proceedings.

The Center for International Environmental Law and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy urge the USTR to advocate for the web-casting of WTO dispute settlement hearings, arguing that current closed-circuit television access in Geneva excludes civil society and citizens from the Global South due to travel costs.

The Center for International Environmental Law and WWF European Policy Office urge the European Commission to move beyond closed-circuit television and adopt a policy of web-casting WTO dispute settlement hearings to ensure global public access, particularly for citizens in the Global South.

In a statement delivered in South Africa, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy assesses the outcomes of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and the remaining challenges for the Doha Development Agenda. He highlights agreements on the elimination of agricultural export subsidies by 2013, special protections for developing countries, and duty-free access for least developed countries (LDCs). Lamy emphasizes that concluding the round by the end of 2006 requires all major players—including the EU, US, Brazil, and India—to move from their current positions on agriculture, industrial tariffs, and services in concert.

The document introduces 'communication rights' as a broad conceptual umbrella that extends beyond freedom of expression to include democratic media governance, linguistic rights, and access to knowledge. It presents the Communication Rights Assessment Framework (CRAFT), which organises these rights into four pillars: Communicating in the Public Sphere, Communicating Knowledge for Creativity and Equity, Civil Rights in Communication, and Cultural Rights in Communication. The handbook details how to apply this framework through research, stakeholder verification, and follow-up advocacy, drawing on pilot projects conducted in Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, the Philippines, and the European Union.

The document critiques the revised draft provisions of the WIPO IGC for failing to sufficiently address the role of the intellectual property system in the misappropriation of traditional knowledge. It argues that general protections are inadequate and that effective prevention requires concrete, legally binding international measures, such as mandatory disclosure requirements in patent applications and stricter patentability criteria. The briefing also evaluates different legal vehicles for international implementation, asserting that while 'soft law' approaches may be complementary, only a binding instrument can effectively address misappropriation in 'user countries'. Finally, it conditions the renewal of the IGC mandate on a commitment to tangible intellectual property-related outcomes and parallel progress in other international fora.

The report examines how the Center for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) adapted the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines, which were designed for businesses, for use in the non-profit sector. Both organizations found that while the Guidelines provided a valuable framework for establishing sustainability baselines and increasing staff awareness, they faced challenges with indicators tailored to resource-heavy industries and difficulties in collecting data within shared office spaces. The authors recommend that the GRI develop a specific 'CSO sector supplement' or 'service sector supplement' to better support non-profit reporting.

The report examines the WIPO Development Agenda process, detailing proposals from the Group of Friends of Development (FOD), the UK, and the US to integrate development goals into WIPO's governance, norm-setting, and technical assistance. It also tracks IP-related activities across the WTO, WHO, UNESCO, and various bilateral and regional trade agreements, highlighting a persistent divide between developed and developing nations over TRIPS flexibilities, public health, and the protection of traditional knowledge.

The memorandum, submitted by a coalition of NGOs and civil society groups, asserts that the WTO's internal processes are weighted against developing countries, leading to rules that harm the environment and vulnerable populations. It identifies systemic failures including the misuse of the consensus system, the exclusionary 'Green Room' process, and the lack of neutrality in the WTO Secretariat. The authors propose a shift toward a more inclusive system featuring a regular General Assembly during Ministerial Conferences, transparent drafting of texts that reflect diverse views, and the cessation of 'Mini-Ministerials' and exclusive meetings.