Search Climate Insights Directory

The document critiques the 'financialization of nature,' where biodiversity is converted into financial assets and commodities. It argues that assigning prices to nature ignores its intrinsic value, marginalizes indigenous and local communities, and allows corporations to continue destructive activities through 'offsetting' mechanisms. The author calls for the protection of biodiversity through strong legislation and community-led governance rather than market-based instruments.

The report argues that conservation initiatives frequently violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, despite an increasing international legal consensus on their protections. It asserts that responsibility for upholding these rights extends beyond states to include international organisations, businesses, and NGOs. The authors analyse a vast array of international instruments and find that while normative trends are moving toward greater recognition of rights, enforcement and redress remain significant challenges. The document concludes by suggesting the creation of core standards, stakeholder guidance, and potentially a dedicated global grievance mechanism or 'Roundtable on Ethical Conservation' to ensure just conservation practices.

The paper examines the rise of 'mega-regional' trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which aim for deep regulatory integration beyond WTO standards. It argues that while overall GDP impacts on outsiders may be small, these agreements risk eroding trade preferences and establishing new global regulatory norms that could marginalise developing countries. For South Africa, the authors recommend a strategy of unilateral regulatory reform, deeper regional integration within SADC and COMESA, and constructive engagement in the WTO to avoid being left behind by 'competitive liberalisation'.

The research paper assesses the 2014 US-Africa Summit and the 'US strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa', arguing that while economic growth in Africa is rising, democratic governance remains a 'chronic twin-deficit' alongside peace and security. It notes that the rise of emerging powers like China, which saw trade with Africa grow from 'US$3 billion in 2002 to around US$192 billion in 2012', has provided African states with financial alternatives that may 'corrosive impact on the pace of the democratisation agenda'. The author suggests the US should move beyond supporting 'minimalist electoral outcomes' and instead support the African Union's African Peer Review Mechanism and African Governance Architecture to foster robust, accountable institutions.

The document expresses disappointment over the removal of Pericopsis elata (Afrormosia) from the CITES Review of Significant Trade for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It argues that the DRC continues to disregard CITES norms, with an estimated ninety percent of timber harvested being "illegal or informal" and actual harvests reaching "eight times the official harvest." The authors claim the DRC's May 2014 non-detriment finding (NDF) is insufficient, lacking a scientific basis for export quotas and failing to address widespread corruption and the use of falsified permits. The document highlights that the DRC is rated as one of the "two most problematic countries in Africa for illegal exploitation of natural resources" and requests a comprehensive review and suspension of trade in all CITES-listed plants and animals from the DRC until compliance is guaranteed.

The document identifies significant productivity gaps in Africa's oil palm sector compared to Southeast Asia, citing low yields and inefficient extraction. It proposes closing the yield gap, improving oil extraction rates (OER), and implementing outgrower schemes to reduce dependence on imports. The author argues that capturing downstream value, such as biodiesel and oleochemicals, requires private sector investment facilitated by government land reforms and the establishment of a marketing board to ensure quality standards for export markets.

The document analyzes how comprehensive 'WTO-plus' agreements like the TPP and TTIP influence South Africa's regional trade goals. It argues that while direct GDP impacts may be modest, these agreements create risks of preference erosion—particularly in clothing and textiles—and set new global benchmarks for regulatory coherence, intellectual property, and investment that South Africa and TFTA members must adapt to avoid isolation.

The report identifies four core areas for improving sustainable development (SD) planning: multistakeholder participation, integrated vertical planning across government levels, cross-sectoral policy integration, and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER). Across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, the report finds a prevalence of 'silo' sectoral planning and a lack of institutional frameworks for stakeholder engagement. It argues for the creation of national SD councils chaired by heads of state and the adoption of 'glocal' planning to align global goals with local implementation. Key capacity gaps include a lack of data for evidence-based policy, poor coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies, and limited technical skills for information management at subnational levels.

CIEL argues that TTIP would allow the chemical industry to weaken safety regulations and limit access to critical health and safety data. The statement highlights the divergence between the U.S. risk-based approach and the EU's hazard-based REACH system, asserting that regulatory harmonization would likely result in lower standards. CIEL also warns that Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms would enable corporations to bypass domestic courts and challenge public interest laws, creating a 'regulatory chilling effect'.

The document addresses the limited utilization of ASEAN-led free trade agreements (FTAs) by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and seeks to provide recommendations to improve their access to these commercial pacts.

The document analyzes the gap between current and ideal governance practices for sustainable development in Asia-Pacific, focusing on multistakeholder processes, vertical and horizontal integration, and monitoring and evaluation. It identifies a prevalence of 'silo' approaches where sustainable development is managed primarily by environment ministries and recommends a comprehensive capacity-building agenda to improve long-term strategic planning, data quality, and subnational implementation.

A coalition of social movements and NGOs argues that the FAO's current forest definition is reductionist and primarily benefits industrial timber, pulp, paper, and rubber companies. The authors contend that by defining forests simply as land with a certain percentage of tree cover, the FAO erroneously classifies large-scale monoculture plantations as 'reforestation' and ignores the structural and cultural importance of forests to the 300 million people who depend on them for their livelihoods. The letter calls for a new, community-led definition process that recognizes the role of forests in food sovereignty and biological diversity.

The Philippines successfully phased out most consumer energy subsidies by deregulating the downstream oil industry in 1998 and restructuring the electricity sector via the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. To manage the social impacts of these reforms, the government implemented targeted measures including the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) conditional cash transfers, lifeline electricity rates, and the Pantawid Pasada program for public transport operators. While the country has attracted private investment and improved energy efficiency, it continues to face challenges such as high electricity rates, power shortages in Mindanao, and fuel smuggling.

The report examines why MSMEs in the ASEAN region have low utilization rates of free trade agreements despite their significant contribution to regional GDP and employment. It identifies key barriers, including lack of information, complex Rules of Origin (RoO), and limited access to finance. The document compares ASEAN's experience with other regions and proposes a coordinated information campaign, financial infrastructure improvements, and the simplification of certification processes to better integrate MSMEs into regional and global value chains.

The report evaluates 30 companies on their palm oil sourcing policies, finding that while some leaders like Nestlé and Unilever have strong commitments, many others rely on inadequate RSPO standards or have no commitments at all. It highlights the severe climate impact of palm oil production, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, where peatland drainage and forest clearing release massive amounts of carbon dioxide. The authors argue for a new industry standard requiring traceable, deforestation-free, and peat-free palm oil to protect biodiversity and mitigate global warming.

The report identifies China as highly vulnerable to palm oil supply disruptions due to its 98% import dependence and the concentration of production in Malaysia and Indonesia. It highlights critical sustainability risks, particularly deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions, which pose both reputational risks to enterprises and systemic risks to national supply security. The document recommends five policy steps for the Chinese government, including building embassy capabilities, engaging with international standards, exploring fiscal incentives, implementing green public procurement, and integrating supply chain risk into corporate social responsibility guidelines.

The report analyzes China's high vulnerability in its palm oil supply chain, which is heavily concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia. It identifies critical sustainability risks, including deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and human rights abuses, and suggests that while these may not immediately disrupt supply, they pose significant reputational risks for Chinese brands and long-term security risks. The document proposes five policy interventions, including capacity building for embassies and alignment with international sustainability standards like the RSPO.

The report argues that sustainability issues—such as pollution, biodiversity loss, and social conflict—in supplier countries create strategic risks for China's security of supply. It introduces a methodology to identify 'hot spots' by analyzing demand-side vulnerability and supply-side hazards. Through pilot studies on copper and palm oil, the report demonstrates that while China is highly vulnerable to supply disruptions in these sectors, it lacks a coordinated national strategy to manage these risks. The authors recommend that the Chinese government build the capacity of its embassies, engage more deeply with international sustainability standards, explore fiscal incentives for sustainable sourcing, and integrate supply chain sustainability into green public procurement and national planning.

The report introduces the IISD Supply Risk Tool, a methodology designed to identify 'hotspots' where sustainability issues—such as environmental degradation, human rights abuses, and governance failures—intersect with supply security risks for China. Through pilot studies on copper and palm oil, the report demonstrates how these risks manifest at both micro (corporate) and macro (national) levels. For copper, the report highlights high economic importance and vulnerability, with significant risks from resource nationalism and energy-intensive production. For palm oil, it emphasizes high risks related to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and political instability in Indonesia and Malaysia. The document concludes that China lacks a comprehensive national strategy for managing these systemic risks and recommends five policy steps: enhancing the capacity of embassies and consulates, increasing participation in international sustainability standards, researching financial incentives for sustainable procurement, integrating sustainability into green public procurement, and incorporating supply chain risk indicators into corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines.

The text outlines how ASEAN's free trade agreements (FTAs) can help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expand markets and promote sustainable development. It also addresses the UK's accession to the CPTPP, arguing that the deal poses a threat to public health and requires a health impact assessment.