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A statement by Friends of the Earth International condemning the 2019 Amazon wildfires, attributing them to the neoliberal policies of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and the expansion of agribusiness, mining, and logging.

This document is a statement delivered by Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade on May 1, 2018. Vaughan provides perspectives on a potential free trade agreement between Canada and MERCOSUR, advocating for the inclusion of progressive trade policies, sustainability standards, and a shift in investment protection models.

This report analyzes foreign investment in agricultural land and production within the MERCOSUR member countries, focusing on Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It examines three investment models: state-level cooperation agreements, direct private land purchases, and foreign direct investment in production via contract farming. The document highlights a general lack of reliable data on land ownership across the region, though it notes that foreign investors—primarily from within MERCOSUR—play a significant role. It further details the legislative responses of these governments to regulate foreign land acquisition, driven by global concerns over 'land-grabs' and domestic debates on food security and national sovereignty.

This report examines the integration of sustainable development into the regional and bilateral trade arrangements of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), comprising South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. It analyzes the tension between trade liberalization and national development goals, the impact of the SACU Revenue Sharing Formula, and the outcomes of various Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The study concludes that most trade deals focus almost exclusively on market access, neglecting social and environmental pillars of sustainable development.

The report examines the WTO dispute between Brazil and the European Community over Brazil's ban on retreaded tire imports. Brazil argues the ban is necessary to prevent environmental degradation and health risks (such as mosquito-borne diseases) caused by the import of short-lifespan products from the EU, which faces its own strict waste tire disposal regulations. The document analyzes the legal defenses under GATT Article XX, the role of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste, and the influence of contradictory Mercosur arbitral decisions on the case.

This 2005 IISD report analyzes the impact of EU trade policy on conflict in the developing world. It highlights a contradiction: while the EU uses 'soft power' initiatives (like FLEGT and the Kimberley Process) to curb conflict resources and 'carrots' (preferential access) to encourage good governance, its structural policies—such as massive agricultural subsidies and the push for reciprocal Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)—can undermine economic stability and fuel conflict. The report warns that commodity price volatility and the 'resource curse' further destabilize low-income countries, and recommends that the EU conduct conflict assessments of trade agreements and reduce agricultural subsidies to promote global peace and sustainable development.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the potential for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Mercosur. It argues that while static economic gains from tariff reduction are limited and may reinforce South Africa's reliance on primary product exports, significant dynamic opportunities exist through intra-industry specialization, institutional collaboration, and the disciplining of dominant domestic firms to benefit downstream manufacturing.

This briefing analyzes Brazil's strategic position and challenges within the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations as of February 2004. It details the friction between Brazil and the United States over agricultural subsidies, non-tariff barriers, and the 'Singapore issues,' while examining how the US strategy of bilateral agreements and the outcomes of the WTO Cancun summit have influenced the shift toward a more flexible 'ALCA-lite' framework.

This executive summary analyzes the relationship between trade liberalization, economic growth, and environmental impact in Argentina during the 1990s. It distinguishes between the manufacturing sector, where trade opening did not significantly clean the export basket, and the agricultural sector, where technological adoption led to a 'virtuous cycle' of increased production and environmental benefits.