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The document analyzes the 'second wave' of regionalism in trade, characterized by a shift toward bilateral agreements and 'deeper integration' involving investment and intellectual property rights. It surveys various agreements (including NAFTA, ASEAN, and EU partnerships) to evaluate how they handle environmental exceptions, capacity building, and investor-state dispute settlement. The paper argues that while regionalism can pioneer new policy approaches, it risks creating a 'spaghetti bowl' of conflicting rules and may undermine the multilateral system by eroding the most-favoured-nation principle and restricting the policy space of developing nations.

The briefing introduces action targets, which require an entity to reduce emissions by an agreed percentage of its actual emissions during a commitment period. By using an 'observable baseline' of actual emissions rather than projected ones, action targets eliminate the uncertainty associated with future economic growth. A comparison of a 2% target for Brazil, China, India, and Mexico shows that fixed targets can lead to either burdensome reductions or 'hot air' depending on GDP growth, while action targets maintain a consistent level of effort. The authors suggest action targets are compatible with the Kyoto Protocol and suitable for modest developing country commitments, though further research is needed on their environmental impact and administrative costs.

The document is a statement from several NGOs supporting a proposal by Brazil and Argentina to create a "Development Agenda" for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The signatories argue that intellectual property protection should be a tool for development rather than an end in itself, urging WIPO to align its activities with UN Millennium Development Goals. Key priorities include incorporating public interest flexibilities in norm-setting, facilitating technology transfer to developing countries, and ensuring the participation of stakeholders such as indigenous peoples, women, and small farmers.

This report by Friends of the Earth International asserts that environmental rights—including the right to a sustainable lifestyle, a healthy environment, water access, and food security—are integral to human rights. It details specific conflicts, such as the Ava Guarani's struggle for ancestral lands in Argentina, the impact of Shell's pollution in Curaçao, and the fight against GMO contamination in Mexico. The text criticizes neoliberal economic globalization for enabling multinational corporations to operate with impunity, often displacing indigenous populations and degrading ecosystems. It calls for a new ethics of environmental justice and the implementation of legally binding international conventions to protect marginalized communities from environmental aggression.

The document analyzes the intersection of international economic law and water management, arguing that trade and investment agreements often prioritize foreign corporate rights over public welfare and environmental sustainability. It highlights the 'tripwire' risk where the commercialization of water may compel states to export freshwater and discusses how investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) allows corporations to challenge domestic regulations that affect profitability. The author emphasizes the need for developing countries to establish robust domestic regulatory frameworks before privatizing water services to avoid 'locking in' weak governance through international legal obligations.

The report by Friends of the Earth International examines the intersection of human and environmental rights, detailing case studies of corporate and state abuses. It advocates for a framework of environmental justice that includes the right to sustainable livelihoods, clean environments, water, and food security, while emphasizing the need for transparency, collective rights, and legal redress for climate refugees and ecological debt.

The action list from the first day of the Eleventh Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) on June 30, 2004, details the election of the Bureau, agenda modifications, and the accreditation of 16 member delegations.

The eleventh meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) resulted in nine resolutions covering administrative approvals, financial planning, and leadership elections. Key outcomes include the approval of the 2004/2005 Annual Program and Core Budget, the maintenance of current member country contribution values, and the establishment of a recruitment timeline and committee for a new IAI Director to be elected in February 2005. The CoP also elected members to the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Executive Council (EC) for the 2004-2006 period.

The document is a participant list for the IAI Forum held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 1, 2004. It identifies attendees from various academic, governmental, and international organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Meteorological Service of Canada, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as well as the staff of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).

The Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research established its leadership, approved its agenda and previous meeting report, verified the credentials of 16 member delegations, and requested new nomination rules for the Scientific Advisory Committee.

The document is a participant list for the 11th IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) meeting held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2004. It identifies representatives from various national governments, scientific institutions, and international organizations.

The amici argue that the Tribunal should recognize legitimate environmental measures as non-expropriatory under the police powers rule, similar to public health measures. They contend that international law has evolved to include environmental protection within the state's regulatory authority, citing precedents from the ICJ, WTO, and other NAFTA tribunals to support the view that non-discriminatory regulations protecting the environment do not constitute a compensable taking.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) proposes an alternative budget for fiscal year 2004/2005 that reduces total requested funds by $28,303 compared to the previous year. A key change is the creation of a permanent Program Manager position, whose costs will be shared between the Basic Budget and the CRN II Program, transitioning to 100% Basic Budget funding by 2007/2008. The IAI warns that its operational sustainability is highly dependent on member countries paying their contributions on time, as cash flow analysis indicates that receiving less than 86% of committed funds would jeopardize the Executive Directorate's operations.

In a joint submission to the tribunal in the Methanex v. United States arbitration, several amici argue that legitimate environmental regulations, similar to public health measures, fall under the 'police powers' rule and are therefore non-expropriatory. They contend that international law has evolved to recognize environmental protection as a legitimate state function that does not require compensation for resulting economic losses, provided the measures are non-discriminatory.

The IAI's 2004/2005 annual program focuses on institutional sustainability, the implementation of scientific research networks (CRN-I and CRN-II), capacity building through specialized institutes, and the improvement of its data and information systems via the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The IAI CRN program has established a broad network of scientists and institutions across the Americas and globally, leveraging over US$ 20.7 million in additional funds. The initiative has supported 429 students and produced a significant volume of refereed publications between 1999 and 2003. Specific project summaries highlight research on climate variability in Mesoamerica, water quality in the Andean Amazon, ENSO risk management, biodiversity in grasslands and forests, and the impacts of cattle ranching on deforestation in Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador.

The report details the evolution of the IAI, from its establishment by 11 countries in 1992 to its operational phase in Brazil. It outlines the institute's mission to build scientific capacity and collaborative research networks to understand global environmental changes in the Americas. The document tracks the progression of the IAI Science Agenda, the implementation of various funding mechanisms such as Start-up Grants, Initial Science Programs (ISP), and the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) program, and the results of these initiatives in terms of publications, student training, and policy-relevant findings.

The report details the first ten years of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlining its mission to understand global environmental changes in the Americas. It describes the evolution of the IAI's scientific agenda, the establishment of its organizational structure, and the implementation of various funding programs including the Initial Science Program (ISP), the Collaborative Research Network (CRN), and the Program to Expand Scientific Capacity in the Americas (PESCA). The document highlights the institute's focus on climate variability, biodiversity, land use, and human dimensions, while documenting the creation of the Data Information System (DIS) and the hosting of several Summer Institutes to foster interdisciplinary cooperation across member nations.

The report details the first ten years of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlining its mission to understand global environmental changes in the Americas. It describes the evolution of its scientific agenda from seven initial themes to four broad categories, the implementation of various grant programs (Initial Grants, Initial Scientific Program, and Cooperative Research Networks), and the establishment of its headquarters in Brazil. Key achievements include the funding of 14 Cooperative Research Networks (CRNs) with a US$10 million investment, the training of hundreds of scientists and students, and the creation of the IAI-DIS data system. The document also lists specific research projects focusing on climate variability, biodiversity, and human dimensions across North, Central, and South America.

The document examines the history and current state of bilateral, regional, and multilateral investment agreements, concluding that the traditional model focuses too heavily on investor protection at the expense of host-state regulatory autonomy and sustainable development goals.