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This report provides a preliminary analysis of the potential environmental and trade implications of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), focusing on industrial restructuring, pollution levels, environmental management, and international trade dynamics.

This report analyzes the potential for China to participate in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. It evaluates the economic, environmental, and social benefits and costs, emphasizing that while the CDM offers short-term gains in foreign investment and technology, it poses a long-term risk of technology dependence if core R&D and manufacturing capabilities are not transferred. The authors provide strategic recommendations for China to ensure the CDM supports its long-term sustainable development goals.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) critiques the World Bank's proposed transition from Operational Directive (OD 4.30) to Operational Policy (OP 4.12) regarding involuntary resettlement. CIEL argues that the new policy relaxes standards for restoration of living conditions, prioritizes cash over land compensation, and removes protections for vulnerable groups and 'voluntary' settlers.

A 1999 guide by CIEL explaining how citizens can use the World Bank Inspection Panel to report policy violations in development projects. It details eligibility criteria, the investigation process, the limitations of the Panel's power, and the risks of borrower reprisals.

This research paper examines the growth, structure, and regulation of the private security industry in South Africa as of 1999. It analyzes the industry's shift toward performing functions traditionally reserved for the police, the resulting tensions regarding accountability and human rights, and the industry's expansion into other African nations.

This document contains the proceedings of a Trade and Sustainable Development Workshop held on 1-2 July 1999 in Midrand, South Africa. Hosted by the IUCN, the Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM), and the Trade and Industrial Policy Secretariat (TIPS), and funded by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the workshop aimed to identify international and domestic trends, research focus areas, and strategic interventions for South Africa regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other trade policy negotiations to promote sustainable development.

This 1999 report analyzes the economics of greenhouse gas mitigation in Ecuador, forecasting CO2 emission trends up to 2030. It highlights a history of economic instability and a heavy reliance on oil, while proposing a mitigation scenario that could reduce CO2 emissions by 15 million tons. The study finds that the industry sector offers the highest mitigation potential, while the transport sector is the most difficult to abate. It also examines the sensitivity of various economic sectors to energy price increases, noting that the chemical and power sectors are most vulnerable.

This report summarizes a May 1997 search conference convened by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the North-South Institute (NSI). The conference aimed to implement recommendations from the November 1996 'Connecting with the World' report, advocating for the integration of knowledge and information and communication technologies (ICTs) into Canadian foreign policy to enhance international development and Canada's transition to a knowledge-based economy.

This 1996 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the development and implications of China's national ecolabelling program. It details the program's structure, its role in reducing domestic environmental stress, and the potential for environmental labels to act as trade barriers for developing countries. The document evaluates the impact of foreign ecolabelling on Chinese exports—specifically in the textile and refrigerator sectors—and provides recommendations for strengthening China's program through increased transparency, the adoption of life-cycle analysis, and international cooperation to achieve mutual recognition of standards.

This 1995 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, conducted as a UNEP project with the National Environmental Protection Agency of China, analyzes the environmental impacts of energy planning in the People's Republic of China. Using the LEAP/EDB model, the study compares a Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario against two enhanced environmental scenarios to forecast pollutant emissions (SO2, CO2, NOx, PM, and CO) through 2020. The report identifies coal as the primary driver of pollution and recommends a shift toward a cleaner energy mix, improved energy efficiency, and the implementation of integrated energy-environment planning and economic instruments to achieve sustainable development.

The research paper "The Negawatt Revolution: Electric Efficiency and Asian Development" argues that Asian development is hindered by the adoption of inefficient electrical equipment and a utility business model focused on increasing sales rather than customer satisfaction. The authors contrast this with a shift in the U.S. utility sector toward "negawatts"—saving electricity through efficiency and renewables—which is presented as a significantly cheaper and more sustainable alternative to building new power plants.

The 2024 Zambia Debt Profile by AFRODAD analyzes the drivers and consequences of Zambia's unsustainable national debt, which reached $25.5 billion by the end of 2023. The report details how excessive borrowing for unproductive infrastructure, combined with a high reliance on volatile copper exports and significant tax evasion, led to a sovereign default in November 2020. It highlights the severe impact of debt servicing on social sectors, specifically the crowding out of health and education budgets, and evaluates the challenges of restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.

This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines the link between Alberta's reliance on coal-fired power plants, greenhouse gas emissions, and the resulting impacts of climate change on human health both globally and within Alberta.

A statement by 82 health organizations from 30 countries calling on G7 nations to accelerate the global transition away from coal-fired electricity to improve public health and mitigate climate change.

Tariq Banuri, Director of the Division for Sustainable Development at the UN, argues that integrating climate and development goals requires making renewable energy affordable and competitive. He asserts that reducing the cost of renewables is the only way to ensure global economic growth and poverty reduction while lowering emissions.

A statement by members of the Global Legislators’ Organisation (GLOBE) and other UK officials arguing that national and sub-national climate legislation is progressing faster than international negotiations and is essential for creating the political conditions necessary for a comprehensive global agreement in 2015.

In a special editorial released before the G20 Summit in Australia, Tony de Brum (Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands) and Pa Ousman Jarju (Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Water Resources, Parks & Wildlife of the Gambia) urge G20 nations to provide climate leadership. They argue that the G20's economic influence is essential to transition to a low-carbon economy and prevent global economic and security risks.

This briefing by Benito Muller of Oxford Climate Policy provides recommendations for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board on how to allocate resources. Drawing on lessons from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the author argues against a single unified allocation formula in favor of separate funding envelopes for different objectives to balance efficiency and equity.

This report details a workshop held in Eschborn, Germany, from 3-5 June 2011, focused on improving collaboration among 'Climate Knowledge Brokers'—online initiatives that facilitate the sharing of climate and development information. Organised by CDKN, GIZ, and PIK, the event brought together 35 participants from 21 global and regional web initiatives to address 'portal proliferation syndrome', where fragmented and under-resourced platforms lead to duplicated efforts and information overload for users.

This policy brief by the LDC Environment Centre, supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), argues for the inclusion of 'suppressed demand' in the baseline and monitoring methodologies of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It contends that current CDM methodologies disadvantage Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and African nations by using actual constrained consumption as a baseline, which ignores the unmet needs of poor populations and reduces the volume of tradable carbon credits (CERs). The document outlines the barriers causing suppressed demand and calls for capacity building and the operationalization of guidelines adopted by the CDM Executive Board and the Conference of the Parties (CMP).