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This briefing paper assesses the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held from 26 August to 4 September 2002 in Johannesburg. It details the resulting political declarations, implementation plans, and partnership commitments, while analyzing the political tensions between developed and developing nations regarding renewable energy targets, corporate accountability, and the role of the WTO in environmental governance.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) documents 22 campaigns against multinational corporations whose activities cause biodiversity loss and harm local communities. It argues that corporate globalization, driven by industrial agriculture, mining, and logging, prioritizes shareholder profit over ecological stability and human rights. The document calls for binding international laws to hold companies legally and economically accountable for environmental damage and advocates for the recognition of 'ecological debt' owed by Northern industrial nations to the Global South.

This report analyzes the compliance system of the Kyoto Protocol, describing it as more robust than typical multilateral environmental agreements due to its quasi-judicial enforcement mechanisms and specific penalties for developed nations that fail to meet emissions targets.

The Marrakech Accords establish a robust compliance system for the Kyoto Protocol, featuring a two-branch compliance committee (facilitative and enforcement) with membership based on equitable geographical representation and double majority voting. Annex I Parties failing to meet emissions targets face specific penalties, including deductions from future assigned amounts and loss of emissions trading privileges. While the system provides for public participation and appeals, the legal nature of its 'binding' consequences remains a point of contention among Parties, specifically the Umbrella Group.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) describes the political agreement reached on July 22-23, 2001, regarding the compliance mechanism for the Kyoto Protocol. It details the structure of a two-branch compliance committee, the specific penalties for Annex I Parties that fail to meet emissions targets, and the ongoing debate over whether these consequences are 'legally binding' under Article 18 of the Protocol.

This research paper by Konrad von Moltke explores the concept of "clustering" as a method to reform international environmental management. Rather than pursuing the daunting task of merging existing international environmental agreements (MEAs), the author proposes grouping related regimes to increase efficiency and effectiveness through shared tools, coordinated governance, and joint institutional frameworks.

The report proposes the creation of a 'Compliance Fund' to allow Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol to avoid non-compliance by paying fees for GHG mitigation credits when market options are unavailable. It advocates for this fund over 'borrowing' from future periods and suggests a 'Compliance Assessment' system, enforceable through domestic courts via a 'Recognition Agreement,' to penalize and remedy willful non-compliance.

This 1998 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute presents two contrasting future scenarios for the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) up to the year 2030: a Conventional Development Scenario (CDS) and a Sustainability Vision. The report argues that a 'business-as-usual' approach will lead to increased environmental pressure and persistent socio-economic disparities, whereas a transition to sustainability requires proactive policy interventions, technological decoupling of growth from resource use, and a shift in human values.

This document describes a conference held in Zvenigorod, Russia, from May 28-30, 1997, focused on public participation in environmental decision-making. The event was a collaborative effort between Russian and US governmental agencies, NGOs, and academic institutions.

This 1997 draft report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the University of Toronto examines the vulnerability of agriculture in the Canadian Prairies to climate change. It analyzes historical droughts, projects future agroclimatic shifts, and discusses the economic and policy adaptations required to maintain sustainability and global competitiveness.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other organizations have written to the Minister of Canadian Identity and Heritage urging the expansion of the Online Harms Act (OHA) to address disinformation and systemic risks posed by big tech platforms.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of economic growth and climate change, specifically focusing on the needs of developing countries. It argues for 'climate compatible development'—a strategy that minimizes climate harm while maximizing human development opportunities. The document outlines ten propositions, asserting that while growth is an imperative for poverty reduction in poor nations, it must be transitioned toward low-carbon models to be sustainable. It emphasizes the need for national strategies, the leveraging of private finance, and the creation of political consensus to manage the disruptive shifts in global production and markets caused by climate policy.

This document is an atlas published by the World Health Organization (WHO) that examines the impact of environmental hazards on children's health. It categorizes risks into 'traditional' hazards, such as air pollution and poor water and sanitation, and 'emerging' hazards, including chemical exposures, e-waste, and climate change. The report aligns these challenges with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advocates for multisectoral cooperation to reduce preventable child mortality and lifelong disease risks.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) provides comments to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) regarding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline Project. The report argues that the project's legal framework undermines the rule of law in host countries, fails to adequately address climate change, and violates IFC policies regarding public consultation and compensation for affected populations, particularly in Turkey.

This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law and EURONATURA proposes a two-tiered compliance regime for the Kyoto Protocol, distinguishing between a facilitative approach during the first commitment period and an enforcement phase following it. The authors argue for a system that prioritizes capacity building and 'making the climate whole' through mechanisms like a Clean Development Fund and compliance reserves to address substantive non-compliance.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law analyzes key arguments presented by States during the first week (December 2-6) of climate justice hearings at the International Court of Justice. It contrasts the positions of major polluting States against those of climate-vulnerable nations regarding the applicability of international law, human rights, transboundary harm, and reparations in the context of the climate crisis.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law provides an overview of the risks and persecution faced by land and environmental rights defenders in 2013. It details how individuals protecting natural resources and indigenous rights are targeted by state forces and non-state actors, including corporations and organized crime, often in the context of large-scale investment projects and extractive industries.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law, prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme, evaluates the effectiveness of trade and positive measures within the Montreal Protocol. It analyzes how these mechanisms—ranging from import/export bans on ozone-depleting substances (ODS) to financial assistance for developing nations—have driven near-universal ratification and compliance to reduce global emissions of controlled substances.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Greenpeace analyzes the tensions between international trade rules, primarily those of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the conservation of global fisheries. It argues that current trade interpretations often hinder sustainable fisheries management by prohibiting regulations based on production and processing methods (PPMs). The authors propose a framework to integrate the precautionary approach into trade law, eliminate destructive subsidies, and ensure that investment liberalization does not undermine the ability of states to protect marine resources and traditional fishing communities.

This briefing note by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GIESCR) reviews the 2023 activities of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) regarding climate change and environmental protection.