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This research paper examines the politicization of rice in Southeast Asia and argues that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should strengthen existing information-sharing and reserve mechanisms to improve regional food security and market stability, rather than attempting full trade liberalization.

This guide provides an overview of how countries are incorporating transparency provisions into investor-state dispute settlement processes to address the historical lack of public access to information regarding arbitration disputes.

A study conducted in the Marina catchment area of Singapore from April 2007 to March 2008 analyzed the deposition fluxes of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in aerosols and rainwater, finding that wet deposition dominated N species while dry deposition dominated P species.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the trend toward increasing transparency in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). It analyzes how states are moving away from the traditionally confidential nature of private commercial arbitration by integrating specific transparency rules into bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and free trade agreements (FTAs), particularly regarding public notice, document access, open hearings, and amicus curiae submissions.

This briefing paper examines the proliferation and nature of South-South Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), analyzing whether agreements between developing countries differ from the traditional North-South templates. It concludes that while some developing nations are beginning to introduce bespoke provisions and policy exceptions, the majority of South-South BITs continue to mirror the European models established in the 1950s and 1960s.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in November 2010, analyzes the regional implications for Asia of the recommendations made by the Advisory Group on Climate Finance (AGF). It examines Asia's climate exposure, emissions profile, and the financial requirements for mitigation and adaptation, while evaluating the opportunities and risks posed by proposed global climate finance mechanisms.

This précis outlines the implications of the United Nations Secretary’s High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Finance (AGF) recommendations for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), focusing on the goal of raising US$100 billion per year for climate change investment in developing countries by 2020.

This briefing, written by Vivid Economics and funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), analyzes the implications of the Advisory Group on Climate Finance (AGF) recommendations for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It evaluates the investment needs for adaptation and mitigation in SIDS, the potential for public and private funding sources, and the specific risks and opportunities these financial mechanisms present for island nations.

This case study examines the role of investment incentives in attracting foreign investment to Singapore's pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences (BMS) sectors and evaluates the resulting impacts on employment, economic diversification, and technology spillovers.

This 2010 training manual by the Institute for Security Studies provides a comprehensive framework for law enforcement agencies in Eastern and Southern Africa to identify, investigate, and prosecute environmental crimes. It covers the foundations of environmental law, the technical processes of inspection and evidence gathering, and the legal requirements for criminal prosecution, emphasizing a participant-centered learning approach for police, customs officials, and prosecutors.

This briefing by Malini Mehra argues that current government governance systems are ill-equipped to handle the uncertainty, scale, and complexity of climate change. The author contends that climate change is frequently miscategorized as a narrow environmental issue, leading to siloed policy responses and a lack of political priority. To make governance "fit for purpose," the document proposes a shift toward integrated climate risk management, high-level political mandates, statutory duties, and a fundamental culture change within civil service bureaucracies.

This research paper examines how national governments can engage the private sector to support climate change adaptation. It argues that private sector participation depends on a strong business case for long-term resiliency and suggests that governments must identify specific business sectors and align public and private interests to promote the public good while discouraging activities that harm vulnerable populations.

A coalition of civil society organizations, including the Center for International Environmental Law and Earthjustice, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Trade Representative on July 31, 2009, regarding the review of the 2004 U.S. Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). The coalition argues that the model BIT fails to balance investor rights with public interest protections and grants foreign investors greater substantive rights than those afforded to U.S. citizens under domestic law.

This research paper examines the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and human well-being, using China as a primary case study. It analyzes how income per capita, energy production mixes, and geography correlate with CO2 emissions across 174 countries and 30 Chinese provinces, arguing that current high-consumption lifestyles in rich countries are incompatible with low-emission stabilization targets.

This report examines the effectiveness of investment incentives in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and promoting sustainable development in Southeast Asia, analyzing their impact on economic growth, employment, and technology transfer while considering the influence of competition with China and the role of ASEAN.

This policy briefing from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the economic relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and development in developing countries. It analyzes the trade-offs between providing incentives for innovators through temporary monopolies and ensuring public access to essential knowledge and medicines. The document reviews the impact of IPRs across various sectors, the role of international agreements like TRIPS, and the debate over whether strong IPR protection stimulates or hinders economic growth and technology transfer in developing nations.

This guide provides a comprehensive checklist for governments and stakeholders to evaluate the sustainable development impacts of investment incentives. It emphasizes a multi-level analysis covering individual projects, general incentive policy design, and the influence of international agreements, arguing that economic growth alone is an insufficient measure of success.

This case study examines the impact of investment incentives on the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia, specifically focusing on the Banten province. It analyzes the evolution of Indonesian investment laws, the effectiveness of these incentives in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), and the resulting socio-economic and environmental consequences.

This report analyzes the evolution of Peru's trade and investment policies from the 1990s through 2009, focusing on how sustainable development standards—specifically labor and environmental regulations—have been integrated into its national agenda. The author argues that these standards were primarily driven by external pressures and conditionalities from trade agreements, most notably the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, rather than internal priorities.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute synthesizes country submissions to the UNFCCC regarding technology and financial support for climate mitigation, mapping party positions across the stages of innovation from research and development to commercial deployment.