Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the failure of the patent system to prevent the misappropriation of traditional knowledge (TK) and explores the use of the patent system as a defensive measure. It specifically analyzes how TK can be formally recognized as 'prior art' to defeat patent claims that lack novelty or an inventive step. The author reviews prior art definitions in the US, Japan, and Europe, as well as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) framework, and provides recommendations for improving search procedures, implementing disclosure requirements, and developing standardized TK databases.

This research paper examines agri-environmental and rural development programs within the WTO framework, specifically focusing on the 'Green Box' of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It analyzes the practices of the 'Quad' countries (EU, US, Canada, and Japan) and evaluates how the Doha Round negotiations might impact the ability of developing countries to implement similar sustainable agriculture policies.

A coalition of environmental organizations urged the U.S. Congress to oppose H.R. 3009 (the fast track conference report), arguing that it fails to protect environmental standards, grants excessive rights to foreign investors, and lacks enforcement parity for environmental provisions compared to commercial ones.

This document records the decisions made during the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in São José dos Campos, Brazil, on June 27-28, 2002.

This briefing paper, written by Aaron Cosbey of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation's (CEC) Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC), analyzes the environmental implications of NAFTA's Chapter 11. The author argues that the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, originally designed for commercial protection, has become a tool for challenging non-commercial public interest regulations, creating risks for national environmental management.

This research paper, prepared for a Royal Institute of International Affairs conference, examines the implications of the Doha Ministerial Declaration's commitment to sustainable development. The author argues that achieving this objective requires a fundamental shift in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) institutional structure, moving beyond narrow commercial goals toward integrated impact assessments and increased transparency.

This briefing by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides a comprehensive guide for homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint through energy-efficiency measures. It establishes a baseline for the typical American single-family home and outlines a strategic, cost-effective path toward achieving climate neutrality by 2012 through a combination of behavioral changes, equipment upgrades, green power, and carbon offsets.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International examines how the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations following the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference may undermine the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The document highlights conflicts between trade liberalization and biodiversity protection, specifically regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), agricultural subsidies, and intellectual property rights.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the debate over U.S. air conditioner efficiency standards, specifically comparing the SEER 13 standard established by the Clinton Administration with a proposed rollback to SEER 12 by the Bush Administration. It details the projected energy savings, emission reductions, and economic impacts associated with both standards.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) provides a series of suggested amendments to the Chairman's Paper for the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). CIEL argues that the original paper overemphasizes economic growth and national governance while neglecting environmental protection, human rights, and the necessity of multilateral cooperation.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that children and unborn babies are disproportionately exposed to and vulnerable to pesticides in food and the home. It criticizes the UK government for a lack of specific legal protections for children and calls for a ban on hormone-disrupting pesticides, the extension of strict pesticide limits to all foods, and a target of 30 per cent organic farmland by 2010.

A February 2002 statement by the Center for International Environmental Law and other organizations calling on U.S. President George W. Bush to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, and to commit to specific environmental actions.

This briefing analyzes the outcomes of the WTO Doha Ministerial meeting regarding intellectual property and the TRIPS Agreement. It highlights the legal ambiguity of the mandates, identifying opportunities for developing countries to protect public health and traditional knowledge, while warning against risks such as 'TRIPS plus' proposals under Article 71.1 and the precedent set by the multilateral register for wines and spirits.

This research paper examines the tension between centralism and decentralization in Mexico, focusing on the state of Oaxaca. It discusses how the diversity of local governments, particularly indigenous municipalities governed by traditional customs, must navigate the pressures of globalization and trade liberalization to achieve sustainable local development.

This research paper by Fernando Melo Farrera, presented at a World Resources Institute conference in 2002, examines the tension between globalization and local diversity in Mexico. It argues that for municipalities to move beyond being mere operators of federal policy and become promoters of sustainable local development, Mexico must transition from a history of presidential centralism toward genuine decentralization and federalism that respects local autonomy and indigenous governance systems.

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.

A group of international anti-toxics organizations, including the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), urged the Canadian government to resist a $100 million claim by the Crompton Corporation under NAFTA Chapter 11. The claim follows Crompton's voluntary surrender of its registration for lindane, a persistent organic pollutant used in canola seed treatment. The organizations argue that NAFTA's investor-state mechanism is being used to undermine legitimate public health and environmental regulations.

This research paper explores the potential for bringing human rights complaints against the United States due to the adverse impacts of global warming, particularly focusing on the threats to the fundamental rights of indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic.

The document is an action list from the first day of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council (EC), held on December 2, 2002, in Panama City, Panama. It records administrative approvals, elections, and requests for future procedural documentation.

This guide introduces the concept of 'green building' as a holistic, integrated approach to design and construction aimed at reducing resource consumption and enhancing quality of life. It emphasizes that resource efficiency is achieved through early interdisciplinary collaboration and the optimization of interlinked systems rather than the piecemeal addition of environmental components.