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This research paper examines the challenges facing the Codex Alimentarius Commission due to increasing scientific uncertainty and the resulting political tensions in international food standard-setting. The author argues that the Commission must evolve by incorporating elements of the precautionary principle to maintain its legitimacy and functionality in a globalized trade environment.

This report, submitted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to the UNFCCC First Global Stocktake, analyzes the failure of governments to align public financial flows with the Paris Agreement. It argues that public support for fossil fuels remains high and often increases, creating a financial barrier to clean energy deployment. The document provides evidence of subsidy trends, the impact of COVID-19 recovery packages, and offers a framework for fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) to accelerate the energy transition while ensuring social equity.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the global and regional policy and financial responses to the surge in foreign investment in agricultural land and water following the 2008 food crisis. It details various voluntary guidelines, principles, and financing mechanisms designed to ensure that large-scale investments are transparent, respect land rights, and contribute to food security and rural development.

This report, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM), analyzes the sustainability of China's fish and fish products market supply chains. Using a Global Commodity Chain Sustainability Analysis (GCCSA) framework, the study examines three specific case studies: tilapia aquaculture, cod reprocessing, and the live reef food fish trade (LRFFT). The report evaluates these chains across ecological, economic, and social dimensions, highlighting China's pivotal role as a global producer, processor, and consumer. It identifies critical challenges including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, traceability gaps, and environmental degradation, while recommending the adoption of national traceability systems, sustainability certifications, and strategic policy integration with China's Five-Year Plans to ensure long-term sector viability.

This fact sheet describes the activities of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Energy Program, which provides guidance to authorities on transitioning to sustainable energy systems, reforming fossil fuel subsidies, and implementing international climate commitments.

The document is a brochure for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an independent policy research organization. It outlines the organization's mission to provide the knowledge necessary for sustainable development through six core programs: Sustainable Economies, Clean Energy, Fresh Water, Resilient Communities, SDG Knowledge, and Reporting Services.

This fact sheet describes the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) approach to freshwater management, which integrates scientific research from the IISD Experimental Lakes Area with policy solutions for watershed management, bioeconomies, and international basin cooperation.

This brochure describes the activities and strategic priorities of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), focusing on its role as a research and innovation centre that integrates environmental and social priorities with economic development, particularly within the Canadian context.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines agricultural cooperatives as a model for inclusive investment. It details the different types of cooperatives, their benefits for smallholder farmers, the role of foreign investment in these structures, and the necessary legal and governmental frameworks to support their success.

This document is an annex to a report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that evaluates the potential for Nature-based Infrastructure (NBI) to reduce the global infrastructure investment gap. It provides a literature review of infrastructure needs across sectors such as water, energy, and transport, and compares the costs and value generation of NBI against traditional 'grey' infrastructure using SAVi assessments.

This briefing paper analyzes the prospects and challenges of negotiating a multilateral investment agreement within the World Trade Organization (WTO) following the Doha Ministerial Statement. It critiques existing international investment agreements (IIAs), specifically NAFTA's Chapter 11 and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), for prioritizing investor rights over public welfare and sustainable development. The author argues that the WTO may lack the institutional capacity to deliver a balanced agreement and proposes a new framework that incorporates obligations for investors and home states alongside the rights of host states to regulate in the public interest.

This 2004 research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the relationship between international investment agreements (IIAs) and sustainable development. It argues that the traditional model of IIAs, which focuses heavily on investor protections, has failed to empirically prove its ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and often conflicts with the regulatory needs and development priorities of host states. The paper advocates for a 'Southern Agenda' that balances private investor rights with public goods, transparency, and the specific needs of developing countries.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development describes the 'Development Box' (DB), a proposed mechanism within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to provide developing countries with enhanced special and differential treatment (S&D) measures in agriculture. The proposal seeks to address negative outcomes of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) by prioritizing food security and the livelihoods of poor farmers over strict trade liberalization.

This white paper examines the integration of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) within sustainable public procurement (SPP), arguing that current models often fail to deliver the best value for taxpayers by overemphasizing upfront purchase prices over long-term operational and environmental costs. The authors identify systemic barriers—including conflicting capital and revenue budgets, a lack of professional expertise, and data gaps—and recommend that LCC be integrated into high-level public expenditure and resource allocation policies rather than remaining a routine procurement task.

This November 2016 briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of Quebec in helping Canada meet its G7 commitment to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. The document focuses specifically on consumption subsidies in Quebec, which it argues act as a 'negative price on carbon' and undermine the province's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets.

This document consists of the final submissions made by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on October 16, 2000, to an arbitral tribunal. The IISD is petitioning for amicus curiae status in the Chapter 11 NAFTA arbitration between Methanex Corporation and the United States of America, arguing that the case involves significant public interest and environmental issues that warrant independent legal perspectives.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explores the communication channels, education opportunities, and networking patterns of youth across the circumpolar region. Based on a limited sample of 19 interviews and media scans, the study identifies a lack of youth-specific mainstream media, significant barriers to formal education in Northern Canada, and a reliance on personal, face-to-face interaction for effective engagement. The report highlights the role of the OOKPIK website in hosting directories of youth networks and media to improve connectivity among young Northerners.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates the feasibility of tree planting in the Canadian prairie ecozone as a method to offset carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It reviews international policies from the European Union, the United States, and Canada, while analyzing the environmental, economic, and social benefits of afforestation alongside the direct and opportunity costs involved.

This briefing by the Prairie Climate Centre examines strategies to enhance the climate resilience of urban electricity and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, with a particular focus on Alberta, Canada. It advocates for the adoption of robustness, redundancy, and resourcefulness to mitigate risks from extreme weather and long-term climate trends.

This 1999 report analyzes the emergence of markets for global environmental services in Central America, focusing on the contrasting experiences of Costa Rica and El Salvador. It examines how these countries leverage international agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol and biodiversity conventions, to mobilize financial resources for conservation and sustainable development through mechanisms like carbon credits and biodiversity-friendly coffee certification.