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The project examines hydrological cycles in the American cordillera, specifically in North America and basins in Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Initial results include a 700-year tree-ring reconstruction showing severe 14th-century droughts in the high Andes that led to social conflict and village abandonment. In Chile, a slight decline in streamflow over the last century is noted, with significant rainfall drops in 1945 linked to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Additionally, drought risk in the southern Andes was higher between 1920 and 2002 than between 1346 and 1919, threatening agriculture and hydroelectric power.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of agricultural trade policies and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations on the food security of net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs). It analyzes how trade-distorting subsidies, export restrictions, and tariff reforms affect the affordability and accessibility of food in low-income societies.

The paper assesses Personal Carbon Trading (PCT) as a tool to reduce household GHG emissions in Sweden. It concludes that a UK-style PCT scheme would be inefficient in Sweden due to high administrative costs and the existing effectiveness of policies in the housing sector (e.g., district heating). While PCT could potentially address rising transport emissions, it would face equity issues between urban and rural populations. The authors note that emissions from imported food and consumables remain a significant gap in Swedish policy, but targeting these via PCT is currently technically unfeasible.

This research paper by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) examines how development agencies can support national-level decision-making to foster low-emission, climate-resilient development. It identifies critical barriers to adaptation—including political leadership, technical knowledge, financial management, and accountability—and details UNDP's strategic approach to integrating climate change into broader national development and poverty reduction goals.

This commentary discusses the role of international market mechanisms in facilitating greenhouse gas emission reductions and their potential to influence future international climate agreements and development processes, with a specific focus on the needs of Canada.

A specific instance complaint submitted to the Canadian National Contact Point (NCP) by the Frente de Defensa San Miguelense (FREDEMI) and prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). The complaint alleges that Goldcorp Inc., through its subsidiary Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A., violated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in its operations at the Marlin Mine in Guatemala, specifically regarding indigenous land rights, environmental contamination, and the persecution of community protesters.

This report examines the risks associated with "peak phosphorus"—the point when demand for rock phosphate exceeds supply—and its implications for global food security and water quality. It focuses on the Lake Winnipeg Basin as a case study for extreme eutrophication and proposes a transition toward phosphorus stewardship through nutrient recovery, recycling, and improved agricultural practices to reduce dependence on mineral fertilizers.

Daryl W. Ditz, representing the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 17, 2009, arguing that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has failed to protect public health. Ditz proposed three primary reforms: authorizing the EPA to phase out high-priority chemicals (specifically PBTs), establishing a health-based safety standard for all chemicals where manufacturers bear the burden of proof, and mandating comprehensive, updated data submissions from chemical manufacturers to fill critical information gaps.

This 2009 briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the Montreal Protocol's success in ozone recovery and its failure to address the climate impacts of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and their substitutes, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). It highlights the risk posed by existing ODS 'banks' and the rapid growth of HFC emissions, while discussing proposed legislative responses in the United States and internationally.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes policy options for addressing competitiveness and carbon leakage resulting from differential climate change policies and measures (PAMs). It evaluates the economic and environmental effectiveness of border carbon adjustments (BCAs), free allowance allocations, and sectoral approaches, while examining their legality under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and their political implications for developed and developing nations.

This briefing paper examines the economic, legal, and geopolitical challenges of implementing Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) to address industrial competitiveness and carbon leakage. It analyzes the tension between unilateral trade measures and international climate principles, specifically the UNFCCC's principle of common but differentiated responsibility.

This report documents a seminar held by the Institute for Security Studies on September 19, 2009, regarding the unionisation and democratisation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The discussions focus on the tension between constitutional labour rights and military discipline, the adversarial relationship between the Department of Defence (DOD) and military unions, and the systemic grievances of soldiers leading to protests.

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.

The Action List from the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Bogota, Colombia on 19-20 May 2009, records administrative decisions including the election of the Bureau, approval of the FY 2009-2010 budget and annual program, and amendments to the Rules of Procedure.

The document records the decisions made during the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 19-20, 2009.

This document is a list of participants for the 16th Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Conference of the Parties (CoP) Meeting, which took place in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 19-20, 2009.

This document is a list of participants for the 27th Executive Council (EC) Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), which took place in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 18, 2009.

The minutes of the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the IAI Executive Council (EC), held on May 18, 2009, in Bogotá, Colombia, detail discussions on the institute's financial status, budgetary planning for FY 2009-2010, proposed amendments to the standing rules of the EC and Conference of the Parties (CoP), and the ongoing development of a strategic plan.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of international carbon market mechanisms within the context of negotiations for a post-2012 climate change agreement. It reviews the existing Kyoto Protocol instruments—International Emissions Trading (IET), Joint Implementation (JI), and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)—and explores potential expansions or new mechanisms, such as sectoral crediting and REDD, to enhance cost-effectiveness and engage developing countries in mitigation efforts.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides an overview of the UNFCCC climate change negotiations held in Bonn from March 29 to April 8, 2009. It details the progress and points of contention across the four pillars of the Bali Action Plan—mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing—as countries worked toward a comprehensive post-2012 climate agreement intended for adoption at COP 15 in Copenhagen in December 2009.