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This research paper by Mark Halle examines the failures of the current multilateral trading system and proposes how it could be restructured to support a 'Great Transition' toward sustainable development. The author argues that while the fundamental principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are sound, the system has become a 'one size fits all' model that primarily benefits rich nations and ignores social and environmental goals. The paper explores three future archetypes—Agoria, Ecodemia, and Arcadia—demonstrating that a rules-based trading system can be adapted to serve any of these diverse socio-economic models if trade is treated as a tool for sustainable development rather than an end in itself.

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and regional free trade agreements prioritize corporate profit over environmental sustainability and human rights, leading to the loss of livelihoods for millions of small-scale farmers, fishers, and indigenous peoples. The document details how trade liberalization facilitates the privatization of natural resources, undermines food sovereignty, and exacerbates climate change and desertification across various global regions.

This report by the South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) analyzes tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting five select Nepalese agricultural exports: tea, natural honey, floriculture, medicinal plants, and vegetable seeds. It examines market access across 12 international markets, distinguishing between the high tariff barriers found in neighboring South Asian countries and the high incidence of non-tariff measures (NTMs) in developed economies.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides an update on the status of subsidy negotiations within the WTO's Doha Round as of November 2005. It analyzes the slow progress across agriculture, fisheries, services, and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), noting that while fisheries have seen some conceptual movement, other sectors remain stalled due to technical complexities, political disputes, and a lack of consensus on definitions.

This document is a facilitator's summary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) North American Regional Civil Society Consultation held on 28 October 2005. The meeting aimed to gather recommendations from North American civil society organizations to inform the 9th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) and the preceding Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF). The consultation focused on three primary policy areas: energy and the environment, chemicals management, and tourism and the environment.

This briefing paper, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in September 2005, provides background on international chemicals management for participants of the 7th Global Civil Society Forum. It details the challenges of global chemical regulation, the roles of various intergovernmental organizations and civil society networks, and the development of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

This document is a list of action items from the 21st Executive Council (CE) meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on September 8-9, 2005. It records decisions regarding administrative modifications, the formation of an ad hoc group, the management of the IAI newsletter, and the planning of future meetings in Venezuela.

This briefing from the Center for International Environmental Law examines the environmental implications of Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations within the WTO Doha Development Agenda. It focuses on two primary areas: the informal pursuit of sectoral agreements for total tariff elimination in environmentally-sensitive sectors and the classification and negotiation of non-tariff barriers (NTBs). The document argues that environmental considerations are being neglected in tariff negotiations and warns against the potential for NTB negotiations to undermine legitimate public policy objectives regarding health, safety, and environmental protection.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the ongoing WTO negotiations on environmental goods. It argues that current lists of goods for liberalization are dominated by developed countries and proposes including environmentally preferable products (EPPs) and implementing Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) to ensure a balanced distribution of trade gains for developing nations.

This action list documents the decisions and elections made during the Twelfth Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Conference of the Parties (CoP), held on May 5-6, 2005, in Montreal, Canada.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) proposes alternative methods for calculating member country contributions to its Core Budget, comparing the current Organization of the American States (OAS) scale against United Nations (UN) and International Council for Science (ICSU) scales.

The Executive Directorate report of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), covering July 2004 to May 2005, details the transition between Directors Gustavo V. Necco and John W. B. Stewart. The report emphasizes a strategic shift toward increasing regional relevance by bridging the gap between scientific excellence and practical policy application, while outlining administrative updates, the status of research networks (CRN-I and CRN-II), and the execution of capacity-building institutes in Mexico and Costa Rica.

The Report of the CRN-I Program details the outcomes of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research's (IAI) Collaborative Research Network (CRN) program, which operated from 1999 to 2003. The program invested approximately US$10 million across 14 grants to foster multidisciplinary, international research networks focused on global change phenomena in the Americas, with a strong emphasis on scientific capacity building and policy relevance.

This briefing paper examines the perceived tensions between climate change mitigation efforts under the Kyoto Protocol and the economic competitiveness of firms and sectors. It distinguishes between the 'non-Party problem,' where firms in participating countries face disadvantages against those in non-participating nations, and the 'implementation problem,' where differing national strategies within participating regions create internal competitive imbalances. Using Canada and the EU as case studies, the document argues that while these concerns are politically significant, their actual economic impacts may be limited by flexibility mechanisms, sub-national actions in non-participating countries, and potential technological innovations driven by regulation.

Minutes from the 19th Meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 29-30, 2004. The meeting covered scientific program updates, financial reports, administrative challenges regarding local staff in Brazil, and the announcement of the Executive Director's resignation.

The document contains the minutes of the Eleventh Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Conference of the Parties (CoP), held on June 30 and July 2, 2004, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The meeting focused on administrative governance, the recruitment of a new IAI Director, budget approvals for FY 2004/2005, and the election of members for the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Executive Council (EC).

The report documents the 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from June 30 to July 2, 2004. The meeting focused on administrative transitions, including the search for a new Executive Director, the approval of the 2004/2005 budget and annual program, and the election of members for the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Executive Council (CE).

This briefing paper by Friends of the Earth International argues that the US government is implementing a policy to make the contamination of the food supply with experimental genetically modified (GM) crops 'acceptable.' The document details the risks of such contamination, the lack of rigorous regulation for field trials, and the potential for these traits to spread globally through US food exports.

The action list from the first day of the Eleventh Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) on June 30, 2004, details the election of the Bureau, agenda modifications, and the accreditation of 16 member delegations.

This briefing outlines the action list from the second day of the Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on July 2, 2004. The document records approvals regarding the IAI's budget, annual program, and administrative procedures, as well as the appointment of members to the Executive Committee (CE), the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), and a search committee for a new Executive Director.