Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper by Pedro Roffe examines the challenges developing countries face when implementing intellectual property (IP) provisions within bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs). It analyzes the shift from the flexible pre-TRIPS era to a 'TRIPS-Plus' environment, where developed nations—particularly the USA, EU, and EFTA—push for higher protection standards. The author argues that developing countries should move beyond defensive implementation toward a creative approach that modernizes national institutions and utilizes existing legal flexibilities to promote local innovation and public health.

This document is the Action List from the Thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Porlamar, Venezuela, on May 23-24, 2006. It records administrative decisions, elections, budget approvals, and policy modifications made during the two-day session.

This document records the decisions made during the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Polamar, Venezuela, on May 23-24, 2006.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) submitted a basic budget request for the 2006/2007 fiscal year, seeking to maintain the same total funding level as the previous year at 1,012,405 USD. The request emphasizes the implementation of the CRN II program, the closure of CRN I, and the organization of four training institutes, while managing operational costs and addressing inflation and currency devaluation in Brazil.

This document is a participant list for the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) and the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on May 23 and 24, 2006, on Isla Margarita, Venezuela.

This 2006 report analyzes trade and investment barriers between South Africa, India, and Brazil. It finds that while trade is growing, particularly between South Africa and Brazil, it remains hampered by high tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and a lack of awareness among the business sector regarding the IBSA initiative. The report recommends reducing customs duties, improving infrastructure, and involving the private sector in trade agreement implementation.

The minutes of the Twelfth Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP), held in Montreal, Canada, on May 5-6, 2005, detail the administrative, financial, and scientific governance of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Key outcomes included the election of Dr. Holm Tiessen as Director, the approval of the 2005-2006 core budget and annual program, and the adoption of new voting rules for the Conference of the Parties.

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 examines the potential for integrating disclosure requirements into the global intellectual property (IP) system to ensure mutual supportiveness between the WTO TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It focuses on requiring patent applicants to disclose the origin of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, as well as providing evidence of prior informed consent (PIC) and benefit-sharing, to prevent 'biopiracy' and ensure equitable returns to provider countries and indigenous communities.

The IAI Executive Directorate report for May-August 2005 outlines the appointment of a new Executive Director and Program Manager, the pursuit of observer status with the UNFCCC, and the management of scientific projects including CRN I and II. It details the organization of training institutes in Paraguay and Jamaica, the integration of the Amazon Andean GIS Web Portal into the IAI-DIS, and the approval of key administrative manuals.

This 2005 report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) examines the critical link between environmental degradation and rural poverty. It argues that neoliberal economic models, characterized by privatization and industrial exploitation of natural resources, exacerbate poverty by stripping local communities of their self-determination and access to essential resources. The document presents various case studies from the Global South and North to demonstrate that poverty eradication is possible when communities maintain control over their natural assets through sustainable, community-led management and the recognition of environmental rights.

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that poverty, particularly in rural areas, is inextricably linked to environmental degradation and the loss of community control over natural resources. It critiques neoliberal economic models, trade liberalization, and industrial agriculture for exacerbating poverty and ecological collapse, while presenting various community-led case studies as sustainable alternatives for poverty eradication.

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.

This document records the decisions made during the Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Montreal, Canada, on May 5-6, 2005. The meeting focused on administrative elections, budget approvals, procedural rule changes, and the appointment of a new IAI Director.

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.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) presents its Core Budget Request for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, proposing a total budget of $1,012,405. This represents a net increase of $74,086 over the previous year's expenses, driven primarily by rising personnel costs and inflation in Brazil.

The report analyzes the impact of bilateral trade agreements on copyright and access to knowledge, noting that agreements involving the U.S. often impose protections (such as 70-year terms and anti-circumvention of TPMs) that exceed multilateral standards. It also summarizes IP disputes in the WTO regarding pharmaceutical compulsory licensing and genetic resource disclosure, as well as tensions at WIPO over the Substantive Patent Law Treaty.

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.