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This research chapter examines how religious beliefs influence perceptions of risk and responses to climate change and disasters, arguing that faith can both increase and decrease vulnerability. Using a case study from El Salvador, the text highlights the difficulty in separating political ideology from religious belief and notes that while religion can improve the lives of the poor, certain interpretations of disasters may hinder sustainable development.

This executive summary, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, addresses the increasing violence and human rights abuses against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, specifically within the context of industrial mining.

This research paper examines the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and human well-being, using China as a primary case study. It analyzes how income per capita, energy production mixes, and geography correlate with CO2 emissions across 174 countries and 30 Chinese provinces, arguing that current high-consumption lifestyles in rich countries are incompatible with low-emission stabilization targets.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes various proposals for operationalizing technology cooperation within the UNFCCC framework ahead of the 2009 Copenhagen negotiations. It contrasts the institutional and financial preferences of the G77 + China, the European Union, and other nations, while proposing a comprehensive evaluation framework based on legal principles, specific actions across the technology chain, and institutional mandates. The document also includes a position paper from the Climate Action Network (CAN) advocating for a dedicated Technology Cooperation Mechanism and a Technology Fund to ensure the measurable, reportable, and verifiable (MRV) transfer of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) to developing countries.

This report by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for financing large-scale, export-oriented biofuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The document argues that these projects exacerbate social inequality, threaten biodiversity, and may increase greenhouse gas emissions due to land-use changes, while failing to alleviate rural poverty.

The IAI Directorate Report (May 2006 - May 2007) outlines the institute's efforts to integrate global change science with policy, particularly regarding land-use change and biofuels in the La Plata Basin and Central Brazil. It details various international collaborations (e.g., with IDRC, NCAR, and SCOPE), the implementation of Collaborative Research Networks (CRN I and II), and the results of the Training Institute Seed Grants (TISG) program, which supported 44 scientists across 19 countries. The report also highlights fundraising efforts, including a proposal to the MacArthur Foundation for assessing climate change impacts on biodiversity in the Andes.

This 2006 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines urine diversion as a sustainable sanitation alternative to help meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It details the technical, organizational, and economic aspects of separating urine from faeces to enable nutrient recycling in agriculture, drawing heavily on Swedish municipal experiences and international case studies from West Africa, China, and El Salvador.

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 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 report analyzes the intersection of international trade, sustainable development, and agriculture in Central America. It examines the impact of WTO agreements, regional trade negotiations (such as ALCA and CAFTA), and the environmental footprints of key agricultural sectors, proposing a 'Green General System of Preferences' to incentivize sustainable production.

This report reviews Phase One (December 2001 – December 2003) of a project by IUCN, IISD, SEI-B, and Intercooperation aimed at reducing the vulnerability of poor communities to climate change. The project advocates for an integrated approach to adaptation that combines disaster risk reduction, environmental management, and poverty reduction, specifically emphasizing sustainable livelihoods (SL) and ecosystem management and restoration (EM&R). Phase One focused on establishing a theoretical basis, collecting evidence through case studies and desk-based assessments, and communicating this approach to policy audiences to prepare for the operationalization of adaptation in Phase Two.

This briefing analyzes Brazil's strategic position and challenges within the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations as of February 2004. It details the friction between Brazil and the United States over agricultural subsidies, non-tariff barriers, and the 'Singapore issues,' while examining how the US strategy of bilateral agreements and the outcomes of the WTO Cancun summit have influenced the shift toward a more flexible 'ALCA-lite' framework.

The South Centre and CIEL IP Quarterly Update for the second quarter of 2004 analyzes international intellectual property (IP) policy-making, focusing on the upcoming WIPO General Assembly and developments across multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral fora. The report highlights the challenges developing countries face when developed nations shift negotiations to bilateral 'TRIPS-plus' agreements to circumvent multilateral flexibilities. Key areas of concern include the protection of genetic resources, the proposed broadcasting treaty, and the Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT).

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the South Centre provides a first-quarter 2004 update on international intellectual property (IP) policy. It highlights a strategic shift by developed countries, particularly the United States, away from multilateral forums like the WTO toward bilateral and regional trade agreements to implement 'TRIPS-plus' standards. The document specifically analyzes the risk of 'non-violation complaints' being applied to IP in these bilateral deals, which could erode the flexibilities available to developing countries under the TRIPS Agreement.

This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in August 2003, analyzes the intersection of agricultural trade and sustainable development in Central America. It characterizes the region's agricultural structure, examines trade trends and projections, evaluates the environmental impacts of key agro-industrial activities, and discusses the role of international trade negotiations (WTO, CAFTA, and FTAA) in shaping support mechanisms for sustainable farming.

This report documents the fourteenth meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), held on November 27-28, 2000, in Washington, DC. The meeting focused on aligning research with policy needs, reviewing the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) and Initial Science Program (ISP), and discussing strategic partnerships with organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

This report outlines the training and education (T&E) activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) as of June 2001. The IAI focuses on capacity building in Latin America through scholarships, fellowships, and interdisciplinary summer institutes designed to foster collaboration between natural and social scientists across the Americas.

This commemorative report by Friends of the Earth International (FOEI), published in June 2001, celebrates its 30th anniversary by documenting community-led sustainability projects across its global network of 66 independent groups. The document highlights local initiatives in forest preservation, organic food systems, biodiversity conservation, climate action, and resistance to neoliberal economic globalization.

This report documents the proceedings of the Regional Forum on Trade and Environment held in San Salvador from July 7 to 10, 1999. Organized by SG-SICA, CCAD, IISD, IDRC, and IUCN, the forum aimed to establish a regional agenda for Central America to integrate environmental sustainability into global and regional trade negotiations, particularly within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).