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Financialization of nature
This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) argues against the 'financialization of nature,' which it defines as the process of turning biodiversity and ecosystem functions into financial assets and tradable instruments. FoEI contends that pricing nature leads to the privatization of the commons, marginalizes Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and allows corporations to continue destructive activities through offsetting mechanisms.
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Document type: Statement
Financiarización de la Biodiversidad
This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) argues against the 'financialization' of biodiversity, which it defines as the process of converting nature into financial assets and commodities. The document critiques market-based mechanisms such as biodiversity banking, natural capital bonds, and payment for ecosystem services, asserting that these tools facilitate corporate control over nature, marginalize Indigenous and local communities, and provide 'false solutions' that allow continued environmental destruction through offsetting.
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Document type: Report
Health at the UN Climate Summit New York, September 20, 2014
This resource kit for the 2014 UN Climate Summit in New York frames climate change as a critical public health crisis. It advocates for a global transition to clean energy and active transport to save lives and reduce costs, encourages health organizations to divest from fossil fuels, and highlights England's cross-system health approach as a model for action.
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Document type: Guide
Private Sector Participation in Water Infrastructure: OECD checklist for public action
This report, written by an IISD consultant, evaluates the 'Istanbul version' of the OECD's Checklist for Private Sector Participation in Water Infrastructure released in March 2009. While acknowledging improvements over previous versions, the author argues that the checklist remains of limited operational value for practitioners due to internal contradictions, a failure to address systemic risks of international investment arbitration, and an over-reliance on outdated theoretical models regarding decentralization and regulation.
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Document type: Report
South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom
The author reflects on three major shifts in global history—the end of Eurocentrism and Empire, the end of the Cold War, and a current shift away from Anglo-Saxon dominance—while arguing that South Africa's future depends on an active, self-reliant citizenry rather than a reliance on 'great men' leaders.
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Document type: Statement
Inglés Soporte
This report by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for financing large-scale, export-oriented agrofuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The document argues that these projects exacerbate social and environmental inequities, threaten biodiversity, and may increase greenhouse gas emissions due to land-use changes, rather than serving as a viable climate solution.
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Document type: Report
CRIME DOES NOT CAUSE PUNISHMENT
This research paper by Michael Tonry argues that incarceration rates are a matter of political policy rather than a response to crime levels, asserting that sentencing severity does not significantly impact crime trends. Using comparative data from several developed nations, the author contends that mandatory minimum sentences fail to deter crime or ensure consistency, and suggests that South Africa should reduce its imprisonment rates and adopt a structured approach to sentencing.
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Document type: Research paper
GATS, Water and the Environment
This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and WWF International examines the potential conflicts between the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and domestic water management policies. The authors argue that while water management requires flexibility and adaptive planning to protect ecosystems, the GATS favors legal predictability and 'locking in' policy choices, which may constrain a state's ability to regulate water rights, pollution, and resource extraction.
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Document type: Research paper
CAPE’s Position Statement on Synthetic Pesticides
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) issued this position statement advocating for the eventual abandonment of synthetic pesticides due to their toxicity, persistence in biological systems, and risks to human health, particularly for children and fetuses. The document outlines a transition toward sustainable growing practices and a more restrictive regulatory framework based on the precautionary principle.
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Document type: Statement
Health Care Facilities (HCFs) & Climate Change
This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines how climate-related events impact health care facilities (HCFs) in Canada and provides strategies for improving sustainability and resiliency. It details the health sector's contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting energy use, anesthetic gases, and supply chain impacts, while suggesting tools for vulnerability assessment and specific reduction measures across various operational areas.
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Document type: Fact sheet
4004 foei [nature 4 sale] 3 PQt (Page 1)
This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) examines the social and environmental consequences of privatizing water and biodiversity across 34 global case studies. It argues that neoliberal policies promoted by international financial institutions (IFIs) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) prioritize corporate profit over human rights and ecological sustainability, disproportionately marginalizing the poor and Indigenous Peoples.
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Document type: Report
The Greening of Human Settlements
The document argues that a new industrial revolution is emerging, driven by 'natural capitalism' and integrative design, which aims to increase resource productivity by 10- to 100-fold. The author posits that market-driven green design in human settlements—characterized by high density, pedestrian-centric transport, and resource-efficient buildings—can align commercial profitability with environmental restoration, potentially making traditional government spatial planning obsolete.
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Document type: Report
NATURAL CAPITALISM
This report chapter explores 'green development,' demonstrating how the integration of resource efficiency, environmental sensitivity, and human well-being can lead to superior financial performance in real estate. Through various case studies of commercial buildings, residential developments, and hotels, the text argues that intelligent design reduces operating costs, increases labor productivity, and enhances property value while restoring community and ecological health.
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Document type: Report
rmi_document_repository_public-reprts_nuclear-spread-the-cure-begins-at-home-92713fec256daf02.pdf
This document is a letter or statement arguing against the proliferation of nuclear power reactors, asserting that they facilitate the production of plutonium for atomic bombs and that the global community should instead focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy transitions.
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Document type: Statement
climateolderpeoplepolicybrief2008-724d9f4308ef312d.pdf
This policy brief examines the intersection of an ageing population and climate change in the UK, highlighting the varying carbon footprints of different age groups and the specific vulnerabilities of older people to extreme weather. It argues for a coordinated national policy framework to reduce the climate vulnerability of older people while leveraging their willingness to contribute to climate solutions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Layout 1
This policy brief from the MEDIATION project evaluates the use of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) as a decision support tool for climate change adaptation. While CEA is a primary tool for mitigation, the document highlights that its application to adaptation is more challenging due to the lack of a single common metric and the critical need to account for uncertainty.
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Document type: Policy brief
Layout 1
This policy brief, produced as part of the European Commission FP7 funded MEDIATION project, evaluates Robust Decision Making (RDM) as a decision support tool for climate change adaptation. RDM focuses on identifying strategies that perform well across a wide range of plausible futures—prioritizing 'robustness' over 'optimality'—particularly in situations of 'deep uncertainty' where probabilistic data is scarce.
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Document type: Policy brief
2025-09 The cost of red and processed meat: impacts on health and healthcare - Google Docs
This report analyzes the global health and economic burden of red and processed meat consumption, finding that in 2021, these foods caused over 600,000 deaths and millions of years of healthy life lost. It highlights that wealthy nations in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania face the highest disease burdens and often spend heavily on treating preventable conditions rather than investing in prevention. The report argues that dietary interventions, such as reducing meat intake, could save billions of dollars in healthcare costs—for example, a 30% reduction in processed meat burden could save the US USD 21 billion annually—and significantly reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
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Document type: Report