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This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the global and regional policy and financial responses to the surge in foreign investment in agricultural land and water following the 2008 food crisis. It details various voluntary guidelines, principles, and financing mechanisms designed to ensure that large-scale investments are transparent, respect land rights, and contribute to food security and rural development.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines the global and regional normative and financial responses to the increase in foreign investment in agricultural land and water, often termed 'land grabbing', following the 2008 food crisis. It evaluates various guidelines, principles, and funding mechanisms designed to ensure that agricultural investments are transparent, respect land rights, and contribute to rural development and food security.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and CUTS International, Geneva, provides an update on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Working Group (IWG) on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) from June to December 2020. It details the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MSMEs, particularly those led by women, and outlines a package of six recommendations and declarations adopted by the IWG in December 2020 to improve MSME integration into the multilateral trading system.

This final progress report details a partnership between the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), MYRADA, and the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) from July 1999 to December 2001. The project field-tested Appreciative Inquiry (AI)—a participatory development approach focusing on strengths and aspirations rather than problem analysis—within rural India to support sustainable development, gender equity, and livelihoods.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the global tea market, focusing on the growth of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and the potential for expanding sustainable production in Low Human Development Countries (LHDCs). It examines production trends, trade flows, and the systemic challenges facing the tea industry, such as climate change and inequitable wealth distribution.

This report analyzes the environmental impacts of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) on the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), with a specific focus on Cambodia. It examines how tariff reductions have driven trade flows and the resulting pollution intensity, noting that while some countries experience 'pollution gains' by importing dirty goods, this often shifts environmental degradation to the producer, primarily China. The report also highlights the risk of natural resource depletion, particularly deforestation and overfishing in Cambodia, driven by increased demand for wood, rubber, and fish.

This policy brief examines China's expanding economic role in the Mekong region, specifically its investments in natural resources, energy, and infrastructure in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It highlights China's strategic shift toward securing foreign resources to fuel its domestic industrial growth and the resulting environmental and social challenges in host countries.

This research paper examines the impact and stability of the €6 billion migration agreement between the European Union and Turkey, noting that while it initially reduced irregular crossings and disrupted smuggling operations, the deal is now threatened by Turkey's internal political and economic instability.

This monograph by Afua Twum-Danso examines the phenomenon of child soldiering in Africa, challenging the notion that it is a product of African culture. Instead, the author argues that the recruitment and deployment of children are driven by socio-economic instability, political agendas, and pragmatic military strategies. The report provides a comprehensive overview of recruitment methods, the roles children play in conflicts, and the long-term physical and psychological consequences of their participation, with a specific focus on the often-overlooked experiences of girl soldiers.

A letter dated February 24, 2014, addressed to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim from a coalition of 168 organizations and individuals, urging the revival of B-SPAN, the Bank's Internet-based webcasting system.

This position paper by Geres, an international development NGO, outlines its strategy for achieving universal energy access as a catalyst for the energy transition and poverty reduction. The document details Geres' approach to providing affordable, renewable energy services to households and small businesses at the 'base of the pyramid,' emphasizing the integration of energy efficiency, local capacity building, and gender equality to ensure sustainable development and climate resilience.

This report by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) argues that gender equality is a necessary catalyst for achieving universal energy access by 2030. It provides a business case for integrating gender-sensitive approaches into the decentralised renewable energy (DRE) sector, offering recommendations for companies, civil society organisations (CSOs), and investors, alongside 17 case studies demonstrating best practices in community empowerment, organisational diversity, and gender-lens investing.

This research paper by Shada Islam, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in May 2009, examines the European Union's (EU) use of 'strategic partnerships' to increase its global political influence. The author argues that while these agreements boost the EU's visibility, they often lack substance and are hindered by internal EU divisions, a reliance on 'soft power' over military capabilities, and diverging geostrategic interests with partners such as China and India.

This policy briefing examines South Africa's shifting relationship with the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine and the International Criminal Court (ICC). It argues that while South Africa initially championed human rights as the guiding light of its foreign policy following its democratic transition, it has since adopted a more pragmatic approach. This shift is characterized by suspicion toward initiatives perceived as advancing Western interests and a tension between maintaining continental solidarity within Africa and pursuing ambitions as an emerging global power.

This report summarizes a conference held on June 9-10, 2011, at the South African Institute of International Affairs in Johannesburg. The event focused on the evolving economic, political, and security relationships between India, South Africa, and the broader African continent, emphasizing South-South cooperation, trade synergies, and joint efforts toward reforming global governance institutions like the UN and IMF.

This report by Sustainable Energy for All examines the critical role of cold chain logistics and reliable electricity access in the global rollout of vaccines, specifically highlighting how infrastructure gaps in low-income regions and Sub-Saharan Africa hinder the achievement of herd immunity.

This consultation draft policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines climate hazards affecting the agriculture and water sectors in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It analyzes the status of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), identifies critical climate risks such as heatwaves and flooding, and outlines priority adaptation strategies and financing gaps across the region's member states.

This consultation draft report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the state of Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) and Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It identifies a gap between national-level policy frameworks and local-level implementation, noting that siloed institutional approaches and a lack of standardized tools hinder effective risk reduction. The document advocates for the institutionalization of bottom-up approaches, decentralized climate finance, and the integration of DRR and CCA to better support vulnerable populations, including women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

This briefing introduces the Framework for Integrating Rights and Equality (FIRE), a six-dimensional tool designed to help disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience (CR) decision-makers integrate human rights and gender equality into laws, policies, and practices. The document details the application of FIRE within the Building Resilience through Inclusive and Climate-adaptive Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia-Pacific (BRDR) Program, specifically focusing on risk assessments, land-use planning, and emergency preparedness and response.

This fact sheet describes the CREST initiative, a partnership between the IOM and SEI investigating the links between climate change, environmental degradation, and international labour migration in Asia. It highlights how environmental stressors increase vulnerability to forced labour, particularly in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and construction sectors. The project aims to inform policymakers and businesses on how to protect migrant workers and maximize migration as an adaptation strategy, specifically focusing on agricultural supply chains in corridors involving Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia.