Search Climate Insights Directory

This report details the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August and September 2002. It outlines the IAI's participation in official sessions and alternative forums, specifically focusing on climate change, biodiversity, and ecosystem monitoring.

This briefing paper assesses the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held from 26 August to 4 September 2002 in Johannesburg. It details the resulting political declarations, implementation plans, and partnership commitments, while analyzing the political tensions between developed and developing nations regarding renewable energy targets, corporate accountability, and the role of the WTO in environmental governance.

This research paper, prepared for a Royal Institute of International Affairs conference, examines the implications of the Doha Ministerial Declaration's commitment to sustainable development. The author argues that achieving this objective requires a fundamental shift in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) institutional structure, moving beyond narrow commercial goals toward integrated impact assessments and increased transparency.

The New Business Climate is a 2002 guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) designed to help corporations and institutions reduce carbon emissions while improving business performance. It argues that climate change presents both risks to asset values and opportunities for innovation, advocating for a transition from incremental thinking to radical resource efficiency and the use of emerging carbon markets to manage costs.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's foreign policy toward Zimbabwe from 1994 to 2002, arguing that Zimbabwe has been of marginal interest to Pretoria despite deep historical, economic, and security links. The author identifies three phases of policy: an initial lack of specific policy, a period of brinkmanship and frustration (1994–1999), and a subsequent 'twin-track' approach of constructive engagement and containment starting in 2000. The paper highlights the economic devastation in Zimbabwe following the lapse of a 1964 Customs Agreement and the failure of the two nations to establish a cohesive regional security mechanism within SADC.

The Marrakech Accords establish a robust compliance system for the Kyoto Protocol, featuring a two-branch compliance committee (facilitative and enforcement) with membership based on equitable geographical representation and double majority voting. Annex I Parties failing to meet emissions targets face specific penalties, including deductions from future assigned amounts and loss of emissions trading privileges. While the system provides for public participation and appeals, the legal nature of its 'binding' consequences remains a point of contention among Parties, specifically the Umbrella Group.

A statement from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the World Bank urging modifications to the draft Operational Policy/Bank Practice (OP/BP) 4.12 on involuntary resettlement. CIEL argues that the draft fails to protect indigenous peoples, ignores voluntary resettlement, and prioritizes the 'restoration' of livelihoods over the 'improvement' of living standards.

A statement from the Basel Action Network and other environmental organizations opposing the United States government's intent to selectively ratify the 1989 Basel Convention while refusing to implement the 1995 Basel Ban Amendment.

This research paper examines the evolution of international criminal law in the early 21st century, focusing on the impact of the tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The author analyzes the subsequent efforts to establish specialized courts in Sierra Leone, Cambodia, and East Timor, while arguing that the proliferation of ad hoc tribunals may promote selective justice and that a permanent International Criminal Court is necessary to end the 'culture of impunity'.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) critiques the World Bank's proposed transition from Operational Directive (OD 4.30) to Operational Policy (OP 4.12) regarding involuntary resettlement. CIEL argues that the new policy relaxes standards for restoration of living conditions, prioritizes cash over land compensation, and removes protections for vulnerable groups and 'voluntary' settlers.

A 1999 guide by CIEL explaining how citizens can use the World Bank Inspection Panel to report policy violations in development projects. It details eligibility criteria, the investigation process, the limitations of the Panel's power, and the risks of borrower reprisals.

This research paper examines the growth, structure, and regulation of the private security industry in South Africa as of 1999. It analyzes the industry's shift toward performing functions traditionally reserved for the police, the resulting tensions regarding accountability and human rights, and the industry's expansion into other African nations.

This document contains the proceedings of a Trade and Sustainable Development Workshop held on 1-2 July 1999 in Midrand, South Africa. Hosted by the IUCN, the Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM), and the Trade and Industrial Policy Secretariat (TIPS), and funded by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the workshop aimed to identify international and domestic trends, research focus areas, and strategic interventions for South Africa regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other trade policy negotiations to promote sustainable development.

This 1999 report analyzes the economics of greenhouse gas mitigation in Ecuador, forecasting CO2 emission trends up to 2030. It highlights a history of economic instability and a heavy reliance on oil, while proposing a mitigation scenario that could reduce CO2 emissions by 15 million tons. The study finds that the industry sector offers the highest mitigation potential, while the transport sector is the most difficult to abate. It also examines the sensitivity of various economic sectors to energy price increases, noting that the chemical and power sectors are most vulnerable.

This report summarizes a May 1997 search conference convened by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the North-South Institute (NSI). The conference aimed to implement recommendations from the November 1996 'Connecting with the World' report, advocating for the integration of knowledge and information and communication technologies (ICTs) into Canadian foreign policy to enhance international development and Canada's transition to a knowledge-based economy.

The research paper "The Negawatt Revolution: Electric Efficiency and Asian Development" argues that Asian development is hindered by the adoption of inefficient electrical equipment and a utility business model focused on increasing sales rather than customer satisfaction. The authors contrast this with a shift in the U.S. utility sector toward "negawatts"—saving electricity through efficiency and renewables—which is presented as a significantly cheaper and more sustainable alternative to building new power plants.

The 2024 Zambia Debt Profile by AFRODAD analyzes the drivers and consequences of Zambia's unsustainable national debt, which reached $25.5 billion by the end of 2023. The report details how excessive borrowing for unproductive infrastructure, combined with a high reliance on volatile copper exports and significant tax evasion, led to a sovereign default in November 2020. It highlights the severe impact of debt servicing on social sectors, specifically the crowding out of health and education budgets, and evaluates the challenges of restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.

This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines the link between Alberta's reliance on coal-fired power plants, greenhouse gas emissions, and the resulting impacts of climate change on human health both globally and within Alberta.

A statement by 82 health organizations from 30 countries calling on G7 nations to accelerate the global transition away from coal-fired electricity to improve public health and mitigate climate change.

Tariq Banuri, Director of the Division for Sustainable Development at the UN, argues that integrating climate and development goals requires making renewable energy affordable and competitive. He asserts that reducing the cost of renewables is the only way to ensure global economic growth and poverty reduction while lowering emissions.