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This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) examines the global state of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP). It analyzes legal frameworks, national and international programs, and the specific challenges faced by emerging and developing economies in integrating environmental, social, and economic criteria into public purchasing.

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.

Amory Lovins argues that the world is entering a transition away from oil driven by the economic superiority of energy efficiency. He highlights the potential for ultralight hybrid vehicles, the role of the U.S. Pentagon in driving material innovation to reduce logistics risks, and estimates that eliminating U.S. oil use by the 2040s would cost $15 per barrel. The text suggests that this shift is already being adopted by companies like Wal-Mart and Boeing.

This statement from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to Senator Olympia Snowe proposes a series of short-term measures to reduce U.S. demand for conventional crude oil by 5% to 9%. RMI argues that such a reduction would stabilize global oil prices by increasing excess capacity to between 2.5 and 3.8 million barrels per day, thereby mitigating the impact of price shocks and speculation.

This report, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre for the Estonian Ministry of the Environment, examines the results of Ecological Tax Reforms (ETR) in selected European Union countries, specifically Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. It analyzes how shifting the tax burden from labour to consumption and resource use can simultaneously improve environmental quality, reduce unemployment, and increase economic competitiveness. The document provides detailed case studies of these four nations and offers specific policy recommendations for implementing a similar green tax reform in Estonia.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the challenges facing the European Union (EU) following its expansion to 25 members on 1 May 2004. The author, Erik Jones, examines the institutional, political, and financial pressures resulting from enlargement, specifically focusing on decision-making, diversity, and the redistribution of resources.

This 2003 fact sheet by Friends of the Earth International describes the European Investment Bank (EIB) as a powerful yet 'invisible' financial institution that operates with limited public oversight. The document criticizes the EIB for its lack of transparency, inadequate environmental and social safeguards, and its failure to be held accountable by EU institutions or the public, particularly regarding its lending activities outside the European Union.

This report from the Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) provides an analysis of institutional, programmatic, and educational activities conducted between August 1 and October 31, 2001. It details membership updates, the status of scientific capacity programs, and the outcomes of training initiatives like the IAI/UM Summer Institute.

This report from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) provides an analysis of institutional, programmatic, and educational activities conducted between August 1 and October 31, 2001. It details membership updates, the status of scientific programs such as the Initial Scientific Program (ISP) and the Cooperative Research Networks (CRN), and the outcomes of the IAI/University of Miami Summer Institute.

This report by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute argues that nuclear power has suffered a historic economic collapse and is obsolete compared to end-use efficiency, distributed generation, and new energy technologies. Lovins asserts that nuclear power is more expensive than its competitors and that transitioning away from it would improve global security by making nuclear materials harder to acquire.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) provides a review of dispute resolution options for negotiators of the Draft Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Central and Western Pacific Region. It analyzes the existing legal frameworks of UNCLOS and the SSA, evaluates the effectiveness of various international tribunals and arbitration, and draws lessons from other international regimes—such as the WTO and the Montreal Protocol—to recommend mechanisms that enhance transparency, scientific rigor, and efficiency in fisheries management.

This 1998 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute presents two contrasting future scenarios for the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) up to the year 2030: a Conventional Development Scenario (CDS) and a Sustainability Vision. The report argues that a 'business-as-usual' approach will lead to increased environmental pressure and persistent socio-economic disparities, whereas a transition to sustainability requires proactive policy interventions, technological decoupling of growth from resource use, and a shift in human values.

This case study examines the conflict between the U.S. pulp and paper industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Greenpeace over the use of chlorine in bleaching processes. The central tension involves the production of toxic organochlorines, specifically dioxins, and the debate over whether the industry should move toward elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF) technologies. The document details the 'cluster rule' regulatory approach and the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with different bleaching standards.

This case study describes a corporate crisis involving Treeton Chemical, a U.S.-based firm, and its Italian acquisition, Tossico Chemical. The venture, Treeton-Tossico, became the center of an international scandal after it was revealed that the company improperly exported 650 tons of toxic waste to Nigeria in 1987, leading to severe legal, financial, and reputational threats from the Italian government and European environmental coalitions.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of economic growth and climate change, specifically focusing on the needs of developing countries. It argues for 'climate compatible development'—a strategy that minimizes climate harm while maximizing human development opportunities. The document outlines ten propositions, asserting that while growth is an imperative for poverty reduction in poor nations, it must be transitioned toward low-carbon models to be sustainable. It emphasizes the need for national strategies, the leveraging of private finance, and the creation of political consensus to manage the disruptive shifts in global production and markets caused by climate policy.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law, prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme, evaluates the effectiveness of trade and positive measures within the Montreal Protocol. It analyzes how these mechanisms—ranging from import/export bans on ozone-depleting substances (ODS) to financial assistance for developing nations—have driven near-universal ratification and compliance to reduce global emissions of controlled substances.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GIESCR) reviews the 2023 activities of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) regarding climate change. It details the CRC's use of State review procedures to hold governments accountable for children's rights in the face of climate crises and analyzes the Committee's General Comment No. 26 (2023), which establishes the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as implicit in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative details the rapid growth of the labeled green bond market in 2014, which saw issuance triple from the previous year to 366 billion USD, driven by international financial institutions, corporations, and municipal issuers.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative, produced for COP22, analyzes the growth and governance of the green bond market. It highlights the shift toward private sector issuance, the increasing role of emerging markets like China, and the necessity of reaching USD 1 trillion in annual green emissions by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines how European financial centres can leverage green bonds to enhance their competitiveness and scale up sustainable finance. It details the role of stock exchanges, sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, and regulators in developing green bond markets, providing specific case studies from cities such as London, Luxembourg, Stockholm, Milan, Paris, and Dublin.