Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing paper, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in September 2005, provides background on international chemicals management for participants of the 7th Global Civil Society Forum. It details the challenges of global chemical regulation, the roles of various intergovernmental organizations and civil society networks, and the development of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

This report chapter provides a military history of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), tracing its evolution from the liberation movements of the 1960s through the Angolan Civil War to its status as a peacetime national institution. It details the integration of three primary military wings—FAPLA, ELNA, and FALA—and the significant role of foreign intervention from the Soviet Union, Cuba, the United States, Zaire, and South Africa in shaping the conflict and the eventual formation of the FAA.

This research paper examines the impact of European Union (EU) sugar subsidy reforms and World Trade Organisation (WTO) rulings on African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) sugar-producing countries. It argues that while developed-country subsidies distort global trade, the rapid removal of preferential access threatens the livelihoods of vulnerable farmers and requires more substantial adjustment assistance and a phased transition to ensure sustainable development.

This report, prepared for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, assesses the status of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations as of August 2005. It highlights the central role of agricultural liberalization and the significant deadlock between the US, EU, and developing nations, arguing that the round has failed to live up to its designation as a 'Development Agenda'.

This briefing from the Center for International Environmental Law examines the environmental implications of Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations within the WTO Doha Development Agenda. It focuses on two primary areas: the informal pursuit of sectoral agreements for total tariff elimination in environmentally-sensitive sectors and the classification and negotiation of non-tariff barriers (NTBs). The document argues that environmental considerations are being neglected in tariff negotiations and warns against the potential for NTB negotiations to undermine legitimate public policy objectives regarding health, safety, and environmental protection.

The report proposes a model for implementing Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) in Winnipeg to engage neighbourhoods in local environmental action. It suggests a service-innovation and delivery focus, anchored by existing community-based organizations and supported by a multi-partite agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Environment Canada, and the Province of Manitoba.

This report, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), develops a conceptual methodology called the 'Impact Pathway approach' to value changes in agri-environmental indicators. The report tests this methodology on five specific indicators: Risk of Water Erosion, Risk of Water Contamination by Phosphorus, GHG Emissions, Energy Use Efficiency, and Wildlife Habitat Availability. It identifies critical data gaps, particularly in transport modelling for water-related indicators, and explores linkages between these valuations and integrated economic-environmental modelling and social indicators.

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 action list documents the decisions and elections made during the Twelfth Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Conference of the Parties (CoP), held on May 5-6, 2005, in Montreal, Canada.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) proposes alternative methods for calculating member country contributions to its Core Budget, comparing the current Organization of the American States (OAS) scale against United Nations (UN) and International Council for Science (ICSU) scales.

This document records the decisions made during the Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Montreal, Canada, on May 5-6, 2005. The meeting focused on administrative elections, budget approvals, procedural rule changes, and the appointment of a new IAI Director.

This document is a list of participants for the 20th Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council (EC) Meeting, which took place in Montreal, Canada, on May 2-3, 2005.

The document outlines the Annual Program of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for the period of July 2005 to June 2006, detailing institutional goals, scientific programs, capacity building, and administrative activities.

The Executive Directorate report of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), covering July 2004 to May 2005, details the transition between Directors Gustavo V. Necco and John W. B. Stewart. The report emphasizes a strategic shift toward increasing regional relevance by bridging the gap between scientific excellence and practical policy application, while outlining administrative updates, the status of research networks (CRN-I and CRN-II), and the execution of capacity-building institutes in Mexico and Costa Rica.

The Report of the CRN-I Program details the outcomes of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research's (IAI) Collaborative Research Network (CRN) program, which operated from 1999 to 2003. The program invested approximately US$10 million across 14 grants to foster multidisciplinary, international research networks focused on global change phenomena in the Americas, with a strong emphasis on scientific capacity building and policy relevance.

This research paper examines the state of drug smuggling and border control at Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) and Durban Harbour. It analyzes the trade patterns of cannabis, Mandrax, cocaine, and heroin, while evaluating the effectiveness of risk profiling and the impact of international security standards, such as those driven by the United States post-9/11, on South African port security.

This guide, published by the Center for International Environmental Law and Physicians for Social Responsibility, provides a comprehensive framework for using international law and institutions to protect children's environmental health. It details how human rights, labor, environmental, and health treaties can be leveraged to hold governments accountable, build capacity, and resolve disputes regarding the disproportionate vulnerability of children to environmental toxins and degradation.

This briefing paper examines the perceived tensions between climate change mitigation efforts under the Kyoto Protocol and the economic competitiveness of firms and sectors. It distinguishes between the 'non-Party problem,' where firms in participating countries face disadvantages against those in non-participating nations, and the 'implementation problem,' where differing national strategies within participating regions create internal competitive imbalances. Using Canada and the EU as case studies, the document argues that while these concerns are politically significant, their actual economic impacts may be limited by flexibility mechanisms, sub-national actions in non-participating countries, and potential technological innovations driven by regulation.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) presents its Core Budget Request for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, proposing a total budget of $1,012,405. This represents a net increase of $74,086 over the previous year's expenses, driven primarily by rising personnel costs and inflation in Brazil.

This research paper examines the historical and contemporary relationship between African diasporas and their homelands, focusing on political influence, the impact of remittances on national economies, and the social dynamics of migration in Africa south of the Sahara.