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This guide provides an introduction to selecting environmentally sensitive building materials, emphasizing the reduction of embodied energy, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the impact of industrial manufacturing on global ecosystems.

This briefing by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) details the status of agricultural negotiations following the Doha Ministerial Declaration. It outlines the 'Doha Mandate' for market access, export subsidies, and domestic support, while highlighting the deep divisions between developed nations, the Cairns Group, and the Like-minded Group of developing countries regarding the implementation and definition of these commitments.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) details the status of negotiations within the WTO TRIPs Council regarding intellectual property rights, public health, and geographical indications following the 2001 Doha Declaration.

This briefing by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) details the progress of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules following the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha. It examines the divisions between developed and developing nations regarding anti-dumping measures, subsidies—specifically fisheries subsidies—and the governance of regional trade agreements (RTAs).

This briefing by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines the progress and obstacles regarding trade and environment mandates following the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference (Doha). It details negotiations on the relationship between WTO rules and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), the liberalisation of environmental goods and services, and non-negotiating mandates such as market access and labelling.

This briefing by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the progress of the WTO Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance (WGTDF). Established by the Doha Ministerial Declaration, the group aims to analyze how the multilateral trading system can help resolve the external indebtedness of developing and least-developed countries and improve coherence between trade and international financial policies.

This research paper reviews the ongoing debate within the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding environmental labelling (eco-labels). It identifies structural obstacles, such as the lack of negotiating authority in the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), and substantive obstacles, such as the legal status of non-product-related process and production methods (nprPPMs). The paper highlights how issues like GMO labelling and labour standards complicate negotiations and emphasizes the critical need for technical assistance for developing countries to prevent eco-labels from becoming tools of "green protectionism."

This briefing paper examines the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) within the WTO framework, focusing on its structure, the challenges of reaching consensus, and its implications for sustainable development and developing countries.

The Action List from the second day of the Sixteenth Meeting of the IAI Executive Council (EC) details administrative approvals, committee restructuring, and the scheduling of future meetings.

This document is a list of actions approved during the second day of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on December 3, 2002, in Panama City, Panama.

The document contains the minutes and action lists from the Fifteenth Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council (EC), held on June 25-26, 2002, in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The meeting focused on financial management, the approval of scientific grants, the selection of new Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) members, and the establishment of an External Review Committee.

This report from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) provides an update on activities, financial status, and strategic planning presented at the 16th Executive Committee (EC) meeting in Panama City in December 2002. It outlines a shift toward 'science for sustainability' and the application of global research to local and regional solutions, while detailing administrative restructuring and new partnerships in the Americas.

The IAI Quarterly Report as of September 30, 2002, shows that actual core budget expenses were $61,928 below estimates. The report highlights funding challenges in the Collaborative Research Network due to the suspension of Argentina's funding agreement, leading to a 9% budget reduction for projects in year 3 and a potential future cash deficit of $240,000.

This report by Jenny Clover for the Institute for Security Studies examines the debate over Genetically Modified (GM) foods in Africa, specifically within the context of a food crisis in Southern Africa in 2002. The author argues that while GM technology offers potential productive gains, it cannot solve hunger on its own because food security is a complex issue involving economic, social, and political factors. The document highlights the tension between immediate humanitarian needs for food aid and long-term concerns regarding biodiversity, multinational corporate control of seeds, and trade restrictions, particularly with the European Union.

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 report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that sustainable development and environmental justice are symbiotically related, asserting that the former cannot be achieved without the latter. The document explores the legal nexus between human rights and the environment, emphasizing the right to a healthy environment, community-based property rights, and procedural rights as essential components for achieving global sustainability and justice.

This research paper examines the failure of the patent system to prevent the misappropriation of traditional knowledge (TK) and explores the use of the patent system as a defensive measure. It specifically analyzes how TK can be formally recognized as 'prior art' to defeat patent claims that lack novelty or an inventive step. The author reviews prior art definitions in the US, Japan, and Europe, as well as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) framework, and provides recommendations for improving search procedures, implementing disclosure requirements, and developing standardized TK databases.

This research paper examines agri-environmental and rural development programs within the WTO framework, specifically focusing on the 'Green Box' of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It analyzes the practices of the 'Quad' countries (EU, US, Canada, and Japan) and evaluates how the Doha Round negotiations might impact the ability of developing countries to implement similar sustainable agriculture policies.

This document records the decisions made during the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in São José dos Campos, Brazil, on June 27-28, 2002.

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.