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The document analyzes REDD+ as a tool for climate-compatible development in developing countries, highlighting its potential to reduce GHG emissions and enhance climate resilience. It notes that while international funding has reached $4.5 billion by 2012, significantly more is needed to meet global deforestation targets. The brief warns of risks to indigenous and forest-dependent communities and emphasizes that successful implementation requires long-term institutional building, clear legal frameworks for carbon rights, and integrated cross-sectoral planning.

This synthesis report analyzes the policy responses of countries and regional organizations in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa to the 2006–08 global food prices crisis. It assesses these responses in terms of economic sustainability and their impact on trade and regional integration, arguing that short-term emergency measures often conflicted with long-term food security and production goals.

This briefing examines the tension between trade liberalization and environmental protection within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a specific focus on the Mekong subregion. It argues that while regional strategies and national laws exist, actual implementation is often weak, frequently driven by foreign donor interests rather than internal political will, and hindered by a regional preference for non-binding 'soft law'.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the state of negotiations and implementation pathways for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) following the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. It examines the outcomes of the Copenhagen Accord, the role of the UNFCCC's various working groups, and the technical challenges regarding monitoring, safeguards, and financing for REDD-plus activities in developing countries.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the state of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) negotiations following the 2009 Copenhagen Conference (COP15). It outlines the outcomes of the Copenhagen Accord, the methodological guidelines for REDD-plus, and the critical technical and political challenges remaining for implementation, including monitoring, financing, and the protection of indigenous rights.

This report examines the complex interlinkages between trade, climate change, and food security in mainland Southeast Asia, with a detailed case study on Cambodia. It argues that food insecurity in the region persists despite surplus rice production due to structural economic weaknesses and vulnerability to external shocks. The author advocates for a holistic, participatory, and long-term policy approach to mitigate the risks posed by climate change and volatile global markets.

This policy brief argues that 'vulnerability' to climate change is a socially constructed and political concept rather than a quantifiable scientific attribute. It contends that scientists cannot provide an objective method for ranking countries to determine eligibility for adaptation funding under the UNFCCC, as such rankings require normative decisions that are the responsibility of political negotiators.

This 2010 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how air pollution, energy production, and pesticide use threaten the ecosystem services necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It argues that the degradation of approximately 60 per cent of examined ecosystem services may prevent the eradication of hunger and poverty, particularly in developing regions.

This research paper by Yolanda Kakabadse, former environment minister of Ecuador and President of WWF International, argues that traditional water infrastructure design—based on the assumption of a stationary climate—has led to the degradation of freshwater ecosystems and increased societal vulnerability. The author proposes a shift toward climate-sustainable development by integrating ecosystems into infrastructure planning, managing water at a basin scale, and moving away from sectoral silos in policymaking.

This research paper by Oxfam America, published as part of the 2010 World Resources Report, examines how civil society organizations (CSOs) can support and hold national governments accountable in integrating climate change risks into policy. The authors argue that while CSOs are vital for emergency disaster response, their most significant contribution lies in addressing long-term climatic risks through mutual partnership with states and communities. Using research from seven countries, including Cambodia, the paper highlights the risks of top-down fund management and advocates for transformative citizen participation to ensure climate finance reaches the most vulnerable populations.

This research paper examines the decline of South Africa's clothing and textile sector following the end of the Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) in 2004 and the subsequent rise of Chinese exports. It argues that while imports from China have caused significant job losses, the sector's primary failure is a lack of competitiveness due to high labour costs, low productivity, and rigid labour markets. The author suggests that further trade protection is unlikely to be effective and instead advocates for non-trade industrial policy tools, such as skills and capital upgrades, and a strategic shift toward high-end niche products.

This research paper evaluates the 'price-gap approach' for measuring fossil fuel subsidies, arguing that while it provides a useful global benchmark, it systematically understates the total magnitude of government support by ignoring transfers that do not affect end-user prices.

This policy briefing from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the economic relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and development in developing countries. It analyzes the trade-offs between providing incentives for innovators through temporary monopolies and ensuring public access to essential knowledge and medicines. The document reviews the impact of IPRs across various sectors, the role of international agreements like TRIPS, and the debate over whether strong IPR protection stimulates or hinders economic growth and technology transfer in developing nations.

This report analyzes the environmental and social impacts of the global cotton textile product chain, focusing on China's role as a major producer, importer, and exporter. It evaluates the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental degradation, proposing a transition toward sustainable cotton production and the internalization of environmental costs to maintain long-term competitiveness.

This guide provides a comprehensive checklist for governments and stakeholders to evaluate the sustainable development impacts of investment incentives. It emphasizes a multi-level analysis covering individual projects, general incentive policy design, and the influence of international agreements, arguing that economic growth alone is an insufficient measure of success.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF) outlines key messages for the Copenhagen climate talks based on workshops held in Vietnam and Kenya. It advocates for the inclusion of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and agriculture in international climate agreements, while emphasizing the need for balanced measurement requirements, regional cooperation to prevent leakage, and a phased implementation approach to support varying levels of national capacity.

This case study examines the impact of investment incentives on the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia, specifically focusing on the Banten province. It analyzes the evolution of Indonesian investment laws, the effectiveness of these incentives in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), and the resulting socio-economic and environmental consequences.

This 2009 report by the National Economic Research Institute, commissioned by the IISD and IUCN, examines the role of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in managing the rapid growth of the plantation industry in Lao PDR. It highlights a critical gap between the MPI's role as the final investment decision-maker and its limited capacity to integrate environmental and social considerations into that process, recommending stronger inter-agency coordination and the establishment of monitoring systems.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the European Union's 'Global Europe' strategy, arguing that its pursuit of a 'new generation' of bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) prioritizes the competitiveness of European transnational corporations over sustainable development, food sovereignty, and the sovereignty of developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

This report analyzes the environmental and social impacts of China's role as a leading producer, importer, and exporter in the global cotton and textile supply chain. It examines the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental degradation, proposing a transition toward sustainable production practices and a strategic shift in sourcing toward rain-fed regions in Africa to reduce global environmental pressure.