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This policy brief examines how technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) can support developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs) in implementing new, internationally binding WTO rules on fisheries subsidies, noting a historical lack of donor support for subsidy assessment and reform.

This report analyzes 19 National Adaptation Plan (NAP) documents to determine how ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is integrated into national climate strategies. It highlights EbA as a nature-based solution that provides social, economic, and environmental benefits to build climate resilience.

The IISD supports Bill C-12 for establishing legally binding net-zero targets for Canada by 2050 and creating an accountability framework, though it notes the act lacks specific implementation initiatives and requires additional supporting plans for 2030 and beyond.

Japan is ranked second among G20 OECD member countries for its low level of support for fossil fuel use and overall progress, yet it remains the second-highest supplier of public finance for domestic and overseas fossil fuel projects within that group.

This policy brief examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, highlighting the challenges of providing health support and maintaining supply chains in remote, informal settings. It discusses the role of the informal sector as an economic safety net and suggests that the recovery phase offers an opportunity for governments to build trust and advance sector formalization through public-private cooperation.

This report examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, highlighting the challenges of government regulation, the economic hardships faced by miners, and the role of the informal sector as a social safety net.

This report presents the results of a July 2020 survey conducted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining (IGF) among 21 member states to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. It details the health, economic, and regulatory challenges faced by miners, the differentiated impacts on men and women, and the various government support measures implemented or suspended during the crisis.

This literature review by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Sitra examines the relationship between the transition to a circular economy and its impact on global and regional employment, emphasizing the need for 'decent work' and just transition policies.

This methodology note describes the framework used by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and its partners to track and score government support for fossil fuels across G20 countries between 2014 and 2020.

This guide provides a framework for project champions and funders to mobilize capital for large-scale natural infrastructure in Canada. It argues that successful projects are driven by time-sensitive forcing events rather than general valuation studies, and it outlines a five-step process for developers to move from identifying drivers to securing predevelopment funding.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) in implementing a potential World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on fisheries subsidies. It identifies critical gaps between the needs of developing countries for compliance—such as subsidy inventory and IUU monitoring—and the actual distribution of official development assistance (ODA), which heavily favors general fisheries development and management over specific subsidy reform.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development explores the precautionary principle, a guide in international environmental law that advocates for taking protective action even in the absence of full scientific certainty to avoid serious or irreversible damage.

This policy brief examines the subsidies provided to the coal-to-liquid (CTL) fuel sector in South Africa, specifically focusing on the company Sasol. It details the financial impact of market price support and carbon tax exemptions, arguing that these measures sustain coal's role in the transport sector and conflict with the country's Paris Agreement commitments.

This policy brief examines the scale and structure of the illegal wildlife trade, the historical evolution of international regulatory frameworks—specifically CITES—and the emerging debate over whether a new, legally binding international instrument is needed to address wildlife crime and zoonotic disease risks in a post-COVID-19 world.

This joint report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra examines the role of services and international services trade in supporting circular economy business models, identifying key service types, trade modes, and regulatory barriers.

This report analyzes the distribution of residential electricity subsidies in the Indian state of Jharkhand using a survey of over 900 households. It finds that subsidies are poorly targeted, with wealthier households receiving a disproportionate share of benefits, and proposes tariff adjustments to redirect funds toward the poor.

This briefing explores the precautionary principle as a guide for decision-makers to protect the environment, public health, and security in the face of scientific uncertainty. It traces the principle's evolution from national laws in Sweden to its integration into major international treaties and the law of the European Union, while discussing the ongoing tension between environmental safeguarding and economic development.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution of international efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade, focusing on the role and limitations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

This briefing, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), examines the intersection of energy affordability and electricity pricing reform in India following the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses the financial instability of electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs), the socio-economic impact of lockdowns on low-income households, and potential strategies for rationalizing tariffs and subsidies to ensure social sustainability during economic recovery.

This policy brief outlines the international governance of biodiversity, focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its associated protocols. It details the shift from species-based to area-based conservation, the challenges of ensuring fair benefit-sharing from genetic resources, and the regulatory complexities introduced by emerging technologies like synthetic biology and digital sequence information (DSI). The document emphasizes the urgency of moving away from "business as usual" to reverse biodiversity loss and achieve sustainable development goals.