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This research paper examines how the 2022 amendments to the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) improve the identification and trade of environmental goods. By introducing more granular six-digit codes for specific technologies, such as solar PV cells and electric vehicles, the amendments reduce the 'specificity problem' in trade negotiations and facilitate the elimination of tariffs on goods essential for climate change mitigation.

This report analyzes the environmental implications of the 2022 amendments to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), managed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). The author explains how the creation of specific commodity codes for environmentally sensitive products and environmental goods improves trade monitoring and facilitates the negotiation of trade agreements aimed at climate and environmental sustainability.

This briefing examines the legal implications of invoking 'force majeure' clauses during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as a 'double-edged sword' for governments who may face claims from companies while simultaneously needing the clause to justify their own emergency measures.

This policy brief examines the legal complexities of invoking 'force majeure' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It warns governments that the principle acts as a 'double-edged sword,' as they may need to defend their own pandemic-related measures using the same legal arguments they might use to oppose claims from private companies seeking to avoid contractual obligations.

This briefing outlines the history and current state of the WTO's Informal Working Group (IWG) on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). It details the group's efforts to identify trade barriers and propose non-binding outcomes—such as improved access to information, trade finance, and the application of a "Small Business Lens" in regulation—to be presented at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12). The document also compares these efforts with SME provisions in regional trade agreements like the CPTPP and USMCA.

This report provides a detailed history and status update on the efforts of an informal Working Group of over 90 World Trade Organization (WTO) Members to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It outlines the group's activities from 2018 to early 2020, focusing on improving MSME access to information, trade finance, and global markets, while analyzing the role of regional trade agreements and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these initiatives.

The report argues for the urgent reform of WTO agricultural domestic support rules to align with Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goal 2. It proposes simplifying rules through a percentage-of-production value for trade-distorting support, increasing notification transparency, and implementing gradually reducing limits on support that harms foreign producers. Specific recommendations include special treatment for developing countries and exemptions for certain public stockholding programs.

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) has modified its 2020 summer research season to prioritize health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on maintaining long-term datasets while pausing new experimental research.

A joint statement from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and ClientEarth addressed to the European Commission, arguing that the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is an obstacle to the EU's climate goals and requires fundamental redesign rather than cosmetic modernisation.

A guide produced by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) and the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) to help resource-rich developing countries evaluate tax policy options for the mining sector in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area has suspended non-essential activities and shifted staff to remote work due to COVID-19, while successfully completing winter sampling to maintain a 52-year freshwater dataset. The facility anticipates disruptions to its summer research season due to travel bans from partner universities.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) analyzes national agricultural support trends and proposes reforms to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on internal support to promote equitable and sustainable food systems.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides practical guidance for World Trade Organization (WTO) members on implementing potential agreements to prohibit harmful fisheries subsidies. It outlines general benchmarking and planning steps, specific implementation strategies for three proposed WTO disciplines—IUU fishing, overfished stocks, and overfishing/overcapacity—and discusses the necessary role of technical assistance for developing countries.

This report provides a comparative analysis of legal texts governing artisanal gold mining within the UEMOA zone, proposing legislative reforms to support innovation and virtuous practices.

This statement from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines three primary themes regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global recovery will influence sustainable development: the necessity of resilience, the requirement for sustainable economic stimulus, and the magnification of global inequality.

This report analyzes the factors contributing to the slow growth of solar energy in Indonesia compared to the rapid expansion in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, suggesting that Indonesia can lower energy prices by adopting supportive policies, streamlining decision-making, and rethinking local content requirements.

A statement from Richard Florizone, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), outlining the organization's operational responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including remote work and travel restrictions.

This report presents the results of an expert consultation with 51 financial service providers (FSPs) to identify the sustainability and business criteria agricultural producers in developing countries must meet to be 'investment-ready'. The findings highlight a strong preference among investors for economic and governance factors over social and environmental ones when assessing financial risk.

This report provides a comparative analysis of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing artisanal gold mining within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). It identifies systemic gaps in strategic planning, institutional management, and normative application, while proposing an integrated approach through the creation of 'reserved gold mining zones' to promote sustainable and formalised practices.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the increasing trend of states terminating old-generation bilateral investment treaties (BITs) to reform investment regimes. It details the legal mechanisms for termination under international law, analyzes common termination and survival clauses, and provides recommendations for states on how to manage the extinction of these treaties and draft new ones.