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This policy brief analyzes the July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change, specifically focusing on how it transforms climate change adaptation from a voluntary domestic policy choice into a legally binding international obligation.

This IISD briefing analyzes a July 2025 ICJ advisory opinion which establishes that climate adaptation is a binding legal obligation for states under international law, rather than a voluntary national choice. It details the procedural and substantive requirements for states, the application of a 'due diligence' standard for compliance, the binding obligation of developed nations to provide adaptation finance to developing countries, and the critical link between adaptation and the protection of fundamental human rights.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the implications of the July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). The document focuses on the ICJ's ruling that EIAs for fossil fuel extraction projects must now account for end-use emissions from the combustion of the extracted fuels, moving beyond previous focuses on operational emissions.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the implications of a July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate change, specifically regarding Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). The document highlights the ICJ's ruling that EIAs for fossil fuel extraction projects must now account for end-use emissions (Scope 3, category 11), moving beyond just the emissions from extraction activities. It examines national and regional legal precedents, the subsequent influence on courts such as the European Court of Human Rights, and provides recommendations for states to update their legislation to mitigate legal risks.

This IISD briefing analyzes the July 2025 ICJ advisory opinion, which suggests that providing fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act. It argues that this legal reasoning could extend to other harmful subsidies, such as those in agriculture, and urges states to implement transparent, gradual phase-outs of such incentives to reduce their international legal risk.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the implications of a July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate change for international investment law. It argues that the ICJ's recognition of climate action as a binding legal obligation undermines investor claims based on 'legitimate expectations' for fossil fuel activities and provides states with stronger legal defenses against Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) claims.

This policy brief analyzes the July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change, specifically focusing on how it affects the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The document argues that the ICJ rejected the 'lex specialis' doctrine, ruling instead that climate obligations are integrated with other environmental treaties, human rights law, and customary international law.

The 'Nature-Based Solutions Inventory for Belize' (2026) documents NbS projects implemented between 2018 and 2025 across all districts of Belize. It highlights a shift from grey infrastructure to nature-based approaches to address climate risks such as sea level rise, hurricanes, and drought. Key projects include the protection of 96,000 hectares of the Selva Maya forest, the expansion of marine protected areas from 13% to 22%, and the restoration of thermally tolerant corals. The report emphasizes the role of NGOs and community-based organizations in implementing these solutions and the importance of integrating NbS into national policies like the National Landscape Restoration Strategy.

This report summarizes the results of a 2025 public consultation conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to identify pressing policy problems in international investment governance and determine the ideal tools—such as national laws or treaties—to address them.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) urges the European Union to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and phase out imports from north of the Arctic Circle. The submission argues that Arctic oil and gas are too expensive (USD 75/barrel) and slow to develop (13+ years) to provide energy security, while posing severe ecological risks and increasing geopolitical vulnerability, particularly in the Barents Sea shared with Russia. IISD notes that this position aligns the EU with Canada and Greenland, who have implemented similar bans or moratoriums.

This report details lessons from participatory climate vulnerability assessments conducted in nearly 100 communities in Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe from 2024 to 2025. It emphasizes the need to integrate scientific data with local knowledge, involve local governments early to ensure institutionalization, and maintain transparency and sensitive communication during overlapping crises to ensure effective community-based adaptation.

This guide provides a framework for monitoring and accountability regarding federal sustainable jobs efforts in Canada, offering practical guidance on indicators and monitoring frameworks to support a transparent, evidence-based just transition policy.

This research paper by Ieva Baršauskaitė and Antoine Bonnet analyzes the transition of trade-related climate measures from abstract policy debates to practical implementation between 2025 and early 2026. It examines the evolving roles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in managing issues of transparency, interoperability, and development equity, positioning the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) as a critical juncture for consolidating these international efforts.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the disconnect between trade policy and climate change adaptation, arguing that 'international technology transfer' remains an abstract concept rather than a practical reality. It proposes aligning trade negotiations with National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) to ensure developing countries can access context-specific hardware, software, and orgware necessary for climate resilience.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the critical state of World Trade Organization (WTO) fisheries subsidies negotiations ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). It highlights the need to move beyond the 2022 Agreement (Fish 1) to establish additional disciplines (Fish 2) targeting overcapacity and overfishing before a sunset clause triggers the termination of the original agreement in September 2029.

This research paper by Rashid S. Kaukab analyzes the ongoing debates within the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the governance of electronic commerce ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). It examines the tension between the multilateral Work Programme on Electronic Commerce (WPEC) and the plurilateral Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-Commerce, specifically focusing on the moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions and the digital divide affecting developing countries.

The report 'India's Clean Cooking Shift' by the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues for a diversification of India's clean cooking energy sources to reduce reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG). It proposes a 'twin-track' strategy: scaling electric cooking (e-cooking) in urban and peri-urban areas and biogas in suitable rural areas to address issues of affordability, import volatility, and service gaps.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the state of World Trade Organization (WTO) agriculture negotiations ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). It outlines persistent disagreements over domestic support, public stockholding, and market access, while identifying three specific areas where progress could be made for least developed countries (LDCs): reducing cotton subsidies, improving market access for cotton products, and securing exemptions from export restrictions.

This executive summary describes a pilot project in rural Kenya that tested the feasibility of using solar irrigation systems and batteries to power electric pressure cookers (EPCs). The pilot found that while the technology is feasible and accepted by users, its impact was limited by battery constraints, competing energy needs, and gendered dynamics regarding energy control.

This report evaluates a pilot project in Uttar Pradesh, India, that used the spare capacity of solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) to power village grain mills, identifying both the socio-economic benefits and the operational constraints of such secondary power uses.