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This report presents the results of a three-year investigation into the triple bottom line (TBL) performance of 1,337 small, medium-sized and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in developing countries. Conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the SEED Initiative, the study analyzes the social, environmental, and business targets of these enterprises across three cohorts of applicants. It highlights the critical role of technology, skills training, and research partnerships in the 'green economy,' while identifying significant barriers such as lack of financing, inadequate local environmental enforcement, and gender-based disparities in business management capacity.

This report examines how the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) integrates climate change mitigation and adaptation into its mission of facilitating U.S. private investment in developing countries. It details OPIC's transition from general environmental guidelines to a specific 2010 Environmental and Social Policy Statement, which establishes greenhouse gas (GHG) emission caps, energy efficiency requirements for intensive sectors, and reporting mandates for high-emitting projects.

This briefing summarizes the outcomes of an April 2012 expert workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on two primary determinants for the success of REDD+ (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation): the development of safeguard information systems (SIS) and the engagement of the private sector.

This report details the outcomes of an expert meeting and field visit held in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2012. The event was part of the 'Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers' project, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins. The meeting focused on two primary determinants for the success of REDD+: the development of Safeguard Information Systems (SIS) and the fostering of effective private sector engagement.

This policy brief analyzes the impact of biofuel consumption mandates in the United States and the European Union on global food commodity prices, examining the 'food versus fuel' debate and proposing mechanisms to mitigate price volatility.

This report summarizes a side event held on March 26, 2012, organized by the 'Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform' to build consensus on reforming fossil-fuel subsidies ahead of the Rio+20 summit. The event featured perspectives from the IMF, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), and representatives from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Sweden, focusing on the fiscal, environmental, and social implications of subsidy removal.

The document describes a report on the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to climate change adaptation in Africa. It outlines an analytical framework for adaptation interventions—addressing vulnerability, building response capacity, managing risks, and confronting climate change—and draws on case studies from Senegal, Malawi, and Uganda to suggest policy and practical interventions.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a clear definition in most investment treaties creates tension between the protection of foreign private investments and the sovereign right of host states to regulate in the public interest, particularly regarding health, environment, and human rights.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a precise definition in treaties allows arbitral tribunals to apply varying criteria—such as the 'sole effect doctrine' or proportionality—which can conflict with a state's sovereign right to regulate for the public interest, including health, environment, and human rights.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes how the definition of an 'investor' in Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) affects the ability of private entities to access international arbitration. It examines the risks of 'treaty shopping'—where investors artificially acquire a nationality to benefit from a more favorable treaty—and evaluates the effectiveness of liberal versus restrictive clauses in BITs. The document provides recommendations for states to better define protected investors to prevent abusive practices and ensure reciprocity.

This 2012 report provides an action plan for reforming fuel subsidies in Indonesia, specifically targeting the subsidized gasoline 'Premium'. It highlights the fiscal burden of these subsidies (US$18.1 billion in 2011) and analyzes the government's plans to restrict consumption and introduce alternative fuels like CNG and LGV. The report identifies significant infrastructure gaps in refineries and filling stations, political risks associated with the 2014 elections, and a lack of effective public communication. It recommends transitioning from ad-hoc pricing to an automated, market-based pricing mechanism and improving social safety nets to mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations.

This document is a preliminary report on a pilot study conducted in Senegal at the end of 2011 to test the Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) methodology developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

This document is a preliminary report on a pilot study conducted in Mozambique at the end of 2011 to test the Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) methodology developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the theoretical benefits and practical drawbacks of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), specifically focusing on their ability to integrate into sustainable development frameworks. It argues that while PPPs can attract capital and encourage life-cycle technology investments, they often suffer from high costs, reduced transparency, and a lack of explicit sustainability safeguards.

This report examines the potential economic impacts and fiscal burdens on the United Kingdom government and consumers if the national biofuel blending mandate were increased to 10 or 15 per cent to meet the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) target of 10 per cent renewable transport fuels by 2020.

This IISD briefing discusses the February 6–10, 2012, meetings in New York where the UNCITRAL Working Group on International Arbitration and Conciliation aimed to finalize new transparency rules for investor-State disputes. The author warns that certain delegations are attempting to introduce provisions that would limit the application of these rules to future and existing treaties, potentially rendering the effort futile.

This report summarizes a high-level discussion titled "The Missing Piece? Climate Change Mitigation and the Benefits of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform," held as an official side event of the UNFCCC COP 17 on December 7, 2011, in Durban, South Africa. The event focused on the scale of fossil fuel subsidies compared to climate finance and the necessity of reforming these subsidies to enable green growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The report by the Global Subsidy Initiative (GSI) identifies and estimates government support for upstream oil and gas production in Norway, specifically analyzing nine subsidies and their impacts on revenue, employment, and carbon emissions.

This training module provides integrated environmental assessment (IEA) tools designed to help Caribbean nations align the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) with national and sectoral development priorities.

This 2012 report examines the state of conservation in Sierra Leone, highlighting that only 4% of its land is protected. It details how the 1991–2002 civil war devastated environmental management and how current pressures from mining, industrial agriculture, and population growth continue to threaten biodiversity. The authors argue that while conservation can support peacebuilding through job creation and benefit-sharing (e.g., the Gola Forest Programme), it can also trigger conflict if it limits resource access or fails to compensate communities for wildlife damage. The report recommends strengthening legislative frameworks, improving stakeholder coordination, and implementing conflict-sensitive management strategies.