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This research paper examines the grounds and possibilities for annulling awards under the International Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), focusing on eight decisions issued by annulment committees between September 1, 2009, and September 1, 2010. The author analyzes how these committees interpret their roles and apply the limited grounds for annulment set forth in Article 52, noting that while most applications are rejected, some have resulted in significant financial relief for respondent states.

This briefing paper examines the proliferation and nature of South-South Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), analyzing whether agreements between developing countries differ from the traditional North-South templates. It concludes that while some developing nations are beginning to introduce bespoke provisions and policy exceptions, the majority of South-South BITs continue to mirror the European models established in the 1950s and 1960s.

This research paper examines the financial risks and imbalances faced by states, particularly developing nations, when defending investment treaty arbitrations. It argues that the system is structurally biased toward investors, as states can only defend claims rather than bring counter-claims, and rarely recover the substantial legal and administrative costs of arbitration even when they win.

This report details the first phase of the 'Building Capacity for Ecological Infrastructure Investments in the Red River Basin' initiative, a partnership between the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Red River Basin Commission (RRBC). The project aims to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) to help municipalities and counties in the Red River Basin (RRB) evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ecological infrastructure investments—such as restoring natural environments—compared to traditional 'hard' infrastructure for flood control and water quality management.

This report evaluates Integrated Place-based Management (IPM) initiatives, focusing on how goals are defined and how monitoring and evaluation frameworks measure long-term environmental and governance impacts. It analyzes Canadian and international case studies to identify trends in the transition from short-term project reporting to long-term, adaptive monitoring that combines outcome-based environmental indicators with process-based governance indicators.

This report documents the proceedings of the Fifth Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators, held in Kampala, Uganda, from October 17–19, 2011. The event, co-organized by the Government of Uganda, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), and the South Centre, brought together 79 participants from 40 countries to discuss how developing nations can align foreign direct investment (FDI) with sustainable development goals. The forum focused on the risks of existing bilateral investment treaties (BITs), the importance of regulatory space for host states, and regional cooperation in investment policy.

This research paper examines the impact of the 2007–08 international food crisis on Tanzania, analyzing how long-term structural reforms and short-term policy responses influenced poverty levels and food security. The authors use household-level data to estimate the crisis's effect on different income classes and regions, concluding that while urban populations were most vulnerable, the overall national impact was modest compared to other poor countries.

The 'Guidelines for Knowledge Partnerships' (2011) provides a comprehensive framework for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to create and manage institutional relationships focused on knowledge generation and sharing. It defines types of knowledge (explicit, tacit, implicit), establishes performance criteria based on OECD/DAC standards, and offers specific strategies for managing high-level strategic alliances versus grassroots community partnerships. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'knowledge mobilization' and provides tools for risk mitigation and the professional winding up of partnerships.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) reviews Internet public policy and governance in West Africa. It examines the region's telecommunications infrastructure, the impact of privatization and liberalization, and the results of a 2010 survey conducted across seven West African countries to gauge stakeholder interest in national and regional Internet Governance Forums (IGFs).

This guide provides a comprehensive checklist and business case for public-sector procurers and policy-makers to implement sustainable public procurement (SPP). It emphasizes shifting the procurement mindset from 'best value for money' at the point of purchase to 'best value across the project/product life cycle,' utilizing life-cycle costing (LCC) to justify the higher upfront costs of green assets through long-term efficiency gains and reduced environmental externalities.

The REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report documents a January 2011 gathering in Manila, Philippines, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and ASB-ICRAF. The meeting aimed to build policy capacity for developing country negotiators and land managers to ensure that Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) mechanisms deliver a 'Development Dividend'—balancing robust greenhouse gas reductions with sustainable development benefits, equity, and quality safeguards.

This report documents a capacity-building workshop held in Douala, Cameroon, from May 10–12, 2011, focused on transitioning REDD+ from international negotiation to national implementation. The event, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF), brought together over 55 participants from 17 African countries to discuss safeguards, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), the role of agriculture as a driver of deforestation, and financing mechanisms.

This report summarizes a capacity-building workshop held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from May 18–20, 2011, focused on transitioning REDD+ from international negotiation to national implementation. The workshop, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins, brought together negotiators and stakeholders from 13 Asian countries to discuss safeguards, measurement reporting and verification (MRV), the role of agriculture as a driver of deforestation, and financing mechanisms following the Cancun Agreements.

This report assesses the preparedness of Vietnam to implement Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP), with a specific focus on the timber industry. It identifies a supportive political and legal environment, including the planned Law on Green Procurement for 2015, but notes significant hurdles such as a lack of specific implementation guidelines, limited human resource capacity, and higher initial costs for sustainable goods. The report recommends using the timber industry as an entry point for SPP due to its high political profile and the existing capacity of export-oriented enterprises to provide certified products.

This report analyzes the structure, production, and sustainability of the Chinese copper supply chain as of 2010. It details China's position as the world's largest producer and consumer of refined copper, examines the environmental and social impacts of the industry, and outlines the regulatory framework governing smeltingS smelting, imports, and exports.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the prevalence of fraud and corruption within agricultural and energy subsidy programs, noting a disparity between the high funding of these programs and the low resources allocated for their monitoring.

This submission by Fundación Pachamama and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the arbitration tribunal in the case of Chevron Corporation and Texaco Petroleum Company v. Republic of Ecuador lacks jurisdiction and that the claims are non-justiciable. The Amici contend that Chevron is attempting to use an investor-State tribunal to interfere with and terminate an ongoing domestic civil law case (the Lago Agrio litigation) in Ecuador, which would violate the rights of private plaintiffs, including indigenous peoples, to a fair judicial process.

This report, prepared by EnviroEconomics Inc. for the International Institute for Sustainable Development's Global Subsidies Initiative, estimates the value and impact of government subsidies for upstream oil activities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and at the Canadian federal level. Using a definition based on the WTO's Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, the study identifies 63 subsidy programs totaling approximately $2.8 billion annually. The report analyzes the distribution of these subsidies, their financial impact on well-level production, and their broader macroeconomic and environmental effects through 2020.

This policy brief examines the progress made by G-20 leaders toward phasing out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies following the September 2009 Pittsburgh Summit and the June 2010 Toronto Summit, providing a roadmap and six recommended actions for the November 11-12, 2010, Seoul Summit.

This policy brief discusses the need for a common methodology to measure national irrigation subsidies and presents the results of a case study applying the Net Cost to the Supplier approach in Spain.