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This report summarizes a two-day workshop held in Geneva on April 11-12, 2007, which brought together 40 participants to share and discuss climate adaptation tools for international development. The workshop aimed to improve decision-making to reduce risks and identify opportunities associated with climate variability and change, specifically within the context of development assistance.

This executive summary describes the impact and research findings of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) internship program, which aims to develop the next generation of sustainable development leaders through on-the-job experience and international exposure.

This scoping paper, produced for the Trade Ministers’ Dialogue on Climate Change Issues in 2007, examines the multifaceted linkages between trade, investment, and climate change. It analyzes how trade policies influence greenhouse gas emissions, the legal interactions between WTO and UNFCCC frameworks, the physical risks climate change poses to trade infrastructure, and the competitiveness implications of climate regulations.

This scoping paper, produced for the Trade Ministers’ Dialogue on Climate Change Issues in 2007, explores how trade policy tools can support climate change mitigation and sustainable development. It identifies several areas for potential synergy, including the liberalization of trade in low-emission goods, the reform of subsidy rules to support green R&D, the removal of domestic barriers to clean energy investment, the easing of intellectual property restrictions, and the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies.

This 2006 report, prepared for the World Bank, provides a framework for establishing a Circular Economy (CE) indicator system in China. It advocates for the use of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to monitor resource efficiency and decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressure, drawing on experiences from the European Union, the United States, and Japan.

This report analyzes the experience of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from 1995 to 2005 in developing and sustaining international development networks. It defines network sustainability not as indefinite existence, but as the ability of a network to function until it achieves its goals, becomes irrelevant, or members are no longer willing to continue. The document identifies four dimensions of sustainability—time, resources, relationships, and relevance—and outlines critical management capacities (strategic, internal, external, and financial) and adaptive capacity required for networks to survive growth and decline phases.

This report details the proof of concept testing (POCT) of the Canadian Biodiversity Index (CBI), a tool designed to consistently assess and convey biodiversity status and trends across Canada. The testing applied the CBI framework to two distinct ecounits—Netley-Libau Marsh in Manitoba and Banks Island in the Northwest Territories—to evaluate the index's methodology, the effectiveness of its normalized scoring scale, and the challenges of data availability.

This report, based on a survey of 20 humanitarian and development professionals, examines the role of land ownership and tenure in community resilience and recovery following natural disasters. It highlights the critical gap between immediate humanitarian relief and long-term reconstruction, arguing that secure land rights are essential for economic regeneration and reducing future vulnerability.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines strategic options for the International Coffee Organization (ICO) to integrate sustainability into the renegotiation of the International Coffee Agreement (ICA). It proposes enhancing participatory governance, improving market information for differentiated coffees, coordinating technical assistance, and implementing policy measures to internalize the social and environmental costs of production.

This report evaluates the 'Next Generation Policy Directions' project, which trained young researchers from seven developing countries to integrate information society and sustainable development policies. It finds that while youth can directly influence national ICT strategies and bridge policy gaps due to their interdisciplinary flexibility, they require strong institutional support and tailored gender-inclusive strategies to be effective. Key success factors included 'learning by doing' and providing researchers with a sense of ownership over their work.

The IISD Model International Agreement on Investment for Sustainable Development is a guide and draft treaty designed to replace outdated international investment agreements. It proposes a shift from a regime focused solely on investor protection to one that balances investor rights with binding responsibilities and state obligations. Key features include a standing roster of arbitrators to reduce conflicts of interest, a formal appellate process, mandatory transparency of proceedings, and explicit anti-corruption and corporate social responsibility standards.

This strategy report, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) following a 2006 project inception meeting, outlines a framework for integrating conflict-sensitivity into conservation interventions in the Albertine Rift. Funded by a US$325,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation, the project aims to prevent conservation NGOs from inadvertently exacerbating conflict and to maximize their potential for peacebuilding. The document analyzes the dual nature of conflict in the region—local disputes arising from resource restrictions and regional armed conflicts—and reviews various analytical tools (such as 'Do No Harm' and 'Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment') to develop a tailored methodology for conservationists.

This research paper reviews best practices for using performance information in government budgeting and reporting, focusing on the logic of results chains and case studies from the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, and the State of Oregon.

The 'Modèle d’accord international sur l’investissement pour le développement durable (IIDD)' is a negotiator's guide and model international investment agreement published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). It proposes a new framework for international investment agreements (IIAs) that balances the rights of investors with the obligations of investors and the rights of host and home states, specifically aiming to integrate sustainable development goals into the legal structure of foreign investment.

This 2006 practice note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a framework for developing communications tactics for research projects. It argues that communications planning must begin at the project design stage to ensure research results are utilized, rather than just published. The guide outlines ten strategic questions to guide planning and provides an inventory of communication tools categorized by their interaction model: group processes (many-to-many), dissemination (one-to-many), and restricted communications (one-to-one or few-to-few).

This 2005 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes trends, actors, and challenges within the Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D) and Knowledge for Development (K4D) sectors. It details a shift from purely technical implementations to the integration of ICTs as enablers for sustainable development, while highlighting persistent barriers such as infrastructure costs, lack of local content, and the need for long-term capacity building.

This 2006 practice note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a guide for not-for-profit organizations on creating and managing strategic alliances. It distinguishes alliances from other collaborative models like coalitions or partnerships, emphasizing the need for integrated management systems, shared value appropriation, and corporate ownership to achieve greater capacity, influence, and financing.

The Sustainable Development Timeline is a fact sheet published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that chronicles key environmental, social, and economic milestones from 1962 to 2005. It tracks the evolution of sustainable development through the formation of advocacy organizations, the publication of influential scientific reports, the adoption of international treaties, and the occurrence of major environmental disasters.

This policy brief series by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and IUCN examines the intersection of international trade, foreign aid, and security. It argues that current global trade rules and aid practices often exacerbate instability and conflict in developing countries by promoting economic dependence on volatile primary commodities, maintaining inequitable market access, and supporting unaccountable regimes. The document proposes a shift toward 'conflict-sensitive' policies, including the restriction of 'conflict resources,' the promotion of transparent natural resource revenue management, and the implementation of responsible business conduct to prevent the funding of violent conflicts.

This research paper by Mark Halle examines the failures of the current multilateral trading system and proposes how it could be restructured to support a 'Great Transition' toward sustainable development. The author argues that while the fundamental principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are sound, the system has become a 'one size fits all' model that primarily benefits rich nations and ignores social and environmental goals. The paper explores three future archetypes—Agoria, Ecodemia, and Arcadia—demonstrating that a rules-based trading system can be adapted to serve any of these diverse socio-economic models if trade is treated as a tool for sustainable development rather than an end in itself.