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KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 

 

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SECURITY IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES

(FAO, SPREP, and University of the South Pacific, December 2008)
This report, jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the University of the South Pacific, notes that climate change-related disasters are accentuating the constraints on development in the islands, which appear to be in a 'constant mode of recovery.' The report calls on Pacific island countries to review their agriculture, forestry, fisheries and drinking water development policies, in light of new information on climate change. The report.

 

TUNZA
(UNEP, 2008)
The latest issue of UNEP's magazine for youth is devoted to the issue of food and the environment. Tunza Vol. 6 No. 2: Food and the Environment.

 

SAFE WATER AS THE KEY TO GLOBAL HEALTH
(UNU-INWEH, November 2008)
This policy brief, by the UN University's International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), highlights that the provision of clean water and improved sanitation are the interventions most likely to have a significant impact on global poverty. The brief draws attention to the connection between safe water and human well-being. The brief.

DEVELOPING COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROLE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FORUM: BUILDING STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO ENHANCING MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
(South Centre, October 2008)

This resource follows-up on a study on stakeholder perspectives on the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) prepared by the South Centre on reshaping the international development cooperation architecture, and perspectives on a strategic development role for the DCF. The note provides developing country perspectives on the DCF on the basis of four country papers prepared by research partners based in Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. The resource.

GENDER IN AGRICULTURE SOURCEBOOK
(World Bank, FAO and IFAD, October 2008)
This sourcebook, by the World Bank, FAO and IFAD, contains 30 detailed case studies and over 300 highlighted projects sharing gender mainstreaming knowledge on a range of development interventions in agriculture, from rural infrastructure to education. The sourcebook highlights the role of women as agricultural producers and agents of food and nutritional security. The report also provides evidence that continued gender inequalities lead to higher levels of poverty and food insecurity. The sourcebook.

 

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD: BUILDING RESILIENCE – A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK FOR WORLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY
(UN Human Rights Council, September 2008)
The report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, is the first report of the Rapporteur since his appointment in March 2008. The report (A/63/278) was produced in response to resolution S-7/1, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 22 May 2008, which requested the Special Rapporteur to invite comments from States and other relevant actors on the impact of the global food crisis on the protection of the right to food and the required remedies from a human rights perspective. The report.

 

SUSTAINABLE BIOENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN UEMOA MEMBER COUNTRIES
(West African Economic and Monetary Union and The Hub for Rural Development in West and Central Africa, October 2008)
Produced by the United Nations Foundation, the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development and the Energy and Security Group, this report concludes that bioenergy can provide significant economic and environmental opportunities for rural areas in West Africa finds that donor and host country investments in bioenergy can reduce the exposure of West African countries to high food and oil prices and open up new economic opportunities in clean energy development.
The report.

 

THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES FOR PRODUCTION OF BIOENERGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(FAO, 2008)
This UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report is the background document for an upcoming FAO e-mail conference that takes places from 10 November-7 December 2008. It provides an overview of the current status regarding bioenergy, focusing on first and second generation liquid biofuels, including the reasons for the major current focus on liquid biofuels, as well as current concerns about them. It then considers some of the potential ways in which biotechnologies could contribute to bioenergy production, covering production of biomass as well as conversion of the biomass to first or second generation liquid biofuels, in addition to production of biodiesel from microalgae and production of biogas.
The document. The e-mail conference website.

CLIMATE CHANGE – CAN SOIL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
(EC, October 2008)

The report is now available for the European Commission-sponsored meeting of the same name. The meeting, which convened on 12 June 2008, in Brussels, Belgium, heard statements from Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and
Stavros Dimas, Commissioner for the Environment, European Commission, among others. Speakers' overall message was that soil is part of the climate change problem, but can – and must – also be part of the solution. The extent to which soil-emitted greenhouse gases and the processes leading to these emissions can be reduced requires further work, but efforts to adopt sound soil management practices and maintain carbon in soil can help to offset fossil fuel emissions. The Conference website.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING
(US
National Research Council, 2008)
This report by the US National Research Council, edited by
Thomas Dietz and Paul C. Stern,
indicates that well-designed public consultations improve environmental decision-making and increase the legitimacy of the decisions for those affected by them, making it more likely that the decisions will be implemented effectively. The study finds that there is no single model for how to involve the public in a decision-making process. The study describes how to use consultation to enhance public trust and how to build and evolve the process of public consultation to undertake better environmental assessment. The report recommends that consultation should be fully incorporated into environmental assessment as a mandatory part of the process, not just a formality. The report also presents checklists of requirements for best practice. The prepublication version is currently freely accessible.

USING NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE REVENUES FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
(UNDESA, 2008)
This resource is the sixth issue of the Innovation Briefs series. The brief presents
the performance and impacts of activities financed by revenues from natural resources in selected African and Latin American countries, identifies problem trends, and provides ideas on how to improve the efficiency and equitable use of such revenues for sustainable development. The brief.

WORLD RESOURCES REPORT 2008: ROOTS OF RESILIENCE  
(WRI, UNEP, UNDP, World Bank, 2008)

The 2008 edition of the World Resources Report argues that properly designed enterprises can create economic, social, and environmental resilience that cushion the impacts of climate change, and help provide needed social stability. It further states that increased resilience should be part of the response to the risks of climate change, noting that efforts that foster resilience chart the first steps on the path out of poverty. The Report is a joint effort produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. The report.

TROPICAL CYCLONES IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
(SciDev.Net, 2008)
SciDev.Net (the Science and Development Network) marked International Day for Disaster Reduction with the released of this resource, a collection of articles that spotlight tropical cyclone mitigation.
This free-access, online resource focuses on the impact cyclones have in South Asia and how countries can better forecast, prepare for and adapt to future cyclones, as well as cope with the impacts of extreme events. It highlights lessons learned from countries like Bangladesh, India and Madagascar. The resource.

AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE TO AND MEASURES THAT MAY BE TAKEN BY DEVELOPING STATES
(DOALOS, 2008; Document A/63/342)
This study was prepared by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) and focuses on the least developed States and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as coastal African States, to help them realize the benefits of sustainable and effective development of marine resources and uses of the oceans within the limits of national jurisdiction. The study.

 

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA
(UNEP and UNCTAD, October 2008)
This report, published by the Capacity-building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development, discusses the many factors related to food security and the impact of organic agriculture on food security in Africa. The report analyzes fifteen cases from East Africa, which suggest that organic farming can increase productivity and enable small scale farmers to be more self-sufficient. The report.

 

THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2008 – BIOFUELS
(FAO, October 2008)
The 2008 edition of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization State of the World's Food and Agriculture Report focuses on the prospects, risks and opportunities for biofuels. The report addresses key questions relating to the benefits and impacts of biofuel production and use, including impacts on food security, land and water resources, as well as contributions to greenhouse gas reduction and agricultural development. The report assumes that biofuel demand will affect food prices for the coming decade or longer. While higher food prices threaten the food security of poor households in developing countries, they could offer an opportunity for agricultural development if they are accompanied by increased investments in research, institutions and infrastructure as well as sound policies. It also points to the need to harmonize approaches towards assessing greenhouse gas balances and other impacts, and calls for investments in research and development of second generation biofuels. The report stresses that blending mandates and subsidies have resulted in a rush on biofuels in advance of actual knowledge about their effects and impacts, and calls for their revision and additional policy action to ensure they are produced in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. FAO Press Release. State of the World's Food and Agriculture Report.

 

FUELLING DESTRUCTION IN LATIN AMERICA: THE REAL PRICE OF AGROFUELS
(Friends of the Earth International, 2008)
On the basis of a number of case studies regarding Latin and Central America, this report concludes that the development of agrofuels is unlikely to benefit people in Latin America, noting that rapid expansion will increase preexisting social, environmental and human rights problems enabling national, and increasingly international, agribusiness and investors to profit. The report.

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA 2008
(UNCTAD, September 2008)
This report, published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), indicates that, despite of removal of trade barriers and two decades of trade liberalization, Africa's market share has falled from 6% of world exports in 1980 to about 3% in 2007. The report notes that Africa's inability to produce quantity and quality to meet the demands of the global market has been affected by the lack of: a well-trained workforce; investments in research and development skills; investments and banking services; and adequate infrastructure, such as reliable electricity and transportation. The report.

SANITATION AND THE MDGs: MAKING THE POLITICS WORK
(ODI, September 2008)
The brief, written by Peter Newborne, investigates why progress on the sanitation target is so slow, as reflected in the 2008 Joint Monitoring Programme Report. The author indicates that the world will not achieve the MDG sanitation target by 2015 and will miss the target by 700 million people. To put the MDG sanitation target back on track, renewed political will is needed to prioritize sanitation issues. The brief.

GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: MONITORING AND ASSESSING IMPACT TO INFORM  POLICY RESPONSES
(IFPRI, 2008)
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has released an advance copy of this report, which seeks to support national decision makers and international development agencies in acquiring information and applying methods for understanding the likely effects of a global food crisis on their country, and acting to alleviate the risks and exploit the opportunities brought about by such crises. The report provides insight on the information and analytical tools that national-level decision makers need to assess the risks and opportunities posed to their country and citizens by a global food crisis, to determine how they might respond to those risks and opportunities, and to identify ways to monitor the impact of the food crisis and the effects of policy responses. The report.

BUILDING RESILIENCE: A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK FOR WORLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY


(Human Rights Council, 2008)

This report follows the May 2008 request of the Human Rights Council for the Special Rapporteur to invite comments from States and other relevant actors on the impact of the global food crisis on the protection of the right to food and the required remedies from a human rights perspective. The report calls on the Human Rights Council to, among other actions: contribute to the discussion of a global partnership for agriculture and food, ensuring that it includes attention to human rights dimensions; encourage national strategies to realize the right to food; and encourage an international consensus on agrofuels that avoids negative impacts on food prices and ensures that their production respects the full range of human rights. The
report.

POLITICAL SCIENCE? STRENGTHENING SCIENCE–POLICY DIALOGUE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(ODI, August 2008)
This report, authored by Nicola Jones, Harry Jones and Cora Walsh for the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), examines the science–policy interface in developing countries through a survey of 600 respondents from researcher, policy-maker and intermediary organization communities from the North and South. The study identifies a need to tackle systemic barriers to institutionalizing evidence-informed policy processes in the field of science, technology and innovation for development, and identifies ways in which the quality of policy dialogues on science and technology could be strengthened to enhance their value for pro-poor sustainable development policy and practice. The report.

PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF ADAPTATION OPTIONS FOR CLIMATE-SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND RESOURCES
(USEPA, 2008)

This report is a contribution to the US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and was developed by the Global Change Research Program in the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development. It is one of 21 synthesis and assessment products commissioned by the CCSP. This report has been peer-reviewed and seeks to provide the best-available science to date on management adaptations for ecosystems and resources. The
report

CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT
(IISD, August 2008)
These reports are the product of a project that looked at investment for clean energy infrastructure and technologies. Given the massive flows of investment (both foreign and domestic) necessary to address climate change and foster development in developing countries, the project focused on barriers and opportunities for making those flows materialize. It looked at domestic barriers and opportunities (supported by three country studies), and at the potential of international investment law to foster or frustrate clean energy investment. A synthesis report and policy makers' summary pull together the project's results, with some concluding thoughts about the direction and deficiencies of existing efforts at clean energy investment and technology transfer. The reports.

TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(IISD, August 2008)
In June 2008, IISD collaborated with the Government of Denmark, the German Marshall Fund and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development to convene a major seminar on trade and climate change in Copenhagen. The event's background papers have been revised and finalized, and constitute excellent brief surveys of the key issues in each of the six areas covered: Liberalization of Trade in Environmental Goods for Climate Change Mitigation; Border Carbon Adjustment; Embodied Carbon in Traded Goods; Climate Change, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Rights; Clean Energy Investment, and; Standards, Labelling and Certification. The reports.

REFORMING ENERGY SUBSIDIES: OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE THE CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA
(UNEP-DTIE, 2008)
The UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)  produced  this booklet to raise awareness of energy subsidies and their impact. The publication highlights the negative results that have been linked to energy subsidies, including increased consumption and waste, burdened governments, and reduced investments in renewable energy, and calls for action to facilitate energy subsidy reform. The booklet.

OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE POVERTY REDUCTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE BENEFITS THROUGH LOW CARBON ENERGY ACCESS PROGRAMMES: A REVIEW OF THE PORTFOLIO OF THE ASHDEN AWARDS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(Ashden Awards, 2008)
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) commissioned this study of international winners of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy. The study seeks to inform DFID and international development partners of opportunities to scale up low carbon energy access programmes in order to contribute to climate change mitigation, poverty reduction and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. The report.

AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS, FACTS AND TRENDS
(WBCSD and IUCN, July 2008)
This report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and IUCN presents facts and figures on trends in agricultural production and consumption to help governments, farmers, consumers and industry better understand the challenges facing the sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems, such as meeting demand form a fast growing world population, adapting to impacts of climate change, and managing natural resources of an increasingly depleted planet. The report.

EXPLORING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL R&D INVESTMENTS IN EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
(IFPRI, 2008)
This paper, authored by Liangzhi You and Michael Johnson, presents a methodology using spatial analysis and the Dynamic Research Evaluation for Management (DREAM) modeling software, which was developed by IFPRI to assess potential economic returns to agricultural R&D and guide resource allocation decisions. DREAM is applied to the East and Central African region to estimate potential economic and technological spillovers from country- and regional-level R&D investments for select commodities, based on future projections of supply and demand, trade flows between countries and world markets, and shared agroecologies and farming systems. The results indicate significant potential for agricultural technology spillovers. Countries will therefore reap greater economic benefits in their search for technology solutions if they pool their resources and pursue regional initiatives for the common good. The paper.

ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION IN UGANDA
(FIELD, July 2008)
This study assesses the laws and practices related to public access to environmental information in Uganda. To review the quality and implementation of the legal framework it uses a set of indicators developed by The Access Initiative (TAI). These indicators are applied with a special focus on forestry and oil exploitation. The publication.

BROWSING ON FENCES: PASTORAL LAND RIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR LIVELIHOODS AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper developed from an articulated process to address the rights to land of pastoral groups, within a holistic perspective and accounting for changes brought about by climate change. It brings together the inputs of over 120 participants in a web-based forum organized in 2006 and managed by the International Land Coalition on pastoral land rights. Further materials and lessons have been drawn from a number of projects and experiences all around the world, in order to provide a comprehensive update about the rights of nomadic and pastoralist groups and natural resources. Elements for discussion were contributed by another web-based forum organized by the World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism in 2007, focusing on climate change, adaptation and pastoralism, which received contributions from over 80 participants belonging to or working with pastoral groups in different regions of the world. The paper.

 

FUELLING EXCLUSION? THE BIOFUELS BOOM AND POOR PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO LAND
(IIED, June 2008)
This study documents current knowledge on current and potential impacts of commercial biofuel production for access to land in Africa, Latin America and Asia, charting both negative experiences and promising approaches. The publication.

 

INFORMATION ON LAND: A COMMON ASSET AND STRATEGIC RESOURCE. THE CASE OF BENIN
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper presents the legal framework and methods of producing information about land in Benin, and looks at the complex modalities of determining, recognizing and 'translating' rights in rural and urban areas (the Rural Land Plan and Urban Land Registry). It provides observations on several current issues, particularly the political and administrative decentralization that is fundamentally changing the country's institutional landscape. The paper.

 

LAND TENURE AND DECENTRALISATION: EXPERIENCE FROM SENEGAL
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper explores: how far the central government and administration are prepared to go in involving local people and local governments, and therefore what rights they grant them; the competences and resources available to communities; and the human and financial resources that local governments can call upon in order to fulfill their roles. It discusses their effect on decentralization and land management in Senegal. The paper.

 

LEGAL EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICE. USING LEGAL TOOLS TO SECURE LAND RIGHTS IN AFRICA
(IIED, June 2008)

In March 2008, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, the International Institute for Environment and Development, and the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana jointly organized an international workshop to promote exchange of experience among practitioners in this field. During the two-day workshop, some 25 practitioners from different parts of Africa, together with a few practitioners and researchers from international institutions and from Europe, shared lessons and learned from each others' experiences with legal empowerment. This report captures the highlights of workshop discussions.

 

SPRINGING BACK: CLIMATE RESILIENCE AT AFRICA'S GRASSROOTS
(IIED, June 2008)
For poor people hit hard by the impacts, climate change is a day-to-day reality. Faced with local shifts in weather patterns and natural resources, they are forced to find ways of coping that are locally relevant. This kind of experience, gained at the grassroots, boosts resilience as no top-down initiative can. Three case studies from rural communities in Benin, Kenya and Malawi show how it is done in this resource.

URBANIZATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN VIETNAM'S MEKONG DELTA: LIVELIHOOD TRANSFORMATIONS IN THREE FRUIT-GROWING SETTLEMENTS
(IIED, May 2008)
The findings from this case study in three rural settlements in Vietnam suggest that the main driver of rural development is a positive reciprocal relationship between urban centres and farming and a strong role for small towns in local economic growth and poverty reduction. The main factors are: the growth of urban incomes throughout Vietnam, resulting in higher standards of living, better diets and growing demand for fresh fruit; and the increase in employment opportunities in non-farm sectors, which allows farmers to diversify their income sources and invest in fruit production. The study.

ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF BIOFUEL SUPPORT POLICIES
(OECD, July 2008)

This report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicates that biofuel production and use in OECD countries is highly dependent on public funding and government support measures such as tax concessions, direct financial support, minimum blending requirements and import tariffs. It also shows that emission savings from current biofuels are limited, while suggesting that related policies will lead to increases in food prices, which are estimated to amount to five percent for wheat, seven percent for maize and 19 percent for vegetable oils. The report recommends, among other measures, that governments focus on: policies to encourage lower energy consumption; redirecting support towards more efficient biofuels; and research and development for second generation biofuels that do not require commodity feedstocks. The report.

WORLD ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SURVEY 2008: OVERCOMING ECONOMIC INSECURITY
(UNDESA, July 2008)
This annual report, produced by the UN Department of Economic and Scocial Affairs (UNDESA),  focuses on issues that impact economic security, including macroeconomic and financial shocks, natural disasters, conflict and poverty. The report notes that current global economic insecurity prevails despite strong growth in recent years and a decline in economic volatility. The report.

FOCUS ON …A GREEN REVOLUTION FOR AFRICA
(New Agriculturist, July 2008)
This edition of New Agriculturist reviews different approaches with a potential for raising agricultural productivity in Africa. The articles highlight that achieving an African green revolution will be harder and more complex than the green revolution in Asia and a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. They stress that technology alone will also not provide the answers, and present a range of case studies of how innovative approaches can help to increase agricultural production. The issue.

HIGH-LEVEL TASK FORCE ON THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
(UN Chief Executives Board, July 2008)

This framework sets out the joint position of the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Task Force on actions to: address current threats and opportunities resulting from rising food prices; create policy changes to avoid future food crises; and contribute to country, regional and global food and nutritional security. The actions proposed seek to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable populations and to build long-term resilience to food and nutrition security. The
report.

PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(UNICEF and WHO, July 2008)

This
UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) report finds that, despite recent progress, more than 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, while nearly 1.2 billion people defecate without sanitary facilities, posing a major health threat to their communities. At present, 87% of the world's population can access improved water sources with the figure expected to rise to 90% by 2015. The report also indicates that rural dwellers without access to improved water sources outnumber their urban counterparts by four to one. The report.

FOOD SECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: THE ANSWER IS BIODIVERSITY
(Greenpeace, June 2008)
This report suggests that a review of recent scientific literature underlines that the most effective strategy to adapt agriculture to climate change is to increase biodiversity. A mix of different crops and varieties in one field is a proven and highly reliable farming method to increase resilience to erratic weather changes. The report further notes that the best way to increase stress tolerance in single varieties are modern breeding technologies that do not entail genetic engineering, such as marker assisted selection. The report.

INVESTING IN AGRICULTURE TO OVERCOME THE WORLD FOOD CRISIS AND REDUCE POVERTY AND HUNGER
(IFPRI, June 2008)
This International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report, authored by Shenggen Fan and Mark W. Rosegrant, notes that investing in agriculture is key to reducing poverty and hunger in developing countries and is an essential element in addressing the current food price crisis. Yet, although numerous studies have attempted to estimate the costs involved in achieving MDG1, none includes agricultural growth requirements or quantifies the public resources needed to support that growth. The required growth and financial resources vary based on past progress in poverty reduction and the role of agriculture in the overall economy. IFPRI's analyses address some of these gaps by simulating required total and incremental agricultural spending using two different approaches: (1) Public investment requirements based on alternative scenario simulations. (2) Public investment requirements based on growth-poverty elasticities. The report.

TRACING POWER AND INFLUENCE IN NETWORKS: NET-MAP AS A TOOL FOR RESEARCH AND STRATEGIC NETWORK PLANNING
(IFPRI, 2008)
This International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report, authored by Eva Schiffer and Douglas Waale, notes that, believing that stakeholders should have a say in policies that concern them, policymakers have begun to promote the development of stakeholder forums and organizations to address governance issues such as water management. This paper presents an innovative empirical research tool—Net-Map—developed to better understand multi-stakeholder governance by gathering in-depth information about governance networks, goals of actors, and their power and influence. Researchers and implementers alike can use Net-Map to collect qualitative and quantitative information in a structured and comparable way. It can be used both as a research tool and as an instrument for organizational development and strategic network planning. A case study on the development of a multi-stakeholder water governance body in northern Ghana illustrates the application of this research method. The method can be used on many different levels, from the community, to national or even international levels. The report.

CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC: RE-UNITING CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(IGES, June 2008)

This paper proposes climate strategies that fully take into account the needs of developing countries in Asia and the Pacific. It looks at the impact of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region and current policies from various aspects such as international framework, market mechanisms, forestry, biofuels, waste, water and business, and sets out policy recommendations that integrate climate change policies and sustainable development and shows the way for new development towards the realisation of a low-carbon society. The paper.

GLOBAL TRENDS IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT 2008
(UNEP, July 2008)
This analysis by the UN Environment Programme shows a surge in renewable energy investments in 2007, driven by oil prices and concerns about both climate change and energy security. The report also highlights the increasing proportion of investment in China, India and Brazil. The
report (requires free registration).

REGIONAL EURO—MEDITERRANEAN PROGRAMME FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (SMAP)
(SMAP, 2008)

The SMAP programme constitutes the environmental component of the Euro Mediterranean Partnership. It builds on the Barcelona Declaration. It has recently launched a weekly Press Review service, which check press sites across the Mediterranean region for environment news. The resource.

 

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION IN AFRICAN AGRICULTURE
(Stockholm Environment Institute, 2008)
The Stockholm Environment Institute has published a policy brief and report on how climate science could be better used for supporting adaption in African agriculture. The policy brief. The full report.

INTRODUCING A GENETICALLY MODIFIED BANANA IN UGANDA: SOCIAL BENEFITS, COSTS, AND CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS
(IFPRI, 2008)
This resource, authored by Enoch Kikulwe, Justus Wesseler and Jose Falck Zepeda, examines potential social welfare impacts of adopting genetically modified (GM) bananas in Uganda, with three objectives. First, the paper suggests and applies an approach to calculate reversible and irreversible benefits and costs of introducing GM banana. Second, it suggests an approach for assessing producer/consumer preferences and willingness to pay for introducing a GM banana. Finally, the paper discusses the main implications for biosafety decision making for GM crops in Uganda. Results of MISTICs estimation (maximum incremental sociaResults imply that although GM bananas promise vast benefits, realization of those benefits depends on consumers' perceptions and attitudes and the willingness to pay for the GM technology. The resource.

SDIN WEBSITE
(SDIN, 2008)

The Sustainable Development Issues Network (SDIN) is a collaborative effort of three large international networks - TWN, ELCI and ANPED - to form a global NGO network whose purpose is to promote good governance, and enhanced awareness and knowledge about environmental and sustainable development processes and to ensure global quality NGO participation in these global processes within the intergovernmental systems, primarily within the UN. The website.

Biofuel and global biodiversity
(Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, April 2008)

This paper, written by D. Keeney and C. Nanninga, analyzes how biofuels are changing land-use patterns in many regions around the world. The paper suggests that the impacts of biofuels are more symptomatic of inappropriate agricultural production systems and policies, and recommends protecting native ecosystems and indigenous lands, making sustainability a priority for all biofuel production, and taking advantage of this opportunity to redesign the agricultural and energy sectors. The paper.

Helping people build a better world? Barriers to more environmentally friendly energy production in China
(Fridtjof Nansen Institute, March 2008)
This report, written by Inga F. Buan, analyzes the changes in the Shell Group since the 1990s, when energy companies started their greening processes due to environmental legislation, civil society pressure and media scrutiny. The report suggests that the role of the state, short-term economic perspectives, and conflicts of interest are the main barriers to adopting more environmentally-friendly energy production in the case of Shell China. The report.

HIGH FOOD PRICES: THE WHAT, WHO, AND HOW OF PROPOSED POLICY ACTIONS
(IFPRI, 2008)
This paper, authored by Joachim von Braun et al., offers an
action plan to combat the global food price crisis. It calls for an "emergency package" to stem the tide of the humanitarian crisis and a "resilience package" to strengthen the capacity of poor people and developing countries to meet their own needs, and outlines who should do what, and how. The resource.

 

Energy Security and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
(UNESCAP, April 2008)
This report notes that energy security and sustainable development are high in the global agenda due to: the impact of volatile energy prices; high demand for energy security; and concerns over environmental sustainability and the global climate. The report notes that, in Asia and the Pacific, about 1.7 billion people still rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, and almost 1 billion lack electricity. This leads to socio-economic costs, imposing a heavy burden on women's time, with implications for the achievement of the MDGs. The report.

 

Rising food prices: A global crisis

(ODI, April 2008)
This paper, written by Steve Wiggins and Stephanie Levy, examines the cause of rising food prices and expected trends. The authors note that, on the supply side, rising oil prices have led to increases in costs for fertilizers, machine operations and transport. Oil prices have also pushed for biofuels production, adding pressure on grain commodities. On the demand side, India's and China's growing consumption of meat and dairy products has led to increased feeding of grains to livestock. These pressures have had an impact on food security, particularly for the poor. The paper.

 

GENDER AND EQUITY ISSUES IN LIQUID BIOFUELS PRODUCTION - MINIMIZING THE RISKS TO MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES
(FAO, 2008)
This paper on gender and equity issues in liquid biofuels production was prepared at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by the UN in Gender Equity and Rural Employment Division. The paper discusses the potential gender-differentiated risks of large-scale liquid biofuels production in developing countries, particularly in terms of food security, and suggests research and policy strategies to better understand and address these risks. The paper.

RISING FOOD PRICES: DRIVERS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT
(Chatham House, 2008)
This paper, authored by Alex Evans, suggests that a revolution in agriculture will be needed to meet a projected 50% increase in demand for food by 2030. The paper argues that immediate action on humanitarian assistance needs to be matched by a sustained effort to invest in shared awareness between policymakers of what needs to be done to achieve "the feeding of the ten billion." The paper.

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION
(IIED, April 2008)
Authored by Annie Dufey and Maryanne Grieg-Gran, this book brings together a series of papers identifying opportunities for Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) associated with positive contributions to sustainable development and good corporate social responsibility practices. It points to a number of opportunities for IPAs in attracting FDI with good CSR practices and highlights key leverage points and practical tools to achieve this. The book.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE POLAR REGIONS
(IIED, April 2008)

This brief looks at issues such as pollution from opening up of marine transport routes, exploitation of natural resources, and the risks of marine acidification, the migration of commercial fish species and coastal erosion. It describes how a coherent strategy for sustainable development is needed and could be achieved through adapting the framework and methodologies of National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDSs). The brief.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT FOR AFRICA
(UNECA, May 2008)
The report provides a Five-Year Review of the Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development Outcomes in Africa. It reflects on the relationship between poverty reduction and global security, and places the achievement of the MDGs as a priority for international efforts to reduce conflict and terrorism. The report advocates interlinkages between social, economic and political dynamics. The report.

STATUS REPORT ON IWRM AND WATER EFFICIENCY PLANS FOR CSD16
(UN-Water, 2008)
This new report aims to illustrate progress made on meeting the target to "Develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans by 2005, with support to developing countries, through actions at all levels" which was agreed as part of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation during the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. The new report is based on a survey covering 104 States and recognizes that countries use different terminology for their water resources management plans. It provides an objective and comprehensive overview of the current status of water resources management and includes information gathered by the more informal surveys conducted earlier by the Global Water Partnership and the African Development Bank. The report.

INDIGENOUS AND TRADITIONAL PEOPLES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(IUCN, March 2008)
This study seeks to better understand the potential impacts of climate change on the livelihoods and cultures of indigenous and traditional communities, and develops related recommendations, including: formulate policies that actively involve indigenous and traditional communities in the international, regional and local climate change discourse; recognize and actively promote indigenous adaptation strategies; and monitor the implications of mitigation efforts including the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries (REDD) on indigenous and traditional peoples. The report.  

THE MULTILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT CONTEXT FOR BIOFUELS: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
(Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and International Institute for Environment and Development, 2008)
This paper, authored by Sophia Murphy, outlines the different interests of the largest global players in the biofuel market, including the US, EU and Brazil, and analyzes biofuel trade within the context of World Trade Organization rules governing agriculture, environmental goods, services, patents and investment. The resource.

ADAPTNET
(Nautilus Institute at RMIT University, Australia)

AdaptNet is a free weekly newsletter that provides links to the five best climate change papers that the service finds for that week. AdaptNet. To subscribe. Archives in English, Vietnamese and Bahasa Indonesian.

UN/CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT: YEAR IN REVIEW 2007
(UN NGLS, 2008)

The UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service's Year in Review 2007 is an online publication that reviews civil society interaction with the UN during 2007. The 2007 edition includes several first time entries: the new functions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which are the Development Cooperation Forum and the Annual Ministerial Review; the Peacebuilding Commission, which adopted its general principles for civil society participation; and the first Civil Society Development Forum. The publication.

INTERLINKAGES AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS
(United Nations University, April 2008)
This book seeks to fill the existing gaps in knowledge and policy-making with regard to the need for greater coordination and synergies among environmental institutions, policies and legal instruments, particularly focusing on international law. It also
provides a framework for measuring the effectiveness of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and shows how the effectiveness of MEAs can be improved by interlinkages. The report.

Accra 2008: The bumpy road to aid effectiveness in agriculture  
(ODI, April 2008)
This issue is part of the Overseas Development Institute's (ODI) Natural Resource Perspective series. It is written by Lídia Cabral and focuses on the principles of the Paris Declaration to improve the effectiveness of aid. The author argues that, although the principles are sound, they are not adaptable to challenges faced by different development sectors such as agriculture. The paper sets out areas requiring focused attention in the run-up to Accra 2008. The brief.

 

GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT 2008: MDGS AND THE ENVIRONMENT – AGENDA FOR INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(IMF and World Bank, 2008)
This joint report prepared by the World Bank and IMF contains two main parts: monitoring the MDGs and a special focus on climate change. The report monitors both achievement of goals and policies, and it proposes a policy agenda to expedite progress toward the MDGs and to ensure their sustainability. It asserts that, for developing countries, the best way to reduce their vulnerability to the impact of climate change is to diversify their economies, strengthen infrastructure, and develop health systems. The report.

 

MDG REPORTS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: A DESK REVIEW
(UNFPII, February 2008)

This desk review analyzes recent achievements and challenges of indigenous peoples by examining available data contained in the MDG Reports of Guyana, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, South Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The study addresses whether indigenous peoples are taken into account in the context of the overall MDG reports, if there are any benchmarks generated, and if the participation of indigenous peoples in the process of developing interventions and programmes is taken into consideration. The report.

 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
(European Communities, 2008)
This brochure highlights collaboration between the European Commission and the UN Environmental Programme at the global and regional level, including international environmental governance, sustainable consumption and production, chemicals management, protecting biodiversity, water and sanitation, and post conflict environmental actions. The brochure.

MAKING SENSE OF THE VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKET: A COMPARISON OF CARBON OFFSET STANDARDS
(Stockholm Environmental Institute, 2008)
This report discusses the role of the voluntary carbon offset market, and provides an overview and guide to the most important currently available standards, using the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) as a benchmark. The report.

AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE: LAW ENFORCEMENT, NATIONAL SECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(
Oxford Research Group, UK, 2008)

This briefing paper focuses on the interlinkages between climate change, instability and the responsibility to protect, by exploring the social tensions, in terms of e.g. radical changes in lifestyle and mass migration, that could arise from climate change, in addition to describing possible challenges for national security and the military. The paper also contends that at each stage of this "process" from climate change, to socio-economic impacts and security consequences, there are opportunities for prevention, mitigation and adaptation. The briefing paper.

CLEARINGHOUSE FOR NATIONAL SCP PROGRAMMES
(UNEP, February 2008)
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has developed an online clearinghouse for national sustainable consumption and production (SCP) programmes, through a UK Government funded project to develop guidelines for national programmes on SCP. The database contributes to the UN Marrakech Process on SCP, and offers users the opportunity to search programme criteria including priority areas, status, type of programme, region and country name. Query results are displayed as country lists that link to individual national programme summaries. Relevant national SCP documents are also available for download in several languages. The clearinghouse.

IEA ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY DATABASES
(IEA, 2008)
The International Energy Agency (IEA) collaborates with governments to collect and classify national policies on climate change mitigation, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and makes available online databases of these policies. The IEA has recently updated its Energy Efficiency Database and the Renewable Energy Database. The Energy Efficiency Database. The Renewable Energy Database.

2008 OECD ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK
(OECD, 2008)

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) 2008 Environmental Outlook predicts world GDP will almost double by 2030 and notes that it would cost just over 1% of that growth to implement environmental safeguards, slowing world economic growth by about 0.3% a year. It singles out priority areas where immediate global action is needed, including climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, pollution and chemicals, and recommends a mix of policies, including green taxes, efficient water pricing, emissions trading, waste charges and eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies for fossil fuels and agriculture. The resource.

Coping with water scarcity in developing countries: What role for agricultural biotechnologies?
(FAO, 2007)

This document provides a summary of the moderated e-mail conference, hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum from 5 March to 1 April 2007, on the role agricultural biotechnologies can play in helping developing countries cope with water scarcity. The summary outlines the main issues discussed during this e-mail conference, namely the application of biotechnologies to develop crops with improved drought resistance or water-use efficiency; the use of bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi in water-limited conditions; and the use of biotechnology in wastewater treatment. The summary.

FINANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY: LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, CHINA, INDIA AND BEYOND
(World Bank, 2008)

This World Bank book focuses on China, India, and Brazil as three of the globe's top 10 energy consumers. The book draws on the results of a multiyear, global technical assistance effort known as the Three Country Energy Efficiency Project, a joint initiative of the World Bank, the UN Environment Programme's Denmark-based Risoe Centre (URC), and partners in Brazil, China, and India. It looks at the different ways of financing energy efficiency, including: ESCOs (energy service companies) that work with businesses or governments to identify and design energy efficiency projects, arrange financing, and implement the projects; energy efficiency loan financing and loan guarantees to encourage commercial banks to lend money for energy efficiency projects; and using energy distribution utilities to finance and implement an energy efficiency programme. The book emphasizes that any financing approach requires thorough knowledge of the local institutional environment and enough flexibility to adjust a program or customize it as it is being scaled up. The book.

REN21 RENEWABLES 2007 GLOBAL STATUS REPORT
(REN21, 2008)

This report was prepared by the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), in collaboration with the Worldwatch Institute and involving an international team of 140 researchers and contributors. The report paints an encouraging picture of rapidly expanding renewable energy markets, policies, industries, and rural applications around the world. The report.

WATER ALTERNATIVES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL ON WATER, POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT
(Water Alternatives, 2008)
This online, free journal will include articles addressing water resources development, management and use, and their relations with society and the environment. It will be published three times a year, with the first issue to be released 1 June 2008. The journal.

MEA LEAGUE TABLES
(Stakeholder Forum, 2008)
In this resource, the Stakeholder Forum ranks countries according to their ratification of five Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs):
Biosafety Protocol, Kyoto Protocol, Rotterdam Convention on the International Trade of Hazardous Chemicals, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tables.

BIOFUELS: MAKING TOUGH CHOICES
(IIED, February 2008)
Authored by Sonja Vermeulen, Annie Dufey and Bill Vorley, this opinion piece looks at the serious trade-offs involved in the production and use of biomass-derived alternatives to fossil fuels. It provides a "decision tree" to guide the interdependent processes of deliberation and analysis needed for making tough choices in national biofuels development. The paper.

HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: A SECTOR ASSESSMENT
(ADB, 2007)

India's vast hydropower potential can contribute to the country's energy security in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible manner. Hydropower projects also contribute to irrigation, flood control and river navigation, among others. This report provides an assessment of the hydropower development potential in India and highlights how water can provide power for all by 2012. The report.

 

MANUAL ON THE RIGHT TO WATER AND SANITATION
(Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, 2007)

This Manual, which has been produced by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Science and Human Rights Programme and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), offers a tool to assist policy makers and practitioners as they develop strategies for implementing the human right to water and sanitation. The manual.

 

WATER AND ENERGY FUTURES IN AN URBANISED ASIA: SUSTAINING THE TIGER
(Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2007)

This paper addresses the problems of water shortages in Asia, noting that, in spite of Asia's bleak environment picture, there are opportunities for actualizing sustainable development in the region, especially in the fields of technology and governance. The paper also proposes new approaches to environmental governance that can be implemented in China and neighboring developing countries. The paper.

 

STRENGTHENING EFFORTS TO ERADICATE POVERTY AND HUNGER:

DIALOGUES AT THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
(OESC/DESA, 2007)

This book presents an overview of the key debates that took place during the Economic and Social Council meetings at the 2007 High-level Segment, at which the Annual Ministerial Review and Development Cooperation Forum were launched. The
book.

DROUGHT MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
(Oxfam, 2008)

This study is the result of a three-way collaboration between Oxfam in Viet Nam, the International Environment and Disaster Management (IEDM) laboratory of the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES), Kyoto University, Japan, and the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan. It considers some aspects of the recent droughts in the Mekong region and tries to discover what could be the reasons behind them and how best they could be mitigated. The study.

THE CLIMATE REGIME BEYOND 2012: RECONCILING ASIAN DEVELOPMENTAL PRIORITIES AND GLOBAL CLIMATE INTERESTS
(IGES, 2008)

This report summarizes the findings from the third round of the Asia-Pacific multi-stakeholder consultations on the climate regime beyond 2012 (held in New Delhi and Beijing), organized by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Participants discussed four specific themes of importance to the region and the future climate regime: sectoral approaches; technology development and transfer; adaptation financing and mainstreaming; and developmental co-benefits of climate actions. The report also proposes recommendations for strengthening the future climate regime from an Asian Perspective. The report.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE COMMONS
(IJC, 2008)

Volume 2, Number 1 of this issue of International Journal of the Commons, a peer-reviewed, open-source journal, was guest-edited by Fikret Berkes. It considers a variety of conceptual perspectives and lessons from cases to deal with the problems of a globalized, multi-level world, and aims to contribute to extending and elaborating commons theory; understanding the issue of scale and institutional linkages; and understanding multi-level governance of a commons with state, private and civil society actors. The journal.

 

PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE AND THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)

(UNDESA, 2007)

This publication, by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), is based on the Expert Group Meeting on Engaged Governance: Citizen Participation in the Implementation of the Development Agenda including the MDGs, held in November 2006. The report evaluates the implementation of development targets such as the MDGs. The report advocates that, in order for the development agenda to succeed, it will be required to redefine the relationship between government and civil society, deepening citizens' participation and attaining good governance. The report.

 

Civic Engagement in Public Policies: A Toolkit

(UNDESA, 2007)

This toolkit, by UNDESA, provides guidance and step-by-step approaches on successful methodologies and techniques for effective social mobilization programmes in the public sector. It draws lessons from various cases around the world, describing strategies of participation relevant to policy-making and participatory budgeting. The toolkit.

WATER IMPLICATIONS OF BIOFUELS PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES
(National Research Council, 2007)

This study was written by a US National Research Council committee that was convened to look at how shifts in US agriculture to include more energy crops, and potentially more crops overall, could affect water management and long-term sustainability of biofuel production. Among its findings, the committee found that agricultural shifts to growing corn and expanding biofuel crops into regions with little agriculture, especially dry areas, could change current irrigation practices and greatly increase pressure on water resources in many parts of the US. The study.

CAN CHINA CONTINUE FEEDING ITSELF? THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE
(World Bank, 2007)
This paper by the World Bank's Sustainable Rural and Urban Development Team looks at the supply and demand for food in China, in light of near-future expected changes in climate, and examines the effect of temperature and precipitation on net crop revenues. The analysis suggests that global warming is likely to be harmful to China, but the impacts are likely to be different in each region. The paper estimates that the likely gains realized by some farmers will nearly offset the losses to other farmers in China: the mid-latitude region of China may benefit from warming but the southern and northern regions are likely to be damaged. However, the study does not capture the effects of changed water-flow, which, if they occur, could lead to large damages not addressed in this study. The study.

WORLD ECONOMIC SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2008
(UN, 2008) 
The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008 report cautions that the global economy will face serious challenges as a result of the end of the housing bubble in the US, the decline of the US dollar vis-à-vis other major currencies, and the persistence of large global imbalances and high oil prices. It also notes that net real official development assistance (ODA) disbursements continue to be below the 0.7 percent target formulated in the Monterrey Consensus. Moreover, ODA flows included substantial net debt-relief grants, contradictory to the commitments made by donor countries as part of the Monterrey Consensus, which provided that debt relief would be additional to conventional forms of ODA. The report.

BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION: A QUALIFIED ANALYSIS AND UNQUALIFIED SUGGESTIONS 
(ANPED, 2008)
This report compares the place biodiversity and consumption hold in the overall sustainable development discourse, and focuses on the known reasons for biodiversity loss and how they could be influenced by sustainable consumption. The report concludes that the discussion about biodiversity policy must no longer be restricted to the levels of nature protection efforts, but should address the drivers behind the pressures leading to biodiversity loss. The report.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE: THE CASE OF INDIA, BANGLADESH, INDONESIA, AND THE PHILIPPINES
(IFPRI, December 2007)
Genetically modified (GM) food crops have the potential to raise agricultural productivity in Asian countries, but they also pose risks for market access losses in sensitive importing countries. This new paper from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) examines the potential economic effects of trade-related regulations on the adoption of new GM food crops resistant to biotic or abiotic stress (such as drought resistant rice) in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The simulation results show that the gains associated with GM food crops largely exceed the potential trade losses these countries may incur. Segregation of non-GM food for exports can help reduce potential commercial risk for countries willing to adopt GM crops. Adopting GM crops also allows net importing countries to greatly reduce their imports. The discussion paper

UTRECHT NIJMEGEN PROGRAMME ON PARTNERSHIPS
(UNPOP, 2007)

The Utrecht Nijmegen Programme on Partnerships (UNPOP), a joint research programme of Utrecht University and Radboud University Nijmegen, examines the topic of partnerships for sustainable development and offers access to many of its academic publications through its website. Articles include "Partnerships for sustainable development: a review of current literature," authored by Van Huijstee, Francken and Leroy, and "Partnerships in Forest Governance," by Visseren-Hamakers and Glasbergen. The website.
 

SCIDEV.NET SPOTLIGHT ON BIOFUEL R&D
(SciDev.Net, December 2007)

This resource looks at biofuels research and development in the developing world. The resource.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: TOURISM AND INDIGENOUS LAND RIGHTS - TOGETHER TOWARDS ETHICAL SOLUTIONS: THE IMPACT OF ECOTOURISM ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS
(Minority Rights Group International, 2007)
This briefing paper argues that many indigenous communities who traditionally occupied current ecotourism destinations have been evicted in order to create these spaces, thus limiting their access to ancestral land and undermining their traditional livelihoods. The paper concludes that ecotourism stakeholders must strive to ensure that global standards are established, monitored and met, to ensure that those affected by ecotourism may benefit. The briefing paper.

Realising gender in agricultural policies: The fight for equality is not over
(Overseas Development Institute, December 2007)
This briefing, authored by Rebecca Holmes and Rachel Slater, addresses the barriers that women face in agriculture. The authors provide evidence that greater gender equality is likely to increase efficiency and productivity in the agricultural sector. The briefing.

LAW, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL (LEAD JOURNAL)

(LEAD, 2007)
Volume 3/3 of this peer-reviewed, biannual academic publication offers articles on sustainable development-related challenges and actions in Uganda, Kiribati and Cameroon, book reviews of a compendium of sustainable development land use laws and an edited volume on multilevel governance of global environmental change, and full text of Tanzania's 2004 Environmental Management Act and the Philippines 2006 Biofuels Act. volume 3/3.


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recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
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