Investment for Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is an investment issue. Capital is needed to alleviate poverty, create jobs, accelerate the clean energy transition and allow for the development of much-needed infrastructure to provide goods and services for all. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an important source of that capital.
But investment does not come without risks. How can we ensure investments are made responsibly, without harming people, the environment or the local economy?
IISD works with governments and civil society to develop and improve legal and policy tools focusing on the critical linkage between investment and sustainable development. We look for and provide new approaches to ensure that investment law and policy advance environmentally sound investment that generates broad socioeconomic benefits. In particular, IISD experts examine how the rules and institutions that govern international investment flows can be improved to benefit developing countries.
- Paper
The State of Play in Vattenfall v. Germany II: Leaving the German public in the dark
Two years after Vattenfall brought Germany to international arbitration for a second time (Vattenfall II), the German public is still left out in the dark. This briefing note reviews the background to the case on Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power and outlines its current state of play.
Read More - Brochure
IISD Mining and Sustainable Development Initiative (brochure)
This brochure introduces IISD’s vision of the mining sector’s potential to be a substantial contributor to inclusive growth and social development...
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IISD’s Mining and Sustainable Development Initiative
The background brief describes the history of IISD’s work and vision on mining and its development to a mature multidisciplinary and inclusive...
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Supporting Implementation of the Mining Policy Framework in Member States of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development: Dominican Republic Country Assessment of Implementation Readiness
Between January and April 2014 IISD conducted an assessment aiming to evaluate the mining law and policies of the Dominican Republic and their...
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IISD Methodology to Assess Government Implementation of the IGF Mining Policy Network
IISD is undertaking a series of assessments that measure the “readiness” of member states of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals,...
Read More - Newsletter
Investment Treaty News Quarterly, Volume 5, Issue 4, November 2014
In this issue:In Accordance with Which Host State Laws? Restoring the ‘Defence’ of Investor Illegality in Investment Arbitration; Who is Afraid of...
Read More - Best Practices
IISD Best Practices Series: State-State Dispute Settlement Clause in Investment Treaties
This paper looks at state–state dispute settlement provisions in international investment agreements, examining the different mechanisms used to settle investment disputes, including judicial, quasi-judicial and arbitration procedures.
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Inclusive Investment in Agriculture: Cooperatives and the role of foreign investment Policy Brief #2 Investment in Agriculture
Investment in farmland has been in the spotlight for a number of years and is often seen as a series of “land grabs.”Yet there are other ways to...
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The IISD Guide to Negotiating Investment Contracts for Farmland and Water
The IISD Guide to Negotiating Investment Contracts for Farmland and Water is a legal and policy tool for governments and communities that are involved in negotiating investment contracts with foreign investors.
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The Stakes Are High: A review of the financial costs of investment treaty arbitration
The amounts at stake in investment treaty arbitration are very often high. The average claim in investor–state arbitrations based on international...
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