Policy Briefs

Policy Brief 7, November 2011

The Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health Ten Years Later: The State of Implementation.

The Declaration on the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health was adopted on 14 November 2001 by the 4th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Meeting at Doha, Qatar. (more…)

Policy Brief 6, August 2011

The Foundations and Basis Of “Sustainable Development”.

The main framework of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) 1992, its related agreements (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) and its follow-up processes is to place the environment together with development in a single context. (more…)

Policy Brief 5, May 2011

Summary overview of the recent development of the agenda of financial reform.

A cursory read of the FSB’s report on progress in the implementation of G20’s reform agenda indicates how vast the agenda has become. Agreement on the international agenda is being accompanied by measures implementing this agreement at national level and at the level of the EU. (more…)

Policy Brief 4, April 2011

The Nagoya ABS Protocol and Pathogens. 

Pathogens are clearly within the scope of the Nagoya Protocol (NP). Preamble 16 of the NP makes clear that pathogens are within the scope of the NP. Further the preamble does not exclude the application of the benefit sharing provisions of the NP. (more…)

Climate Policy Brief 5, March 2011

Complex Implications of the Cancun Climate Conference.

The 2010 climate conference of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which took place in Cancun (Mexico) on 29 November to 11 December was complex in both process and content, and in both aspects it will have an importance and ramifications that will take several years to unfold. (more…)

Climate Policy Brief 4, December 2010

The Equitable Sharing of Atmospheric and Development Space.

In the quest for an international climate agreement on actions to address the climate change crisis, three aspects have to be the basis simultaneously: the environmental imperative, the developmental imperative, and the equity imperative. (more…)

Climate Policy Brief 3, November 2010

Cancun Climate Conference: Some Key Issues.

The South Centre released a new Policy Brief addressing some key issues on Cancun Climate Conference, including the lowering of expectations; the Fate and Shape of the Global Climate Regulatory Regime; Disastrous Projection of Pledges; the Obligations Proposed for Developing Countries; and Cancun  New Structures in Finance, Technology and Adaptation. (more…)

Policy Brief 3, September 2010

Some preliminary thoughts on new international economic cooperation.

The developed countries have acted as engines of economic growth in the world for nearly half a century; but they may not continue to have that role for long. With their negligible population growth and low level of GDP growth, they are unlikely to generate significant additional consumer demand. (more…)

Policy Brief 2, March 2010

The Global Financial Crisis and India.

The financial crisis, which assumed global pro- portions in 2008, is, at the time of writing, far from over. In fact, many facets of the crisis are still unfolding, while many of the policy responses are yet to bear fruit and the road to recovery is uncer- tain. (more…)

Climate Policy Brief 2, December 2009

Copenhagen and After.

This Policy Brief looks at the process leading up to and the substantive provisions of the Copenhagen Accord. It identifies key issues in the Accord that would be important to consider for developing countries in light of their potential implications for the UNFCCC negotiations. (more…)

Climate Policy Brief 1, December 2009

Copenhagen: Key Issues for Developing Countries.
This paper summarises the key issues that need to be resolved if the Copenhagen Climate Conference is to succeed.  They include the future of the Kyoto Protocol, the global climate regime, the emission cuts of developed countries, the attempts to shift responsibiity to developing countries, finance and technology for developing countries, and the danger of climate trade protectionism. (more…)

Policy Brief 20, November 2009

State of Play of the GATS Negotiations: Are Developing Countries Benefiting?.

This paper provides an overview of the state of play in the GATS negotiations, both covering the market access negotiations, as well as the rules negotiations. (more…)