Green Room - World Summit 2005

Contends that economic growth is essential for development, but that it is not enough. It presents a vision of a responsible approach to growth – sustainable growth in consumption, healthfulness, human capital, environmental quality and social equity – that can achieve a far more equitable world in 2050. >>more

World Bank Sustainable Development Reference Guide

“With a greater focus on a responsible path of growth, stronger global ethics and cooperation, and the sound
management of assets, today’s dream of a world free of poverty could become a reality in 50 years.” Ian Johnson, Vice President for Sustainable Development, The World Bank >>more

Women's Empowerment, Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals (WEDO)

Describes the Millennium Development Goals, their connection to women's equality
and strategies to insure they include a gender perspective. >>more

Poverty and Conservation: Landscapes, People and Power (IUCN)

This book argues that the underlying principles of sustainable development need to be more critically and actively applied to both poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation. While recognising the need for better integration of poverty reduction and conservation objectives by both developmental and conservation agencies, this book pays particular attention to the reasons why conservation should do better in contributing to long-term sustainable development and more immediately to poverty reduction. >>more

Women and the Environment (UNEP)

Women and the Environment calls for greater recognition of women's role in conservation and poverty eradication. >> more

One Planet Many People - Atlas of our Changing Environment (UNEP)

One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment provides a comprehensive, visual presentation of scientifically verifiable information, on changes in the global environment - both the good and the bad - acquired and assessed through state-of-the-art remote sensing technology. >>more

Reducing poverty and sustaining the environment: the politics of local engagement( IIED)

There are growing dangers that developmental work by governments, aid agencies and NGOs is driven to ignore the fact that environmental quality matters to the poor. There are also signs that some environmental work is pushing 'people-out' protection methodologies. Yet recently an extensive range of work at the project, programme and policy level has begun to reveal the important links between poverty and environment and to ensure that these links are reflected in policy-making processes at all levels. This volume is the first to address the role of politics in environmental issues that matter to the poor through a series of case studies of experiences at regional, national and local levels. >>more

The Little Green Data Book, 2005 (World Bank)

The Little Green Data Book is based on the World Development Indicators, 2005 and is the result of close collaboration between the staff of the Development Economics Data Group, and the Environment Department. The 2005 edition coincides with important transformations linked to sustainable development. This year will be remembered for the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol. It also marked a renewed commitment by the G-8 countries to foster development in Africa. >>more

Depend on Nature - Ecosystem Services supporting Human Livelihoods (IUCN)

The recently released Millennium Ecosystem Assessment chillingly concludes that, unless we take action to mitigate the decline in ecosystem services, the costs to society will be substantial. The necessary actions are feasible, provided they are backed up by political will and targeted financing. IUCN contends that investments in biodiversity conservation will help maintain the flow of ecosystem services and, in turn, will yield both immediate and long-term dividends to human wellbeing. >>more

Investing in the Future of our Planet (IUCN)

Brochure explaining why investments in ecosystems are needed. >>more

"In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all"

United Nations Secretary-General's report

Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Opportunities and Challenges for Business and Industry , synthesizes and integrates findings related to both small and large businesses throughout the industrial and developing world. The 34-page report connects the dots between environmental changes and the private sector. The report highlights ways in which businesses depend on services provided by ecosystems, how those ecosystem services are changing, and the ramifications for business and industry.

State of the World 2005: Redefining Global Security

Security concerns remain high on the world's agenda. In this year's
annual report, Worldwatch researchers explore underlying sources of
global insecurity including poverty, infectious disease, environmental
degradation, and rising competition over oil and other resources.

Is the summary of a high-level roundtable on "Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development", convened by UNEP together with UNESCO during the WSSD in Johannesburg 2002.
Chaired by French President Jacques Chirac, this prominent interdisciplinary panel, which included the Heads of State of New Zealand and Mozambique, Ministers from India and Iran, as well as Nobel Laureates Ms. Rigoberta Menchu and Wole Soyinka and Ms. Esther Camac, underlined the importance of respecting and integrating the diversity of nature and culture as a prerequisite for sustainable development.

Exploring the Links: Human Well-Being, Poverty and Ecosystem Services (UNEP)

Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals (Global Environment Fund)

(PDF 4MB) - This report explains how the GEF family is committed to helping reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by mobilizing international cooperation to protect the global environment in ways that promote sustainable development and create opportunities for the world's poor. Sections on each of the eight critical MDGs illustrates the GEF's contribution to achieving the goals.

PEP Poverty & Environment Reports

The Poverty-Environment Partnership (PEP) launched the ‘Environment for the MDGs’ initiative to galvanize support for the significant scaling up of worldwide investment in environmental management to help win the fight against poverty and achieve the MDGs. The PEP commissioned these background reports on the economic case for investing in the environment to reduce poverty and on tools and methodologies for assessing environment's contribution to poverty reduction and pro-poor growth.

The Montreal Protocol: Partnerships Changing the World

An impressive example of an international initiative that is successfully contributing to the environmental MDG is the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This effort to save the ozone layer provides a concrete example of how governments, international institutions, the private sector and ordinary people can be effective in addressing urgent challenges.

IUCN Position Paper on the Draft Outcome Document

Environment Matters (World Bank)

What's at Stake for Women
Position Paper by the Gender Monitoring Group

Publications