Nature underpins all economic activities and human well-being. It is the world’s most important asset. Yet humanity is destroying biodiversity at an unprecedented rate, posing significant but often overlooked risks to the economy, the financial sector and the well-being of current and future...

The global community is far from achieving its objective of ending plastic pollution, unless more stringent and co-ordinated policies are implemented. A key question is: What are the plausible scenarios for the evolution of plastics in the absence of additional measures and, as well, with...

While plastics are extremely useful materials for modern society, plastics production and waste generation continue to increase with worsening environmental impacts despite international, national and local policy responses, as well as industry commitments. The urgent need to make the lifecycle...

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the natural environment. This report synthesises the current state of knowledge on the sources, fate and risks of microplastics pollution. It then focuses on two sources of microplastics pollution, textile products and vehicle tyres, due to their substantial...

The Benefits of Climate Change Policies provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in assessment of the global benefits of climate change policies. It includes recent analyses and viewpoints from well-known scientists and policy analysts, including John Callaway (UNEP Risoe Centre), Henry...

OECD countries have started to reform their agricultural policies in the last decade. Many countries have also implemented agri-environmental measures that are directly aimed at improving the environment. What are the changes in land use, farming practices and input use resulting from these...

Governments need to implement appropriate policies to ensure both the private and the public goods values of biological diversity are realised. Unless the users of biological resources are given incentives to sustainably use these resources, valuable biodiversity will continue to be lost....

Climate change is an increasing concern across the world. In 1997, a number of countries, including most OECD countries, agreed the Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for future emissions of greenhouse gases that drive climate change. But the Kyoto Protocol left many decisions to be made, and...

Nearly two years after Kyoto, most OECD countries are looking towards ratification and implementation of their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. What do historical emissions and policy trends tell us about the way forward? Which policies will be needed to combat climate change? This book...

International conventions designed to combat global environmental problems -- known as Multilateral Environmental Agreements or MEAs -- often use trade measures, among other instruments. But in fact the term trade measures covers a variety of provisions, ranging from simple reporting...