Law blogs
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Investor-state arbitration: an opportunity for real reform?
7 December 2018An ongoing multilateral process could provide a unique opportunity to reform a contentious area of global economic governance – but only if it properly identifies the key problems
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Celebrating 10 years of the UK Climate Change Act: an influential law beyond its borders
26 November 2018IIED director Andrew Norton says the UK's Climate Change Act provides a clear and ambitious framework for addressing climate change, and says it can be a model for other nations for turning the Paris Agreement into national action
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Building transparency and trust into smallholder commodity trading and contract farming
13 November 2018Smallholder farmers have long had difficulties getting a fair price for their produce. A recent IIED webinar discussed how linking farmers to commodity exchanges and an ‘incentive-based’ contract farming (IBCF) approach can help improve farmer-buyer relations and establish more transparent trading arrangements
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Mining in the deep-sea bed: are we ready?
12 November 2018International law designates the deep seabed as the “common heritage of humankind”, but poorly regulated mining could cause irreparable damage to such a fragile ecosystem. Erika Solimeo and Brendan Schwartz argue that the International Seabed Authority needs a moratorium on mining extraction licences
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Supporting small-scale farmers in negotiations with agribusiness
25 May 2018Unequal bargaining power often characterises the relationship between small-scale rural producers and agribusinesses. A recent IIED webinar discussed ways to protect and support farmers when negotiating with companies
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Legal activism key to securing land rights in new investment phase
28 March 2018In the face of rapid changes, how can people in low- and middle-income countries ensure they get the best deal to protect their land?
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Creating a global 'land rights family': from knowledge to action
14 March 2018Community land rights are the focus of two new initiatives. The first, launched with an 'action shop' in Kenya, enables civil society organisations to share knowledge and chart new paths; the second supports communities to seek legal redress for violated rights
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Getting community voices heard in investor-state arbitration
5 March 2018During investor-state arbitrations, the rights and interests of local communities are often overlooked. A recent webinar discussed mechanisms that are getting the concerns of local communities on the table
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Legal empowerment: what we do, what we've learned
14 November 2017If you missed the recent policy forum on legal empowerment, fear not: here Lorenzo Cotula recaps on what characterises IIED's approach and shares his top three lessons learned
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Responsible investment provisions in international investment treaties: where next?
16 October 2017Lorenzo Cotula discusses how international investment treaties could promote more responsible investment and argues that, while some innovative practices are emerging, there is still much to do
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Using legal tools to make agribusiness investments more accountable
19 June 2017A range of tools and approaches can support rural communities to exercise their rights and give them greater control over agribusiness deals that could affect their future, as a recent IIED webinar explored
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Using online technology to empower communities facing land deals
4 August 2016Online databases are proving a useful tool for communities facing large-scale agricultural investments and associated conflicts, as a recent IIED webinar discovered
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Next steps to strengthen global land governance
15 May 2016In 2012 there was a milestone international agreement on voluntary guidelines on the governance of land and tenure. The authors of a new progress report review the lessons learned about implementing the guidelines, and offer some recommendations for the future
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Governing the ungoverned 50% of the planet
11 April 2016Essam Yassin Mohammed reports back from the first round of a UN preparatory meeting to create an agreement on the sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas
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Enhancing women's role in land management decisions
24 March 2016Large-scale agricultural investments impact upon men and women in different ways, yet women's voices and interests are not always heard in decisions about land. An IIED webinar examined how this could be changed
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How investment treaties protect 'land grab' deals
17 February 2016New research examining the geographical coverage of international investment treaties raises concern about how they might affect public action to address 'land grabbing'
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Opening up land contracts
20 October 2015Many land deals are still kept secret. Will a new online resource change the game?
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Investment treaties and citizens' power: lessons from experience
7 September 2015There are growing calls to reform international investment law, but how can we ensure that the people affected by these decisions are part of the debate?
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Using the power of judiciary to protect people from climate change
24 July 2015A Dutch legal ruling sets a precedent on the need for national action on climate change – and hope for citizens seeking to hold their governments to account
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Investment treaties, land rights and a shrinking planet
8 July 2015Commercial land concessions may be protected under international investment law. Lorenzo Cotula argues that securing land rights requires tackling these global dimensions
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Using the law for resource justice
28 April 2015Large-scale resource development can threaten people's land and environment. Now a new initiative is bringing grassroots organisations together with international lawyers to fight for resource justice
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The rise of civil society advocacy on investment treaties in Malaysia and the Philippines
26 March 2015Investment treaties can have far-reaching implications for communities, but how can citizens in low- and medium-income countries influence their content? An IIED webinar examined the role of civil society advocacy on investment treaties in Malaysia, the Philippines and beyond
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On the road to Paris: departing Geneva with expectations high
16 February 2015Progress in Geneva has meant a good start to the climate negotiations on the road to Paris, with elements in the text offering the possibility of a fair deal for developing countries
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Why parliament should scrutinise the UK-Ethiopia BIT
19 January 2015The House of Commons has been debating the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). But will the UK parliament use its powers to debate a bilateral investment treaty signed with Ethiopia?
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Paving a path towards redressing grievances and holding investors accountable
7 January 2015How can remote communities with little formal education hold investors to account and seek redress when their rights to land and resources are threatened? An IIED webinar examined the role of grievance mechanisms