Global environmental crime is estimated by the United Nations to be worth as much as $213 billion annually. Over $23 billion is attributed to the illegal wildlife trade alone, of which ivory is an important component.

More than 500 million family farms dominate agriculture around the world ensuring food security and providing employment to hundreds of millions of people. Family farms are also essential in safeguarding agro-biodiversity, and

Increasingly the private sector is expected to finance access to modern energy services in developing countries. Yet governments and donors still have much to learn about working with business, while low-income markets are unfamiliar and risky for private investors.

Groundwater is an increasingly important resource for urban and rural potable water supply, irrigated agriculture, and industry, in addition to its natural environmental role of sustaining river flows and aquatic ecosystems.

What contribution can diplomats and technical experts make to support transboundary water cooperation? And how can such cooperation be leveraged to facilitate wider-ranging regional integration?

The paper debates that water security can never be fully achieved, because ever-changing physical and economic conditions will require the continuous adaptation of water systems and behaviors in order to meet the growing demands and changing climatological conditions.

The paper provides an excellent overview of the global groundwater economy and assesses the opportunities it offers for irrigated agriculture and also the risks it poses for depleting and degrading aquifer systems.

Well-run water utilities play an important role in ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Consumers need reliable access to high quality and affordable water and sanitation services.

With the objective of stimulating timely and open discussion of the current attempt to formulate a new climate agreement—to be reached at the 21st meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP-21) in Paris during November of 2015—analysis is conducted of the expected developments in the lead-up negotiations.

Investor calls for transparency and the rise of social media have thrust the impact businesses have on the economy, the environment and society more firmly into the public spotlight.