In the face of ongoing disruptions to the multilateral trade regime, from deadlock at the WTO to the rise in unilateralism, this contribution examines the role that free trade agreements (FTAs) can play in supporting the adoption of common standards for sustainable development. It does this in three moves: first, it reframes the role of FTAs from sources of obligation and mechanisms of compliance to sites of economic diplomacy where governments can shape international standards through FTA structures; second, it unpacks the relationship between regulation and standards through three case studies (dolphin-safe labelling, automotive standards, and nutrient profiling), identifying means through which FTAs can be leveraged by trade policy actors; third, it draws on these lessons to examine how FTAs can support the uptake of key new standards and quasi-standards for sustainability, in this case, the ISO Net Zero Guidelines. Finally, this contribution reflects on the implications of reappraising the development of world trade law as part of the practice of economic diplomacy.

Amidst initiatives and international agreements that call for a stronger consideration of sustainable development in international investment law, there is a need to assess whether the concept has found its way in decisions rendered by investment arbitration tribunals. References to the concept of sustainable development in investment arbitration can eventually make the adjudication of investment disputes more consistent with an increasingly important aspect of the context in which the terms of international investment agreements are embedded. Have arbitration tribunals acknowledged the relevance of the concept of sustainable development when adjudicating international investment disputes? To answer this question, this article adopts an exploratory research design and relies on a content analysis of 91 decisions that include at least one reference to the term ‘sustainable development’. It argues that the use of sustainable development by tribunals is both marginal and problematic, thus showing a strong disconnect from efforts deployed in investment policymaking and international adjudication. The article proceeds in three steps. First, it focuses on international initiatives encouraging the consideration of sustainable development in investment policymaking. Second, it briefly explores the reliance on sustainable development that has emerged in international adjudication, outside investment arbitration. Third, by analysing express references to sustainable development in international investment arbitration, it shows that these decisions demonstrate a general lack of engagement with the concept in the tribunals’ findings and a failure to fully acknowledge its integrative nature.

Food insecurity (also known as food poverty) is the inability to afford or access a healthy diet. It has become recognised as a public health emergency and is a priority in the context of the environmental, geopolitical and socio-economic implications on businesses, households and civic society. This review paper aims to discuss the merits of collecting food insecurity data and its importance in informing cross-sectoral government and others’ understanding, policymaking and action on hunger. The review paper’s key findings are that concerted action on measuring and mapping food insecurity with the aim of eliminating or reducing its prevalence represents a triple win for government, business and citizens. However, measurement does not provide solutions to food insecurity but contributes importantly to understanding its extent and severity to inform and evaluate proffered solutions. Government, business and food insecurity researchers and commentators cannot merely continue to simply describe food poverty - but must effect meaningful change amidst our communities to improve life quality in a timely way for those experiencing acute and chronic hunger. This is best done by addressing the structural causes of food insecurity through economically, socially and culturally fair and appropriate policy levers, requiring cross-sectoral collaboration. Ultimately, food insecurity requires a long-term, sustainable solution that addresses the policy issues under focus: low income, under/unemployment, rising food prices and Welfare Reform, informed by routine, Government-supported monitoring and reporting of the extent of food poverty among our citizens.

Water is essential for sustaining life and required for carrying out basic daily activities. Even though water covers the vast majority of the earth’s surface, the availability of fresh water, which is necessary to maintain human activities, is limited, making it a scarce resource. Climate change, overexploitation of groundwater, and population growth are all putting significant pressure on natural water sources, which pose a serious threat to various sectors of society, especially in agriculture. Future projections of freshwater availability indicate agriculture production will suffer a significant shock globally, including in India, leading to a threat to food security and sustainability. To ensure the sustainability of this vital resource, it is crucial to use water sensibly. Moreover, it is essential to adopt certain strategies to manage agricultural water use effectively. This includes adopting various water-efficient techniques such as ‘micro-irrigation’, ‘irrigation scheduling’, ‘conservation agriculture’, ‘crop switching’ and so on. In this review, firstly, we discuss water scarcity and its types, causes, crisis for water shortages and hindrance to sustainable development from a global perspective emphasizing the Indian scenario as a developing nation. Secondly, we elaborated our discussion on water scarcity in agriculture including the impacts of water scarcity on agricultural production and its connection to climate change, population growth, and overexploitation of natural resources globally focusing on the Indian scenario. In addition, innovative water management practices and adaptation strategies to manage agricultural water use, constraints, and the need for further research are also covered. It is anticipated that this review will benefit researchers and policymakers by providing useful information on the impacts of water limitation and adoption strategies.

Large-scale investment projects often involve contestation over competing notions of ‘development’—from promises of economic growth and integration into global value chains to perspectives that emphasise strong connections between people, territory, culture and way of life. This contestation also echoes diverse theories that have variously conceptualised development as growth, freedom, right or sustainability. This article argues that, in the face of such diversity and complexity, the notion of development that underpins international investment law tends to prioritise economic considerations. In the context of investment disputes, this can marginalise the ideas of development advanced by local actors and indigenous peoples. By connecting human rights and development in immediate terms, ongoing discussions about the right to development can provide an arena to centre ‘peoples’ as the key actor in development processes. But this normative shift would also require ensuring that the wider frameworks of international economic law recognise and provide space for plural notions of development.

Smart agriculture is based on latest technologies in communication, big data analysis, high-performance sensors, and automatic machinery to improve the effectiveness of agriculture industry. China is looking forward to achieve modernization of its agriculture industry through smart agriculture. But its unique climate, landscape, diversity in crops, and large population make this task more challenging compared to other counties. Herein, we present the current achievements regarding policies made to guide and support the development of smart agriculture, the promotion of smart techniques and smart equipment, and the cultivation of specialists in smart agriculture. Then we discussed the existing challenges that hinder further development of smart agriculture industry and proposed several feasible solutions to solve or ease the problem, including the pertinent development of smart agriculture in provinces with different resources, enrich modes of online technical support and specialist cultivation, and set a series of standards to guide research and development of novel smart systems.

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 is a landmark piece of sustainable development legislation and marks a significant development in the emerging legal identity of Wales. Despite the Act's significance and ambition, it has been criticized as merely ‘aspirational’ – as ‘non-law-bearing’ and unenforceable by legal means. The Act is not without difficulties. However, it also has notable legal and other qualities that are often not captured within the standard justiciability-enforceability frame of analysis. Our aim here is to broaden the context for examining the Act and other ‘aspirational’ legislation like it. To that end, we identify three sets of questions that help to bring out different ideas around the Act's varied enforceability, its possible constitutional status, and its potential role as a bearer of hope.

The rationale behind state support for, and obedience to, normative rules and obligations has long been a topic of international law scholarship discourse. What has yet to be fully established, however, is why virtually all states have agreed to adhere to a seemingly novel global paradigm with ambitious yet non-binding objectives – the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article identifies six factors as contributing to the influencing power of the SDGs – namely, the role of law, particularly inter- and transnational law, the legitimacy of the framework, the notion of reciprocity, reputational concerns, national self-interest, and the moral duty to address the shared global challenges of sustainable development.

By exploring their strengths and limitations through several theoretical frameworks (including Harold Koh's theory of transnational legal processes, Thomas Franck's theory of legitimacy, and Ryan Goodman and Derek Jinks’ three mechanisms of social influence), this article argues that the combination of these factors motivates voluntary state commitment, reporting, and cooperation under the SDG framework and that, overall, the SDGs offer a versatile lens to explore the different motives for state adherence to a soft law framework in the inter- and transnational legal spheres.

The aim of the contribution is to focus on the conflicts arising between climate-related renewable energy goals vis-a-vis environmental protection interests. To this effect, the analysis will firstly investigate the origin of such types of conflicts, which may also be named intra-environmental conflicts, and define their main characteristics; secondly, the regulatory choices made by the RED II and the RED III Directives to manage these conflicts will be presented and compared, with a particular focus on the three key features of the recently approved RED III Directive; thirdly, an alternative approach to address such types of conflicts will be proposed. This is based on the principle of integration, to be interpreted with an ecological sustainability reading of the principle of sustainable development.

This contribution to the Symposium on Ecosystem Restoration and EU Law is concerned with the changing features of sustainability. It argues that the Commission is gradually articulating, next to the consolidated objective of sustainable development, an ecological understanding of sustainability. It discusses the meaning and relevance of such new understanding, by asking how ecological sustainability is formulated as a policy objective and jurified in the legislation stemming from the Green Deal. It then reflects on the distinction between ecological sustainability and sustainable development. The contribution finally presents some thoughts on the relevance that the ongoing process of complication of the legal construction of sustainability may have for the Green Deal.

Access to waste management services is crucial for urban sustainability, impacting public health, environmental well-being, and overall quality of life. This study employs logistic regression analysis on survey data collected from 1,032 household heads residing in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania. The survey investigated key household factors that determine access to waste management services. The findings reveal a significant interplay among waste service provision, the presence of cisterns, housing type and size, and access to electricity. Socioeconomic disparity in service access, with poorer housing formats like shacks receiving substandard services. In contrast, areas with robust electrification report better service access, although inconsistencies remain amid power outages. The research highlights the challenges faced by Riyadh municipality, particularly rapid growth and inadequate infrastructure, which hinder waste management efficiency. Overall, the results not only illuminate Nouakchott’s unique challenges in service provision but also propose actionable recommendations for a sustainable urban future. These recommendations aim to inform and guide targeted policies for improving living conditions and environmental sustainability in urban Mauritania.