Investment

Few areas of international economic law have generated more debate than the subject of investment. The interest stems from the generally recognized need for foreign direct investment (FDI) and the merits of globalisation and integrating into the world economy (openness and liberal investment regimes) vis a vis the volatility of foreign capital and need for countries to properly regulate foreign investment on their soil so as to meet their own development goals.

There is no denying that investment is critical for sustainable development, which requires fundamental changes in how we produce, distribute and dispose of goods. Today this kind of change must come mainly through investment in new technologies and new processes that can replace unsustainable practices. In developing countries, where domestic sources of capital are scarce, foreign direct investment plays a significant role. But not all investment leads to sustainable development, and not all of the global rules and institutions relating to international investment have been conceived through a sustainable development lens. The TKN's work on investment and sustainable development will focus on this critical linkage, and provide new approaches to ensure that investment law and policy make a positive contribution to sustainable development.



Research