Rethinking National Investment Laws
A study of past and present laws to inform future policy-making
This report uncovers the evolution, functions, and potential of national investment laws. It provides a comprehensive guide for policy-makers to understand and reform these laws to meet challenges such as climate change and global inequality.
-
Dive into the evolution of national investment laws from the 1950s to now. Discover how policy objectives and standards have shaped them. #investmentlaws #sustainableinvestment
-
Beyond the controlling vs. facilitative distinction, uncover the seven main functions of today's investment laws in our comprehensive report. #investmentlaws
-
Looking ahead: Our report offers a practical framework for reforming investment laws to meet future challenges. #investmentlaws #sustainableinvestment #climateaction #SDGs
The report analyzes 70 national investment laws across the world and proposes a new framework for understanding domestic investment legislation, based on seven key functions of these laws identified in our research.
On July 27, 2023, the authors and leading experts discussed the report's key findings and recommendations, watch the webinar here.
Rethinking National Investment Laws is a must-read for policy-makers aiming to design investment laws that meet their country's specific needs and policy objectives, as well as anyone interested in the dynamics of national and international investment governance.
In 2026, we published a complementary policy brief unpacking dispute resolution through national investment laws—one of the seven functions identified in our flagship report—in more detail and proposing policy steps to support governments' efforts to establish fair investor-state dispute resolution in their jurisdictions.
Participating experts
You might also be interested in
The Risk of ISDS Claims Through National Investment Laws
This brief explores the risks that governments' COVID-19 measures may face from investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) challenges under their national investment laws.
August 2026 | Carbon Minefields Oil and Gas Exploration Monitor
When IISD launched Carbon Minefields, we aimed to make the continued expansion of oil and gas production more visible and measurable.
Global Market Report: Coffee and sustainability
This Global Market Report examines coffee production, trade, and consumption trends alongside the growth of sustainability-certified coffee.
From Theory to Practice
This briefing note presents two practical ways that conservation practitioners and managers of implementing nature-based solutions interventions can strengthen their monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems, with a focus on qualitative data to measure social outcomes.