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This policy brief, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in March 2023, examines the role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in reducing poverty among smallholder farmers. Based on a 2021 study of 13 major agricultural standards, 12 meta-studies, and 57 interviews across six countries, the document argues that while VSS can support poverty reduction through improved crop prices and resource conservation, they are not a standalone solution and require supportive ecosystems, government intervention, and improved governance to be truly effective.

This policy brief, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in March 2023, examines whether voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can help reduce poverty among smallholder farmers. Based on a 2021 study that analyzed 13 VSS initiatives, 12 meta-studies, and 57 interviews across six countries, the document argues that VSS can be a tool for poverty reduction when integrated into broader strategies. It identifies key barriers to access for smallholders and provides recommendations for VSS designers and policymakers to enhance the socio-economic and environmental benefits of these standards.

This policy brief provides a state-of-play analysis of the WTO Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Electronic Commerce as of December 2022. It examines the evolving global e-commerce governance landscape, including national regulatory trends and the rise of Digital Economy Agreements, while detailing the progress of JSI negotiations, the restructuring of the consolidated negotiating text, and the efforts to address the digital divide and development concerns.

This report provides a status update on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-commerce as of December 2022. It analyzes the initiative's progress during its fifth year, contrasting it with broader trends in national, regional, and multilateral digital governance. The report highlights a shift toward a potentially less ambitious agreement for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), focusing on resolved trade facilitation issues while deferring controversial market access and data flow topics.

This report provides a status update on the WTO Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce as of December 2022. It analyzes the evolving landscape of digital trade governance at national, regional, and multilateral levels, noting a trend toward more flexible regional Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) and an increased focus on the digital divide within the WTO's broader Work Programme. The author suggests that the JSI is likely moving toward a less ambitious agreement focusing on minor facilitation points to ensure a conclusion by the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13).

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the drivers of conflict between local residents and foreign-born migrants in the Atteridgeville and Diepsloot townships of Gauteng, South Africa. The research concludes that tensions are primarily driven by socio-economic pressures—including high unemployment, poor service delivery, and competition for scarce resources—rather than innate xenophobia.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that increasing climate change literacy across Africa is essential for moving from reactive coping mechanisms to transformative adaptation. It highlights significant gaps in public understanding of the human causes of climate change, particularly among women and rural populations, and advocates for the integration of climate literacy into education and national development agendas to build climate-resilient development pathways.

The 'Strategic Plan for Advancing Energy Efficiency Across Demand Sectors by 2030' is a report prepared by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Ministry of Power, Government of India, for the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group. It outlines a framework to double the global annual rate of energy intensity improvement by 2030 to align with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal 7.3. The plan focuses on five pillars: buildings, industry, transport, financing, and behavioral changes, proposing specific policy actions, technological deployments, and high-impact opportunities to accelerate decarbonization.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between socio-economic status and exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bangkok. Based on a study of five districts and 400 participants, it finds that informal workers and low-income residents face higher exposure and more health symptoms, while public perception of air quality often contradicts government monitoring data.

This briefing by Ember argues that the European Union's Fit-for-55 renewable energy target of 40% for 2030 is outdated due to the rapid acceleration of clean technology deployment. Based on industry forecasts for solar, heat pumps, and electric vehicles, the analysis suggests the EU is currently on course to reach a 45% renewable energy share by 2030, with the potential to reach 50% if policy and financial support are strengthened.

A Global Energy Monitor briefing on the expansion of gas extraction in Africa, highlighting a shift toward new market entrants and the associated climate and socio-economic risks.

This executive summary describes the States’ Electricity Transition (SET) Scoring system developed by Ember to evaluate the electricity transition across 16 Indian states, which represent 90% of India's annual power requirement. The analysis focuses on four dimensions: decarbonisation, power system performance, power ecosystem readiness, and policies and political commitments. While some states like Karnataka show strong performance across all metrics, others, particularly Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, require significant improvements in decarbonisation and system performance to meet national targets.

This case study describes how a community-led savings initiative, the Samabay Samiti, established by World Vision in the village of Datinakhali, Bangladesh, helps residents break a cycle of debt caused by frequent climate-induced disasters. By providing microloans and livelihood diversification training, the program enables members—particularly women—to build assets and achieve financial self-resilience.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) submitted a critique of South Africa's 2023 Budget Review, arguing that the fiscal framework prioritizes debt stabilization and austerity over the realization of socio-economic rights. The IEJ contends that cuts to public services, the failure to protect social grants from inflation, and the conditions attached to Eskom's debt relief exacerbate poverty and inequality. The submission calls for a new macroeconomic framework targeting unemployment and poverty, the implementation of a permanent basic income support system, and the use of progressive taxation to create fiscal space for public investment.

This report provides an update on the progress of negotiations for a new WTO Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development, detailing the evolution of the negotiating text since 2022 and identifying remaining issues as the process moves toward MC13.

This policy brief by RMI discusses the potential of a new US tax credit for low-emission hydrogen production, established via the Inflation Reduction Act, to catalyze the clean hydrogen economy and industrial decarbonization. The document argues that the US Treasury's implementation of the credit—specifically regarding standards for grid-connected electrolyzers—will determine whether the incentive drives genuine emissions reductions or inadvertently increases greenhouse gas emissions.

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, provides funding and technical assistance to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands and working agricultural lands through conservation easements. Established by the 2014 Farm Bill, the program aims to preserve the agricultural viability of land and its related conservation values, which are noted as critical for greenhouse gas sequestration and climate resilience.

The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program is a USDA initiative designed to help agricultural producers manage financial risk through conservation practices, crop diversification, and marketing assistance. It is available in 16 specific US states where crop insurance rates are low, with permanent mandatory funding of $10 million per fiscal year.

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency, provides financial support to agricultural and non-industrial private forest land owners and operators to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks for bioenergy generation.

This briefing describes the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), a USDA Forest Service initiative established in 2009 to fund science-based ecosystem restoration in priority forest landscapes to mitigate climate change and reduce wildfire risk.