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This testimony by Carroll Muffett, President & CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), delivered to the House Subcommittee on the Environment on July 7, 2020, outlines the systemic risks that the plastic lifecycle poses to human health and the global climate. Muffett argues that plastic production, which is overwhelmingly derived from fossil fuels, creates toxic exposures at every stage—from extraction and refining to consumer use and waste management—and acts as a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

This report details a virtual meeting held on 7 July 2020 by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO). The meeting aimed to consolidate over 25 governance issues identified by Botswana civil society into 12 thematic areas to facilitate a concise and coherent written submission for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process in Botswana.

Natural Justice submitted comments on the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2020, opposing the removal of Council of Governors nominees from the boards of the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation.

This policy brief describes a small-scale study in peri-urban areas outside Nairobi, Kenya, examining the use of advanced biomass pellet cookstoves. It advocates for a service design-driven approach combining behavioral insights and social-ecological systems thinking to better align stove development with user needs and archetypes.

A statement by Tuntiak Katan, General Coordinator of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, arguing that the recognition and enforcement of Indigenous Peoples' and Local Communities' rights are essential for safeguarding global biodiversity and preventing deforestation.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) submitted recommendations on the draft Public Procurement Bill [B – 2020], arguing that public procurement is critical to South Africa's economy but currently suffers from systemic corruption and operational failure.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) analyzes the Supplementary Budget tabled on 24 June 2020, arguing that it fails to deliver the R500 billion COVID-19 rescue package promised by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 21 April 2020. The IEJ asserts that the budget provides a net increase to non-interest spending of only R36 billion, representing less than 1% of GDP, and plans a further R230 billion reduction in spending over the next two years.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has mandated that 50% of the state's trucks be zero-emission by 2035 and 100% by 2045. The transition involves prioritizing BEVs for short-haul and HFCEVs for long-haul routes, while requiring massive infrastructure investments in DC fast charging and hydrogen stations. The State of California is supporting this transition through "make ready" infrastructure funding via investor-owned utilities.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Green Bonds Global State of the Market 2019 report analyzes the growth and trends of the global green bond market in 2019. It highlights a record issuance of USD 258.9 billion, the expansion of the market into new countries, the dominance of non-financial corporates as the top issuer type, and the increasing role of Certified Climate Bonds and external reviews in ensuring alignment with climate goals.

This policy brief analyzes the role of credit cooperatives in Brazil's rural credit system, highlighting their growth during economic instability and their function as a mechanism for financial inclusion for small and medium-sized rural producers.

This policy brief analyzes the role of credit cooperatives in Brazil's rural credit system, highlighting their ability to provide financial inclusion for small-scale producers, particularly during economic crises. It examines the structural relationship between cooperatives and commercial banks, the geographical distribution of credit, and the regulatory advantages that allow cooperatives to operate more efficiently than traditional banks in rural areas.

This white paper argues that Brazil lacks an official system to monitor secondary vegetation (regeneration) in the Amazon, leaving these areas vulnerable. While the technology for remote monitoring is available and feasible, the authors state that public policy support and financial commitment are required to implement a system that would enable the country to track reforestation goals and enforce environmental laws.

This white paper argues that Brazil lacks an official system to monitor secondary tropical vegetation (regenerated forests), leaving these areas vulnerable. While the technology for remote monitoring exists, the authors state that public policy support and financial resources are needed to implement a system that would allow Brazil to track reforestation goals and combat illegal clearing of regenerated areas.

This briefing explores "solar for coal swaps," a private-sector financial model where third parties purchase and retire uneconomic coal assets from utilities in exchange for providing new solar generation. The document argues that this approach can accelerate the clean energy transition, particularly for municipal and cooperative utilities, by leveraging private capital to bypass utility inertia and reduce consumer costs.

This policy brief by Energy Innovation examines how the transition to clean energy challenges traditional 'resource adequacy' planning—the process of ensuring grid operators have sufficient resources to balance supply and demand. The author argues that historical planning paradigms, which rely on dispatchable fossil fuel plants and simple peak-demand metrics, are becoming inadequate as variable renewable energy (VRE) and distributed energy resources (DERs) increase. The document warns that fossil fuel incumbents are leveraging these reliability concerns to protect their market share and slow decarbonization, urging climate advocates to promote more granular, flexible, and holistic planning models.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) outlines the essential rights and conditions necessary for the successful implementation of Community Forest Management (MCB). It argues that MCB is a tool for both environmental conservation and the defense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, asserting that these rights are intrinsic and exist independently of state recognition.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) outlines the essential rights and conditions necessary for effective Community Forest Management (CFM). It argues that CFM is a tool for protecting biodiversity and improving the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, provided that States guarantee their inherent rights to territory, self-determination, and well-being.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) outlines the essential rights required for the successful implementation of Community Forest Management (CFM). It argues that CFM is not merely a forestry technique but a political tool for defending the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, asserting that these rights are inherent and exist independently of state recognition.

This executive summary of a scoping study by FSD Africa examines the emerging market for gender bonds, which are debt instruments designed to support the advancement, empowerment, and equality of women. The document outlines the current state of the market, identifies gaps in reporting and standards, and assesses the potential for issuing such bonds in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a scenario analysis of the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on Africa through 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform, it examines three economic recovery paths (V, U, and L-shaped) and their effects on GDP, poverty, health expenditure, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis concludes that the pandemic is likely to undo several years of development progress, increase extreme poverty, and exacerbate debt sustainability issues across the continent.