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This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines South Africa's role as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) starting in October 2017. It argues that while South Africa has set thematic priorities in maritime security and the Blue Economy, its most significant potential legacy lies in driving institutional and procedural reforms to increase the organization's openness, transparency, and inclusivity for researchers and non-governmental stakeholders.

This policy briefing argues that information and communications technology (ICT) can address systemic challenges in small-scale fisheries (SSFs), particularly in developing nations, by improving data collection and connecting fragmented actors across the value chain. It highlights the ABALOBI initiative in South Africa as a model for bottom-up, co-developed ICT tools that empower fishers and enhance governance.

This policy brief examines the impact of seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration on marine fauna, specifically within South Africa. It argues that current mitigation guidelines, which are often based on the UK's JNCC standards and developed by the companies conducting the surveys, are insufficient. The author recommends the establishment of an independent regulatory board to create country-specific, science-based legislative frameworks to protect biodiversity and maintain environmental integrity as South Africa expands its ocean economy through Operation Phakisa.

This policy brief evaluates the African Union's (AU) 2017 theme, 'Harnessing the Demographic Dividend Through Investments in Youth.' While acknowledging the existence of frameworks like the African Youth Charter and initiatives such as the YouthConnekt Africa Summit, the authors argue that significant gaps remain in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of youth policies. The paper emphasizes that the AU lacks the power to enforce policies on member states, making the domestication of regional instruments into national law essential for meaningful youth empowerment and political inclusion.

This report details the narratives, data, and assumptions used by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) to model development and climate scenarios for Rwanda up to 2050. Using the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) and Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tools, the authors co-created three primary pathways—reference, pessimistic, and optimistic—to explore the synergies and trade-offs between agricultural transformation and energy transition.

A letter from various Canadian civil society organizations to Prime Minister Trudeau urging the immediate end of neonicotinoid insecticide use in Canada, citing environmental contamination and international precedents.

This statement by Friends of the Earth International argues that the imprisonment of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva is a politically motivated effort by conservative elites to prevent his candidacy in the October national elections and to reverse social gains for popular classes.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International arguing that the imprisonment of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva is a political maneuver by dominant classes to prevent his candidacy in the October elections and to dismantle progress for the working class.

The Report of the Standing Committee for Rules and Procedures, prepared by the United States of America, recommends that no amendments be made to the Rules of Procedure for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-26) in Antigua, Guatemala. The document includes the full text of the Standing Rules of the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), which govern the organization's general rules, participant accreditation, conference logistics, voting procedures, and the election of the Executive Director and Scientific Advisory Committee.

This document is a formal objection submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights on behalf of a coalition of eight civil society and community non-profit organisations. The objection opposes an application by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd to change the land use of Portion 1 of the Farm Yzermyn 96 in Mpumalanga from agricultural to mining purposes to facilitate the construction of the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine.

This document is a formal objection submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights on behalf of a coalition of eight civil society and community non-profit organisations. The objection opposes an application by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd to change the land use of Portion 1 of the Farm Yzermyn 96 in Mpumalanga from agricultural to mining purposes to facilitate the construction of the Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine. The objectors argue that the project would cause irreparable harm to a strategic water source area, threaten biodiversity in the Mabola Protected Environment, and negatively impact vulnerable local communities, while failing to comply with municipal spatial development frameworks and national interest requirements under the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA).

This case study features an interview with leadership from the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency regarding its role as the energy efficiency hub for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), its alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 7, and its support for the Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate reports on the implementation of Decision XXV/28, which aims to enhance the capacity of IAI research projects to communicate scientific results to stakeholders and policy makers.

This research report assesses the impact of including two coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects—Thabametsi and Khanyisa—in South Africa's electricity system from 2022 to 2052. Using the South African Times Model (SATIM), the study finds that these plants are not necessary to meet demand and would increase both total system costs and greenhouse gas emissions across all analysed scenarios, potentially offsetting national energy efficiency and carbon tax mitigation efforts.

This research report assesses the impact of including two coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects—Thabametsi and Khanyisa—in South Africa's electricity system from 2022 to 2052. Using the South African Times Model (SATIM), the study finds that these plants are not necessary to meet demand and would increase both total system costs and greenhouse gas emissions across all analyzed scenarios, potentially offsetting national energy efficiency and carbon tax mitigation efforts.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) submitted comments on May 27, 2018, regarding the Alberta Energy Regulator's (AER) Draft Directive 060 and Directive 017. CAPE argues that Alberta's proposed methane regulations are generally less stringent and less enforceable than federal regulations, potentially leading to higher emissions and associated public health risks from co-pollutants.

This assurance report, produced by Multiconsult Norge AS on May 25, 2018, verifies that the EUR 1 billion green bond issued by SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt (SpaBol) in January 2018 conforms to the post-issuance requirements of the Climate Bonds Standard Version 2.1. The bond is backed by a pool of Norwegian residential mortgages for energy-efficient buildings.

This briefing examines how Cambodia utilizes its national budget to fund climate adaptation actions as part of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, highlighting the role of political leadership, the need for integrated monitoring frameworks, and the ongoing reliance on international finance.

Southern Africa faces a significant energy crisis, with 68% of SADC residents lacking electricity and a power mix heavily dependent on coal. The document argues that universal energy access (SDG 7) requires overcoming investment barriers through a combination of regional cooperation to manage hydropower via the Southern African Power Pool and the deployment of decentralized mini- and micro-grids in rural areas.

This policy brief examines the economic resilience of Canada's oil sands and the resulting 'carbon lock-in,' arguing that continued production could create a global oil oversupply that hinders the low-carbon transition and undermines international climate action.