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This research paper evaluates Africa's prospects for achieving universal access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by 2030, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the authors compare a 'Current Path' (business-as-usual) against two alternative scenarios: 'Universal Access' (an aggressive push for 97% coverage) and 'Balancing WASH' (a moderate approach based on 2015 baselines). The analysis highlights the massive infrastructure investment required, the potential for significant economic and human development gains, and the risk of spending trade-offs that could undermine health and education goals.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) argues that South Africa is caught in a 'middle-income trap' characterized by sluggish growth, deep inequality, and declining government effectiveness. The authors advocate for a paradigm shift away from a state-led developmental model toward a more flexible, labour-intensive economy and a knowledge-based society driven by private sector partnerships and technological innovation.

The June 2016 Peace & Security Council Report examines the strained relationship between the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council (UNSC), focusing on coordination failures, funding disputes for peacekeeping, and the AU's struggle to implement preventive diplomacy in member states like the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the proliferation of armed groups in Mali following the 2012 crisis, examining the motivations behind their creation, the dynamics of their alliances, and the challenges facing the implementation of the June 2015 peace agreement.

This research paper analyzes the challenges facing Africa's youth by examining Country Review Reports (CRRs) from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) for 16 countries. It identifies a 'crisis of integration' characterized by a mismatch between education and labor market needs, high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment, and the resulting risk of social instability. While noting the potential for youth to be a 'destructive force' if marginalized, the author also highlights a strong entrepreneurial drive and a growing trend of political activism among young Africans.

This policy brief examines the border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi, which escalated due to the discovery of potential oil reserves. It analyzes the failures of regional preventive diplomacy mechanisms, specifically within SADC and the AU, and argues for the empowerment of these institutions to resolve inter-state conflicts through legitimate, binding processes.

This research paper, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, synthesizes two studies commissioned by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation to evaluate the impact of health-focused marketing messages on the purchase of clean cookstoves in Cambodia and Kenya. Both studies concluded that health messaging had a minimal effect on stove purchases, with price and functional benefits remaining the primary drivers of adoption.

This research paper examines the relationship between property rights and the implementation of Brazil's 2012 Forest Code, analyzing how land ownership structures and administrative institutions influence landowner behavior and environmental outcomes.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, provides recommendations to improve the scope of the Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA) and Palaeontological Impact Assessment Report (PIAR) for the proposed 1200MW Thabametsi coal-fired power station near Lephalale, Limpopo. The CER argues that the current scoping report is too narrow and fails to align with international best practices or South Africa's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

This research paper reviews the current state of car labeling schemes in the European Union and proposes improvements to enhance consumer information regarding fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical design questions for the Global Stocktake (GST) as the Ad hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) begins defining its parameters. The GST is described as a collective review every five years, starting in 2023, intended to drive the 'ambition mechanism' of the Paris Agreement by informing successive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development explores the potential for 'policy crediting'—crediting emission reductions resulting from policy actions—to enhance the impact of energy pricing reform and carbon pricing policies, particularly in developing countries.

The Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement should encourage countries to set separate emission reduction targets for different substances in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) rather than using a single CO2 equivalent (CO2e) pledge.

A statement by 27 former Directors General of the South African government calling for an Independent Public Inquiry into 'state capture' by the Gupta family and associated companies.

This research paper examines the role of non-state actors in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, specifically focusing on their ability to hold parties accountable for their obligations through review processes regarding implementation, compliance, and effectiveness.

A statement co-authored by SEI Executive Director Johan Kuylenstierna and other thinkers outlining a roadmap for transitioning to sustainable development following the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

This research paper provides a set of specific actions for Chinese policymakers to implement instruments and incentives for green bonds, with a primary focus on developing a green securitisation market capable of accessing international capital.

This research paper examines the concept of 'cascading' woody biomass, focusing on the principle that material use of wood should be prioritized over energy use, particularly within the European Union. It analyzes the terminology, policy implementation, and potential risks to international bioenergy markets, concluding that without harmonized rules, such policies may lead to regulatory loopholes and legislative complexity.

Friends of the Earth International urges the Australian Prime Minister to reject the recommendations of the House of Representatives Inquiry into the charitable status of environmental organisations, arguing that the proposed changes would restrict the role of environmental advocacy groups.

This research paper analyzes the 2016 EU-Turkey migrant deal, arguing that while it has succeeded in its primary goal of deterring arrivals via the Aegean Sea, it has done so at a significant humanitarian and legal cost. The author contends that the deal, combined with border closures across Eastern and South Eastern Europe, has trapped refugees in squalid conditions and pushed migrants toward more dangerous smuggling routes, while potentially undermining the international principle of non-refoulement.