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This report reviews capacity-building courses offered by 24 international organizations between 2013 and 2014 to assess how sustainable development is integrated into policy planning and implementation. The review identifies a significant gap in courses that directly focus on sustainable development policy and planning, suggesting that while thematic courses exist, there is a need for more integrated strategic frameworks and management tools to support the Post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development reviews the role, composition, and effectiveness of National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs) over the past 25 years. It identifies success factors for these bodies as countries prepare to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

This briefing note outlines the challenges and opportunities in establishing monitoring and reporting systems for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It argues for a balance between using existing data and innovating new metrics, emphasizes the need to integrate indicators into the full policy cycle to ensure they are actually used for decision-making, and highlights the importance of cross-scale coordination between international bodies, national governments, and scientific communities.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the potential role of National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) in designing and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on a survey of 12 countries, it examines existing national strategies, the challenges of monitoring progress, and the varying responsibilities of NCSDs in advising and implementing sustainable development policies.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes potential electoral outcomes and political scenarios for South Africa for the period 2014 to 2029. It explores four primary pathways—'Bafana Bafana', 'The Future is ANC', 'The Rise of Multiparty Democracy', and 'A Nation Divided'—evaluating how factors such as ANC leadership, trade union splits (specifically NUMSA and COSATU), and youth voter apathy influence economic growth and poverty levels.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the trade dynamics between South Africa and its BRICS partners (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) from 1995 to 2011. It examines trade value, intensity, complementarity, and structure, noting a significant shift in South Africa's trade balance and a growing reliance on primary commodity exports to meet the demand of emerging economies, particularly China.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the diplomatic, economic, and security engagement between China and Liberia from 2003 to 2013. It analyzes China's role in the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), bilateral development aid, trade imbalances, and large-scale mining investments, concluding that the relationship is characterized by a significant imbalance where China is the 'absolute winner'.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the relationship between mineral resource dependence and development in Africa, using South Africa as a primary case study. It argues that the 'resource curse' is not deterministic and that the quality of development depends on the strength and nature of a country's institutions, which mediate political incentives and determine whether mineral wealth leads to inclusive growth or adverse governance outcomes.

This policy briefing examines the partnership between China and Angola in constructing satellite towns to address Angola's housing crisis, focusing on the Kilamba Kiaxi project as a case study. It analyzes the 'resources for infrastructure' financing model and identifies challenges regarding local adaptation, affordability, and the provision of public services.

This policy note from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and progress in African fisheries governance, focusing on the tension between economic development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It analyzes the roles of small-scale and industrial fisheries, the impact of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, and the transition toward co-management systems to address the limitations of centralized governance.

The 2012 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute, analyzes emissions from 1990 to 2012. It distinguishes between 'core' emissions (road transportation, building energy, and waste) and 'expanded' emissions (including industry, air, marine, and rail travel). The report finds that while absolute core emissions declined slightly, per person emissions dropped significantly despite population and job growth.

This research paper assesses the risks and mechanisms of double counting emission reductions within the UNFCCC framework. It identifies four primary types of double counting—double issuance, double claiming, double use, and double purpose—and evaluates current rules under the Kyoto Protocol and various voluntary schemes. The authors propose a comprehensive framework for a post-2020 climate regime, recommending a 'net flows' accounting approach, specific mechanism design principles to prevent double issuance, and the use of globally unique serial numbers for unit tracking.

This research paper analyzes the legal implications of the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, examining the conflict between the right to self-determination and the principles of territorial integrity and national unity under international law.

This synthesis report describes the 2013 application of the Adaptive Design and Policy Assessment Tool (ADAPTool), an Excel-based tool developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to evaluate how existing policies and programs align with adaptive characteristics in response to external stressors.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and ClientEarth critiques a response from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) regarding industry proposals for chemicals regulation within the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP). The authors argue that the industry's proposals seek to undermine the implementation of existing EU and US chemical laws and reflect a pattern of delaying protective regulations.

A statement by Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth U.S. urging U.S. President Obama and European Commission President Barroso to prioritize environmental and health protections over corporate interests during their summit in Brussels.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several community and environmental groups, submitted a formal reply on 24 March 2014 challenging Eskom's applications for postponement from the Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The CER disputes Eskom's claims that its power stations have a marginal impact on air quality and health, arguing that Eskom's Atmospheric Impact Reports (AIRs) are anecdotal, use insufficient modeling domains, and fail to quantify the health risks associated with secondary PM2.5 formation and mercury emissions.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative evaluates federal policies to support India's goal of doubling renewable energy capacity to 55,000 MW by 2017. It compares existing subsidies—such as generation based incentives and viability gap funding—against proposed debt-related policies, concluding that low-cost, long-term debt is the most cost-effective long-term strategy, though it faces shortS short-term budgetary constraints due to high initial capital outlay.

The ADAPTool for Creating New Policies is a Microsoft Excel-based guidance tool designed to help policy-makers develop policies, programs, strategies, or legislation that can adapt to complex and uncertain conditions, such as climate change and volatile market prices.

The ADAPTool Guidebook describes the Adaptive Design and Policy Assessment Tool (ADAPTool), an Excel-based framework developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development to evaluate how existing policies and programs align with seven characteristics of adaptive policies to better handle shocks, stresses, and changing conditions such as climate change.