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Project ASTHA, a partnership between PRADAN and Schneider Electric in Sehal Bara Soli, Jharkhand, India, replaced unsustainable diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps and installed solar microgrids. This transition enabled farmers to grow multiple crop cycles annually, increasing family incomes by USD 710 to USD 830 and reducing rural-urban migration rates from 54% to 17%. The initiative also empowered women through the Ghagara Women Farmer Producer Company and improved educational opportunities via reliable electricity.

The report argues that nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation are more effective when they integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) by involving diverse voices, building trust with equity-deserving groups, and utilizing community-led monitoring. It highlights two specific examples: climate resilience planning for small-scale cooperatives in Zanzibar and an Indigenous Guardians program in Canada that incorporates Traditional Knowledge into land and wildlife management.

The paper examines the impact of colonial legacies and rapid urbanisation on African transportation, highlighting the contrast between South Africa's high-cost Gautrain and more inclusive BRT systems like Rea Vaya and MyCiTi. It identifies the dominance of informal paratransit, such as minibuses, as a critical gap in regulation and safety, noting high road fatality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa and Addis Ababa. The author advocates for a holistic approach combining infrastructure, travel subsidies, and the integration of informal networks, while cautioning against unchecked car ownership and conditional foreign aid.

The document examines the Collective Benefit Enterprise (BIC) initiative in Peru, noting that while the law was passed in February 2021, progress has been stalled by a 2022 political crisis and systemic barriers. Research by the Libélula Institute for Global Change reveals minimal awareness of the BIC status among consumers and organisations, with only 45 certified entities currently existing. Key obstacles include cumbersome legal processes, a lack of clear government guidance, the high cost of compliance for small enterprises, and inconsistent requirements for annual impact reports. The report argues that the Ministry of Production's ID Produce department must lead the initiative's reactivation, supported by the 'Tu Empresa' service and a network of private sector, academic, and financial partners to expand the green enterprise community.

The study examines the impact of electrification, digitalization, and automation on Swedish truck and taxi drivers across six dimensions of working life: skill requirements, work organization, job security, identity, safety, and health. While drivers recognize potential improvements in safety and performance, they perceive challenges regarding identity and skill requirements. The authors argue that the negative impacts are driven by institutional arrangements and societal shifts rather than the technologies themselves, suggesting that incorporating driver insights into decision-making is essential for a just transition and the preservation of worker dignity.

The report examines the 'double threat' of climate change to healthcare energy infrastructure: the physical disruption of energy supply and the increased demand for energy to treat climate-related health issues. Using data from Kenya, India, and Barbados, it identifies a wide range of resilience solutions—including decentralized clean energy, energy-efficient appliances, and grid hardening—while noting that adoption is currently limited by financial, regulatory, and technical barriers.

The paper examines the challenges of achieving sustainable and inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR) practices for SOGIESC populations. Based on two consultative projects in the Asia-Pacific region (2018 and 2021), it finds that while such forums generate hope and recommendations, they are insufficient on their own to produce meaningful change. The author argues that incremental progress requires these forums to be complemented by wider advocacy and solidarity with other activities to achieve a transformative agenda.

The report examines the role of public development banks (PDBs) in supporting the adoption of domestic carbon markets in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies key benefits of these markets, such as directing private finance to emission reduction projects and helping countries retain carbon revenues locally to avoid paying full fees under mechanisms like the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). However, adoption is hindered by a lack of strategic integration, technical capacity gaps, and reputational risks associated with credit integrity. PDBs are positioned to address these barriers by providing strategic guidance, technical assistance for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and innovative financial tools—such as minimum price floors and carbon-linked bonds—to manage risk and frontload finance. The report recommends increased coordination between national and multilateral PDBs, the sharing of best practices, and the development of comprehensive climate strategies to ensure carbon markets are embedded within national development goals.

The document asserts that Johannesburg's efforts to implement 4IR initiatives, such as its Smart City Strategy, are hindered by systemic governance weaknesses, including political instability and administrative inefficiency. It highlights specific urban challenges in transport, pedestrian safety, and waste management, proposing 4IR solutions like real-time data analytics and blockchain transparency. Drawing on a case study of Medellín, Colombia, the brief recommends shifting toward participatory budgeting, digital land registries, and integrated transport systems to ensure technological advancements reduce inequality and improve urban resilience.

The research paper assesses the capacity of public DFIs and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to mobilise climate finance, focusing on a case study of South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). It argues that the IDC's current self-financing model and commercial risk appetite hinder its ability to provide the 'patient capital' necessary for a just transition. The authors propose recapitalising the IDC through fiscal and monetary instruments, scaling concessional lending, and democratising its governance to better align with green industrialisation and worker-centric goals.

The document examines the role of DFIs in climate finance, specifically focusing on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in South Africa. It argues that the IDC is currently unable to meet its mandate of supporting a just transition because it operates like a commercial bank, relying on capital markets and maintaining a risk-averse, private-sector-biased governance structure. The authors recommend a significant recapitalisation of the IDC through fiscal and monetary policy, a shift toward concessional lending with longer grace periods, and a reform of its board to include broader representation from civil society and workers.

The report presents two case studies—one from Zanzibar and one from Canada—to illustrate the practical application of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation. In Zanzibar, the 'Pamoja Voices' toolkit helped cooperatives identify gender-specific climate risks and restructure governance to include women and youth. In Canada, the Dane Nan Yḗ Dāh network demonstrates an Indigenous-led approach to land and wildlife monitoring that integrates traditional knowledge and intergenerational collaboration. Both cases emphasize the necessity of community-led processes, the use of disaggregated data, and the establishment of trust-based local partnerships to ensure that adaptation benefits are equitably distributed.

The report presents two case studies on integrating gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) into nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation. The first case study focuses on the Pamoja Voices toolkit used by cooperatives in Zanzibar to ensure women and youth are included in climate-resilience planning. The second case study examines the Dane Nan Yḗ Dāh Network in Canada, where Kaska Dena Land Guardians combine Traditional Knowledge with Western science for land and wildlife monitoring. Both cases emphasize the necessity of community-led approaches, intergenerational knowledge sharing, and the use of disaggregated data in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) to avoid maladaptation and ensure equitable benefit sharing.

The report examines the state of green public procurement (GPP) in South Africa, noting that while the country lacks dedicated GPP legislation, the Public Procurement Act of 2024 provides a new opening for sustainable development measures. It highlights successful subnational initiatives in the Western Cape and cities like Cape Town and Tshwane, but identifies systemic barriers including a 'fear of the auditor', high perceived 'green premiums', and limited capacity among small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The authors recommend embedding GPP into national law, creating a centralized knowledge platform, and developing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track environmental outcomes.

The report addresses the surge in US electricity demand, noting that utility integrated resource plans covering 48% of sales expect load to grow 20% from 2023 to 2035. It argues that traditional forecasting is inadequate for new large loads—specifically data centers and industrial reshoring—which possess unique load shapes, high uncertainty, and 'flight risk'. The authors recommend that regulators shift toward scenario-based forecasting, increase the frequency of updates (e.g., quarterly), and implement 'least-regrets' capital investments and risk-shifting tariffs to protect ratepayers from the costs of forecast errors.

Varanasi has seen a rapid increase in rooftop solar (RTS) installations, growing from 549 in February 2024 to nearly 10,000 by December 2024. This growth is attributed to a coordinated 'Varanasi model' involving state, district, and city administrations, which utilizes targeted deployment, aggressive consumer outreach, expanded vendor networks, and streamlined financial and technical processes.

The document examines the 'catnip project', which successfully developed an environmentally friendly mosquito repellent using local bioresources in eastern Africa. While the project demonstrated strong entrepreneurial activity and legitimacy through community involvement, it faced significant barriers in financial mobilization, policy guidance, and market creation. The analysis highlights the critical role of bio-innovation platforms like BioInnovate Africa in linking research to market, while noting that short funding cycles from aid agencies often conflict with the longer timelines required for successful innovation and commercialization.

A case study in Bharatpur, Nepal, reveals that dengue and skin infections are significantly associated with proximity to garbage disposal sites, with skin infections further linked to reliance on surface water. While nature-based solutions (NBS) like green streets and rainwater harvesting show potential for reducing hazards by managing stormwater and improving hygiene, the report concludes that NBS cannot substitute for essential urban infrastructure such as piped water and municipal solid waste management.

The report analyzes the socio-economic and institutional crisis in La Jagua de Ibirico, Colombia, triggered by Prodeco's withdrawal from coal mining. It highlights severe gaps in local government powers and funding, significant environmental legacies, and the need for a coordinated national-local framework to support economic diversification and a just transition.

The Block Island Wind Farm, the first operational offshore wind farm in the U.S., utilized a community benefits agreement (CBA) to secure local support by addressing the island's critical need for mainland electricity and internet connectivity. Key successes included the hiring of a local community liaison and funding for third-party technical consultants for the town. The project resulted in a 40% reduction in electricity rates, the elimination of diesel generators, and the installation of broadband fiber optic cables. While early engagement was perceived as limited, the project's alignment with the island's infrastructure needs and the state's Special Area Management Plan facilitated its approval.