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The document argues that National Development Banks (NDBs) are ideally positioned to bridge the financing gap for climate-smart urban infrastructure due to their local knowledge and proximity to cities. However, it notes that only 4% of Public Development Banks are specifically mandated to finance local governments. The research identifies barriers across policy, institutional, and financial levels—such as restrictive legal structures, lack of bankable project pipelines, and insufficient capitalization. To address these, the authors introduce an 'NDB Maturity Model' consisting of twelve dimensions across strategic, financial, business, and operational parameters. The brief recommends that national ministers update NDB mandates to include climate focus, reassess legal structures to allow for higher risk and longer tenors, and integrate NDBs into national climate goals and infrastructure strategies. A case study on Indonesia's PT SMI and the 'SDG Indonesia One' platform is provided as an example of using blended finance to implement SDG-oriented infrastructure projects.

The study assesses the economic, socio-political, and environmental impacts of Newmont Goldcorp's operations in the Ahafo area of Ghana. It finds that while the 'resource curse' is not evident—with increased local government revenues and improved income levels—challenges remain regarding income instability, youth unemployment, and lack of transparency in the use of mineral royalties. Environmentally, the report notes that Newmont's reclamation and afforestation efforts have led to a net increase in closed forest cover between 2010 and 2020, contrasting with pre-mining deforestation trends.

The report analyzes the role of trade policy in managing food system shocks, using the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2015-2016 Southern Africa drought, and the US-China trade war as case studies. It argues that current WTO rules have gaps regarding export restrictions, high tariffs, and harmful agricultural subsidies. To enhance resilience, the authors propose four policy goals: ensuring food access for the poor, protecting farmer livelihoods, improving market functioning through equitable resource distribution, and restoring trust in multilateral institutions. Key recommendations include exempting humanitarian food purchases from export bans, reducing 'tariff peaks' in major importing countries, and establishing a special safeguard mechanism for low-income producers.

The report examines three community-based organisations (CBOs) in South Africa—Seven Passes Initiative, Net vir Pret, and Hantam Community Education Trust—to identify common elements for sustainable violence prevention. It argues that successful interventions must be aligned with local culture, prioritize the building of social capital, and manage the tension between immediate service delivery and long-term community transformation. The findings highlight that while these CBOs have fostered significant 'intangible' gains like trust and hope, they often operate in the absence of consistent government support and face challenges in overcoming deep-seated racial divisions.

The document argues that Zimbabwe can overcome high transport costs and fuel shortages by transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) and micromobility. It highlights the potential for a 'campus model' of electrification in the mining sector, the use of used EV imports to lower entry barriers, and the opportunity to leverage Zimbabwe's rich deposits of battery minerals like lithium and nickel to move from mineral export to local battery manufacturing.

The report analyzes the varying stages of nuclear energy development in Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. Egypt is currently constructing a nuclear power plant with Russian assistance, though it faces criticism for a lack of transparency. Ghana is in the early infrastructure-building phase, following the IAEA Milestones Approach. South Africa possesses the continent's only operational plant, Koeberg, but struggles with ageing infrastructure and the financial legacy of previous failed expansion plans. The document emphasizes the importance of robust governance, international non-proliferation commitments, and civil society engagement to ensure the safe and sustainable use of nuclear energy in Africa.

The policy brief argues that climate adaptation measures often have cross-border effects that can redistribute vulnerability or create 'maladaptation' if not managed through a lens of justice and connectedness. It introduces a framework combining procedural and distributive justice with a systemic understanding of global connectivity to prevent the shifting of risks from wealthy to vulnerable actors. Using case studies from the Brazilian coffee supply chain and the Blue Nile Basin, the authors demonstrate how coordinated international action and improved efficiency can mitigate regional tensions and human security risks. The brief concludes with recommendations for strengthening multilateral cooperation, developing shared normative principles, and crafting incentives to prevent 'risk-dumping'.

The report finds a nascent process of alignment in Colombia, where progress in green bond issuance and renewable energy auctions is offset by significant continued investment in fossil fuels and high deforestation rates. While the government has established frameworks like the Climate Change Law (2018) and a Carbon Tax, public spending remains heavily skewed toward the energy and mining sectors. Private financial flows are largely inconsistent with climate goals, with carbon-related assets dominating the listed equity market and insurance portfolios. The authors recommend a just transition that redirects fossil fuel subsidies toward renewables and enhances the use of green taxonomies to improve transparency.

The briefing examines how the IFC's Green Equity Approach (GEA) fails to prevent continued fossil fuel finance through financial intermediary clients. It highlights cases where GEA clients funded new coal plants and identifies significant IFC equity exposure to oil and gas projects globally. The authors call for a public review of the GEA and a total phase-out of fossil fuel finance in IFC's financial intermediary portfolio.

The document analyzes the evolution of the public sphere from physical spaces to digital networks, arguing that while technology offers potential for inclusion, it has also enabled state and corporate control, misinformation, and the marginalization of vulnerable groups. It highlights the importance of 'public interest media' and 'communicative action' to foster democratic accountability. Through case studies in India, Latin America, Palestine, and Ecuador, the text illustrates how marginalized communities use alternative media—such as feminist journalism in India (Khabar Lahariya) and community radio in Ecuador (CORAPE)—to resist hegemony and reclaim their right to communicate. It concludes by advocating for regulatory frameworks that prioritize human rights and digital justice over market logic.

The OffgridSun project installed nine solar pumping systems in Zimbabwe's Lupane and Makoni districts to improve water access and food security. Funded primarily by a grant from AICS, the initiative provided solar-powered wells that increased agricultural productivity by 15% and created income opportunities for 135 people.

The document examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected energy demand, security, and utility finances in emerging economies, arguing that the recovery phase presents an opportunity for a 'green recovery'. Using case studies from Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand, Mexico, and South Africa, it identifies common challenges such as household energy insecurity and financial stress for state-owned utilities. The authors urge governments to integrate green recovery into their NDC planning, commit to accelerated decarbonisation, and address systemic vulnerabilities to prevent social injustices during the energy transition.

The Totota Electric Cooperative (TEC) in rural Liberia, established in 2018 through a partnership between NRECA International and USAID/Liberia, has achieved financial self-sufficiency within two years. The utility utilizes a solar hybrid mini-grid to provide electricity to over 1,500 people across 341 households and businesses, supporting local economic growth through services like cold storage. To improve operational efficiency and monitoring, NRECA International developed the 'TEC Dashboard,' an automated web-based platform that tracks key performance indicators such as energy use, power outages, and bill payments in real time, replacing cumbersome manual data collection.

Lars Henrik Gass discusses the necessity of evolving film festivals and cinema culture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term commercial decline. Using the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen's shift to a streaming portal and blog in 2020, he argues that digital resources can democratize film access and reach new audiences. He contends that cinema should be freed from market interests through public funding and redesigned as sustainable, multi-functional urban cultural spaces that integrate digital and analogue experiences.

The document examines on-bill financing as a tool to overcome financial barriers to clean energy adoption, specifically for low-and moderate-income (LMI) households and renters. It highlights design features such as using utility payment history instead of credit scores and tying obligations to the utility meter to solve the 'split incentive' problem for renters. The report provides case studies of the Hawaii Green Energy Money Saver (GEM$) and Orcas Power and Light Cooperative's (OPALCO) Switch It Up! programs, demonstrating how these models facilitate the installation of solar PV and beneficial electrification projects while ensuring positive cash flow for participants.

The report analyzes the value chain of Croton megalocarpus Hutch in Kenya, specifically focusing on the business model of the company EFK. It positions the use of this oil-producing plant within the broader context of the sub-Saharan African bioeconomy, which emphasizes adding value to bioresources and biowaste to support rural development and socio-economic needs, contrasting this with European bioeconomy goals that prioritize high-value molecules and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The report argues that ENGIE's transition strategy is not aligned with the Paris Agreement due to the lack of confirmed shutdown dates for 70% of its remaining coal fleet and a reliance on converting coal plants to fossil gas and biomass. While ENGIE aims for renewables to provide 58% of its power by 2030, the document identifies significant financial and regulatory risks associated with its gas and biomass assets, including the potential for stranded assets and high methane emissions from shale gas procurement.

The document reports that infrastructure is responsible for 9-17% of tropical and subtropical deforestation, while mining contributes to approximately 7% of global forest loss. Data from CDP's forest module indicates that while many regional governments have forest policies, there is a lack of operational management plans and risk assessments. The most frequently reported impact of mining and infrastructure-related forest loss is increased greenhouse gas emissions, which governments attempt to manage through integrated land-use planning, afforestation, and policy enforcement. Case studies highlight the Piura Region in Peru, where mining has driven deforestation and indigenous displacement, and New York State, where infrastructure and agriculture are primary drivers of forest loss.

The report analyzes the intersection of private equity ownership in the US healthcare sector and the False Claims Act (FCA). It argues that the private equity 'playbook'—prioritizing high returns over short horizons—often leads to fraudulent activities such as billing for medically unnecessary services or using unqualified staff. While private equity firms were historically shielded from FCA settlements, the report highlights a shift in the US Department of Justice's approach, particularly regarding the misuse of CARES Act funds. It provides data on at least 25 companies that paid over $570 million in settlements since 2013 and details case studies involving firms like Riordan, Lewis & Haden and H.I.G. Capital.

The briefing argues that achieving a 1.5°C future requires substantial reductions in absolute energy use, which can be achieved through incremental gains, technological breakthroughs, and systems-level design. It contends that traditional energy models, which rely on extrapolating past supply, systematically underestimate the potential of efficiency. Using Tesla as a case study, the document demonstrates how integrated design across the supply chain can drastically reduce costs and resource use. It recommends that businesses and policymakers move toward service-oriented models and innovate across supply chains to avoid stranded assets and capture new economic opportunities.