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This policy brief examines how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) can be leveraged to improve food security and food sovereignty across Africa. It identifies significant barriers to intra-African food trade, including high tariffs on sensitive food items, restrictive sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for small enterprises, and a lack of coordinated strategic food reserves. The document recommends accelerating tariff removal, differentiating compliance requirements by enterprise size, and protecting indigenous genetic resources through intellectual property rights to build a more resilient and self-sufficient agricultural system.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines trade-related considerations within the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution. It analyzes how proposed treaty obligations—such as restrictions on certain plastics and waste trade controls—intersect with international trade law, the risk of protectionism, and the implementation capacities of developing nations.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the concentration of global plastic polymer production among a small number of countries and companies, highlighting the tension between a majority of nations seeking production reductions and a minority of oil and gas-producing states opposing such measures.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes whether carbon credits generated under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should be eligible for deduction from liabilities under the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It argues that allowing such credits would mitigate the negative economic impact of the CBAM on African exporters, retain climate finance within African borders, and provide policy flexibility to host governments, while proposing specific design measures to prevent carbon leakage and ensure credit integrity.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice examines the structural causes of the African debt crisis, the impact of high interest rates on public services, and the limitations of G20 initiatives. It argues that the crisis is rooted in a 'rigged global system' and calls for systemic reform and debt cancellation through movements like Jubilee 2025.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice examines the inequities of global climate finance, arguing that current G20-led mechanisms often exacerbate debt vulnerability in developing nations through a reliance on loans and 'de-risking' strategies that prioritize private profit over public welfare.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines a strategy for decarbonizing Canada's building sector to reach net-zero emissions. It emphasizes the need for deep energy retrofits of the existing residential housing stock, the adoption of higher building code standards, and the implementation of innovative financing to address high upfront costs and energy poverty.

This factsheet by Natural Justice outlines the Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill 2025 (MRDB) in South Africa, which seeks to reform mining laws to boost the economy and accelerate projects, particularly those involving minerals for clean energy.

The Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025 (MRDB) is a draft amendment to South Africa's Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 (MPRDA). Published by Natural Justice, this community booklet explains how the Bill aims to boost the economy, regulate artisanal and small-scale mining, and accelerate mining project approvals, while highlighting the potential risks to land rights, the environment, and community consent.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the gap between global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Argentine Altiplano affected by lithium mining. It argues that for the energy transition to be socially equitable and environmentally responsible, the UN and national governments must incorporate local and Indigenous perspectives into the creation and monitoring of development indicators.

This report by Ember analyzes national 2030 renewable capacity targets across 96 countries and the EU. It finds that despite the COP28 pledge to triple global renewable capacity by 2030, national targets have remained largely stagnant, collectively amounting to a doubling rather than a tripling of 2022 capacity levels.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) issued a statement criticizing a proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to overturn its scientific finding that greenhouse gas pollution endangers human health, which would limit the agency's ability to regulate emissions from fossil fuels.

This research paper by Poppy S. Winanti analyzes the responses of ASEAN member states to unprecedented U.S. tariffs imposed starting in April 2025. The author details how countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand have prioritized pragmatic negotiation and market diversification over retaliation due to their heavy export reliance on the U.S. market, while Singapore has adopted a cautious wait-and-see approach.

This report, commissioned by the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group under the 2025 South African G20 Presidency, examines how Vertical Climate and Environmental Funds (VCEFs), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), and National Development Banks (NDBs) can collaborate to scale climate finance. It identifies financial and non-financial barriers to cooperation and proposes a roadmap of short- and mid-term actions to improve interoperability, leverage local currency financing, and mobilize private capital to meet sustainable development and climate goals.

This report analyzes the integration of climate action into the operations of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). It identifies a significant gap between Nigeria's international climate commitments and the actual policies and bureaucratic capacity of the FMITI, proposing a new green industrial policy and a comprehensive implementation framework to align economic growth with environmental sustainability.

This report examines the relationship between the first global stocktake (GST) under the Paris Agreement and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process for developing countries, providing recommendations for integrating GST outcomes into domestic adaptation efforts.

This report outlines strategies to align electric vehicle (EV) charging in India with renewable energy generation to prevent grid burden and support energy flexibility. It evaluates the effectiveness of time-of-day (ToD) tariffs, green tariffs, rooftop solar, and open access procurement, noting that while these mechanisms exist, barriers such as high upfront costs, price sensitivity, and limited public charging infrastructure hinder their full potential.

This guide by the World Resources Institute explains the mechanisms, current regulatory status, potential benefits, and ecological risks of deep-sea mining. It highlights the tension between the demand for critical minerals for the energy transition and the significant knowledge gaps regarding the impact on deep-ocean ecosystems and global carbon cycles.

This policy brief summarizes a UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) project report on advancing non-motorized transport in Indonesia, utilizing a case study of Medan to identify barriers and provide recommendations for increasing active mobility to combat road congestion, air pollution, and health issues.

This research paper argues that trade policies are essential for scaling the clean energy transition by expanding access to renewable technologies and energy-efficient goods. It highlights the role of reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers, the importance of a global value chain approach for complex products like wind turbines and solar panels, and the necessity of liberalizing environmental services to support renewable energy deployment.