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This policy brief argues that Africa must transition from a reliance on international financial institutions to a model of economic, mineral, and energy sovereignty to unlock the full potential of its mining sector. The authors propose a 'resource leverage strategy' to exchange mineral access for technology transfer and local beneficiation, while advocating for the creation of independent African financial institutions and standardized resource reporting to reduce dependency on the Global North.

An executive summary from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) detailing eight critical challenges in climate-related mobility and three priority research areas aimed at advancing justice and effective solutions for migration and displacement.

This research paper examines the water crisis in Johannesburg as a symptom of broader systemic failures in South Africa's municipal and national governance. It argues that the inability to deliver basic socio-economic rights, such as water and sanitation, is driven by a combination of severe capacity constraints, corruption, and a national government strategy of fiscal consolidation that prioritizes debt reduction over constitutional obligations to citizens.

The report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) analyzes the landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers to secure critical minerals essential for the green energy and digital transitions. It examines the strategies of twelve key actors—including China, Russia, the EU, and the US—highlighting a trend toward resource diplomacy driven by national security concerns and the need to diversify supply chains away from dominant suppliers.

This research paper examines the intersection of electricity supply, groundwater irrigation, and CO2 emissions, focusing on the 'perfect storm' of climate, water, and energy challenges in Mexico.

This research paper examines the implementation of biofuels in Argentina, arguing that despite policies mandating their use, the sector primarily benefits large agribusinesses rather than promoting territorial development or energy transition.

This report by RMI analyzes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the US chemical industry, focusing on six primary chemicals: hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, ethylene, propylene, and benzene. It identifies 20 emissions reduction levers across four categories—alternative production methods, alternative heat sources, cleaner operations, and alternative feedstocks—and evaluates their current deployability and maximum potential to reach a net-zero sector by 2050.

This research paper examines the historical evolution of policies addressing the nexus between ecosystem service (ES) provision and poverty alleviation (PA) in the Brazilian Amazon, analyzing the influence of international programs and the operationalization of specific policies.

This report examines the current state of urban water management in Uruguay, highlighting the transition toward an integrated approach that combines water, environment, and territory. While the country is near universal access to drinking water, it faces ongoing challenges in wastewater treatment, stormwater drainage, and flood risk management.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on the implications for African nations. It evaluates the conference's results across key themes including climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, energy transition, and gender inclusivity, arguing that while some incremental progress was made, the outcomes largely failed to meet the scale of the climate crisis and the specific needs of the Global South.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments on January 13, 2025, regarding the Department of Water and Sanitation's (DWS) proposed regulations for water use in onshore hydrocarbon exploration and production, specifically hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and underground coal gasification (UCG). The CER argues that the regulations are insufficient to protect water resources, fail to adequately address climate change and methane leakage, and lack robust compliance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. They specifically highlight the risks to the water-scarce Karoo region and call for more stringent buffer zones, longer-term monitoring of well integrity, and mandatory community development provisions.

This research paper examines the intersection of climate volatility and noncommunicable diseases, arguing that Peru should implement mitigation and adaptation policies that generate health co-benefits to improve both public health and the climate system.

This research paper examines the energy sector challenges and policy requirements for Brazil and Mexico to meet their carbon emission reduction targets committed during COP 21-CMP11.

This briefing by RMI outlines the challenges and potential solutions for the industrial permitting process in California, specifically for clean industrial projects like hydrogen production and carbon dioxide removal. It argues that while the current decentralized system provides necessary environmental and community safeguards, it also creates 'nonproductive friction' that delays or cancels critical decarbonization projects. The document provides strategic recommendations for both permit-seekers and state policymakers to streamline approvals without compromising safety or environmental justice.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes financial flows to India's sustainable agriculture sector for FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22. It employs a value-chain approach to map public and private funding across upstream, farming, and downstream activities, highlighting a heavy reliance on domestic commercial bank debt and government budgets, while noting a significant gap in international finance and diversified investment instruments.

This briefing by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective examines the intersection of trade policy and the transition to agroecological food systems in Africa. It argues that current trade regimes, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), often prioritize industrial agriculture and neoliberal orthodoxy, which can marginalize smallholder farmers and undermine food sovereignty. The document advocates for a shift toward 'territorial markets' and regional trade policies that align with agroecological principles to enhance food security, nutrition, and environmental resilience.

This briefing by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective examines the challenges and opportunities within Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sectors, focusing on Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria. It highlights the 'triple burden of malnutrition' and the sector's low global production contribution (6%), which leads to a US$6 billion annual import reliance. The document advocates for agroecological, climate-resilient, and nutrition-sensitive approaches, emphasizing the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in reducing import dependency and fostering regional trade. It identifies critical bottlenecks such as post-harvest losses (up to 30%), gender disparities, and environmental degradation, while proposing technological solutions like solar-powered cold chains and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

A report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Friends of the Earth US analyzing the risks and geographic scope of marine geoengineering technologies, arguing that these speculative interventions threaten all ocean basins and distract from fossil fuel phaseout.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Amazônia 2030 analyzes the integration of the Amazon region into Brazil's 'Novo PAC' (Growth Acceleration Program). It argues that the program lacks regional planning, fails to account for the heterogeneity of the Amazon, and contains contradictions between its sustainability goals and its actual infrastructure projects, particularly in logistics and energy.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative and Amazônia 2030 analyzes the regulatory framework for legal gold mining (garimpo) in the Brazilian Amazon. It argues that current laws are anachronistic, treating industrial-scale operations as artisanal, which allows them to bypass critical environmental safeguards such as prior mineral research and rigorous environmental licensing. The authors recommend federal regulatory updates to mandate prior research for cooperatives and a reversal of simplified, municipalized licensing processes in the state of Pará to better mitigate socio-environmental damages.