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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a response on 16 July 2018 to the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality, reiterating objections to a land-use change application for a proposed mine. The CER argues that the subject property is a high-priority conservation area and that the Municipality has the legal authority and obligation under the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) to consider environmental and water impacts, despite claims to the contrary by the applicant's agent.

This briefing, compiled by a coalition of public interest groups and published by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, outlines the technical, economic, and regulatory challenges associated with decommissioning nuclear power plants in the United States. It highlights significant risks to public health and safety, the inadequacy of current waste storage and funding, and the lack of local government oversight during the decommissioning process.

This statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the European Union for obstructing the development of a legally binding UN treaty to regulate transnational corporations regarding human rights and environmental protections.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the National Rural Credit System (SNCR) in Brazil. It argues that the current system, based on a 1960s framework, creates artificial obstacles to credit access and inconsistent loan conditions based on geographic location, farm size, and revenue, rather than agricultural potential.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC) analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the Brazilian rural credit system. It argues that the current policy design, based on a structure from the 1960s, creates significant obstacles to credit access and financing conditions due to a multiplicity of rules tied to geographic location, property size, and agricultural revenue.

This policy briefing argues for the expansion and improved management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in South Africa to enhance socio-ecological resilience. It highlights the gap between South Africa's current MPA coverage and global conservation targets, while discussing the benefits of MPAs for fisheries, climate adaptation, and biodiversity, alongside the challenges of sectoral conflict and customary rights.

This policy briefing examines how the EU–SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which entered into force in October 2016, can be leveraged to develop Lesotho's agriculture and agro-processing sectors. While the EPA provides tariff preferences and an EUR 6 million development envelope, Lesotho struggles with low production volumes and stringent EU standards. The author recommends that Lesotho integrate into South African value chains as a stepping stone to the EU market and improve coordination between government and donor programs.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), commissioned by WWF, examines the climate impact of consumption within the Swedish public sector, specifically focusing on food and transport. Using case studies from Eskilstuna and Umeå municipalities, the report analyzes existing and potential policy instruments to drive quantitative, qualitative, and transformative changes in consumption patterns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This paper from the Global Value Chain Policy Series explores the intersection of environmental sustainability and global value chains, focusing on barriers to environmental goods and services and the role of sustainability standards.

This briefing describes how the US government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are integrating energy efficiency into their 'Duty to Serve' plans to reduce the financial burden of utility costs for low- to moderate-income (LMI) households.

This research paper outlines fourteen actions and six proposals to enhance the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 in Asia, emphasizing the role of science and technology in shifting from disaster management to risk reduction.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the first green bond issued in the shipping sector by Japan's Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) on 24 May 2018. While the bond finances lower-emission LNG-fuelled ships, the author argues that LNG is an incremental improvement that fails to meet the steep decarbonization trajectories required by the Paris Agreement and the IMO's 2030 targets.

The G7 Fossil Fuel Subsidy Scorecard analyzes the continued provision of fiscal support and public finance for fossil fuels by G7 governments, highlighting a gap between their phase-out commitments and actual actions.

This research note examines 'consignment auctioning,' a hybrid carbon allowance distribution method used in California's emission trading system (ETS) that combines elements of free allocation and auctioning. The authors propose this model as a potential solution for China's national ETS to introduce auctioning while mitigating economic shocks to covered entities and bypassing institutional barriers regarding the handling of government revenue.

This research paper examines Tanzania's energy options, arguing that decentralized renewable energy is superior to large-scale hydropower, specifically the proposed Stiegler's Gorge dam, for achieving sustainable development and broad-based electrification.

This policy briefing examines the impact of the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) on South Africa's agriculture and agro-processing sectors. While the agreement provides tariff preferences and liberal rules of origin, South Africa has struggled to fill its awarded quotas due to a lack of awareness, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, and climatic challenges. The document highlights the potential for SMEs, women, and youth to benefit from the EPA, particularly in the canned fruit and juice sectors, provided that barriers such as certification costs and a lack of specialized testing laboratories are addressed.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines South Africa's role as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) starting in October 2017. It argues that while South Africa has set thematic priorities in maritime security and the Blue Economy, its most significant potential legacy lies in driving institutional and procedural reforms to increase the organization's openness, transparency, and inclusivity for researchers and non-governmental stakeholders.

This policy brief examines the impact of seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration on marine fauna, specifically within South Africa. It argues that current mitigation guidelines, which are often based on the UK's JNCC standards and developed by the companies conducting the surveys, are insufficient. The author recommends the establishment of an independent regulatory board to create country-specific, science-based legislative frameworks to protect biodiversity and maintain environmental integrity as South Africa expands its ocean economy through Operation Phakisa.

This policy brief examines the economic resilience of Canada's oil sands and the resulting 'carbon lock-in,' arguing that continued production could create a global oil oversupply that hinders the low-carbon transition and undermines international climate action.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a statement to the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs on May 22, 2018, opposing the approval of coal-fired Independent Power Producers (IPPs), specifically Thabametsi and Khanyisa. The CER argues that these projects are unnecessary, economically damaging, and environmentally catastrophic, citing high greenhouse gas emissions, water scarcity, and air pollution in priority areas.