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This case study by GreenCape examines how Wesgro, a trade promotion agency in South Africa's Western Cape, adapted its services during the Covid-19 pandemic to support SMMEs and how these lessons can be applied to enhance green trade competitiveness and resilience.

This policy brief examines the success of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in phasing out ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It highlights the synergy between science, diplomacy, and the private sector, noting that the regime has not only facilitated the recovery of the ozone layer but has also provided significant climate co-benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The 2020 China Green Bond Market Report, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative and the CCDC Research Center, analyzes the performance and policy landscape of China's green, social, and sustainable bond markets. It highlights a decline in green bond issuance in 2020 due to the pandemic, the emergence of pandemic-response bonds, and the ongoing effort to align domestic green definitions with international standards.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and E3G analyzes the significant contraction of the global coal power project pipeline between 2015 and 2021. It argues that a global commitment to 'no new coal' is feasible, as a majority of proposed projects have been cancelled due to poor economics and shifting climate policies.

This report analyzes the environmental promises made by political parties in their election platforms for the 2021 Estonian local government council elections. It focuses on national platforms as well as specific programs for Tallinn and Tartu, comparing them to the 2017 elections and assessing their alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Green Capital (EGC) criteria.

This research paper analyzes the first 29 long-term low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development strategies (LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC by June 2021. The authors identify common trends in midcentury targets, mitigation modeling, sectoral transitions, and governance frameworks, noting a significant shift toward net-zero goals and a broader focus on societal transformation beyond simple mitigation modeling.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution and challenges of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), specifically focusing on UN Sustainable Development Goal 12. It argues that current efforts often prioritize business-friendly innovation over the necessary systemic shifts in economic priorities and social values required to operate within planetary boundaries.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio analyzes federal and state legislation regarding forest compensation for legal deforestation in Brazil. It examines how the 2012 Forest Code regulates conservation on private lands and identifies significant gaps in state-level implementation, technical criteria, and monitoring systems.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provided written comments on the Draft National Mine Closure Strategy 2021, published by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). While supporting the initiative to increase certainty in mine closure and rehabilitation, the CER argues that the strategy must better protect mining-affected communities, ensure meaningful public participation from the pre-feasibility stage, and align strictly with existing environmental legislation like the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines current U.S. fossil fuel subsidies and the Biden-Harris Administration's proposals to reduce them through Executive Order 14008 and the FY2022 budget, including tax preference repeals and leasing reforms.

This briefing examines the long-term decline of the United Kingdom's steel industry over approximately 50 years, analyzing the socio-economic impacts and identifying policy measures to support regional economic diversification and industrial transition.

This fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines current U.S. fossil fuel subsidies and various proposals from the Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress to reduce or eliminate them across tax expenditures, land leasing, research and development, and international financing.

This July 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and political challenges across Africa. It focuses on the African Union's (AU) struggle to implement maritime security strategies, the rise of cybercrime and the legislative responses in South Africa, the ten-year legacy of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the impact of the June 2021 elections on Ethiopia's structural divisions.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the long-term decline of the United Kingdom's steel industry from the 1970s to 2020. It analyzes the socio-economic and environmental impacts of this decline, the failure of generic regional development policies, and the challenges of transitioning workers from high-status industrial roles to new economic activities. The document aims to provide lessons for current and future decarbonization transitions in carbon-intensive regional economies.

The 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance report provides a comprehensive estimate of global urban climate finance, identifying a significant gap between current annual investments of USD 384 billion and estimated needs of USD 4.5 to 5.4 trillion. It analyzes the enabling conditions required to mobilize finance and offers recommendations for city, national, and international officials to accelerate low-carbon, climate-resilient urban development.

This report provides guidance for the Canadian federal government in developing its first-ever national adaptation strategy (NAS). By analyzing 12 adaptation policy instruments from 11 countries and conducting informant interviews, the report identifies global trends in adaptation planning and proposes 13 considerations across four main aspects to ensure Canada's strategy is ambitious, inclusive, and effective.

This policy brief examines the evolution of international ocean governance from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the legal frameworks established to manage marine resources and pollution, the challenges of fragmented sectoral management, and the urgent need for a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to address cumulative stressors like climate change, overfishing, and acidification.

The 2021 Green Infrastructure Investment Opportunities report by the Climate Bonds Initiative identifies significant low-carbon investment potential in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). It details sector-specific opportunities in transport, energy, water, waste, buildings, and new infrastructure, while providing six strategic recommendations to mobilize private capital through green finance instruments and harmonized standards.

This executive summary of the 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance report, produced by the Alliance for Leadership in City Climate Finance with World Bank contributions, analyzes global urban climate investment flows, identifies barriers to funding, and proposes frameworks to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for low-carbon and resilient urban development.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for the development of Canada's first-ever National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). It analyzes adaptation planning trends globally and across 11 peer countries, evaluates Canada's existing domestic policy and institutional foundations, and proposes 13 considerations to ensure the NAS is inclusive, accountable, and effective in mobilizing federal action.