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This document contains the legal and technical submissions made by a coalition of eight appellants (including Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and BirdLife South Africa) on August 14, 2017, appealing an environmental authorisation (EA) granted to Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd for the Yzermyn underground coal mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

This research paper examines the rapid pace of urbanisation in Africa, forecasting population trends and identifying the structural challenges that hinder sustainable urban development. It focuses on the emergence of megacities and the disconnect between urban growth and economic structural transformation.

This research paper analyzes the challenges facing Africa's youth by examining Country Review Reports (CRRs) from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) for 16 countries. It identifies a 'crisis of integration' characterized by a mismatch between education and labor market needs, high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment, and the resulting risk of social instability. While noting the potential for youth to be a 'destructive force' if marginalized, the author also highlights a strong entrepreneurial drive and a growing trend of political activism among young Africans.

This research paper examines the structural inequality in the distribution of centrally financed fuel subsidies in India, arguing that Bihar, one of the country's poorest states, consistently receives the lowest per capita subsidy transfers compared to wealthier states.

This report examines the impact of migration, primarily from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on the Lake Albert ecosystem in Buliisa District, Uganda. It highlights how the influx of low-cost migrant labor and increased market demand have led to severe overfishing, the degradation of aquatic biodiversity, and the failure of local fisheries co-management structures.

This report examines the challenges of agricultural water use and productivity in the Limpopo River Basin, highlighting the vulnerability of small-scale farmers to rainfall variability and proposing policy improvements for water management and land tenure across the basin's four countries.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the political deadlock in Togo ahead of the 2015 presidential elections. It details the failure of political dialogues to implement the 2006 Global Political Agreement, the fragmentation of the opposition, and the perceived lack of neutrality in electoral institutions. The document also examines socio-economic tensions, including youth unemployment and land disputes, and the role of the international community in attempting to mediate the crisis.

This policy brief describes the results of the GES-REG project (2011-2013), which aimed to harmonize the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) among Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden. The document focuses on improving socio-economic analysis (SEA) capabilities and regional cooperation to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in the Baltic Sea by 2020.

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks to crop production—specifically maize, beans, and coffee—in Uganda's Rakai and Kapchorwa districts. It identifies that while Uganda has seen economic growth, its heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes it highly vulnerable to increasing droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. The study combines local consultations, crop modelling, and literature reviews to recommend a holistic risk management approach involving conservation agriculture, improved irrigation, stress-resistant crop varieties, and strengthened national governance and coordination.

This Final Basic Assessment Report, prepared by Doug Jeffery Environmental Consultants for the City of Cape Town, evaluates the proposed establishment of a 'Green Technology Manufacturing Cluster' on Portions 1 and 4 of Farm CA1183 in Atlantis. The project aims to support the renewable energy sector by providing land for the manufacture of wind turbine blades, towers, photovoltaic (PV) panels, and inverters. While the development is aligned with regional socio-economic goals to alleviate poverty and unemployment in a distressed area, it will result in the total loss of endangered and critically endangered vegetation on the 38.65-hectare site.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the socio-economic and political challenges facing Mozambique in 2012. It examines the dominance of the Frelimo party, the struggles of opposition parties like Renamo and the MDM, the country's heavy reliance on international donor aid, and the prevalence of the informal economic sector.

This research paper analyzes the socio-economic dynamics of the mining industry in Kalima, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically comparing the impacts of industrial mining (historically led by Sominki and later Sakima) with current artisanal mining of cassiterite. The author argues that artisanal mining provides better employment, higher incomes, and more democratic working conditions for the local population than the previous industrial model, despite a decline in social services and local agriculture.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the European Union's 'Global Europe' strategy, arguing that it uses Association Agreements and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to secure raw materials, energy reserves, and open markets for European transnational corporations at the expense of the sovereignty and food security of countries in the Global South.

This research paper argues that Swaziland (now Eswatini) requires urgent political and institutional reform to address severe socio-economic crises, including widespread poverty, a devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic, and an absolute monarchy that lacks accountability.

This 2007 research paper, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and IUCN, examines the environmental and social impacts of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Laos, specifically focusing on hydropower, mining, and construction. It analyzes the tension between the government's goal of attracting investment for economic growth and the resulting environmental degradation and social displacement.

This research paper, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the IUCN in December 2007, examines the potential for nature-based tourism to support sustainable livelihoods in Laos. It analyzes the growth of the tourism sector, the role of ecotourism, and the socio-economic impacts on local communities, specifically highlighting the challenges of benefit distribution and the influence of regional integration through ASEAN.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the purported link between the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the resulting increase in orphaned children, and rising crime rates in Africa, particularly southern Africa. The author argues that while the epidemic creates environments conducive to crime through poverty and demographic shifts, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that AIDS orphans are disproportionately more likely to commit crimes than other poor children.

This research paper examines the experiences of Mozambican refugees who fled the civil war (1979–1992) and settled in South Africa, primarily in the former homelands of Gazankulu and KaNgwane. It analyzes the complex interplay of ethnic solidarity, systemic exploitation in the labor market, and the failure of repatriation and regularization programs to fully integrate these populations into South African society.

This research paper examines the historical and contemporary relationship between African diasporas and their homelands, focusing on political influence, the impact of remittances on national economies, and the social dynamics of migration in Africa south of the Sahara.

This report details a Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) mission conducted in October 2002 to evaluate the impact of the Livestock Sector Support Program (PASEL) on reducing conflicts between farmers and herders in the Maradi region of Niger. The mission analyzed how PASEL's strategies—such as securing transhumance corridors and promoting intensive livestock farming—addressed resource competition and systemic inequalities.