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The IEJ criticizes the South African National Treasury's reliance on austerity and private-sector-led growth, arguing that the real burden of national debt is its cost rather than its size. The report proposes a shift toward a developmental budget that prioritizes public investment in infrastructure, green energy, and social services. To fund these priorities without increasing VAT, the IEJ suggests implementing a net wealth tax, reducing tax breaks for high earners, addressing illicit financial flows, and utilizing the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA). The document also calls for increasing the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to the Food Poverty Line and restructuring Eskom's debt to facilitate a just energy transition.

The assessment finds that while a traditional benefit-cost ratio (BCR) would render the Bandung BRT project non-investment-worthy at 0.27, a sustainable BCR (S-BCR) that includes wider societal benefits results in a ratio of 6.67. The project is projected to generate a cumulative discounted net benefit of USD 2.02 billion between 2022 and 2050, primarily driven by time savings for commuters. Key environmental and social gains include the reduction of at least 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and the avoidance of 205 fatalities from traffic accidents.

The report details how Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., has aggressively expanded its housing portfolio by adding over 200,000 units in two years. It highlights a shift from a voluntary eviction moratorium to a wave of eviction filings in late 2022, often for minimal rent arrears. The document argues that Blackstone leverages legal loopholes in California to charge new tenants significantly higher rents than previous residents and has spent millions of dollars to defeat rent control measures. It also notes that a majority of Blackstone's properties are located in neighborhoods with high populations of people of color.

The study uses a dynamic input-output model to compare a business-as-usual baseline against two scenarios: an immediate ban (2024–2025) of four products and a phased withdrawal (2025–2030) of six others. Findings indicate that both interventions lead to positive economic outcomes, including real GDP and employment expansion, while reducing the costs of externalities. However, the transition would cause job losses in plastic production and a modest net increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to increased activity in substitute-producing sectors.

The study evaluates eight electricity generation pathways for Estonia, concluding that 'All technologies' and 'Renewable + Storage (offshore wind)' offer the best balance of benefits, costs, and feasibility. While all pathways can reach carbon neutrality by 2050, they require substantial investments averaging €8.0 billion. Key findings highlight the necessity of onshore wind, solar PV, and a massive build-out of battery storage (up to 9.3 GW by 2050) to manage intermittency. The report recommends streamlining planning processes, expanding the balancing market, and implementing risk-reduction instruments like contracts for difference to attract investment.

The report documents the expansion of phosphate mining by Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS) from 1960 to 2022, noting that the exploited area grew from 2,821 hectares to 8,888 hectares. This expansion led to the displacement of 23 villages and the loss of approximately 30,500 hectares of agricultural land across the Ndomor Diop, Keur Mor Fall, and Tobène quarries. The study highlights severe environmental degradation, including air and water pollution, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss, alongside socio-economic tensions primarily centered on inadequate compensation for displaced populations. While ICS has implemented Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in education, health, and water access, the report argues these are superficial and fail to address the root causes of conflict, such as land expropriation and toxic emissions. It recommends a shift toward 'local content' policies, strict adherence to the Mining and Environment Codes for land rehabilitation, and fair compensation based on production loss rather than simple investment costs.

The document argues that Massachusetts can meet 100 percent of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035 through an aggressive build-out of wind, solar, and battery storage. This transition is projected to generate $1.7 billion in public health savings and $6.8 billion in net labor income by 2040. The analysis emphasizes the need for a just transition that prioritizes overburdened communities, provides support for fossil fuel workers, and ensures equitable access to clean energy technologies.

The report examines the erosion of socio-economic resilience in the Lake Chad Basin due to the Boko Haram conflict. It details the disruption of fishing, agriculture, and livestock trade, the negative impact of state-imposed trade bans and extortion, and the specific vulnerabilities of women. It argues that the lack of state development presence pushes communities toward 'perverse social contracts' with violent extremist groups for survival.

The report analyzes Vietnam's increasing reliance on coal, which grew from 18% of the electricity mix in 2010 to over 50% in 2020, and the subsequent need for a 'just transition' to protect vulnerable workers and communities. It identifies key stakeholders, including 122,000 coal industry workers, and highlights the specific vulnerability of the Northern regions like Quang Ninh. The document argues that while a transition would improve public health and the national trade balance, it requires comprehensive planning, re-skilling programs, and international financial support, such as the $15.5 billion JETP deal, to avoid increasing inequality.

The report examines Vietnam's increasing reliance on coal, which grew from 18% of electricity production in 2010 to over 50% in 2020. It argues that while a transition to clean energy will improve public health and trade balances, it poses significant risks to approximately 122,000 workers in the coal sector. The authors recommend a detailed roadmap involving inter-ministerial coordination, retraining for vulnerable groups—particularly women and older workers—and the use of both market and non-market financial tools to manage the phase-out of aging plants.

South Africa has the technical potential to produce 3.2 to 4.5 billion litres of SAF annually, depending on the use of green hydrogen. The most cost-efficient route is the first-generation (1G) alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) pathway using sugarcane A-molasses, while the largest volume potential comes from invasive alien plants (IAPs) and garden waste via gasification and Fischer-Tropsch (GFT) synthesis. A domestic SAF industry could create over 100,000 direct green jobs, improve the national balance of trade by up to R159.5 billion per year, and provide alternative livelihoods for coal truckers in mining regions.

The report examines how technological advancements in the mining sector of Burkina Faso affect employment across industrial, artisanal, and administrative levels. While industrial mines are slowly adopting automation and remote work, artisanal mining is seeing a shift toward semi-mechanization. The document highlights significant risks of job losses for low-skilled workers and women, while proposing policies for skill redevelopment, local content enhancement, and transparency in technology adoption.

The report examines how technological advancements in Burkina Faso's mining sector—ranging from automated machinery in industrial mines to mechanical crushers in artisanal sites—threaten traditional employment, particularly for low-skilled workers and women. It highlights that while industrial companies often downplay these shifts, automation in excavation, topography, and administration is reducing the need for human labor. In the artisanal sector, the introduction of centrifuges and crushers is displacing women's traditional roles in ore processing. The document recommends enhancing transparency in technology adoption, investing in local skill development, and promoting 'local content' strategies to mitigate job losses and ensure sustainable economic benefits for local communities.

Denmark has committed to ending oil and gas production by 2050 via the 2020 North Sea Agreement. The transition is supported by a declining economic significance of the sector and the growth of green technologies like offshore wind and CCUS. While the workforce's versatility and state support may mitigate negative impacts, risks remain for workers near retirement and small suppliers unable to restructure.

The document analyzes the devastating impact of COVID-19 on South Africa's economy, noting a 7% contraction in 2020 and a record unemployment rate of 32.6% in Q1 2021. It highlights that initial relief measures, such as the R500 billion rescue package, were poorly implemented, with only one-third materializing by February 2021. The brief details severe job losses in construction, trade, and manufacturing, and notes that women and informal workers were disproportionately affected. It specifically identifies a 'second pandemic' of gender-based violence and femicide (GBV-F), with annual costs estimated between R28.4 billion and R42.4 billion. To mitigate these crises, the IEJ recommends replacing the Loan Guarantee Scheme with grants, extending the TERS wage support, reinstating the SRD grant at R585 per month, and increasing public infrastructure spending.

The report examines how the fishmeal and fish oil industry in West Africa, particularly in Mauritania, Senegal, and The Gambia, diverts critical protein sources from local human consumption to feed aquaculture and livestock in Europe and Asia. It highlights the ecological collapse of sardinelle and bonga stocks, the socio-economic marginalization of local fish processors (primarily women), and the role of European feed giants and retailers in driving this demand.

The 'Resilient Recovery Rapid Readiness Support in Lesotho' project seeks USD 300,000 from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to ensure that Lesotho's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates its climate goals. The initiative focuses on creating a National strategy for resilient recovery, including an investment plan, and developing two concept notes for climate-resilient agriculture and food security. The project is led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the guidance of the Lesotho Meteorological Services, which serves as the National Designated Authority (NDA). It aims to address the socio-economic shocks of the pandemic—which increased vulnerable households by 50%—by integrating climate adaptation and mitigation into economic stimulus and recovery planning.

The analysis evaluates Estonia's readiness for a hydrogen economy, focusing on the transport and industrial sectors as primary drivers for decarbonization. It models two scenarios (low and high) for hydrogen penetration by 2050, estimating that total investments could reach EUR 22.4 to 44.7 billion. The report highlights that while the transport sector—particularly shipping and rail—and the production of green ammonia and methanol offer the highest potential, significant barriers exist, including a lack of refueling infrastructure, high initial costs, and the need for a national hydrogen strategy. To unlock this potential, the study emphasizes the necessity of increasing renewable electricity capacity, specifically through offshore wind, and providing public investment to kick-start the market.

The Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka, India, utilized a land-leasing model to secure 13,000 acres for a 2,000 MW facility, providing stable income to 2,300 landowners while avoiding the bureaucratic delays of land purchase. Despite contributing to national renewable energy targets, the project has faced significant challenges, including insufficient water planning for panel cleaning in a drought-prone region, a failure to deliver promised local employment and social infrastructure, and the marginalization of non-land-owning pastoralists.

The report examines the proposed green hydrogen development in Boegoebaai, Northern Cape, focusing on the readiness of the Namakwa District Municipality (DM) and Richtersveld Local Municipality (LM). It finds that both municipalities lack the financial and technical capacity to support the anticipated population influx and infrastructure needs. The study highlights a 'top-down' planning approach by national and provincial governments that excludes local authorities and communities, leading to mistrust and procedural injustices. It concludes that without significant intergovernmental support and genuine public participation, the transition risks being unjust and disruptive to rural livelihoods.