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The document examines five types of illegality—resource rights, labor rights, other laws, fraud, and corruption—across several global commodity chains. It provides case studies on beef, palm oil, pulp and paper, cocoa, shrimp, olive oil, dairy, and soy, highlighting how illegal practices drive deforestation, biodiversity loss, and labor abuse. The paper argues that illegality is an underappreciated threat that increases with global food demand and climate change, calling for precompetitive cooperation between governments and companies to ensure supply chain transparency.

The document advocates for the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), specifically conservation agriculture and agro-ecology, to address South Africa's challenges with water scarcity, land degradation, and climate change. It proposes transitioning smallholder and commercial farmers to these practices to secure food supplies and create jobs in the 'Catchment Economy' and land restoration. The brief outlines specific policy needs, including the finalization of the Climate Smart Agricultural Strategic Framework and the use of blended finance and green bonds to fund the transition.

The document outlines the economic necessity for South Africa to transition toward low-carbon manufacturing, identifying specific opportunities in renewable energy, transport, agriprocessing, water, and the circular economy. It emphasizes the need for policy clarity, local procurement, and a 'just transition' that protects workers and informal waste pickers.

The document argues that South Africa's reliance on coal has created an economic path dependency that now exposes the country to shrinking export markets and trade barriers as global climate policies tighten. To mitigate this, the author proposes a three-pronged approach: increasing investment in minerals essential for clean technologies (such as PGMs, chromium, and manganese), redeploying retrenched miners to municipal infrastructure projects, and establishing a national programme to rehabilitate over 6,000 derelict mines. The brief emphasizes a 'Just Transition' framework, calling for a dedicated taskforce and the integration of climate considerations into the Mining Charter and the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Bill.

The document argues that South Africa's wage inequality is among the highest globally and cannot be solved by voluntarism alone. It proposes strengthening Section 27 of the Employment Equity Act to mandate the disclosure and reduction of pay ratios, specifically suggesting a maximum ratio of 25:1 between the top 5% and bottom 5% of earners. The brief also recommends capping executive pay, linking state procurement and incentives to wage equity, and using the public sector as a model employer to flatten wage hierarchies.

The document argues that while small and medium businesses are critical for formal employment in South Africa, the sector has remained stagnant or declined over the last decade. It critiques the National Development Plan's job creation targets as unrealistic and highlights a significant imbalance in government support, which heavily favors large businesses. The brief proposes a shift toward a 'national social compact' (Quadrant IV) involving economy-wide reforms, including tax incentives for startups, tenure reform in Traditional Authority Areas, telecommunications liberalisation, and the use of competition policy to open market access for small and black-owned businesses.

The document identifies systemic obstacles to local procurement in South Africa, including exclusionary tender specifications, inadequate tracking of imports, and weaknesses in BBBEE certification. It proposes that both public and private entities record the share of imports in their procurement, reform public sector budget processes to allow local producers to match import prices, and create a dti-managed fund to cover cost differences for local products that support industrial deepening and job creation.

The document examines the increase in sovereign debt across Africa, specifically focusing on the role of Chinese financing and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It challenges the notion that China is 'trapping' African nations, noting that African governments actively seek these loans to address an annual infrastructure financing deficit of approximately $93 billion and to compensate for declining commodity prices. However, it highlights significant risks, including the opacity of loan terms, the potential for corruption, and the impact of debt servicing on public spending. The author recommends greater transparency from both China and African governments, and a stronger link between debt-funded projects and concrete local benefits.

The EU-SADC EPA provides Lesotho with tariff preferences and liberal rules of origin for exports to the EU, supported by a development envelope of EUR 6 million. However, Lesotho currently exports almost no agricultural or agro-processed products to European markets due to low production volumes, inability to meet stringent EU and South African standards, and fragmented coordination between government and donors. While aquaculture (freshwater trout) is growing, other produce like apples, peaches, and tomatoes remains local or limited to South African markets. The document recommends that Lesotho integrate into South African value chains as a stepping stone to the EU and focus development efforts on a few specific products to achieve the necessary scale.

The document analyzes the BRICS' dual strategy of pursuing 'inside reforms' of the IMF and World Bank while establishing 'outside' alternatives like the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). It finds that while emerging markets gained some voting power, many developing countries, including several in Africa, saw their shares decrease. The paper highlights a disconnect between the BRICS' collective 'African agenda' and the individual bilateral strategies of its members, recommending a dedicated BRICS-Africa strategy and formal coordination with the African Union.

The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes a transportation-based cap-and-invest program for New York State, citing the success of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in the power sector. The document highlights that transportation is the largest source of emissions in New York and a major cause of health issues in New York City. It suggests that such a program could raise over $1.2 billion annually to fund electric vehicle infrastructure, public transit, and climate resilience.

The Life After Coal Campaign informs the South African Minister of Finance that a study by the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre (ERC) finds the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations are unnecessary and economically harmful. The campaign argues these projects would increase system costs by R19.68 billion, raise greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years, and exacerbate Eskom's financial crisis. The letter advocates for a transition to renewable energy to ensure financial stability and meet Paris Agreement commitments.

The Life After Coal Campaign urges the South African government to reject the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired IPP projects. Citing a study by the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre, the campaign argues that these plants are not needed to meet demand, would cost South Africa an additional R19.68 billion compared to a least-cost system, and would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years. The campaign further asserts that these projects would exacerbate Eskom's financial crisis and contradict South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The Life After Coal Campaign urges the South African government to reject the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal IPP projects, presenting evidence from an Energy Research Centre (ERC) report that these plants would increase system costs by R19.68 billion and raise GHG emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years. The campaign argues that these projects are not needed for medium-term demand, would exacerbate Eskom's financial crisis, and contradict South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The Life After Coal Campaign, comprising the Centre for Environmental Rights, groundWork, and Earthlife Africa, submitted a letter to the IPP Office of the Department of Energy on 8 June 2018. The letter highlights findings from a University of Cape Town Energy Research Centre (ERC) report which concludes that the proposed Thabametsi (557MW) and Khanyisa (300MW) coal-fired power stations are not required to meet South Africa's medium-term electricity demand and would increase system costs by R19.68 billion compared to a least-cost energy system. The campaign argues that these projects would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years, undermining the Paris Agreement and the government's emission mitigation plans. Furthermore, the letter asserts that these plants would exacerbate Eskom's financial crisis by reducing the output of existing, cheaper coal plants and increasing pressure on the utility. The campaign concludes that the projects fail the 'value for money' requirement of the 2011 Electricity Regulations and requests clarification on the deadlines for commercial and financial close.

The Life After Coal Campaign, comprising the Centre for Environmental Rights, groundWork, and Earthlife Africa, submitted a letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 7 June 2018. The letter urges NERSA to deny generation licenses for the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects, citing a University of Cape Town Energy Research Centre (ERC) report that describes the projects as economically inefficient and environmentally harmful.

The Life After Coal Campaign, citing a report by the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre (ERC), argues that the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations are unnecessary, financially risky, and environmentally harmful. The campaign asserts that these projects would increase system costs by R19.68 billion and raise greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years, potentially accelerating a 'utility death spiral' for Eskom. They contend the projects fail the 'value for money' requirement of the 2011 Electricity Regulations and urge the Minister of Energy to abandon them in favor of more economical renewable energy alternatives.

The document assesses the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund (RDF), arguing that while the fund aims to mobilise resources for regional integration and infrastructure, its success is hindered by the poor fiscal positions of member states and a critical lack of bankable projects. The authors highlight a significant financing gap in early-stage project preparation, noting that 69% of SADC PIDA projects remain in early development. The paper suggests that the RDF should prioritise early-stage project support over general project finance and recommends absorbing the existing SADC Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) to leverage existing expertise and reduce setup costs. It also addresses the political dynamics of South Africa's economic dominance and the over-reliance on international cooperating partners (ICPs), proposing capacity-building initiatives to improve project conceptualisation and regulatory harmonisation across borders.

In a speech to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan discusses the intersection of trade, sustainability, innovation, and climate change. He warns that protectionism and the potential end of NAFTA would increase costs and emissions, while highlighting the growth of the global green goods and services market. Vaughan emphasizes the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 'Winnipeg PEG' model for community-based sustainability reporting, which IISD aims to replicate globally. He also notes the rise of climate-related financial risk disclosure and the necessity of integrating environmental and economic goals to ensure long-term competitiveness.

India faces twin challenges as it scales renewable energy: the need for increased grid flexibility and the risk of coal-based plants becoming economically unviable due to falling plant load factors (PLFs). The report argues that transitioning existing coal plants into flexible resources is a cost-effective short-term solution. This conversion requires technical retrofits to allow for lower minimum loads, reduced start-up times, and increased ramp rates. While this path involves incremental costs of 5-10% of total project costs in NPV terms, it is significantly cheaper than deploying lithium-ion batteries or pumped hydro. The report recommends market-based mechanisms, such as capacity auctions and revised power purchase agreements, to compensate plant owners and ensure a transition toward a low-carbon electricity system.