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This report examines how disruptive technologies, specifically renewable energy and ICT, can address global food security, environmental degradation, and economic vulnerability in low- and middle-income countries, with a specific case study on solar-powered electric cookers in Kenya.

The report identifies immediate opportunities to electrify agricultural processing in Nigeria, categorizing activities into three tiers of readiness. Tier 1 activities—cassava grating, rice milling, and flour milling—are deemed immediately viable, capable of reducing mini-grid tariffs by up to 26% if all three are implemented. The study proposes the 'Facilitator Model' for Tier 1 and the 'Processing Center Model' for Tier 2 to address barriers such as lack of credit and reliable electricity. A deployment strategy is recommended to unlock commercial finance through credit guarantees and grants, with an estimated national investment of under $30 million required for Tier 1 activities.

The report investigates the feasibility of shifting specialty crop production from California to the mid-Mississippi Delta region due to climate-driven uncertainties in California. While the Delta offers fertile soil, abundant water, and economic development opportunities, it faces hurdles including high humidity, pest pressure, a lack of specialty crop infrastructure, and labor shortages. The document outlines a plan for Phase II, focusing on seed varietal testing, innovative financing, and the design of a pilot program to diversify the region's commodity-heavy agricultural base.

The report investigates the potential for a new on-tax financing model (EuroPACE) to drive deep energy efficiency retrofits in European residential buildings. It identifies significant market failures, such as long payback periods and knowledge gaps, that hinder private investment. Through analysis of four target countries and three successful case studies (Energiesprong, Oktave, and KfW), the document highlights that success depends on low-cost, long-term financing and the ability to aggregate demand. It projects a total lending potential for EuroPACE of nearly €4bn over ten years across the four primary countries, provided that penetration and renovation rates increase.

The report describes the implementation of a groundwater monitoring network in Newlands and the Epping/Airport Industria areas of Cape Town. It combines desktop research from databases like WARMS and the National Groundwater Archive with field-based 'groundtruthing' via hydrocensus surveys of private borehole owners. The project identifies the geological characteristics of the Table Mountain Group and Cape Flats aquifers and deploys Solinst Leveloggers to track water levels. The findings highlight a significant increase in private borehole drilling between 2015 and 2019 and note concerns among users regarding water quality and the sustainability of abstraction levels.

The 2019 Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Reduction Study finds that the state can feasibly reduce emissions by 70-80% by 2030, 2040, or 2050 by focusing on electrification, efficiency, and transitioning the power grid to renewables. The report updates previous 2016 baseline estimates, finding that 2017 emissions were approximately 45% higher than previously thought due to updated science on methane leakage and its short-term global warming potential. While substantial reductions are possible, the study notes that pathways stall at around 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, leaving a 20-30% gap that requires further research into industrial decarbonization and carbon sequestration.

XacBank LLC is seeking USD 914,425 from the Green Climate Fund to prepare a comprehensive funding proposal for a mini-grid system in Ulaanbaatar's ger areas. The project aims to address air pollution and utility inadequacies caused by coal-based heating and lack of sanitation. The requested PPF funding will support technical feasibility studies, financial and legal structuring, environmental and social impact assessments, and market analysis over a 14-month period.

The report evaluates two alternative income streams for oil palm smallholders in Central Kalimantan to mitigate risks from climate change and market volatility. Beef cattle farming, utilizing oil palm leaf waste for feed, is found to be highly profitable with a potential net profit of IDR 2 million per month, though it requires significant upfront capital. Fish cultivation, specifically tilapia and silver catfish, offers a lower-investment alternative, with tilapia providing a potential annual net profit of IDR 7.4 million. Both options are deemed feasible and scalable to help diversify rural incomes and support a green growth strategy in the region.

The report investigates the potential for Zambia to transition from fossil fuel subsidies to sustainable energy investments. It identifies that while petroleum subsidies were largely eliminated in 2016, significant subsidies remain in the electricity sector, particularly for the mining industry. The authors propose two 'subsidy swaps': redirecting electricity subsidies to fund energy efficiency in mining and replacing expensive diesel generators with solar PV. The report concludes that both are feasible, with solar PV already progressing through initiatives like Scaling Solar and GET FiT, while the mining sector swap requires further research into energy savings potential and fund administration.

The research concludes that South Africa does not need a dedicated state-owned export-import bank because its current trade finance market, comprising both private banks and state entities like the IDC and ECIC, is robust and sufficient. The authors argue that establishing a new ECA would be unfeasible due to severe fiscal constraints and would result in unnecessary market duplication. However, the paper identifies a significant gap in trade finance access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and recommends that the IDC and ECIC prioritize streamlined solutions for this sector.

The report examines South Africa's public health crisis driven by a transition toward low-nutrient, high-calorific diets, which contributes to a 'triple burden' of under-nutrition, over-nutrition, and micro-nutrient deficiencies. It argues that while government regulation is critical, the concentrated power of the industrial food sector presents an opportunity for collaborative action. Based on a global review and 46 interviews, the document proposes four 'opportunity spaces' for collaboration: creating healthy retail environments, establishing a manufacturer innovation group, engaging smallholder farmers and fresh produce markets, and implementing collaborative social marketing. Key barriers identified include intense industry competition, mistrust between business and NGOs, and conflicting business imperatives.

The report evaluates 22 options to make the international trade system more supportive of climate action, categorising them into general WTO reforms, border carbon adjustments (BCAs), and fossil fuel subsidy reforms. It concludes that legal changes at the WTO are currently unfeasible due to geopolitical tensions and the requirement for consensus. Instead, it identifies 'low-hanging fruit' such as procedural changes, including the integration of climate expertise into dispute panels and enhanced coordination between the WTO and UNFCCC. The report also highlights the role of regional trade agreements (RTAs) and plurilateral initiatives, like the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA), as more viable paths for like-minded countries to advance climate objectives.

The report argues that India can accelerate universal household electrification by redirecting kerosene subsidies toward pico solar PV products. It identifies a surfeit of market-ready, certified solar lanterns that can replace kerosene lamps at a lower or equal cost. Analysis of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha suggests that while Odisha presents a strong market scenario due to high kerosene dependence, challenges include the use of kerosene for cooking and government opposition to quota reductions. In Uttar Pradesh, the report notes that kerosene subsidies are often poorly targeted, with fuel being diverted for transport.

The report argues that redirecting kerosene subsidies toward pico PV solar products can provide a cleaner, cost-effective lighting alternative for marginalized Indian households. It identifies a robust market of internationally verified products and diverse B2C business models, particularly those leveraging microfinance institutions (MFIs). While the swap is technically feasible, the report notes challenges such as the use of kerosene for cooking in Odisha and the prevalence of substandard, unverified products in Uttar Pradesh.

The paper concludes that a regional SACU stabilisation fund is inappropriate and infeasible because member states experience different degrees of revenue volatility driven by different sources. While Lesotho, Namibia, and eSwatini are primarily affected by the SACU revenue pool's distribution formula, Botswana is driven by commodity revenues and South Africa by its internal tax base. The author argues that the core issue for the BLNS countries is the current revenue-sharing formula, which links their revenues to South African import patterns. The paper recommends that member states focus on revising the revenue-sharing formula or implementing country-level fiscal tools—such as medium-term expenditure frameworks, fiscal rules, or national stabilisation funds—rather than pursuing a regional fund.

The report assesses the feasibility of solar thermal systems in South African hospitals, finding a total annual thermal energy demand of 370 GWh for domestic hot water. While current adoption is very low—with only 23 systems totaling 1,333 m² of collector area—the study suggests hospitals could feasibly meet 20% to 40% of their thermal needs through solar thermal capacity. A case study at Paarl Provincial Hospital indicates a potential internal rate of return (IRR) of 10% and a payback period of 12.3 years. However, widespread uptake is hindered by the prevalence of energy-efficient heat pumps, high upfront costs, and infrastructure challenges such as asbestos roofing and limited roof space.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of decarbonizing Indian Railways (IR) by 2030. It evaluates various pathways for the traction and non-traction segments, concluding that transitioning to renewable energy—specifically through captive generation at an accelerated rate—is significantly cheaper than a business-as-usual scenario. The report emphasizes the necessity of full electrification and identifies regulatory barriers regarding state-level net metering and open access policies.

The report assesses the decarbonization of Indian Railways (IR), the world's second largest railway network and India's largest electricity consumer. It identifies that transitioning to an electrified network is a prerequisite for decarbonization. The study compares eight pathways based on procurement (captive generation vs. purchasing), rate (accelerated by 2020 vs. normal by 2030), and technology (solar vs. solar-wind mix). Findings indicate that accelerated captive generation is the most cost-effective pathway for both traction and non-traction segments, offering savings of 32% and 61% respectively over business-as-usual scenarios. Implementation challenges include inconsistent state policies on net metering and open access, as well as the need for load balancing technologies like power banking and pumped hydro storage.

The Carbon-CAP project assesses the effectiveness and feasibility of consumption-based carbon accounting (CBCA) and demand-side policies to address emissions embodied in trade. By analyzing sectors such as food, buildings, and transport, the report identifies a suite of promising policy instruments—ranging from regulatory standards to carbon-intensive material charges—that could potentially reduce the EU's carbon footprint by up to 48% theoretically, or 4-10% when accounting for realistic behavioral responses by 2050. The study emphasizes that while production-based policies are standard, CBCA provides a critical macro-level indicator of an economy's carbon intensity and the responsibility of consuming nations for global emissions.

Loans4SME is a proposed technology-driven peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform designed to bridge the USD 44 billion debt financing gap for Indian SMEs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. By connecting borrowers directly with high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors, the platform aims to bypass traditional banking barriers such as stringent collateral requirements and slow sanction times. The instrument features a proprietary credit scoring algorithm that incorporates forward-looking financials and alternative data, which the report claims is more robust than traditional bank models. The analysis estimates that a 5% market share could mobilize USD 2.2 billion in private capital and add 800 MW of solar rooftop capacity by 2022. While deemed highly actionable with a feasibility score of 2.67/3, the report identifies regulatory uncertainty as a high-risk challenge since P2P lending remained unregulated in India at the time of publication.