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A field study in Kenya by Phaesun found that while solar cooling reduces post-harvest losses and increases income, economic viability varies significantly by operational model. Market- and export-oriented operations are highly viable with 3-4 year payback periods, whereas individual smallholder models require 40-100% subsidisation due to high commercial interest rates of 15-20%. The study identifies an "impact capital gap" and suggests that success depends on product value, scale, and the use of blended finance or Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) models.

The report examines how unreliable electricity and the use of medical equipment designed for high-income countries undermine healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on data from 29 facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya, it finds that many essential devices are underutilized or non-functional due to power instability, high energy consumption, and a lack of maintenance. It argues for the adoption of energy-efficient, context-aware medical appliances and decentralized renewable energy systems to improve health outcomes and reduce operational costs.

A study of Polylepis tarapacana at 4,300 m in the Bolivian Andes found that while leaf water potentials and conductances varied significantly between dry-cold and wet-warm seasons, net photosynthetic rates remained relatively stable due to offsetting limitations from water deficit and photon flux densities.

The study found that herbivorous insects in a Brazilian tropical dry forest exhibit higher diversity during the dry season, with evergreen trees supporting greater richness and abundance than deciduous trees. Additionally, insects showed increased nocturnal activity during the dry season to avoid harsh daytime conditions, suggesting that evergreen species are critical for insect conservation in these ecosystems.

The study introduces two quantitative indices, RCI 1 (ECRD/ECTD) and RCI 2 (MRD/MTD), to assess post-fire resprouting capacity in the arid Chaco of Argentina. Testing 1,046 plants across 20 species, the researchers found that both indices correlate strongly with resprouting vigour and provide more detail than survival-only assessments. Results indicate that resprouting capacity decreases as the estimated composite diameter of trunks (ECTD) increases, and that growth form influences RCI 2 values, with tree/shrubs and trees generally showing higher RCI 1 values than shrubs.

The document examines the link between environmental collapse and militarization in southern Iraq, specifically how water scarcity and agricultural failure have made militia recruitment an economic necessity for rural populations. It details a history of ecological trauma, state neglect, and the role of upstream damming in Turkey and Iran, which have collectively gutted the local economy and pushed residents toward either migration or armed groups.

The study found that actual harvest losses for corn (4.7%) and soybeans (4.5%) significantly exceed industry goals (1% and 3% respectively). These losses are primarily driven by combine settings and operator error, with smaller farms using less sophisticated equipment experiencing the highest losses. The report argues that reducing these losses could significantly decrease the pressure to convert natural prairies to cropland in the Northern Great Plains.

The report analyzes 13 voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) and a joint field study by IISD and UNCTAD involving 57 interviews across six countries to determine how these standards impact poverty reduction for smallholder farmers. It identifies that VSS compliance can alleviate poverty by providing skills training, improving product quality, and increasing crop income and social capital. To maximize these benefits, the report recommends establishing living income references, improving land access, enhancing farmer knowledge, and stimulating demand for sustainable products, while urging VSS bodies to include farmers in decision-making and adopt gender-equality approaches.

The research investigates the impact of peat shrinkage and expansion, driven by water table fluctuations, on carbon stock assessments in northern England's blanket bogs. By comparing different heather management practices (burning, mowing, and uncut) and vegetation types, the study suggests that apparent carbon losses attributed to temperature-driven decomposition may actually be caused by these physical surface changes. The authors recommend the precise recording of bulk density and total peat depth to ensure accurate carbon stock estimates.

The document identifies how social norms, political processes, and economic shifts marginalize women in the fisheries sector of South and Southeast Asia. It highlights the invisibility of women's labor, their exclusion from decision-making, and the negative impacts of industrialized fishing on small-scale producers. The briefing proposes five regional pathways for transformation, including increasing gender awareness, providing analysis training, improving women's agency, combating violence, and breaking policy siloes.

The report finds that the threat of violent extremism among South Sudanese and Somalian refugees in Ethiopia is low, as refugees often possess a genuine disdain for the extremists who caused their displacement. While Ethiopia has effectively managed camp security through a collaborative approach involving refugees, the document warns that chronic underfunding and a lack of livelihood opportunities for youth create fertile ground for future radicalisation. It argues against the narrative that refugees are inherent security risks, suggesting instead that robust asylum processes and integration policies, such as Ethiopia's Nine Pledges, are the most effective ways to ensure security.

The report argues that India's kerosene subsidy program is highly inefficient due to significant leakages and poor service quality. It proposes replacing these subsidies with targeted support for solar-based lighting in rural areas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for urban-poor households, asserting that such a transition would be economically beneficial for both the government and the beneficiaries.

The study finds that forest degradation—specifically the combination of selective logging and understorey fires—can reduce above-ground carbon stocks by 40% compared to undisturbed forests. The researchers estimate that carbon emissions from such degradation in the Amazon may represent up to 40% of the emissions caused by deforestation, suggesting that climate mitigation frameworks like REDD+ must address degradation to be successful.

The study analyzed soil CO2 efflux (Rs) in a south east England oak forest, finding that autotrophic respiration (Ra) contributes 56% of the total flux, with mycorrhizal hyphae (Rm) accounting for 18%. While soil temperature primarily drives daily Rs variation, root (Rr) and mycorrhizal (Rm) fluxes are linked to gross primary productivity (GPP), with Rm acting as a carbon "overflow tap" that may influence long-term soil organic carbon sequestration.

The report challenges the narrative that jatropha is a 'miracle crop' for Mozambique, finding that it requires fertile land and significant water, is vulnerable to pests that can spread to food crops, and often leads to land grabbing and economic instability for subsistence farmers.

The report documents that commuters in cars, buses, trains, and ferries are routinely exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust, with ultrafine particles (UFPs) serving as the most sensitive marker of fresh diesel emissions. Findings indicate that diesel soot dominates roadway particulate matter and that in-vehicle exposures are significantly higher than ambient outdoor air, particularly in 'pull' trains and highway tunnels. The study concludes that diesel particulate filters (DPFs) are highly effective at eliminating the soot plume behind vehicles, significantly improving air quality for following commuters and pedestrians.

The report identifies a fragmented landscape of restorative justice in South Africa, where significant activity exists in pockets—particularly within probation services and specific NGOs like NICRO—but is severely hampered by inconsistent funding and a lack of systemic integration. While the authors argue that restorative justice is a philosophy rather than a specific program, they find that implementation varies widely by province, with some regions showing stronger collaboration between traditional leaders and the formal judiciary. The document concludes that the state should act as an enabler, resourcer, and guarantor of quality, while civil society should lead direct service delivery to ensure community accountability and democratic empowerment.

The study identifies two primary sources of in-cabin pollution in conventional school buses: the tailpipe and the engine crankcase. It finds that while diesel particulate filters (DPF) combined with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) eliminate ultrafine particles, black carbon, and PAH, they do not reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) because that pollutant originates from the crankcase. The most effective solution for comprehensive elimination of all measured particles is the combination of a DPF, ULSD, and a Donaldson Spiracle closed-crankcase filtration device.

A five-year interdisciplinary study on the Peru-Brazil Inter-Oceanic Highway found that while the road improved infrastructure and food access, it caused biodiversity loss and altered wild rodent populations. In the Madre de Dios region of Peru, researchers found high prevalence of Bartonella (78%) and Leptospira (24%) bacteria in sampled rodents, increasing the risk of lethal infectious diseases for local populations. The study highlights a critical gap in community awareness, as 90% of surveyed residents who saw rodents could not name the diseases they transmit. The report recommends integrated public health strategies and land-use policies that prioritize ecosystem health to mitigate the risks associated with deforestation and agricultural expansion.

The study traces a longitudinal history of violence in South Sudan, arguing that since the colonial period, local populations have been viewed as resources to be managed, exploited, and controlled rather than non-combatants. This logic of violent governance—characterized by forced displacement, collective punishment, and the blurring of lines between military and civilian actors—has persisted through multiple civil wars and continues to influence current conflict dynamics and the effectiveness of international protection efforts.