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The report evaluates Hawai`i County's goals across ten areas, including affordable housing, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental stewardship. It argues that the loss of local land control to outside investors is the island's most critical challenge, driving a housing crisis and eroding the social fabric (ohana). RMI recommends implementing land trusts, deed restrictions, and green building standards to ensure permanent affordability. The document emphasizes 'whole-system thinking' to address root causes rather than symptoms, suggesting that the county maximize its local economic multiplier by producing energy and food locally. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to proposing specific indicators to measure progress toward these goals to ensure transparency and durability.

The document argues that effective responses to global environmental change (GEC) require a non-linear, iterative dialogue between scientists, policy-makers, and society. Based on an assessment of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), it identifies key attributes for making science policy-relevant: credibility, practicality, usefulness, accessibility, and acceptability. The brief emphasizes that trust is the foundation of societal credibility and suggests that early engagement, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the involvement of social scientists are essential to bridge the gap between scientific research and concrete policy actions in the Americas.

The document highlights a gap between the scientific consensus on climate change's potential to alter California's hydrologic patterns and the actual integration of such analysis into water management planning. It introduces an integrated hydrology/water management climate change impact assessment framework designed to identify tradeoffs in ecosystem services and evaluate adaptation strategies. Using a '3S' standard (Sensitivity, Significance, and Stakeholder support), the authors rank decision-making processes to identify the three most critical areas where this analytical framework could transition climate research from academia to policy making.

The paper critiques existing Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Social Impact Assessments (SIA), and political risk analyses for their failure to systematically address violent conflict. It proposes a Conflict-Sensitive Business Practice (CSBP) toolbox that integrates conflict analysis tools—such as conflict mapping and stakeholder analysis—across the entire project lifecycle. The authors emphasize that extractive projects are increasingly located in 'frontier areas' where mismanagement of community relations or environmental resources can trigger violence. The proposed CSBP approach advocates for participatory consultation, the establishment of 'no go' thresholds for conflict, and the identification of peacebuilding opportunities through shared environmental concerns.

The report evaluates the current state of voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives addressing business operations in violent conflict zones. It identifies significant gaps in knowledge, stakeholder consensus, and participation from developing countries. The authors argue that while some guidance exists—particularly for the extractive sector—it is largely policy-based rather than operational. The document provides a framework for governments to move beyond simple compliance toward a 'peacebuilding' approach, suggesting roles for the public sector such as mandating legal baselines, facilitating research, and endorsing best practices to strengthen the enabling environment for conflict-sensitive investment.

The document examines the intersection of land use and energy efficiency, proposing a framework based on 'how' and 'where' we build to reduce fossil fuel dependence. It advocates for 'energy smart' growth, which combines compact, mixed-use development with green building standards and renewable energy. The author provides recommendations for funders to support this merger through research, integrated planning tools, policy incentives, and innovative financing like location-efficient mortgages.

The document argues that while trade and aid are intended to foster development and security, they often exacerbate conflict through the exploitation of natural resources, volatile aid flows, and unbalanced trade liberalization. It calls for an integrated approach that incorporates security as a primary goal, improves governance, and utilizes mechanisms like commodity price stabilization and product certification to mitigate the 'dark sides' of commerce and assistance.

The MMSD North America project, facilitated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the University of Nevada, Reno, produced a final report titled 'Towards Change' which proposes ten recommendations to shift the North American mining industry toward sustainable development. These recommendations focus on addressing legacy issues, improving operational practices through a 'Seven Questions to sustainability' framework, enhancing capacity for research and equity, and adjusting economic models to include social and environmental considerations.

The MMSD North America project, implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the University of Nevada, developed a framework to transition the mining and minerals industry toward sustainability. The project produced several reports, including a set of 10 recommendations covering legacy issues, practical conditions, and long-term capacity building. It also introduced a 'Seven Questions' framework to assess the overall contribution of mining activities to long-term sustainable development.

The report argues that most collaboration models for sustainable development fail to influence policy because they lack strategic intention and a focus on decision-makers. It defines 'formal knowledge networks' as groups of expert institutions that are purpose-driven, implementation-oriented, and cross-sectoral. The author outlines seven operating principles for these networks, emphasizing that they must be built on institutional commitment and expertise rather than mere interest. The document also categorizes various collaboration models—including strategic alliances, communities of practice, and information networks—and provides a framework for the management, communication, and evaluation of formal networks to ensure research is converted into action.

The report identifies six key mechanisms that taxonomies use to manage the transition of high-emission activities: periodic review of evolving criteria, forward-looking criteria, gradation, specific measures, sunset dates/phase-out guidelines, and transition plan requirements. It analyzes these mechanisms across different taxonomy archetypes—binary, 'traffic light', mixed, and standalone—and provides case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, and China to demonstrate their practical application. The document emphasizes that while no single mechanism is inherently superior, their credibility depends on robust governance, science-based pathways, and the avoidance of carbon lock-in.

The report analyzes the role of taxonomies in climate transition finance, identifying six specific mechanisms used to define and evaluate transitional activities. It examines different taxonomy archetypes—binary, traffic-light, and mixed—and provides case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, China, and others to illustrate how these mechanisms are integrated to ensure credible decarbonization pathways.

The report identifies six core mechanisms used by taxonomies to manage the transition of hard-to-abate sectors: revision of criteria over time, forward criteria, shading, measures, sunset dates, and transition plan requirements. It analyzes these mechanisms across different taxonomy archetypes—binary, traffic light, and mixed—using case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, and China to demonstrate how static criteria can be used to assess a dynamic decarbonization process.

The document proposes a paradigm shift in how pension funds approach net-zero transition planning. It critiques the reliance on modern portfolio theory and 'official' climate scenarios, which it claims are not 'decision-useful' due to their linear nature and long time horizons. Instead, it advocates for the application of 'EEIST Thinking'—rooted in complexity economics—to develop bespoke, qualitative scenarios that account for non-linear dynamics, tipping points, and systemic risks. The report introduces 'Ten Transition Planning Principles for Pension Funds' to move decision-making from a backward-looking, optimization-focused approach to one that is forward-looking and adaptive. It highlights the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) as a case study in applying these systemic views to investment strategy.

The report outlines a framework for energy technology innovation divided into research, engineering, and commercialization. It advocates for the use of innovation hubs, peer review, and 'stage gating' in research; industry-led agendas and shared government testing platforms in engineering; and long-term, liquid market signals and reverse auctions in commercialization to ensure technologies reach market competitiveness efficiently.

The document defines Local Economic Development (LED) as a participatory, bottom-up process aimed at improving economic conditions for a locality. It argues that while Ghana has a decentralization agenda and a National LED Policy (2013), implementation is hindered by low awareness, inadequate technical guidance, and a lack of dedicated funding. The report suggests that MMDAs must shift from top-down approaches to collaborative partnerships with the private sector, leveraging human capital, ICT, and territory branding to reduce poverty and unemployment.

The document summarizes a consultation held on May 17-18, 2022, involving 50 experts to address gaps in resilience measurement. It establishes principles and 3-to-5-year priorities for four key areas: ensuring evidence is demand-driven and co-produced with communities; integrating psychosocial well-being while accounting for cultural bias; improving the mapping and analysis of complex systems; and leveraging resilience frameworks to better measure climate adaptation and future-oriented capacities.

The briefing outlines the systemic failures of traditional municipal service delivery in South Africa, where over 7.32 million households in approximately 4,298 informal settlements face severe constraints. It proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a paradigm shift based on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasizing decentralization and public-private partnerships. The document establishes a framework of technical, social, and financial 'best practice norms' to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Through case studies like Peco Power (energy), Kaloola (sanitation), Regenize (waste), and Gcwalisa (food/waste), it demonstrates how off-grid and community-led solutions can provide interim services while working toward long-term goals. It concludes by recommending a systems approach to integrate ASD into provincial planning and calling for flexible policy and funding mechanisms.

The document provides a comprehensive analysis of nature-based solutions (NBS) as a means to address urban climate challenges. It evaluates the efficacy of various NBS—such as urban wetlands, green roofs, and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)—in regulating temperature, managing stormwater, and improving air quality. Beyond environmental benefits, the report examines the positive impacts of urban green spaces on public health and social cohesion, while critically addressing issues of environmental justice and the risk of 'green gentrification'. It also explores the governance and financial barriers to NBS implementation, proposing a 'mainstreaming' framework to integrate these solutions into municipal planning and policy.

The report argues that transdisciplinary (TD) research—which integrates diverse scientific disciplines and non-academic societal actors to solve real-world problems—is often hindered by a lack of formal coordination. Based on a 2024 workshop, the authors propose a framework for improving TD coordination centered on three goals: shifting scientific culture toward societal impact, transforming funding mechanisms to be more inclusive and flexible, and building specialized capacities in facilitation and communication. The document emphasizes the need to elevate Southern perspectives to correct power imbalances between the Global North and South in scientific collaboration.