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The report examines how environmental issues in Cyprus can either exacerbate conflict or serve as a tool for peacebuilding. It analyzes the political, legal, and administrative asymmetries between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot administration, highlighting how these divisions hinder holistic ecosystem management. The document details various levels of cooperation, from intergovernmental bodies like the UN and EU to academic networks and grassroots movements. It specifically evaluates the roles of the Cyprus Environmental Forum (CESF) and the Bicommunal Technical Committee for the Environment (BTCE). The report concludes with proposals for sustainable bi-communal initiatives, including the establishment of a Peace Park in the buffer zone, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and a bi-communal ecological study center in Varisea.

The report examines the transition from linear to circular resource use in wastewater management, focusing on the socio-cultural barriers to recycling sewage sludge as fertilizer. It analyzes historical practices in the EU and provides detailed case studies from three river basins in Sweden, Poland, and Finland, highlighting how perceptions of risk and regulatory gaps hinder the adoption of eco-technologies.

The document examines Nigeria's struggle to reduce its oil sector's dependence on foreign capital and expertise. It details the evolution from early nationalization attempts via the NNOC/NNPC to the introduction of private indigenous company incentives and the 2010 Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, highlighting how corruption, lack of financing, and technical gaps have hindered these goals.

The document examines the historical transition of AU–EU relations from the 1963 Yaoundé Convention through the Lomé Convention and Cotonou Agreement to the current Joint Africa–EU Strategy (JAES). It argues that despite institutional efforts to create an equal partnership, the EU continues to set the agenda and financial scope, maintaining a dependency model. The brief highlights key priorities for the November 2017 Abidjan Summit, including youth employment, migration, and energy grid investment, while recommending that the AU take a more proactive role in agenda-setting and pursue self-financing mechanisms to reduce donor reliance.

The document evaluates the impact of NAFTA's environmental side agreement and the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), highlighting successes in data sharing and pollution mitigation alongside failures in the citizen submission process. It concludes by proposing seven options for the NAFTA renegotiations, ranging from maintaining the status quo to integrating modern sustainability standards from agreements like CETA or TPP.

The document analyzes the deep-rooted insecurity of rural property rights in Brazil, attributing it to a complex history of disordered land occupation and an inefficient, fragmented governance system. It highlights how this insecurity fuels land conflicts, deforestation, and under-developed rental markets. The report identifies four primary challenges: institutional complexity, the lack of a unified national land registry, bureaucratic regularization processes, and ineffective enforcement of existing rights. It evaluates current initiatives like the Terra Legal program and the SIG-Fundiário pilot, and proposes a series of recommendations across governance, law enforcement, regulation, and knowledge production to secure land tenure and enhance the implementation of the Forest Code.

The document analyzes Kenya's foreign policy across four presidencies, noting a historical tendency to 'punch below its weight' despite economic strength. It highlights a significant shift in 2011 with the military incursion into Somalia and the subsequent pan-African focus under Uhuru Kenyatta. The paper examines Kenya's role in regional integration through the EAC and LAPSSET project, its complex relations with South Africa, and the introduction of a new Foreign Policy Framework based on five pillars of diplomacy.

The document analyzes Nigeria's struggle to maintain its status as a 'regional hegemon' since the return to democracy in 1999. It argues that while Nigeria has a history of assertive 'Africa-centred' foreign policy, this has been eroded by domestic instability, corruption, the Boko Haram insurgency, and a lack of strategic leadership. The author highlights a shift in continental pre-eminence from Nigeria to South Africa and notes that Nigeria's regional influence in West Africa is contested and often dependent on external actors like France. The paper concludes that only a fundamental restructuring of domestic governance and the economy can restore Nigeria's international standing.

The WWF-Mondi Wetlands Programme (WWF-MWP), established in 1991, has spent 25 years catalysing wetland conservation in South Africa. The programme evolved from a local project in KwaZulu-Natal to a national initiative, and eventually part of a global partnership between WWF and Mondi. Key achievements include the development of a scientifically defensible wetland delineation method adopted by the forestry industry and government, the creation of the SUSFARMS® sustainable sugarcane management system, and the catalysing of the state-run Working for Wetlands programme. The programme has shifted its focus from specific wetland sites to a broader 'landscape approach' to water stewardship, engaging dairy, sugar, and forestry sectors to improve water security and ecosystem resilience.

The document examines the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and its ancillary agreements, such as the Madrid Protocol, which prohibit mineral exploitation until at least 2048. It analyzes how emerging powers like China, India, and Brazil are increasing their scientific presence to gain political influence. The paper details South Africa's historical role as a founding member and its current focus on science, while arguing that South Africa should integrate its Antarctic activities more deeply into its broader foreign policy and the 'Africa Agenda' to promote a more inclusive global governance regime.

The document analyzes the ideological shift within European green parties—specifically in Belgium, France, and Germany—from a foundation of anti-militarism and nuclear disarmament in the 1980s toward a complex tension between pacifism and the 'responsibility to protect' human rights. It highlights how events such as the Kosovo conflict, the September 11 attacks, and the 2011 intervention in Libya created internal divisions between those advocating for absolute non-violence and those supporting legal military intervention to prevent massacres. The author argues that green parties must now address new complexities of modern warfare, including privatization and environmental consequences, to pursue their ultimate goals of world peace and global disarmament.

The document analyzes the evolution of China–Zimbabwe relations from the 1960s liberation struggle to 2014. It argues that the relationship is driven by a unique 'two-way momentum' resulting from Zimbabwe's 'Look East' policy and China's FOCAC-led engagement, particularly as Zimbabwe faced Western sanctions. The author highlights a balanced development across political, economic, and military pillars, though notes that the relationship often serves as a political tool for the ZANU-PF government. Key economic findings include a surge in Chinese FDI and trade, with Zimbabwe becoming a top recipient of Chinese investment in 2013. The paper concludes that while the relationship is currently based on crisis-response pragmatism, it has the potential to pioneer a more comprehensive strategic partnership for China–Africa relations if both nations develop formal national strategies.

The document explores how digital technologies impact family structures and children's rights globally, emphasizing the need for digital literacy to combat poverty and the importance of parental mediation for online safety. It provides a critical analysis of children's digital experiences in the global North versus the global South, discusses the use of radio for peace-building and reconciliation in the Great Lakes Region, and traces the evolution of media education policies in Chile from the 1970s to 2013.

This fact sheet outlines seven major nuclear accidents occurring between 1957 and 2011, including the Fukushima Dai-ichi, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island disasters. It describes the technical failures, human errors, and environmental impacts associated with each event, ranging from partial fuel meltdowns to catastrophic explosions and large-scale radioactive releases.

The report examines South Africa's transition from an aid recipient to a provider of development assistance in Africa. It details the limitations of the previous African Renaissance Fund (ARF) and the subsequent push to establish the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA) to coordinate diverse domestic stakeholders and align with the 'African Agenda'. The analysis highlights South Africa's comparative advantages in peace-building, public financial management, and infrastructure, while noting tensions between altruistic 'ubuntu' diplomacy and the need for strategic economic diplomacy to support South African commercial interests.

The paper examines Russian interests in Barents Sea oil and gas, using the Shtokman field as a case study. It argues that turning hydrocarbon deposits into resources requires a supportive societal context, including technology, markets, and legal frameworks. The analysis highlights the tension between the Russian state's geopolitical goals and the commercial viability concerns of companies like Gazprom and foreign partners. Ultimately, the Shtokman project was postponed indefinitely due to high costs, falling European demand, and competition from North American shale gas.

The document reviews the history of the TICAD process from its inception in 1993 to the 2013 TICAD V summit, highlighting Japan's shift from a front-line aid provider to a partner navigating a landscape of increased investment from BRIC nations. It details the specific goals of previous conferences and outlines the three core themes of TICAD V: a robust and sustainable economy, an inclusive and resilient society, and peace and stability. The author argues that Japan needs to strengthen its internal institutional capacity and public relations to better differentiate its approach from those of the US, Europe, and China.

Former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah details Sierra Leone's transition from a failed state characterized by a brutal civil war (1991–2002) to a functioning democracy. He attributes the conflict to bad governance, corruption, and the influence of the Liberian conflict, while highlighting the role of international interventions (ECOMOG, UN, UK, US) and internal reforms in restoring peace. The report emphasizes the importance of constitutional adherence, security sector reform, and the fight against corruption in sustaining stability.

The document analyzes the differing strategies of China and India in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). China employs a state-led approach, utilizing loans from the Export-Import Bank to secure mining assets and fund infrastructure in exchange for resources. India's engagement is characterized as more market-driven, with private companies operating in mining and telecommunications, though the Indian government provides some credit lines for power projects. While both are drivers of growth, the paper notes concerns regarding transparency, labor conditions, and environmental pollution associated with smaller firms from both nations.

The document analyzes how the European Union has integrated New Member States (NMS) into its climate framework through various effort-sharing mechanisms. It highlights the systemic economic and energy divergences between the EU15 and NMS, such as higher energy intensity and coal dependence in the East. The report examines the evolution of target distribution from the Kyoto Protocol and the EU ETS Phase II to the 2008 Climate and Energy Package, concluding that while centralized governance and GDP-based redistribution have improved fairness and ambition, they have often come at the cost of economic efficiency and domestic sovereignty over energy mixes.