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The ARIES for SEEA Explorer is an AI-powered, open-source tool that enables rapid, standardized, and customizable natural capital accounting globally. By utilizing machine reasoning and a semantic web of data, it allows National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and other users to generate ecosystem accounts for any terrestrial area, reducing technical barriers for data-scarce countries while allowing for local customization. The tool supports monitoring for the SDGs, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The sustainable debt market saw record-breaking growth in H1 2021, with combined labelled issuance reaching USD 496.1 billion. Green bonds led the growth, particularly in developed markets, while sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) emerged as a rapid growth segment for corporates. The report also highlights the nascent state of transition bonds and the need for standardized, ambitious definitions to avoid 'transition-washing'.

The document analyzes the multidimensional relationship between China and West Africa, highlighting significant asymmetries in trade and foreign direct investment. It identifies health cooperation, economic recovery, regional integration, and debt restructuring as primary priorities for the FOCAC 8 summit. The author argues that West African nations should move beyond bilateral opportunism toward a strategic regional approach led by ECOWAS, incorporating non-state actors and civil society to address concerns over transparency, debt sustainability, and environmental impacts.

The report examines the environmental platforms of seven political parties and one electoral alliance for the 2021 Estonian local elections. It finds a significant increase in the volume and specificity of environmental promises compared to 2017, with a shift in focus toward climate, energy, and mobility. In Tallinn, mobility dominated the discourse, while Tartu platforms emphasized nature and parks. The analysis highlights that Eestimaa Rohelised (Greens) provided the most comprehensive environmental programs across all levels, while EKRE's platforms were the most modest and occasionally opposed the 'green transition'. The document also assesses the alignment of these promises with the UN SDGs and the criteria for Tallinn's bid as a European Green Capital.

The Measuring Wealth to Promote Sustainable Development Project argues that GDP is an inefficient measure of national well-being and economic health, particularly during the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The project promotes a 'comprehensive wealth' approach that accounts for natural, produced, human, financial, and social capital. This framework has influenced Canada's Ministry of Finance in developing a Quality-of-Life Framework. The project is currently expanding its research partnerships to Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago to advance expanded wealth measures within their specific socio-economic contexts.

The REDD+ programme aims to curb carbon emissions by providing financial incentives to developing countries for protecting forestry resources. While small-scale projects in Kenya and Cambodia have successfully preserved biodiversity and created jobs, large-scale implementation has faced significant failures. In Indonesia, the programme has been undermined by the misclassification of palm oil plantations as revegetation projects, alleged double counting of credits, and the displacement of indigenous communities. Despite these issues, the document notes that REDD+ has improved forestry monitoring and kept rainforests on the global policy agenda.

The report examines the mechanisms used to ensure mining companies provide sufficient funds for environmental rehabilitation if they fail to meet closure obligations. It details various financial instruments, cost estimation methodologies, and policy requirements from leading jurisdictions including Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, and the United States.

The system analysis identifies specific SDGs that drive positive effects for the overall implementation of Agenda 2030 in Sweden, while also highlighting direct goal conflicts that hinder progress for six specific goals.

The report identifies significant ESG risks in the aquaculture industry, specifically high fish mortality and the use of wild-caught fish in feed, which threaten long-term profitability and food security. It finds that most investors lack robust policies to mitigate these risks and warns that some 'green bonds' in the sector may be used for greenwashing. The document recommends that investors require investees to disclose supply chains, reduce mortality rates, and eliminate wild-caught fish in feed by 2025.

The report examines Ghana's progress in localising the SDGs, highlighting the use of its decentralised planning system to align global goals with local development plans. While it finds robust institutional and legal frameworks, it identifies significant challenges in funding and data collection.

The report argues that GDP is an insufficient measure of national well-being because it ignores the depletion of assets and favors short-term gains. It advocates for 'comprehensive wealth' measurement, which tracks five capital types: produced, financial, natural, human, and social capital. The document reviews global initiatives from organizations like the World Bank, UNEP, and OECD, noting that while human and produced capital have generally grown, natural capital is declining globally, particularly in developing countries. It concludes that comprehensive wealth accounts are essential for building resilience to climate change and achieving the UN 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 17.

The report reviews public aid to Indonesia's marine capture fisheries, focusing on central government and three provinces: Aceh, Maluku, and North Sulawesi. It finds that while aid is significant—ranging from Rp 2.06 trillion in 2018 to Rp 11.01 trillion in 2019—it is often poorly targeted. Central aid is dominated by fuel subsidies and infrastructure, while provincial aid focuses on vessel and engine acquisition. The report warns that these 'input-based' subsidies can increase fishing capacity and pressure already overexploited fish stocks. It recommends deep-dive evaluations into five specific programs, including fuel distribution and vessel procurement, and calls for increased data transparency and a shift in success metrics from short-term production to long-term sustainable profitability.

The report assesses fisheries support in Indonesia, finding that central government spending focuses on fuel subsidies and infrastructure, while provincial support in Aceh, Maluku, and North Sulawesi emphasizes vessel and engine acquisition. It identifies fuel and fixed-cost supports as high-risk due to their potential to increase fishing capacity and effort in contexts where many fish stocks are already fully or overexploited.

The paper examines how the APRM's Expanded Mandate has revitalized the agency by introducing targeted reviews and monitoring roles for Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, while cautioning that these additions may distract from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews. It highlights the role of the 'Kagame Reforms' and the leadership of CEO Prof. Eddy Maloka in restoring institutional stability and financial predictability. The author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains, rationalizing its activities to ensure that new instruments, such as National Governance Reports, do not become weak substitutes for rigorous peer reviews.

The policy brief examines the history and impact of UN mega-conferences on sustainable development, focusing on the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, and the 2012 Rio+20 conference. It highlights the persistent tension between developed and developing nations regarding the priority of economic development versus environmental protection. While these events have established global agendas, common principles, and institutional mechanisms like UNEP and the HLPF, the author notes that they often struggle to catalyze national-level action due to a lack of political will and a tendency for negotiations to protect narrow national interests. The document concludes that while mega-conferences are valuable for stakeholder integration and agenda-setting, they are not a substitute for the political will required to solve global sustainable development challenges.

The Economics For Nature initiative argues that current economic recovery plans largely ignore the dependency of all economic activity on nature. It asserts that investing in nature to meet Sustainable Development Goals could generate $40-50 trillion in value and calls on G7 ministers to embed nature's values into economic decisions and reward nature-positive outcomes.

The document traces the history of ocean governance, from early pollution treaties and the 'Constitution for the Ocean' (UNCLOS) to the sustainable development goals. It highlights a fragmented policy landscape characterized by overlapping jurisdictions and a 'piecemeal approach' to international law. Despite these frameworks, the ocean faces escalating threats from overfishing, acidification, and pollution, with the percentage of fish stocks fished at unsustainable levels rising from 10% in 1974 to 34.2% in 2017. The author advocates for a transition toward integrated management and the ecosystem approach to combat these cumulative impacts.

The report identifies key 'catalyst' goals that drive progress across the entire 2030 Agenda in Sweden, while highlighting specific trade-offs where progress in one goal hinders another. It emphasizes that while most interactions are positive, targeted interventions are needed for goals that receive little systemic support and for resolving critical conflicts, particularly those involving energy, biodiversity, and economic growth.

The authors argue that traditional linear models of innovation policy in Africa often fail to reduce poverty and inequality because they focus narrowly on R&D without strong implementation or governance. They propose shifting toward Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP), which targets societal challenges like climate change, and Smart Specialization Strategies (S3), which prioritize innovation based on a territory's specific resources. Case studies of Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire reveal critical evidence gaps, particularly regarding the informal sector and sub-national data, which hinder the effective application of these frameworks.

The 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance report finds that annual urban climate finance averaged USD 384 billion in 2017/2018, which is significantly lower than the estimated annual need of USD 4.5 to 5.4 trillion. Investment is heavily concentrated in OECD countries and China, leaving developing regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia severely underfunded. The report emphasizes a critical gap in adaptation and resilience finance, which accounts for less than 10% of urban climate finance. To bridge this gap, the report recommends strengthening municipal finance capacities, aligning city and national climate policies, and utilizing innovative financial instruments like blended finance and green procurement.