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The study finds that Canadian municipalities spend millions annually managing single-use plastic (SUP) waste, though specific costs are often undertracked. Plastics comprise approximately 15% of both garbage and recycling streams by weight. The report highlights significant data gaps for items like vaping devices and tampon applicators, which are frequently found in wastewater screenings but rarely in solid waste audits. Environmental analysis shows cigarette butts are the most abundant SUP by count, while bottles and cups dominate by mass. A critical economic finding is the potential risk to Canadian agriculture, where microplastic pollution could lead to annual crop production value losses between CAD 0.5 and 2.16 billion. To address these issues, the authors developed a Plastic Waste Cost Calculator for local authorities and recommend transitioning to volumetric waste measurements and establishing a universal flushability standard for wipes.

The study evaluates the financial and environmental burden of eight common single-use plastics in Canada. It finds a significant lack of consistent data across municipalities, with costs often underestimated because they are based on weight rather than the high volume these plastics occupy. The report highlights that cigarette butts are the most frequent litter item, while plastic bottles and cups generate substantial management costs. It also estimates that microplastic pollution could risk between 0.5 and 2.16 billion CAD annually in Canadian agricultural production for wheat and corn. To address these gaps, the authors developed a 'Plastic Waste Cost Calculator' tool for local authorities and recommend shifting toward volumetric waste measurement and standardized data collection.

The report outlines key constraints to Ethiopia's growth, including insecurity, climate change, and weak governance, and proposes targeted policy actions in governance, economic diversification, agricultural productivity, and education to ensure long-term stability and development.

The report projects that Morocco's GDP could reach US$384 billion by 2043 in a combined scenario of sectoral interventions, making it Africa's sixth-largest economy. Key growth drivers include transitions to high-value manufacturing, improvements in education and health, and the full implementation of the AfCFTA. The document recommends strategic investments in renewable energy, water management, and infrastructure to mitigate challenges like water scarcity and energy dependence.

The report analyzes development scenarios for Comoros, contrasting a 'Current Path' with a 'Combined scenario' of sectoral interventions. It identifies systemic barriers including corruption, poor infrastructure, and climate change, while proposing a comprehensive policy framework focusing on governance, agricultural productivity, human capital, and the mobilization of international finance to reduce poverty and expand the formal economy by 2043.

The report analyzes Guinea's 'Current Path' development trajectory to 2043, concluding that the country is not on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the severe impact of foreign aid withdrawal due to political instability and recommends strategic interventions in governance, economic diversification, agriculture, human capital, and infrastructure to foster inclusive growth.

The document identifies key constraints to Chad's development, including insecurity, overreliance on oil, and climate change. It recommends a multi-sectoral approach involving governance reform, non-oil revenue mobilization, agricultural productivity increases, infrastructure development, human capital strengthening, demographic transition, climate risk management, and economic diversification.

The report forecasts Benin's development to 2043, predicting a population increase to 21.2 million and GDP growth to US$66.3 billion under the Current Path. While GDP per capita is expected to rise to US$4,685, absolute poverty is projected to increase to 11 million people. Sectoral scenarios suggest that Free Trade and Leapfrogging have the highest potential for economic growth, while the Combined Agenda 2063 scenario could double the economy to US$117.2 billion but would increase carbon emissions to 10.1 million tons.

The report analyzes multiple development scenarios for Burundi, finding that while all scenarios improve GDP per capita over the 'Current Path', the Agriculture and Governance scenarios are most effective at reducing extreme poverty. It highlights a critical risk where the full implementation of the AfCFTA could potentially increase poverty to 75.8% by 2043 if not supported by complementary domestic policies. Environmental trade-offs are noted, as agricultural modernization and trade scenarios are projected to result in the highest carbon emissions by 2043.

The report concludes that while Burundi has made progress in peace and macroeconomic stability since 2000, it remains hindered by political fragility, poor infrastructure, and low agricultural productivity. On its current path, the country is forecast to improve but will likely miss many 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis emphasizes that a coordinated policy push across development sectors, focusing on agricultural modernization, economic diversification into manufacturing, and climate-resilient infrastructure, is necessary to reduce aid dependency and improve citizen prosperity.

The document analyzes the stagnation of African agricultural productivity, attributing it to historical factors like slavery, colonialism, and a lack of tenure reform. It contrasts a 'Current Path' forecast—characterized by increasing food import dependence and low yields—with an 'Agriculture scenario' where targeted interventions in AgTech, irrigation, and soil health lead to significant poverty reduction and GDP growth. The report emphasizes the need for food self-sufficiency and value addition within Africa over a reliance on raw commodity exports.

Since independence, African agriculture has lagged behind global productivity due to a lack of resource allocation, tenure reform, and infrastructure. Despite possessing 45% of the world's land suitable for sustainable production expansion, the continent remains the most food-insecure region globally, with yields remaining roughly half of the global average. Productivity is further hampered by conflict in states like Angola and DR Congo, extreme weather events, and significant deforestation, with 4 million hectares of forest lost annually. While the African Union's CAADP initiative aims to drive growth, most national budgets allocate only 5-7% to agriculture, leaving smallholder farmers—who provide 80% of sub-Saharan production—without essential inputs and market access.

The document argues that Africa has failed to achieve a modern agricultural revolution due to a combination of historical, environmental, and policy-related factors. It highlights how poor soil quality, a high disease burden, and the late adoption of high-yield cereal grains contributed to lower population densities and slower technological advancement compared to other global regions. Despite efforts by organizations like the World Bank and the African Union, the sector remains constrained by low investment, ineffective policies, and a reliance on traditional methods among smallholder farmers.

The research paper analyzes historical agricultural transformations in China, Brazil, and Egypt, highlighting the roles of institutional incentives, genetic seed tailoring, and targeted infrastructure investments in increasing yields and food security.

The research paper projects that a 'Combined scenario'—integrating policy coherence, governance, and strategic investment—would significantly increase Africa's GDP to US$8.9 trillion by 2043 and reduce extreme poverty to 242 million people. It highlights that while low-income countries like the DR Congo and Mozambique would see the fastest growth, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and governance reforms are the most effective drivers of per capita income and poverty reduction across the continent.

The policy brief advocates for a farmer-centric approach to reducing livestock methane emissions within the EU, emphasizing that productivity improvements can create synergies between climate goals and rural development. It highlights that livestock account for approximately 66% of EU agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, with enteric fermentation being the primary source. The author proposes a combination of technical solutions—such as improved feed, genetic selection, and smarter manure management—and policy levers, including the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive and the optimization of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reward methane performance.

A pilot project in Berbere, Ethiopia, replaced costly and unreliable petrol-powered irrigation with solar pumps, enabling farmers to shift from subsistence staple crops to high-value produce and significantly increasing their seasonal earnings.

The report argues that maintaining secure maritime food trade is a US national security imperative, as disruptions to key chokepoints—specifically the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and Strait of Malacca—can trigger cascading global risks. Using a strategic foresight approach, the authors analyze four scenarios based on the uncertainty of international cooperation and port infrastructure resilience. They find that climate stressors, such as a projected global warming increase of over 2°C by 2040, threaten agricultural productivity and port operability. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by hostile actors, such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia, to weaponize food and destabilize regions. The report recommends that the US incorporate maritime food trade resilience into its National Security Strategy, invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, and revitalize flexible development assistance to prevent the erosion of soft power and protect military supply chains.

Analysis of 840 municipalities in the Cerrado shows that land clearing for soy creates a 3:1 productivity loss, where climate spillovers outweigh the gains from new farmland. While individual farmers profit by externalizing costs, the region lost USD 9.4 billion in potential soy production between 2013 and 2023 due to deforestation-induced drying. Global importers, particularly China and Germany, face significant supply chain vulnerabilities, with China's sourcing regions losing USD 5.0 billion in annual production capacity. The report argues for urgent conservation and intensification strategies, noting that most municipalities are still below a critical climate threshold where protection delivers maximum benefit.

The document analyzes the current state of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Africa, identifying systemic barriers such as fragmented policies, significant funding gaps, and the exclusion of smallholder farmers. It highlights opportunities in digital technology, indigenous knowledge, and private sector engagement. To address these, it recommends that the South African G20 Presidency champion blended finance mechanisms, strengthen regional collaboration through Regional Economic Communities (RECs), integrate traditional knowledge into policy, improve monitoring and evaluation systems, and accelerate the adoption of agri-tech.