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The document serves as a technical guide for navigating the transition between various iterations of South African environmental legislation, including the Environment Conservation Act (ECA) and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). It details how pending applications and unlawfully commenced activities (Section 24G) are treated when the listed activities they pertain to have changed, been repealed, or been re-worded in newer regulations such as GNR 982. The guide includes extensive cross-reference tables mapping old listed activities to their current equivalents in GNR 983, 984, and 985, while noting that some activities are now governed by the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA).

The policy brief advocates for a shift in how protected areas (PAs) in Africa are valued, moving beyond biodiversity to include measurable economic contributions. It suggests that integrating ecosystem services into national development planning and adopting innovative financing—such as payment for ecosystem services (PES), carbon offsets, and 'wildlife-friendly' product certifications—can secure investment and improve local livelihoods. The authors emphasize that PAs must be co-managed with local communities to ensure equitable benefit sharing and sustainable resource use.

The document critiques the 'green growth' paradigm and the financialization of nature, specifically the creation of markets for ecosystem services. It argues that these mechanisms, such as biodiversity offsets and carbon credits, do not stop environmental degradation but instead provide corporations with a 'social license to destroy' by allowing them to compensate for damage in one area by protecting another. The report highlights the negative impacts on Indigenous territories, the failure of existing offset programs in the EU and Australia, and the risk of 'devaluation' when economic priorities shift, as seen in Costa Rica. It concludes that these financial tools are instruments for capital accumulation and cost reduction rather than genuine ecological protection.

The IAI activities plan for 2015-2016 focuses on completing a tripartite institutional structure across Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, while advancing interdisciplinary research and capacity building. Key initiatives include a small grants call on ecosystem services in adaptation, professional development seminars in Colombia and Panama, and the development of four global environmental change seminars for 2016-2018. The institute also continues its engagement with IPBES and the UNFCCC SBSTA process.

The briefing outlines the 'From Farms to Regions' project, which used a participatory framework and the Envision geospatial modelling platform to develop climate adaptation strategies for southeastern Ontario. By engaging stakeholders and analysts, the project identified key drivers of change—climate change, markets, and governance—and created five future scenarios (Business-as-Usual, Targeting foreign markets, Promoting the bioeconomy, Moving towards greener agriculture, and Living locally). These scenarios were used to quantify impacts on land use and environmental indicators, leading to the identification of over 50 adaptation actions clustered into farm-level changes, new insurance mechanisms, ecosystem service support, information tools, and public education. The document concludes with a framework for monitoring the integration of these adaptation measures into cross-sectoral policy and planning.

The 2015 SAIIA Sasol Environmental Sustainability Project (ESP) is an educational competition for South African Grade 10-12 learners. Participants work in teams of three to produce a research paper of up to 12 pages focusing on a selected theme—Biodiversity, Climate Change, or Sustainable Development—and a specific topic such as energy, oceans, or air pollution. The project requires both a local and an international case example. The programme consists of three phases: the research paper, provincial or regional presentations for top papers, and the SAIIA Young Leaders Conference from 6-11 December 2015 in Gauteng, where top learners draft the 2015 SAIIA Young Leaders Declaration for government and UN officials. Key deadlines include school registration by 11 May 2015 and final paper submission by 21 July 2015.

The briefing presents Transformative Transparency, a data-driven platform developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Global Canopy Programme. It aims to increase transparency in the trade of agricultural commodities—specifically those linked to deforestation—by linking production landscapes to consumer countries using customs data, bills of lading, and subnational production data. The platform is designed to help investors, retailers, governments, and consumers identify risk factors and monitor sustainability commitments, such as 'zero deforestation' pledges, by providing a more comprehensive and cost-efficient alternative to footprint analyses and bespoke traceability systems.

The document examines the drivers and barriers to climate change adaptation in the Swedish forestry sector, emphasizing that social and cultural factors are as critical as scientific data. While forest owners recognize increasing productivity and risks from extreme weather, many adopt a "wait and see" approach due to the gradual nature of climate change and distrust of scientific communication. The research highlights the importance of social networks, the role of indirect global climate impacts on export markets, and the need for relevant, credible, and legitimate science communication to foster proactive adaptation.

The document examines how increasing the Degree of Regulation (DOR) through hydropower dams in the Magdalena River Basin affects the Mompos Depression. While current regulation is low, the addition of 30 planned projects could increase the DOR from 5% to 30%, significantly altering seasonal and low flows critical for biodiversity. The analysis finds that these dams would not protect against extreme floods, as safety releases during peak flows are necessary, and that reducing lateral connectivity via levees could increase peak flows downstream in cities like Barranquilla.

The document examines the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and community-based adaptation (CbA) through the EU-funded EcoAdapt project. By utilizing the Model Forests approach in Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, the project sought to develop long-term climate adaptation strategies for water resources. The integration aims to combine the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services with the empowerment of local communities to identify their own needs. Key benefits identified include increased community ownership, a better understanding of socio-ecological interconnections, and a more holistic view of large-scale environmental processes. However, the project faced challenges such as waning community motivation, inclusive participation gaps—specifically with cattle ranchers in Bolivia—and instabilities within the public sector. The briefing concludes that successful up-scaling requires a socio-ecological systems approach, secure finance, supportive public policies, and the development of accessible tools for local actors.

The report examines the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in Bali, focusing on the Catur Angga Batukaru (CAB) region. It identifies significant governance gaps, where initial top-down structures failed to include key stakeholders like the subak farmers, leading to the creation of a more inclusive Coordination Forum in 2014. The document details existential threats to the subak system, including rising ritual costs, high land taxes driving land conversion, water scarcity due to tourism priority, and a declining interest in farming among the youth. It argues that the long-term viability of the landscape depends on empowering farmers through a regency-level management body and community-based monitoring aligned with the Tri Hita Karana philosophy.

The document argues that regreening, primarily through Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), is a cost-effective solution for restoring degraded landscapes in Africa's arid zones. It details a six-step strategy for scaling these efforts: identifying existing successes, building a community of champions, resolving policy and legal barriers, implementing communication strategies, developing agroforestry value chains, and filling knowledge gaps through research. The report highlights significant achievements in Niger, where 5 million hectares have been regreened, and emphasizes the multiple economic, environmental, and social benefits of integrating trees into agricultural systems.

The report advocates for the scaling of regreening, specifically farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR), as a low-cost solution to food insecurity and climate change in drylands. It details a six-step strategy: identifying successes, building grassroots movements, addressing policy barriers, implementing communication strategies, strengthening value chains, and expanding research. Using examples from Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal, the authors argue that FMNR is more cost-effective and has higher survival rates than conventional tree planting.

Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro was restored starting in the 1860s to address severe water crises caused by deforestation for coffee and sugarcane. Through a combination of active planting and passive recolonization, 3,200 hectares were restored, resulting in improved water supplies, air quality, and the reintroduction of numerous native species. The project succeeded due to strong leadership from the Brazilian Imperial Court, technical assistance from the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, and adaptive management to combat fire threats. However, the document notes that early restoration involved the expropriation of land and the use of slave labor.

The document examines the restoration of 5 million hectares in southern Niger through farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR), a locally driven agroforestry practice. It details how FMNR improved food security, household income, and climate resilience while sequestering 25 million tons of carbon. The study identifies key success factors, including the 1989 Rural Code which secured land and tree tenure for farmers, and the role of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and international funding from USAID and IFAD.

Bhutan has a constitutional mandate to maintain 60% forest cover and manages a connected network of 10 protected areas covering 5 million acres. However, this system faces threats from poaching, illegal logging, human-wildlife conflict, and a declining workforce as youth migrate to cities. Additionally, the region is highly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing melting glaciers and intense rainstorms. To address these challenges and a decrease in foreign aid, WWF and the Bhutanese government have launched 'Bhutan for Life', a project finance model seeking $35 million to $45 million to fund enforcement, wildlife monitoring, and community support over 15 years until the system becomes self-sustaining.

The Lima Declaration, issued during the Peoples Summit on Climate Change in December 2014, rejects market-based climate solutions and the 'capitalist-patriarchal system'. It demands the recognition of territorial property rights for indigenous and peasant communities, the reparation of 'historical ecological debt' owed by developed countries to the global South, and a transition to a communal, feminist economy based on food sovereignty and agro-ecology. The document specifically denounces the influence of transnational corporations on the UNFCCC and calls for the cessation of extractive industries and agrofuel production.

The Lima Declaration, issued during the 2014 People's Summit, rejects market-based climate mechanisms and the 'green economy' as false solutions driven by capital. It demands the recognition of historical ecological debts owed by developed nations to the Global South, the protection of ancestral territories from extractive industries, and a transition to a feminist, communal, and agroecological economic model. The statement specifically calls for a global financial transaction tax and compensation for non-industrialized countries that avoid exploiting fossil fuels, while criticizing the Peruvian government's role as COP 20 president for prioritizing private investment over human and environmental rights.

The document examines Mexico's progress in implementing REDD+ safeguards, highlighting the transition from confusing the SIS with the SNS to establishing a framework based on national law and sustainable rural development. While Mexico has strong institutional capacity and a history of community forestry, the report identifies critical gaps in the operationalization of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), clarity on avoided emission carbon rights, and the risk of weakened World Bank safeguard policies. It argues that international guidance from the UNFCCC is necessary to standardize reporting and ensure the protection of indigenous and local community rights.

The document examines how transparency serves as a compliance mechanism in EU fisheries management. It analyzes the legal obligations of EU institutions and Member States under the Treaty on European Union, the Access to Information Regulation, and the Aarhus Convention, specifically as they apply to the CFP, EMFF, and CMO. The briefing identifies specific publicity and reporting requirements, such as the Union fishing fleet register and MSY progress reports, while recommending greater transparency regarding the names of natural persons receiving EMFF funding and mandatory production method labelling for aquaculture products.