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The document details a synergy facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) between Pallet Cycle, a recycled timber manufacturer, and Cabrico, a clay brick manufacturer. In early 2020, Cabrico took 4.6 tonnes of wood waste from Pallet Cycle to use as fuel for its kiln and dryers, resulting in a reduction of 1.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and decreased reliance on fossil fuels like coal. The partnership provided economic benefits through lower fuel and material costs for Cabrico and increased storage space for Pallet Cycle.

The document argues that Black Soldier Fly (BSF) agriculture can transform organic waste liabilities into economic opportunities by producing high-value protein meal, oil, and frass. It highlights Cape Town as a global leader in BSF innovation and identifies key opportunities in waste management, livestock and pet food, and soil security to future-proof food supply chains against climate instability and geopolitical tensions.

The document argues that the circular economy is a strategic tool for businesses to navigate a 'decade of polycrisis' characterized by supply chain uncertainty and material insecurity. It focuses specifically on the City of Cape Town, noting that the city is expected to run out of landfill space by 2035 and currently has the highest landfill gate fees among South African metros. The guide introduces a 7-step process for CEOs to transition from linear to circular models, ranging from mapping resource flows to influencing supply chains. It details '9R' strategies—such as refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, and recycle—supported by local examples like Zerocrete and Barloworld Equipment. Additionally, it outlines regulatory pressures, including mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for sectors like packaging and electronics, and a provincial target for 100% organic waste diversion from landfills in the Western Cape by 2027.

The document identifies that urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town is often viewed only as a food security solution rather than a viable economic activity. It highlights that small urban farmers are frequently locked out of formal markets due to a lack of economies of scale, high investment requirements, and insufficient business management skills. To overcome these, the report suggests the use of formal co-operatives to aggregate produce, the adoption of specific food safety accreditations (such as SAGAP or GlobalGAP), and the development of local physical markets like agrihubs and farm stalls. It also emphasizes the role of online marketplaces and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture's Market Access Programme in bridging the gap between producers and off-takers.

The document highlights the critical waste management challenges in Cape Town, where landfills are reaching capacity and organic waste contributes significantly to methane emissions. It presents Inseco as a circular economy solution that processes organic waste using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to produce protein meal, oil, grubs, soil, and chitin. This process diverts waste from landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and provides sustainable alternatives to soy and wild fish protein. Inseco's operations are projected to save companies money on landfill fees, create jobs, and support biodiversity by reducing reliance on deforestation-linked soy and overfished wild fish stocks.

The study evaluates three methods for managing phosphate at the Cape Flats WWTW: high-grade struvite production, low-grade struvite production, and chemical precipitation. While chemical precipitation has the lowest initial capital expenditure, low-grade struvite production is identified as the most economically and ecologically sustainable option over a 20-year period, with a net present cost of R25.4 million compared to R51.2 million for chemical precipitation and R76.2 million for high-grade struvite. Despite these relative advantages, the study finds that struvite production is currently unprofitable due to low local market prices for phosphate fertilizers and high capital costs, suggesting a need for new policies that treat phosphate as a resource rather than a pollutant.

The document details the use of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to convert low-grade organic waste into high-value protein and oil for animal feed, pet food, and pharmaceuticals. It focuses on Maltento, a Cape Town company that processes organic by-products like spent brewery grain and fruit/vegetable pulp. The study argues that this circular economy approach reduces landfill reliance, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and decreases dependency on volatile global imports of soy and fishmeal. In 2021, Maltento processed approximately 6,000 tonnes of organics, creating jobs and providing a more stable price for protein derivatives.

The waste sector in Cape Town consists of 258 companies, with a significant majority (53%) being micro-enterprises. The sector's focus areas are led by e-waste, metal, and plastic recovery, while the broader Cape Town economy is noted to have a GDP of R312Bn and 1.6Mn employed persons.

The document details a project facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) where Global Energy installed an anaerobic digestion plant at Rennie Farms. The project converts 1.5 tonnes of daily vegetable waste into biogas for combined heat and power, as well as digestate for soil enhancement and irrigation water. The initiative resulted in R319,740 annual savings in landfill fees and averted 876 tonnes of fossil greenhouse gas emissions per year.

The report presents a series of expert contributions from Green movements in 16 European countries, arguing that labour taxes are often the primary source of government revenue and should be shifted toward taxes on pollution, capital, and resource use. Proposed alternatives include carbon taxes, wealth taxes, and taxes on automated work, while improvements to labour taxation focus on increasing progressivity, introducing negative income taxes for low earners, and simplifying tax codes.

The #SeAdapta project investigates the vulnerability and adaptation of small-scale fisheries in South America. In Uruguay, the project emphasizes combining scientific data with local ecological knowledge for better fishery management. In Argentina, research on the yellow clam (Mesodesma mactroides) and wedge clam (Donax hanleyanus) indicates that climate oscillations like El Niño and changes in salinity and temperature negatively impact growth and abundance. In the Galápagos Islands, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of the seafood system to global shocks but also the critical role of small-scale fishing in maintaining food security, leading to recommendations for local consumption, improved business capacity, technology to fight illegal fishing, and a circular economy.

A comprehensive training resource featuring 17 case studies on science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on environmental governance, health, space cooperation, and sustainable resource management.

The document provides a comprehensive set of 17 case studies illustrating how science diplomacy—the intersection of foreign policy and scientific research—is used to manage transboundary resources, protect biodiversity, and regulate emerging technologies in the Americas. It defines science diplomacy through three lenses: science in diplomacy (technical input for policy), diplomacy for science (promoting national scientific communities), and science for diplomacy (using scientific cooperation to improve diplomatic ties). Key examples include the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR), the Amazonian Regional Platform of Indigenous Peoples (ARPIP), and the Guarani Aquifer Agreement. The text emphasizes the necessity of integrating indigenous knowledge, managing multi-stakeholder governance, and aligning national policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address climate change and environmental degradation.

The #SeAdapta project investigates the adaptive capacity of small-scale fisheries in Latin America, specifically focusing on Yellow Clam, Spiny Lobster, and Sea Cucumber. In Uruguay, the project emphasizes the value of combining conventional science with local ecological knowledge. In Argentina, research on yellow and wedge clams shows that shell properties and population abundance are negatively impacted by El Niño and low-salinity waters. In the Galapagos Islands, the project found that while the seafood system is vulnerable to global shocks like COVID-19, small-scale fisheries are critical for food security, leading to recommendations for systemic transformation through local consumption, entrepreneurial support, technology against illegal fishing, and circular economy practices.

The IAI's STeP Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the science-policy-diplomacy interface in Latin America and the Caribbean by training early-career scientists in communication, leadership, and science diplomacy. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the program conducted 20 virtual training sessions and established cohorts in Mexico and Argentina focusing on sustainable cities and agriculture. The program collaborates with international partners such as AAAS and Mitacs Canada, with fellows working on regional priorities including clean energy, circular economy, and climate-fragile polar regions. Expansion efforts are targeting new cohorts in biodiversity, climate change, and natural disaster risk mitigation, alongside specific institutional negotiations in Chile and Peru.

The report presents survey results from 920 economics students and graduates across 85 countries, finding that a vast majority believe the discipline's reliance on neoclassical economics fails to prepare them for real-world crises. Key findings highlight a lack of teaching on alternatives to the price mechanism during pandemics, the absence of links between the economy and the environment, and a failure to address systemic racial and gender biases. The authors advocate for curriculum reform that incorporates other social sciences and diverse schools of thought to produce economists capable of addressing contemporary global challenges.

The South African food system is characterized by concentrated corporate ownership, policies favoring large-scale commercial agriculture for export, and high levels of food insecurity, with at least one in five households regularly food insecure. The current industrial model causes significant environmental damage through toxic chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions, while WTO-mandated open markets lead to a dependency on cheap, subsidized imports that undermine local production. The document proposes a just transition centered on the right to food, the implementation of a universal basic income grant, and the adoption of agroecology to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation.

The document analyzes the South African food system, describing it as a concentrated, corporate-led industrial model that prioritizes export markets over domestic food security. It highlights systemic issues including high food insecurity—affecting at least one in five households—and environmental degradation caused by large-scale commercial farming. The author advocates for a 'just transition' characterized by the redistribution of land, the adoption of agroecology to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and the establishment of a universal basic income grant to ensure the right to food for all citizens.

The document analyzes the South African food system, highlighting how a business-led approach prioritizes exports and large-scale commercial farming over domestic food security and small-scale producers. It identifies critical failures including high food insecurity—affecting at least one in five households—and environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture. The text advocates for a 'just transition' characterized by the redistribution of land and resources, the adoption of agroecological principles, and the establishment of a universal basic income to ensure the right to food for all citizens.

The document argues that a just transition in South Africa must move beyond simple decarbonization to address structural inequalities rooted in the minerals-energy complex (MEC). It proposes a 'transformative resilience' framework based on three pillars: a green decent work agenda, expanded social protection (such as a universal basic income guarantee), and radical land reform. The essays detail specific vulnerabilities, including the marginalization of women in ecosystem-based adaptation, the mental health burdens of climate change on Black communities, and the precariousness of informal waste pickers. Sectoral analyses emphasize the need for inclusive food systems, urban drought resilience in cities like Cape Town, and the integration of renewable energy to support agricultural productivity and rural development.