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This research paper examines South Africa's strategic objectives and challenges following its invitation to join the BRIC grouping in December 2010, focusing on its role as a representative for Africa in global governance, development, and trade.

This report summarizes the development of methodological tools designed to assess how climate change affects surface hydrology in the Peruvian Andes, intended as guidance for decision-makers in Peru and other nations.

A statement by Fred Phaswana, Chairperson of the SAIIA National Council, discussing the role of think tanks in analyzing North African uprisings, the importance of democratic electoral processes in Africa, and South Africa's strategic international engagements in 2011, including its role in the UN Security Council, BRICS, and hosting the 17th UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change.

This commentary evaluates the first year of the G-20's commitment to phase out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies, noting the role of the G-20 and APEC in elevating the issue on international agendas and the establishment of the Friends of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform group.

This research paper critiques the common misconceptions surrounding Sectoral Approaches (SAs) to climate mitigation, proposing the broader term 'Sectoral Approaches, Agreements and Measures' (SAAMs). Through case studies of the steel sector in China, India, and Japan, the author argues that practical implementation must be domestic-led rather than top-down and international. The paper concludes that SAAMs should co-exist with carbon pricing and that sector-specific forums are more effective for development than the generic discussions currently held at the UNFCCC.

This February 2011 request for proposals from the Kenyan Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources seeks consultancy services to develop a conceptual framework for a long-term national low carbon development pathway. This effort is part of a larger eight-part Climate Change Action Plan designed to protect Kenya's climate-sensitive economy—including agriculture and tourism—and align national development goals, such as Vision 2030, with climate resilience and low-carbon growth.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the energy-based relationship between India and Africa. It analyzes India's strategic need to diversify its energy imports away from the Middle East and its efforts to build a sustainable, development-oriented partnership with African nations that moves beyond simple resource extraction to include capacity building and renewable energy cooperation.

This fact sheet summarizes the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' report, a global map-based analysis of threats to coral reefs led by the World Resources Institute. It details the prevalence of local and global pressures, the socioeconomic vulnerability of coastal communities, and the effectiveness of current marine protected areas.

This WRI fact sheet summarizes the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' analysis for the Pacific region, detailing the extent of coral reefs, the human populations dependent on them, current local threats, and projected impacts of climate change through 2050.

This fact sheet describes the Global Connectivity Program of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which focuses on the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the 'global connectivity system' in advancing sustainable development.

This report evaluates Integrated Place-based Management (IPM) initiatives, focusing on how goals are defined and how monitoring and evaluation frameworks measure long-term environmental and governance impacts. It analyzes Canadian and international case studies to identify trends in the transition from short-term project reporting to long-term, adaptive monitoring that combines outcome-based environmental indicators with process-based governance indicators.

In a 2010 speech to the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Minister Maite Nkoana‐Mashabane outlines South Africa's strategic approach to the rise of emerging global powers. She emphasizes the importance of South-South cooperation, the role of alliances like BRIC and IBSA in reforming global governance, and the necessity of integrating Africa into the global economy through infrastructure, industry, and intra-trade.

The document analyzes REDD+ as a tool for climate-compatible development in developing countries, highlighting its potential to reduce GHG emissions and enhance climate resilience. It notes that while international funding has reached $4.5 billion by 2012, significantly more is needed to meet global deforestation targets. The brief warns of risks to indigenous and forest-dependent communities and emphasizes that successful implementation requires long-term institutional building, clear legal frameworks for carbon rights, and integrated cross-sectoral planning.

A memorandum from Friends of the Earth urging journalists to increase in-depth reporting on the unambiguous connections between climate change and the extreme weather events observed during the summer of 2010.

This synthesis report analyzes the policy responses of countries and regional organizations in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa to the 2006–08 global food prices crisis. It assesses these responses in terms of economic sustainability and their impact on trade and regional integration, arguing that short-term emergency measures often conflicted with long-term food security and production goals.

This August 2010 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analysis on several African security issues. It focuses on Kenya's constitutional referendum, the potential for water-related conflict in the Nile Basin, the transition to democracy in Guinea, and the results of the presidential election in Somaliland. Additionally, it reviews the annual consultative meeting between the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council (UNSC), the operationalisation of civil society engagement via the Livingstone Formula, and the outcomes of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Review Conference in Kampala.

This research paper examines how China can align its commercial policies with a 'sustainable trade strategy' consisting of five core objectives: rebalancing the economy, promoting added value, expanding the services sector, promoting Chinese brands and intellectual property, and supporting a sustainable international trade architecture. The authors analyze China's trade evolution since joining the WTO, the limitations of traditional reciprocity-based trade agreements, and the potential for soft-law initiatives and regional cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) details a scenario-planning exercise conducted in May 2010 to explore the future of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The authors identify key certainties and uncertainties—such as the impact of the global financial crisis and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations—to project four potential futures for the organization, ranging from deeper integration to total collapse.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the state of the multilateral trading system following the 2008–10 global financial crisis. It argues that a multilateral impasse is likely to persist due to a lack of leadership from the US and China, suggesting that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) must shift toward plurilateral agreements to remain relevant. The author highlights the specific challenges for South Africa, which faces a 'negotiating stretch' as it attempts to represent broader African interests while managing its own role as an emerging middle power.

This policy briefing analyzes how the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, affects the European Union's (EU) relations with Africa. The author argues that while the Treaty streamlines EU internal processes and foreign policy, Africa is likely to command less attention as the EU prioritizes its own internal financial crises, the Western Balkans, and strategic partnerships with other emerging powers. The document suggests that African leaders should diversify their economic and development partnerships beyond the EU to reduce aid and trade dependence.