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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted provisional comments on June 29, 2018, regarding the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) proposed amendments to the 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in South Africa. The CER argues that the public consultation process was inadequate and that the draft Framework fails to address systemic failures in air quality monitoring, enforcement, and the achievement of previous targets.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative explores the synergies between green bonds and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), arguing that climate mitigation and adaptation are essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda. It identifies six specific SDGs that benefit most directly from green bond investment and emphasizes the need for climate risk disclosure across all thematic bond labels to ensure long-term sustainability.

The 2018 Progress Assessment Goal 5 Update evaluates global efforts to restore degraded landscapes and forestlands under the Bonn Challenge and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Paris Agreement. It reports that Bonn Challenge pledges have reached 168.9 million hectares, surpassing the initial 2020 milestone of 150 million hectares, although measuring actual implementation remains a significant challenge.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) compares forest and land-use legislation across seven major agro-exporting countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the United States. The study specifically analyzes riparian Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and biodiversity conservation policies to determine how the Brazilian Forest Code compares to international legal requirements. The findings indicate that Brazil maintains some of the most rigorous rules for private land protection, particularly regarding mandatory native vegetation reserves and riparian buffers, although the report emphasizes that effective implementation, monitoring, and enforcement are necessary for Brazil to achieve its environmental goals.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC) examines the drivers of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation in Brazil. Analyzing 5,563 municipalities, the study finds that demand-side factors—such as GDP, population size, and electricity tariffs—are more significant drivers of PV adoption than solar radiation levels. Consequently, regions with lower solar potential, specifically the South and Southeast, currently have higher concentrations of distributed PV units than the Northeast and Midwest.

This working paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) proposes a practical framework for implementing climate action in cities, particularly in developing countries. Based on an analysis of seven urban projects across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the paper identifies five critical levers—power and leadership, communication and engagement, capacity building, financing implementation, and the demonstration effect—that practitioners can use to overcome barriers and embed climate compatibility into urban planning and investment.

This document is a final impact assessment template for the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System (SEIAS), specifically detailing the design, intended outcomes, and projected impacts of a proposed carbon tax in South Africa. It outlines a phased approach to internalise the costs of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to encourage a transition to a low-carbon economy while mitigating adverse effects on industrial competitiveness and low-income households.

A joint statement by representatives from various international think tanks and academic institutions expressing unwavering commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development following the announcement of the United States' withdrawal.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) synthesises seven years of experience in promoting 'climate compatible development'—an approach that integrates climate mitigation and adaptation with poverty eradication and human development. The document provides a framework for mainstreaming climate concerns into national macroeconomic planning, sectoral policies, and local governance, while emphasizing the necessity of political leadership, cross-government coordination, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. It details the financial challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon economy, the role of 'knowledge brokers' in translating science for policy-makers, and the importance of gender-sensitive implementation to ensure equitable outcomes.

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative provides strategic advice for cities in developing countries to access green bond markets to fund low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure. It highlights the significant gap in capital market access for these cities and outlines both direct and indirect pathways to secure financing based on a city's creditworthiness.

This fact sheet, produced by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in October 2016, provides guidance on framing climate compatible development to ensure it is adopted into local political agendas. Based on experiences from South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, it outlines five key strategies for sustainability: securing cross-party political consensus, linking climate action to development goals, aligning climate measures with sectoral objectives, utilizing local and national 'champions', and designing initiatives to benefit marginalized social groups.

This World Resources Institute working paper analyzes the alignment between the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. By mapping climate actions across 92 INDCs, the authors demonstrate that climate policies often generate mutual benefits for sustainable development, though these synergies are frequently unrecognized or uncoordinated at the national level due to institutional silos.

This report provides a primer for policy makers on the roles and responsibilities of local, national, and international governance in enabling cities to lead climate change mitigation and adaptation. It emphasizes the critical role of urban areas, which emit over 70% of global emissions, and outlines financial instruments and planning steps necessary for a low-carbon and climate-resilient urban transformation.

This policy briefing describes the 2016 World Conservation Congress (WCC) convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Honolulu, Hawai’i. It outlines the congress's role in shaping the global conservation agenda through a motions process, its alignment with 2015 global sustainability frameworks, and the specific strategic interests and challenges facing African and South African member organisations.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute argues that the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement represent a single project of systemic societal change. It contends that while climate and development agendas are conceptually fusing, national implementation remains fragmented by bureaucratic silos. The document outlines six key challenges—vision, integrated planning, institutional coherence, inclusive governance, finance, and monitoring—that countries must address to translate international commitments into integrated national action.

This guide summarizes a comparative research project conducted by the Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) between 2013 and 2014. The study examines the political dynamics of climate-related decision-making in three Latin American mega-cities: Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Mexico City, focusing on the gap between the adoption of climate policies and their actual implementation.

This working paper documents Ethiopia's experience in planning for a climate-resilient green economy between 2013 and 2016. It details the governance structures, strategic frameworks, and financial mechanisms Ethiopia has implemented to integrate climate resilience into its national development plans, while identifying key barriers such as the need for further human capital development and regional capacity strengthening.

This case study examines the challenges and opportunities for decentralized renewable energy development in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia. It highlights the gap between the province's high renewable potential—specifically in mini-hydro—and its actual installed capacity, while analyzing the technical, policy, and institutional barriers facing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and community-led projects.

This case study examines GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency established in 2010 by the Western Cape Government in South Africa. The document details how GreenCape acts as an independent bridge between the public and private sectors to mobilize a local green economy, starting with a focus on renewable energy before expanding into water, waste, agriculture, and green finance. It highlights the agency's governance structure, its role in removing regulatory barriers, and its impact on investment and job creation in the region.

This report examines the challenges and opportunities for subnational renewable energy development in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It highlights that while the region has significant mini-hydro potential, development is hindered by a combination of technical, institutional, and policy barriers, including land acquisition issues, slow asset transfers, and poor coordination between on-grid and off-grid electricity supply. The document advocates for a Public-Private-People Partnership (PPPP) approach and improved capacity building at the provincial level to unlock investment from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and community-level producers.