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The World Resources Institute argues that the U.S. Secretary of Energy should leverage the falling costs of wind and solar energy to position the United States as a global leader in clean technology. The statement highlights Texas's growth in wind power under Rick Perry's governorship as a model for national energy development.

The document examines the gap between Africa's formal legal commitments to freedom of movement and the actual practice of migration governance. While the African Union and various Regional Economic Communities have established frameworks to promote labour mobility and economic integration, implementation remains inconsistent. West Africa is highlighted as the most advanced model, whereas Southern Africa is noted for a securitised approach to migration. The brief argues that aligning regional policies and improving communication on the net benefits of migration are essential for unlocking the continent's development potential.

The Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) aims to serve its 29,000 customers during the summer peak with 100 percent solar power by 2023. To achieve this, KCEC exited a restrictive contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission via a $37 million exit fee funded by Guzman Renewable Energy Partners. The cooperative plans to deploy over 30 MW of community-scale solar, consisting of multiple 1 MW arrays, to maintain system reliability and lower costs through standardization. KCEC expects solar prices as low as 4.5 cents/kWh, providing rate certainty and local economic development opportunities.

The document examines South African business activities in the DRC across sectors such as mining, telecommunications, and agriculture, highlighting both the positive developmental impacts and the significant operational challenges posed by corruption and bureaucracy.

The document evaluates the 25th Summit of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Nairobi, noting a renewed energy under new leadership but highlighting persistent challenges including poor attendance by heads of state, significant financial arrears, and the need for faster reporting cycles to maintain relevance.

The paper finds that agricultural expansion in Matopiba is concentrated in the Cerrado biome, driven by technological innovations in soil management and soy varieties. This expansion led to significant increases in GDP per capita, particularly through direct agricultural growth and indirect spillovers into the services sector. While it improved access to durable consumer goods and electricity, it had no significant impact on migration or human capital investments.

The document examines how fragile states—characterized by poverty and weak institutions—are prone to recurring armed conflict. It describes a 'conflict trap' where low development leads to war, and war further degrades GDP and public services. The authors argue that the international community can break this cycle during peace settlements by deploying robust peacekeeping operations to solve 'commitment problems' and by ensuring peace agreements are inclusive of women and civil society rather than relying solely on elite bargains.

The 'Watershared' model uses reciprocal agreements between upstream land managers and downstream water users to protect watersheds through economic and non-economic incentives. These agreements avoid national bureaucracy and formal land title requirements, allowing for the participation of poor populations and the provision of development tools like beehives and irrigation systems. Financed by households and private sector entities, the model supports multiple goals including climate adaptation, mitigation, and the reduction of local conflicts.

The document examines Mozambique's transition from civil war to sustainable peace, focusing on five key areas: disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), economic and social development, decentralisation, justice, and natural resource investment. It argues that while government planning capacity has increased, implementation and monitoring remain weak, and short-term political gains often override long-term stability. The paper highlights the critical role of civil society in filling gaps left by the state and international actors, and warns that the management of new natural gas wealth and high national debt could either consolidate peace or fuel renewed conflict.

The synthesis identifies significant data availability and quality gaps as primary constraints in analyzing climate-resilient economic development, particularly regarding high-resolution geographical data and disaggregated household information.

The paper examines the fragmented nature of investment promotion in South Africa, where provincial agencies operate with varying levels of professionalism and often compete against one another. It highlights a gap between investment regulation—exemplified by the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill of 2013—and investment promotion. The author recommends that Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA) implement a more coordinated national framework, including a central 'one-stop shop' and a formal referral system, to attract high-quality, sustainable FDI that aligns with national development goals.

The document provides a conceptual overview of foreign direct investment (FDI), categorizing it into types such as greenfield, brownfield, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. It argues that while FDI can drive growth through employment and technology transfer, its benefits depend on a host country's absorptive capacity and industrial policy. Focusing on South Africa, the text details a strategic shift from a liberal, treaty-based approach to a domestic regime aimed at maximizing domestic benefits, including black economic empowerment and inclusive growth. It notes that South African FDI has been volatile and historically dominated by mergers and acquisitions in the mining, finance, and retail sectors.

The report investigates water constraints in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA) and Saldanha Bay, South Africa. It finds that traditional linear planning—based on generalized growth percentages—fails to account for the 'stepped' water demand of large industrial projects, potentially leading to supply shortfalls between 2017 and 2019. The document argues for a 'smart' allocation model that links water productivity (GDP/jobs per drop) to resource allocation and explores a Water Exchange Network (WEN) to reduce freshwater intake by up to 15% through industrial water cascading. It also highlights that high salinity in the Berg River poses a significant operational cost and production risk to the steel processing industry in Saldanha.

The report provides an 'Afro-realistic' analysis of accountability in Africa, contrasting the potential of continental initiatives like the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and Agenda 2063 with the practical challenges of domestic implementation. It investigates the roles of the African Union (AU), national parliaments, ombudsman offices, and civil society in curbing executive power and ensuring sustainable peace. The text highlights a tension between economic development and democratic governance, noting that while some states achieve growth, it often occurs at the expense of human rights.

The document examines the outcomes of the 2013 Bali Ministerial Conference, specifically the Bali Package, and its potential to break the deadlock of the Doha Development Round. While the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) is highlighted as a significant achievement due to its innovative approach to special and differential treatment (SDT), the author argues that the Bali Package fails to address fundamental conflicts in agriculture, industrial goods, and services. The briefing warns that the rise of mega-regional trade agreements, such as the TPP and TTIP, threatens the centrality of the WTO if the organization cannot adapt its negotiating principles and attract political leadership from major economies.

The document defines energy poverty as the lack of access to adequate, affordable, and sustainable energy services, highlighting its severe impacts on health, economic productivity, and the environment. It notes that 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.7 billion rely on biomass for cooking, with the highest concentrations in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The author argues that while energy consumption is a necessary condition for development, universal access could be achieved by 2030 with an annual investment of 30-35 billion USD, a sum significantly lower than current global fossil fuel subsidies.

The paper examines the impact of Chinese resources-for-infrastructure (R4I) swaps on the 'resource curse' in Africa, specifically analyzing mechanisms like price volatility, Dutch disease, rent-seeking, and political conflict. Through case studies of countries such as Angola, the DRC, and Ghana, the author finds that R4I swaps are neither inherently harmful nor a panacea; their developmental impact depends on the capacity of host government institutions to manage risks and opportunities.

The research paper assesses the 2014 US-Africa Summit and the 'US strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa', arguing that while economic growth in Africa is rising, democratic governance remains a 'chronic twin-deficit' alongside peace and security. It notes that the rise of emerging powers like China, which saw trade with Africa grow from 'US$3 billion in 2002 to around US$192 billion in 2012', has provided African states with financial alternatives that may 'corrosive impact on the pace of the democratisation agenda'. The author suggests the US should move beyond supporting 'minimalist electoral outcomes' and instead support the African Union's African Peer Review Mechanism and African Governance Architecture to foster robust, accountable institutions.

The document examines the tension between economic growth driven by extractive industries in the SADC region and the resulting social and environmental harms. It argues that because a shift away from extractive-dependent growth is unlikely to happen immediately, the effective management of this sector is the primary lever for achieving a transition toward inclusive green growth that benefits rural poor populations.

The document presents findings from a 2013 South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) survey of 60 diplomats and experts in Pretoria and Addis Ababa. It argues that while South Africa's commitment to an 'African Agenda' and peace resolution is respected, its overall strategic direction has become 'confusing' and 'obfuscated' under President Zuma. The briefing warns against 'trophy diplomacy'—attempting to project global influence before maturing as a geopolitical entity—and recommends reviewing the Foreign Policy White Paper to better balance relations between Africa, the West, and the emerging South. It specifically suggests that South Africa leverage shared priorities between East and Southern Africa to resolve stalled negotiations for the Tri-Partite Free Trade Area between COMESA, the ECA, and SADC.