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The document analyzes South Africa's care regime, tracing the impact of the apartheid-era migrant labour system and post-apartheid neoliberal policies like GEAR on the distribution of care. It highlights the systemic undervaluation of both paid and unpaid care work, which predominantly falls on Black women and older persons. The paper critiques the 'familialist' approach of the White Paper on Social Welfare and the underfunding of social welfare services, leading to a bifurcated system where quality care is a private privilege. It concludes by advocating for a national care policy based on the '4R' framework (recognition, reduction, redistribution, and revaluation) to socialise care and dismantle intersectional inequalities.

The document outlines eleven reasons why the media should report on disaster risk reduction (DRR), framing it as a multifaceted issue spanning politics, economics, human rights, environment, culture, gender, and health. It emphasizes that media coverage can save lives by disseminating early warnings, holding governments accountable for bad governance or corruption, and highlighting the role of traditional knowledge in survival. The guide notes that disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to factors like climate change and environmental degradation, with 2022 damages totaling approximately $270bn.

The document examines how the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women in Brazil and South Africa increases vulnerability to gender-based violence and economic instability. It proposes specific interventions, including Universal Basic Income and employment-focused public works programs, to decouple care responsibilities from economic insecurity and violence.

Tropic Coffee, a Rwandan coffee processor supported by the impact investor Alterfin, demonstrates a moderately high level of compliance with international responsible investment standards. While the company actively empowers women through improved market access and the formation of savings groups, it faces financial challenges due to competitive rates, lack of a dry mill, and reduced global demand for organic coffee. The study recommends that the board improve its understanding of responsible investment principles to enhance strategy and accountability.

The guidelines establish a framework for GSS+ labelled financial instruments in Panama, aligning with international standards like ICMA and the Climate Bonds Standard. It details the requirements for use-of-proceeds instruments (green, social, sustainability) and general-purpose sustainability-linked instruments, emphasizing transparency, external reviews, and impact reporting. The document also highlights Panama's Sustainable Finance Taxonomy and the broader sustainable debt market trends in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mexico's sustainable debt market reached a cumulative GSS+ volume of USD 55.7bn by the end of 2023, with sustainability bonds emerging as the dominant instrument. The market is heavily driven by the public sector, particularly the federal government and development banks, though private corporate participation is increasing. The report highlights the introduction of the Mexican Sustainable Taxonomy in March 2023 as a key development to guide investments. While Mexico is a global leader in sustainability bond volume, challenges remain in the sustainability-linked bond (SLB) market regarding the credibility of GHG targets. Key opportunities for growth are identified in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and low-carbon construction, supported by trends such as US nearshoring.

Mexico's sustainable debt market (VSS+) reached a cumulative volume of $55.7 billion by the end of 2023, with $38.3 billion aligned with Climate Bonds methodology. The market is dominated by sustainable bonds (72% of aligned volume) and heavily driven by the public sector, including sovereign emissions and development banks like Banobras. While Mexico led the world in sustainable bond issuance in 2023, challenges remain in the alignment of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) due to a lack of greenhouse gas (GHG) targets. The report highlights the 2023 launch of the Sustainable Taxonomy of Mexico as a key tool for guiding future investments in sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable construction, and agriculture.

The report assesses gender inequalities and diversity challenges in the Amazon Basin, highlighting disparities in land tenure, political representation, and access to water and sanitation. It emphasizes the critical role of indigenous women in biodiversity conservation and the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable populations.

The report 'Improving energy data to enhance gender equality' argues that the lack of sex-disaggregated data in the energy sector leads to gender-blind policymaking and hinders the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It calls for a collaborative effort to standardize data collection and integrate gender-responsive indicators into energy planning to ensure an equitable transition to net zero.

The report details a training workshop held in Abuja, Nigeria, from April 22–26, 2024, aimed at enhancing gender inclusivity within the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. Based on a needs assessment and participant exercises, the workshop identified systemic barriers to women's participation, such as cultural practices and gender-blind programming, and proposed a gender-responsive formalization strategy. Key recommendations include revising mining laws, establishing microgrant schemes, and creating multistakeholder bodies to monitor gender-responsive policies.

The report evaluates Mahembe Coffee, a small and medium-sized enterprise in Rwanda that produces, processes, and exports specialty coffee. Using the RAI Tool for Agribusiness, the study finds that the company generally maintains high compliance with responsible investment principles, largely driven by the founder's commitment to community development. Key strengths include fair pricing for farmers, inclusive governance, and environmental risk management. However, the report identifies risks related to the informal nature of its operations—such as a lack of written employment contracts—and the potential for this culture to wane as the business transitions to new shareholders. It recommends formalizing policies and procedures to ensure the continuity of its social and environmental standards.

The report examines the environmental and socio-economic impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) tailings, highlighting the widespread use of mercury and cyanide and the lack of formal governance frameworks. It argues for the creation of international and regional standards, the formalization of the ASGM sector, and the implementation of gender-sensitive policies to ensure sustainable tailings management and the potential recovery of critical minerals.

The report analyzes the ASM value chain, from exploration to mine closure, highlighting a stark divide between rudimentary artisanal methods and more capitalized small-scale operations. It identifies critical gaps in technology for ore extraction, transportation, and beneficiation, while showcasing promising innovations in mercury-free gold processing, blockchain-based traceability, and digital mining cadastres. The document warns that while mechanization can boost yields and critical mineral supply, it risks displacing labor—particularly women—and increasing environmental degradation if not managed through inclusive policies and strategic zoning.

The report examines the environmental and health risks associated with ASGM tailings, which often contain mercury and cyanide. It finds that while large-scale mining (LSM) has robust standards, ASGM lacks specific international and regional tailings governance, relying on general mining codes that are often poorly enforced due to sector informality. The document recommends the creation of an international ASM-specific tailings standard, the implementation of strategic environmental assessments (SEAs), and the development of formalization schemes to improve waste management and recover critical minerals from tailings.

The ARCA project is a GEF-8 initiative focused on the Caatinga biome in Brazil, with a total GEF financing of $9,771,000. The project seeks to create approximately 100,000 hectares of new protected areas (PAs) and improve the management effectiveness of 4.58 million hectares across seven confirmed PAs. Key components include the implementation of National Action Plans for Endangered Species Conservation (PANs), combating illegal wildlife poaching and trafficking, and providing $732,155 for capacity building and sub-grants to Indigenous Peoples, Traditional Peoples, and Local Communities (IP/TP&LC). The project also aims to mitigate an estimated 48.8 million tons of CO2e over a 20-year period as a co-benefit of improved PA management.

The document highlights the severe economic and health costs of black carbon, noting that in China, short-term exposure in 2017 cost over US$7.5 billion and long-term exposure over US$53 billion. It asserts that reducing black carbon is a "triple win" that would protect glaciers, save millions of lives—including over 400,000 annually in India and nearly half a million in Sub-Saharan Africa—and improve gender equality by reducing the US$800 billion annual loss in women's productivity caused by unclean cooking fuels. Despite these benefits, the author notes that only 12 countries included black carbon targets in their first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and warns that transportation-related emissions in Africa could double by 2040.

The Espejo de Tarapacá project, designed to combine a 300 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric (PSH) plant and a 561 MW-AC photovoltaic (PV) solar plant in Chile, was formally closed in October 2022 before construction began. Despite initial alignment with Chile's decarbonization goals, the project failed because the Project Company could not secure a power-purchase agreement (PPA) or private investors. The evaluation found that the project's relevance declined as the Chilean government prioritized market competition and lithium-based storage over the preferential treatment requested for PSH. While the project failed its primary energy goals, it achieved some positive social outcomes through community engagement in San Marcos and Rio Seco, including women's empowerment and the establishment of a community office. The report concludes that the GCF lacked sufficient risk analysis during formulation, was too slow in reviewing restructuring proposals, and failed to provide the promised high-level policy advocacy to the Chilean government.

The communication strategy for Côte d'Ivoire's National Adaptation Plan (2023–2030) aims to build a climate-resilient society by informing and sensitizing diverse stakeholders. It identifies four strategic axes: political appropriation, public awareness of adaptation practices, documentation of lessons learned, and coordination. The strategy targets institutional actors, community leaders, civil society, the private sector, and the media, utilizing a mix of institutional, behavioral change, and digital communication. Implementation is estimated to cost approximately 50 billion CFA francs.

The briefing critiques the G20's "Better, Bolder and Bigger" MDB reform framework, arguing that its focus on leveraging private capital and streamlining processes undermines accountability, ignores debt vulnerabilities in developing nations, and fails to ensure a genuine fossil fuel phaseout. It highlights risks associated with large-scale renewable energy projects and the lack of gender-sensitive policies, urging a shift toward grants-based financing, stronger safeguards, and democratized decision-making.

The proposal identifies critical gaps in Côte d'Ivoire's climate governance, including a lack of inter-ministerial coordination, insufficient local-level planning, and limited private sector capacity to engage with the Green Climate Fund (GCF). To address these, the project proposes training for the National Designated Authority (NDA), establishing a multi-stakeholder coordination committee, updating the national Country Programme to align with GCF USP-2 requirements, and developing 'green city' strategies in the Gbêkê region and Bocanda. The initiative also includes rural awareness campaigns and the production of educational materials to promote climate adaptation best practices.