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The research examines nine donor-supported active citizenship programs implemented between 2010 and 2015 in Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, and Tunisia. The authors argue that these programs, primarily funded by the US and Europe, employ a 'neo-liberalization of citizenship' approach that emphasizes formal participation and technical skill-building over political dissent and social mobilization. Through interviews with approximately 250 activists, the study finds a significant gap between the normative, Western-inspired training modules and the actual political constraints in the MENA region, such as secretive decision-making, unreliable judicial systems, and the dominance of informal power networks. The paper concludes that these programs risk bolstering the legitimacy of non-democratic regimes by encouraging tokenistic engagement and disconnecting activists from their local communities.

The document argues that government behavior, rather than just structural factors, determines the risk of civil conflict. It distinguishes between 'sins of omission'—the failure to provide political goods and protect property rights—and 'sins of commission'—the use of patronage politics to co-opt opponents. The author finds that while patronage and corruption generally increase conflict risk, they can actually enhance regime resilience in oil-rich states by bribing potential rebels. Additionally, the research highlights that single-party authoritarian regimes are more resilient to armed conflict than military or multi-party autocracies. In Nigeria, the study finds that non-state conflict is driven by political and economic competition for state patronage rather than ethnic or religious animosity.

The conference reviewed the achievements and challenges of the APRM from 2003 to 2013, emphasizing the critical but often inconsistent role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in monitoring and implementing National Programmes of Action (NPoAs). Key discussions focused on the need to universalise the mechanism, integrate it into the emerging African Governance Architecture (AGA), and better harness the contributions of the African diaspora and youth.

The report examines macroeconomic resilience in 12 sub-Saharan African countries, focusing on the use of monetary and fiscal instruments to stabilise production and inflation cycles. It identifies commodity price downcycles as the most consistent trigger for economic crises and argues that currency regimes significantly influence a nation's ability to absorb shocks. The author develops the CoMPRA-MERI index to track resilience across seven dimensions: fiscal, monetary, external debt, trade, investment, governance, and human capital. Findings suggest that most countries exhibit procyclical outcomes due to structural constraints, though Uganda is noted as a successful exception in applying countercyclical tools. The report recommends trade diversification and a shift toward more flexible exchange rate regimes to enhance structural resilience.

A study by SEI Tallinn analyzed 175 agriculture-related water policy recommendations for the Baltic Sea region issued between 2014 and the time of the report. The analysis found that nearly one-third of recommendations focused on governance, and many were too general or lacked a clear addressee. The authors argue that for recommendations to effectively combat eutrophication—which is driven in part by agriculture contributing 45% of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Baltic Sea—they must be more specific regarding the target actor, the desired action, and the intended result.

The document provides a conceptual framework for institutional capacity development (CD) in developing countries, integrating traditional institutional development, governance, and micro-economics. It defines institutional capacity as a combination of functions, resources, and structures, and argues that sustainability depends on local ownership and the ability to secure domestic resources. The authors propose generic 'capacity areas'—such as information, competence, and governance—and suggest monitoring tools like the Institutional Development Framework (IDF) and the Organisational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) to track progress through specific indicators.

This policy brief, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in June 2015, defines 'frontier landscapes' as remote, sparsely populated areas undergoing rapid transformation due to agricultural expansion and socio-economic shifts. Based on a multi-stakeholder forum at the Global Landscapes Forum in Lima, Peru, the document outlines six propositions to foster sustainable, inclusive, and legitimate development in these regions, emphasizing the need for early action, common ground, institutional capacity, political support, valuation of actor diversity, and robust monitoring.

The authors propose a heuristic framework to bridge the gap between governance research and technological innovation systems (TIS). By integrating the TIS approach with the multi-level perspective (MLP) on socio-technical transitions, the framework allows researchers to analyse the causal relationship between governance arrangements—defined by who governs, how they govern, and what is governed—and the functionality of an innovation system over time. The authors argue that the effectiveness of governance depends on the TIS's stability and its alignment with existing socio-technical regimes.

The document identifies critical gaps in current disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts, specifically the neglect of cultural and contextual factors in vulnerability assessments. It argues that DRR, climate change adaptation, and development are currently 'siloed' and must be integrated to avoid unsustainable patterns of exploitation and loss. The authors call for a shift from top-down, expert-driven governance to transformative, bottom-up approaches that incorporate local knowledge and non-economic assets. To achieve this, they propose using holistic, mixed-method research tools, such as Knowledge Elicitation Tools (KnETs), to better understand the tacit drivers of decision-making and organisational culture.

The report finds that while legal frameworks for environmental access rights have expanded globally, actual implementation remains slow due to vested interests and systemic gaps.

The document argues that India's appliance efficiency standards and labeling (S&L) program, managed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency since 2006, has not fully realized its potential to reduce electricity demand due to low awareness and limited appliance availability. It recommends strengthening governance through increased transparency in product selection and budgeting, clearer accountability for the BEE and other agencies, broader stakeholder participation in monitoring, and enhanced institutional and technical capacity.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is experiencing a "crisis of confidence" following an unproductive July 2018 Board meeting and the departure of its Executive Director. To address this, the World Resources Institute (WRI) proposes a more objective, formula-based framework for determining financial contributions based on factors such as gross national income and GHG emissions. Additionally, the paper recommends strengthening the GCF Board's decision-making effectiveness, implementing independent performance reviews, and increasing transparency in the selection of board members to better represent both developed and developing country constituencies.

The policy brief emphasizes that for the rural poor, lack of resource rights and market access are often greater drivers of vulnerability than climate change itself. It advocates for a shift in adaptation funding toward creating an enabling environment through national-level tenure and regulatory reforms, the strengthening of local governance institutions, and the establishment of governance metrics.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) evaluated a sample of World Bank projects approved from January 2012 to June 2013 to determine if they incorporated sustainable development and governance principles. The analysis found significant gaps in climate risk and emissions assessments, though most projects conducted environmental and social assessments. While many projects targeted vulnerable populations, only half demonstrated specific benefits for them. Additionally, less than half of the projects were strategically aligned with long-term sustainable development plans.

The report argues that for climate finance to be effective and legitimate, there must be a redistribution of power from traditional contributor countries to recipient countries, enhancing national ownership. It suggests a hybrid approach of reforming existing institutions, such as Multilateral Development Banks, while creating new global and national mechanisms to meet the scale of the climate challenge. The authors emphasize the need for strengthened national institutions in developing countries, increased civil society monitoring, and a governance framework based on the three dimensions of power, responsibility, and accountability.

The paper analyzes over 70 evaluation materials and 374 projects to assess the prevalence and effectiveness of locally led climate adaptation. It finds that while many projects involve local actors, very few grant them actual decision-making power over finance and design. The authors identify key enablers of success, such as flexible funding and investment in local institutional capacity, while highlighting barriers like low funder accountability and insufficient direct funding to the local level. The document argues for a shift from treating local actors as beneficiaries to treating them as agents of change through devolved finance and iterative program design.

The report outlines eight recommendations for investors—including international financial institutions and private companies—to implement effective social and environmental safeguards while supporting the laws and institutions of recipient countries. It specifically analyzes four risk management approaches used by the World Bank to derive lessons for other investors seeking to reduce environmental and social risks in infrastructure and development projects.

The document examines the gap between ocean-climate ambition and implementation, noting that 90 percent of updated coastal and island NDCs include ocean-related commitments. Analysis of 358 support requests from 59 countries reveals that implementation readiness is hindered by underdeveloped governance, institutional capacity, data systems, and financing arrangements. Crucially, the text argues that the primary barrier to mobilizing finance is often the lack of these enabling conditions rather than a shortage of available capital.

The paper examines 21 examples of locally led adaptation (LLA) across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Caribbean and Latin America to provide strategies for financing and implementing resilience efforts. It argues that LLA redresses power imbalances by prioritizing the agency of local organizations and Indigenous peoples, who are often best positioned to identify adaptation solutions. The document recommends that funders and governments increase the volume and flexibility of climate finance, integrate social equity into standard processes, and shift governance to center local priorities.

The document argues that climate-readiness initiatives can serve as entry points for wider urban transformation by addressing compounding pressures such as inequality and infrastructure gaps. Analysis of five finalists from the 2023–2024 WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities demonstrates that these initiatives provide benefits across governance, mobility, and community cohesion that extend beyond climate goals. The paper identifies seven types of 'infrastructures' or enabling conditions that facilitate the scaling of these actions into routine governance and proposes six priority actions for cities to strengthen climate readiness and guide systemic change.