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The research paper argues that Africa's infrastructure deficit is a cumulative result of colonial-era designs focused on extraction, post-independence mismanagement, and the impact of 1980s debt crises and Structural Adjustment Programs. It notes that colonial railways shaped current urban locations and that recent investments have often focused on prestige projects or specific corridors funded by external partners like China.

The report details a strategic scenario for Africa to improve health and demographic outcomes by 2050. Key interventions include increasing modern contraceptive use to 75% in sub-Saharan Africa and 85% in North Africa, reducing mortality for the top five disease types by 20 percentage points, and expanding safely managed water and sanitation access. The scenario also targets a 20% reduction in under-five stunting in 39 countries. These improvements require an additional US$18.9 billion in health spending continentwide, with infrastructure spending peaking at US$4.7 billion per annum in 2037. The model is based on empirical benchmarks from countries like Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, and Kenya, and mirrors historical progress in South America and South Asia.

The paper identifies a disconnect between Nairobi's sanitation policy rhetoric and its implementation, noting that a focus on sewerage development marginalizes other sanitation regimes and fails to address equity. Projections suggest that climate change will exacerbate these inequalities, leaving a significant portion of the population with poor sanitation services by 2030.

This policy brief argues that water and sanitation are strategic assets essential for Africa's peace, energy transition, and food security. It advocates for a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach and Strategic Asset Management (SAM) to address a $1 trillion infrastructure investment gap by 2040 and mitigate the 'threat multiplier' effect of climate change. The brief recommends integrating water governance into the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and strengthening transboundary cooperation across the continent's 63 shared river and lake basins to prevent conflict and promote regional stability.

The document details a multi-phase initiative in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to combat pollution caused by the use of raw coal in 'ger' settlements. It highlights the role of the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Centre (EPCRC) in transitioning the community toward fuel-efficient briquettes, improving sanitation to prevent soil contamination, and influencing national green economy policies and legislation for women entrepreneurs.

The report analyzes the New PAC's infrastructure plans for the Amazon, finding a disconnect between project distribution and actual regional needs. It highlights contradictions between the program's green growth discourse and its inclusion of high-impact projects like the Ferrogrão railroad and BR-319 highway, as well as investments in natural gas power plants. The authors argue that the New PAC lacks transparency and fails to align with the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAM). Recommendations include creating a comprehensive regional development plan, prioritizing infrastructure in the 'Deforested Amazon', and shifting energy investments toward solar and wind power.

The document evaluates global efforts to achieve universal water and sanitation coverage, contrasting the historical use of private sector investment with a renewed shift toward public governance models based on improved institutional regulation and competition management.

Uruguay is transitioning toward integrated urban water management, with high potable water access but ongoing challenges in sanitation, stormwater drainage, and flood risk management. While constitutional reforms recognize water and sanitation as human rights, implementation remains partial, and the country faces significant needs in wastewater treatment and sustainable urban drainage planning.

The document outlines the state of methane emissions in Brazil's waste sector, identifying that 15% of national methane emissions in 2022 came from waste, with 68% of those originating from solid waste disposal. It details the institutional framework, current waste management statistics, and key challenges such as low recycling rates and the persistence of open dumps, while recommending improvements in organic waste treatment, landfill gas recovery, and regulatory enforcement.

The report analyzes the Novo PAC's impact on the Amazon, arguing that the program lacks regional planning and fails to account for the area's socio-environmental complexity. It highlights contradictions between infrastructure projects and deforestation goals, such as the Ferrogrão railway and BR-319 paving, and criticizes the continued use of fossil fuels in energy projects. The authors recommend a comprehensive regional development plan, better alignment with the PPCDAm's zero-deforestation target, and a shift toward renewable energy and distributed generation.

The Harare City Profiling Report 2025 details the challenges facing Zimbabwe's capital, characterized by rapid informal urban growth, severe infrastructure decay, and a strained relationship between the opposition-led city council and the national government. While Harare serves as the country's economic hub, it suffers from critical gaps in water, sanitation, and waste management, with a significant portion of the population living in informal settlements. The report highlights a severe fiscal crisis where the city relies almost entirely on its own limited revenue sources while facing low payment compliance and high levels of non-revenue water.

The report provides a comprehensive profile of Luanda, highlighting its rapid population growth, extreme economic inequality, and a highly centralised governance structure. While the city has benefited from oil wealth, significant service delivery gaps persist, particularly in housing, water, and sanitation for those in informal settlements. The report notes that Luanda is one of the most congested cities globally and faces increasing climate risks, including flooding and sea-level rise.

The Maputo metropolitan area, with a population of 2.9 million, serves as Mozambique's primary economic and political hub but faces significant challenges in service delivery and infrastructure. While the city shows economic growth and improving health indices, it is characterized by high levels of informal settlements, inadequate sanitation, and a fragmented local government system with limited functional autonomy. Key infrastructure projects like the Maputo-Katembe bridge have improved connectivity, but the region remains one of the poorest primary cities in the SADC region, with a heavy reliance on charcoal for cooking and a high prevalence of waterborne diseases among children.

The document outlines transdisciplinary (TD) research practices through seven case studies in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on the co-creation of solutions for global environmental change. It emphasizes the shift from 'ecosystem services' to 'Nature’s Contributions to People' (NCP) and highlights the necessity of epistemic justice, community leadership, and the role of 'brokers' or liaisons in bridging gaps between academic scientists and local stakeholders. Key examples include wildfire monitoring in the Amazon, biodiversity monitoring in Panama, women's empowerment in the Jamaican coffee industry, community conservation in Mexico, sanitation in Brazil, watershed protection in Uruguay, and social water management in Colombia.

The document argues that sanitation systems are both vulnerable to climate change and contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, yet remain poorly integrated into national climate and sanitation policies. This disconnect leads to missed synergies between Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 13 and results in sanitation initiatives receiving minimal climate finance. The authors analyze NDCs and sanitation plans to provide recommendations for integrating climate-resilient water, sanitation and health (WASH) initiatives into national adaptation plans and updated NDCs.

The report finds a significant disconnect between sanitation and climate policy, with only 2% of activities in analyzed NDCs addressing sanitation. While some countries like Jordan, Bolivia, and Uganda show detailed integration, many national sanitation policies are outdated and ignore climate risks. The authors argue that integrating these frameworks can unlock climate finance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (which currently account for approximately 1.3% of global totals), and enhance community and ecosystem resilience.

The document identifies critical evidence gaps in the quantification and measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from both sewer-based and non-sewered sanitation systems, arguing for the integration of climate-smart solutions in infrastructure design to align sanitation goals with climate action.

The report outlines a framework for improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in Guatemala, emphasizing the connection between these services and integrated watershed management. It aims to align Guatemala's public policy on drinking water and sanitation with the K’atun 2032 National Development Plan, specifically under the 'Natural resources today and for the future' axis. The document analyzes current policy challenges, identifies areas where Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) tools can be applied based on consultations with health and environment officials, and provides recommendations for strategic partnerships and capacity building to enhance climate resilience and public health.

The Clean and Green framework, piloted in Burkina Faso with WaterAid and Eau Vive International, aims to improve rural health and agricultural sustainability by managing a broad range of waste-related risks and recycling nutrients and water from household and community waste flows.

The document examines the global water and sanitation crisis, noting that 673 million people lack toilets and 2.1 billion lack safe drinking water. It critiques previous international efforts, such as the Millennium Development Goals, for using low-ambition indicators, and advocates for the more holistic Sustainable Development Goal 6. The brief emphasizes the intersection of water security with climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality, calling for increased financing, better governance, and a human rights-based approach to ensure no one is left behind by 2030.