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The document argues that the International <IR> Framework's multi-capital approach and emphasis on integrated thinking can help businesses identify and manage the risks and opportunities associated with the SDGs. It proposes a five-step process—understanding the external environment, identifying material issues, developing strategy, enhancing governance, and preparing an integrated report—to ensure that corporate value creation is aligned with sustainable development. The report emphasizes that the SDGs are interdependent and that businesses must manage trade-offs between different capitals to contribute effectively to the 2030 Agenda.

The report examines the relationship between natural capital and human prosperity, arguing that current economic systems fail to accurately measure, value, and manage nature. It highlights that while human wealth has increased, renewable natural capital is being depleted due to a lack of appropriate price signals and a flawed assumption that nature is easily substitutable by man-made capital. The authors propose integrating natural capital into comprehensive national wealth accounts and using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for protecting critical natural capital. Key recommendations include establishing Natural Capital Committees, using non-market valuation techniques, and supporting R&D for technologies that reduce pressure on nature.

The document defines Local Economic Development (LED) as a participatory, bottom-up process aimed at improving economic conditions for a locality. It argues that while Ghana has a decentralization agenda and a National LED Policy (2013), implementation is hindered by low awareness, inadequate technical guidance, and a lack of dedicated funding. The report suggests that MMDAs must shift from top-down approaches to collaborative partnerships with the private sector, leveraging human capital, ICT, and territory branding to reduce poverty and unemployment.

PepsiCo is implementing a water stewardship approach to build resilience against climatic extremes, specifically at its Parow site in Cape Town. The company has achieved a total annual water saving of 147,892 m³ through various site-specific projects, including a R27.9 million investment in advanced batch peeling technology that reduced fresh water usage by 1.06m³/hr and increased annual revenue by R1.4 million. Beyond its facility, PepsiCo aims to be Net Water Positive by 2030 and has invested R29.8 million over five years in the Greater Cape Town Water Fund to restore ecosystems and remove invasive species. Additionally, the PepsiCo Foundation invested R6 million in safe water and sanitation projects across the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Limpopo.

The Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative established by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to foster collaboration between scientists and policymakers across the Americas. Its primary goal is to provide government officials and experts with robust scientific information to address complex, transboundary challenges related to global change, including climate change, biodiversity, and water resources. The SDC aims to act as a regional resource for capacity building, research, and the exchange of best practices in science diplomacy. Its strategic objectives include developing a science diplomacy knowledge center, creating training curricula for policymakers and diplomats, and convening diverse stakeholders to promote evidence-based decision-making and international cooperation.

The IAI activities plan for 2016-2017 focuses on institutional transitions in Argentina and Brazil, the continuation and expansion of CRN3 research projects with an emphasis on interdisciplinary science and ecosystem services, and the delivery of professional development seminars across the Americas. Key science-policy goals include launching a MOOC at COP-22, participating in UNCBD COP-13 and IPBES-5, and aligning research with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The IAI's 2016-2017 plan focuses on enhancing interdisciplinary research through the CRN3 projects and new grants on ecosystem services for adaptation. Key capacity-building initiatives include professional seminars in Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, and Canada, as well as an advanced science school on the nitrogen cycle in Brazil. The institute aims to strengthen science-policy links through a MOOC launched at COP 22, a partnership with IPBES, and participation in the UN High-Level Political Forum regarding the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The IAI Directorate Report (June 2015 - May 2016) outlines the institute's efforts to bridge the gap between global change science and policy in the Americas. Key activities include the implementation of the NSF-funded Training Institute Seed Grant Program, the development of Professional Development Seminars, and the creation of a Science Policy Liaison Directorate in Buenos Aires to quantify the impact of IAI research. The report highlights strategic collaborations with the UNFCCC, CBD, and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as a transition toward greater financial ownership by member countries through the Inter-american Forum of Funding Agencies. It also details specific regional projects, such as climate vulnerability assessments in the Tropical Andes and water management initiatives in Argentina and Colombia.

The IAI report outlines its efforts to bridge the gap between climate science and policy in the Americas through capacity-building programs, international networking, and strategic alliances with UN agencies and development banks. Key achievements include the implementation of seed grant programs, the development of climate vulnerability tools for the tropical Andes, and increased visibility through the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) campaign. The document also highlights a transition toward a more diversified funding model and the establishment of a Science-Policy Liaison office in Buenos Aires to quantify the impact of IAI research on national and regional policies.

The Science Diplomacy Center is an IAI initiative aimed at fostering regional collaboration in the Americas to achieve a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable continent. It focuses on enhancing the role of science and technology in meeting Sustainable Development Goals through two main pillars: the development of a knowledge center for sharing regional information and the improvement of science diplomacy capacities among scientists and decision-makers.

The report details the 'Impacts of Climate Change and Global in Latin America' MOOC, a free educational tool launched at COP-22 to provide knowledge on climate science and its effects on biodiversity and services in Latin America. Developed with 21 scientists from eight countries, the course covers six thematic axes, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the agricultural sector. As of February 28, 2018, the course had 8,684 registered users and 94,371 visits. The document proposes implementing a digital certification system involving module-specific exams with a minimum passing score of 80 to increase user retention and provide professional accreditation.

The document provides a comprehensive set of 17 case studies illustrating how science diplomacy—the intersection of foreign policy and scientific research—is used to manage transboundary resources, protect biodiversity, and regulate emerging technologies in the Americas. It defines science diplomacy through three lenses: science in diplomacy (technical input for policy), diplomacy for science (promoting national scientific communities), and science for diplomacy (using scientific cooperation to improve diplomatic ties). Key examples include the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR), the Amazonian Regional Platform of Indigenous Peoples (ARPIP), and the Guarani Aquifer Agreement. The text emphasizes the necessity of integrating indigenous knowledge, managing multi-stakeholder governance, and aligning national policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address climate change and environmental degradation.

The document outlines the increasing likelihood of exceeding the 1.5°C warming threshold and the resulting interest in 'emergency' options like solar radiation modification (SRM) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR). It highlights a critical lack of formal international and national governance for SRM, noting a specific instance in Mexico where a private US company conducted unauthorized aerosol experiments. The text details efforts by IAI, CEPAL, and C2G to raise awareness and build regional governance frameworks in Latin America and the Caribbean to manage these climate interventions.

The briefing note critiques the OECD's Two-Pillar solution for being undemocratic and providing minimal revenue benefits to developing countries, particularly in Africa. It advocates for a transition toward a UN-led international tax architecture that ensures equal participation for all states. The author urges South Africa, during its 2025 G20 Presidency, to build consensus for taxing the super-rich and to support the Africa Group's efforts within the UN process to curb illicit financial flows and tax avoidance.

The document examines how progressive taxation can address extreme poverty and economic inequality, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa. It evaluates several tax instruments, including Financial Transaction Taxes (FTTs), net wealth taxes, property taxes, and Resource Rent Taxes (RTT), detailing their potential to generate revenue for social protection and climate justice. Using South Africa as a case study, the brief provides specific revenue estimates for various progressive measures, such as a net wealth tax that could raise between R70 and R160 billion.

The policy brief advocates for the G20 to push the IMF for a new $650 billion SDR allocation to address the intersecting debt and climate crises in the Global South. It argues that SDRs are a critical alternative to debt-based financing, as they do not require repayment and can be used for fiscal support, climate adaptation, and mitigation. The brief also recommends that the IMF revert its accounting of SDRs from liabilities to equity (as per BPM5) to prevent artificial increases in debt-to-GDP ratios and facilitate the donation of unused SDRs from advanced economies to indebted nations.

The report examines the intersection of gender equality and sustainable development, asserting that systemic barriers—such as discriminatory laws and unequal access to natural resources—hinder global progress. It highlights the economic costs of gender inequality, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women, and the positive environmental outcomes associated with female leadership in government and corporate boards. The document calls for urgent structural reforms, including gender-responsive climate policies and guaranteed land rights for women, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The document argues that poverty and environmental degradation are mutually reinforcing systemic issues that must be addressed together. It traces the shift from measuring poverty solely by household income to multidimensional indices, such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Planetary-Pressures Adjusted HDI, which incorporate carbon emissions and material footprints. The text highlights how climate change, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affect the poor, while noting that the resource consumption of the wealthiest 10% of the global population prevents the poor from escaping poverty within planetary boundaries. It recommends that governments shift from GDP-centric metrics to national well-being indices that include marginalized groups and environmental health.

The document argues that while global financial assets are sufficient to fund sustainable development, a significant funding gap and digital divide persist. It traces the history of international environmental cooperation from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Key challenges identified include the failure of developed nations to meet the $100 billion annual climate finance goal, fragmented funding architectures, and barriers to technology transfer such as intellectual property rights. The text emphasizes that digital technologies (AI, blockchain, cloud computing) offer immense potential for zero-carbon energy and circular economies, provided that access is equitable and risks like data privacy and job loss are managed.

The IISD Economic Law and Policy program provides technical support, data, and analysis to policy-makers and businesses to align public and private investment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program focuses on finance, trade, government procurement, and industrial policy, with specific emphasis on agricultural and mining investments in developing countries. Key initiatives include the Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, aimed at building the capacity of officials in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to negotiate sustainable treaties and contracts.