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The 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI focused on integrating scientific research into policy across the Americas. Key discussions included the IPBES Regional Assessment for the Americas, the launch of the IAI Open Data initiative, and the development of a new 25-year Strategic Plan. The workshop also highlighted the role of science diplomacy and the impact of Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) projects on regional policy outcomes, such as water security and protected areas.

The document emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen science and technology-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) capacity in Asia to meet 2030 global goals. It advocates for a shift from managing disasters to reducing risks by improving the understanding of risk dimensions, integrating risk governance into planning, and utilizing cost-benefit analyses for resilience investments. The text highlights Asia's vulnerability to high-frequency, high-intensity hazards and argues that global DRR targets cannot be achieved unless disaster casualties and property losses decrease within the region.

The document examines the crisis of marine plastic pollution, noting that while Asia is currently the most polluted continent, Africa is on track to take this title due to rapid population growth, industrialisation, and a lack of waste management capacity. It details the environmental impacts of plastic, including entanglement and ingestion by 344 and 331 marine species respectively, and the economic losses associated with tourism and material waste. The brief surveys a wide array of international treaties—such as UNCLOS, MARPOL, and the Basel Convention—and regional frameworks like the RSCAPs, arguing that policies must shift from focusing on ocean-based waste to targeting land-based sources. It highlights South Africa's legislative framework as an example of established policy that still lacks ground-level implementation, and promotes the African Marine Waste Network (AMWN) as a holistic model for research, economic incentives, and capacity building.

The report identifies three categories of barriers to the growth of adaptation and resilience companies in developing countries: context barriers (policy, institutional, and market environments), business model barriers (uncertainty of value-add, high costs, and lack of technical capacity), and internal capacity barriers (management and operational gaps). Through case studies of Planalytics and JBA Consulting, and a mapping of 41 TA facilities, the authors recommend a TA facility structure consisting of three support lines: Preparation (technology transfer and business planning), Partnerships (market development and stakeholder linkages), and Resilient Systems (policy studies and impact methodologies). This framework is applied to the design of the CRAFT Resilience Accelerator, a proposed USD 20 million facility linked to a USD 500 million private equity fund.

The document highlights the critical but often invisible role of women in Africa's small-scale fisheries, particularly in post-harvest activities. It argues that gender-blind policies and a lack of disaggregated data lead to the exclusion of women from governance and economic benefits. The author recommends context-specific interventions, the collection of gender-disaggregated data, and the promotion of livelihood diversification, such as aquaculture, to improve women's human rights and economic security.

This chapter describes the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning system Integrated Benefits Calculator (LEAP-IBC), a model developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute to estimate the impacts of policy scenarios on pollutants, human health, and other endpoints, specifically highlighting its application in Bangladesh.

The document argues that the proposed amendments to the Land Value Index Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018, risk further marginalizing vulnerable groups by reducing compensation protections, limiting judicial oversight, and removing requirements for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). Natural Justice advocates for stricter definitions of prompt payment, the inclusion of the National Land Commission in index development, and the retention of legal safeguards to ensure livelihood restoration for displaced persons.

The report examines the growing global need for cooling, driven by urbanization and rising incomes, particularly in developing countries. It warns that a surge in air conditioning (AC) use could lead to massive increases in electricity demand and urban heat island effects. The document also details the critical role of cold chains in reducing food loss and ensuring vaccine viability, while emphasizing the need to 'leapfrog' high-emission cooling technologies to avoid severe environmental impacts.

Tesco has committed to reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2025 and scope 3 emissions by 17% by 2030, both using a 2015 base-year. To achieve these goals, the company is implementing a costed renewable electricity roadmap and investing in energy and refrigeration efficiency, having already spent over £700 million since 2006. Tesco aims for 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and a net-zero carbon status by 2050, while managing specific challenges related to agricultural emissions, which constitute approximately 70% of its supply chain emissions.

The report highlights the explosive growth of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), with an estimated 40.5 million direct workers in 2017. It examines the sector's critical role in global mineral supplies—including 20% of gold and 80% of sapphires—while detailing severe environmental and health risks, particularly from mercury use in gold mining. The document analyzes the tensions between ASM and large-scale mining (LSM), the limitations of current certification schemes, and the necessity of inclusive formalization processes that address the poverty-driven nature of the sector rather than focusing solely on entrepreneurs.

The 2018 Goal 10 Assessment finds that slow improvements in forest governance and the failure to implement existing laws contribute to ongoing deforestation. It highlights a critical gap between legal protections on paper and the practical security of land rights for indigenous peoples and local communities, noting an increase in land conflicts and violence against activists since 2014. While some Asian countries are introducing market restrictions on illegal commodities to complement EU, US, and Australian frameworks, the report emphasizes that local innovations for community empowerment require greater scaling and financial support.

The report evaluates global progress in forest governance and land rights, noting a record 182 killings of environmental defenders in 2016. While it highlights positive developments in illegal timber import controls in countries like South Korea, Malaysia, and the US, and the implementation of EU FLEGT agreements in Indonesia and Vietnam, it warns that climate finance for local communities remains insufficient, with only 10 percent reaching the local level in 2016. The document also emphasizes the lack of gender-sensitive provisions in community-based tenure regimes and the ongoing effort to track tenure security via SDG Indicator 1.4.2.

The 2017 update to the New York Declaration on Forests Goal 2 assessment finds that while corporate commitments to reduce deforestation in agricultural supply chains are increasing, their scope and ambition remain variable. Progress is most evident in the palm oil and timber sectors, where certification standards are more prevalent, while the cattle and soy sectors lag behind. Although traceability systems are improving—with 81% of producer companies having them in place by 2016—many companies still struggle to verify if their supply is free of converted High-Conservation-Value (HCV) or High-Carbon-Stock (HCS) forests. Financial institution engagement remains limited, and direct data on the impact of these commitments on deforestation rates is currently unavailable, though new monitoring tools like GFW-Commodities and Trase are being developed.

The assessment finds that while over USD 4.1 billion has been committed to results-based REDD+ payments, disbursements remain limited and concentrated, primarily in Brazil. It highlights the emergence of jurisdictional-sourcing initiatives across Asia, Latin America, and Africa as a promising mechanism to scale zero-deforestation commitments, though private resource flows remain small.

The document estimates that in 2016, 1.35 billion children lived in conflict-affected countries, with 357 million living in 'conflict zones' defined as within 50 km of a lethal conflict event. Asia has the highest absolute number of affected children, while the Middle East has the highest proportional risk. The number of children in conflict zones has increased by over 50% since the 1990s, with nearly half living in high-intensity conflict zones in 2016. The authors highlight a critical lack of systematic data on direct harms like killing and maiming, urging increased investment in data collection and targeted policy interventions.

The document provides a mapping of children living in conflict settings, distinguishing between those in conflict-affected countries and those in 'conflict zones' (within 50km of fighting). In 2017, approximately 1.8 billion children lived in conflict-affected countries, while 420 million lived in conflict zones. Asia has the highest absolute number of affected children, but the Middle East has the highest proportion relative to its population. The report also notes a rise in the number of children in conflict zones since 2000 and discusses the severe impact of the denial of humanitarian access, particularly in South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and the Central African Republic.

The report analyzes electricity access in 20 high-deficit countries by comparing government reports, utility data, household surveys, and solar sales. It consistently finds that household consumption (wealth) is a stronger driver of access disparity than gender, although specific national patterns vary. In many cases, significant gaps exist between formal utility connection rates and household survey results, often attributed to off-grid solutions, informal connections, or self-supply methods like diesel generators.

The SEforALL 2018 Workplan focuses on four primary workstreams: 'Energy Efficiency First', 'Leaving No One Behind', 'Sustainable Energy Diplomacy', and the 'Body of Evidence'. Key initiatives include the 'Cooling for All' program to protect vulnerable populations from heat, the development of energy efficiency finance accelerators, and the coordination of biomass data in Sub-Saharan Africa. The plan emphasizes unlocking finance and brokering partnerships through high-level engagement with the G7, G20, and the UN system. Additionally, the organization aims to enhance its evidence base through the Global Tracking Framework (GTF) and Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE), while utilizing the annual SEforALL Forum to connect government, business, and civil society leaders.

The document evaluates the proposed Northwest Innovation Works methanol facility at the Port of Kalama, arguing that its greenhouse gas emissions are significantly underestimated and that it is unlikely to reduce global emissions. It proposes a 'climate test' for new industry to ensure projects do not lock in high-carbon technologies or become stranded assets in a transition to a low-carbon economy.

The document argues that communication and information poverty—characterized by lack of access to platforms, media misrepresentation, and low media literacy—undermines the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It specifically analyzes the intersections between communication rights and SDGs 5, 9, 16, and 17, while providing recommendations for a rights-based approach to communication. The report highlights the need to democratize media systems, increase digital media literacy, and address the specific needs of marginalized groups, particularly Indigenous peoples, which it claims are insufficiently addressed in Agenda 2030.