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The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with rail infrastructure being a primary driver. The document highlights the growing role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US, and advocates for the green bond market to reach $1 trillion in annual issuance by 2020 to meet Paris Agreement targets.

The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe as of mid-2017, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with China Railway Corp being the largest single issuer. The document highlights the growing importance of municipal and sovereign green bonds, particularly in the US and Europe, and provides a detailed analysis of Brazil's potential to expand its green finance market to meet its Paris Agreement targets. It concludes by advocating for a global green bond issuance target of $1 trillion per year by 2020.

The report identifies a $895 billion universe of climate-aligned bonds, including $221 billion in labeled green bonds. It highlights the dominance of the transport and energy sectors and the critical role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US. The document argues for a massive acceleration of green bond issuance to reach $1 trillion annually by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The document examines the evolution of 'Technology for Accountability' (T4A) in South Africa, moving from early open data portals to civic technology apps, and finally to the 'accountability stack' approach. It argues that technology is merely a 'pipe' and not a driver of change itself; instead, sustainable impact requires partnering with civil society organisations (CSOs) and journalists to ensure data is used to solve human problems. The author highlights several South African tools—such as Wazimap and Municipal Money—and recommends that T4A projects be framed by the resolution of a person's problem rather than the delivery of a technical tool.

The report details a workshop focused on integrating civil society into South Africa's Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) process. It identifies critical gaps in the Draft MSP Bill and Framework, such as the lack of an ecosystem-based approach and insufficient public participation. Key recommendations include establishing a civil society institutional structure (like a stakeholder forum or Community of Practice), aligning academic research with national MSP milestones, and developing an information-sharing portal to improve transparency and data accessibility.

The report identifies significant opportunities for solar thermal energy in South Africa's agri-processing and textile sectors due to their need for heat below 160°C. It quantifies the potential installation area and greenhouse gas savings, while analyzing the financial drivers, such as rising energy prices, and barriers, including high capital costs and a lack of component-level certification. The document advocates for the use of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) and government support to transition the 'infant' solar thermal industry toward cost-competitiveness.

The document outlines the economic drivers and practical implementation of solar PV for businesses in the Western Cape, noting that systems can reduce electricity costs by up to 16% with payback periods typically between 3 and 8 years. It details three financing models—self-funded, bank-funded, and power purchase agreements (PPAs)—and lists the municipalities in the province that support small scale embedded generation (SSEG). Additionally, it highlights available tax incentives, such as 100% accelerated depreciation, and the Western Cape government's goal to reach 135MW of rooftop PV capacity by 2020.

The South African energy services market is expanding due to rising electricity costs, decreasing technology prices, and supportive policies. Growth is primarily driven by the commercial and industrial sectors, particularly through rooftop solar PV and energy efficiency retrofits. While national regulations have lagged behind the rapid uptake of small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), local municipalities, especially in the Western Cape, are developing their own guidelines to unlock investment. Significant opportunities exist in public building retrofits, the water-energy nexus in municipal wastewater treatment, and industrial solar thermal applications in the food and beverage sector.

The report assesses the South African utility-scale renewable energy sector, primarily driven by the REIPPPP. It highlights the programme's success in procuring over 6,300 MWp of capacity and attracting R194 billion in investment. The document details the role of government policies, the shift toward competitive tariffs for wind and solar PV, and the strategic importance of local content and socio-economic development. It also identifies opportunities for municipal power procurement and the development of green technology hubs, specifically in the Western Cape.

The report highlights a significant market for green water technologies in South Africa, driven by resource scarcity, rising costs, and climate change. Key opportunities include industrial water reuse, smart water management, desalination, and groundwater development. In the Western Cape, the industrial water reuse market is estimated at R600 million, while the direct potable municipal reuse market is valued at R4.5 billion. The document also emphasizes the water-energy nexus and the need to reduce municipal non-revenue water, which currently stands at 37% nationally.

This report summarizes an information session held by WWF South Africa on October 18, 2017, focused on water saving and stewardship for agricultural producers in the Western Cape. It addresses the critical water scarcity facing the region, the role of producers as stewards of shared water resources, and practical technological and biological methods to improve water use efficiency and mitigate climate risks.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) defends its 'Zero Hour' report against criticisms from the Chamber of Mines, asserting that the report's findings on environmental violations in Mpumalanga are based on extensive evidence. The CER rejects the Chamber's claim that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has a proven track record of regulation, instead citing a 'consistent failure' in compliance monitoring and enforcement. The CER calls for increased transparency, better protection of strategic water source areas, and improved DMR capacity to prevent further environmental degradation.

This briefing by GreenCape outlines the potential for processing and reusing builders' rubble in South Africa, highlighting road construction as a primary opportunity and emphasizing the necessity of regional operations to manage logistics costs.

The document details how GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency, acts as an independent bridge between the public and private sectors to drive green growth in South Africa's Western Cape. Established in 2010, it initially focused on renewable energy before expanding into energy efficiency, water, waste, and agriculture. The agency's success is attributed to its legal independence, strong government support, and a multidisciplinary approach to removing market barriers. Between 2010 and 2015, GreenCape facilitated ZAR 17 billion in renewable energy project investments and created over 2,000 associated jobs.

The document details the establishment and operation of GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency created by the Western Cape Government to bridge the public and private sectors. It outlines how GreenCape's independent structure, multidisciplinary team, and strategic alignment with government policies enabled it to facilitate significant private sector investment and job creation in renewable energy and other green sectors. The case study highlights key success factors, such as maintaining political neutrality and providing impartial market intelligence, and provides quantitative results of its impact between 2010 and 2015.

The paper argues that South Africa's extreme inequality, high unemployment, and declining governance effectiveness are fueling social turbulence. It details a shift from state-sponsored apartheid violence to diverse forms of public violence, including service delivery protests, xenophobic attacks, and student unrest. The authors highlight a critical failure in security institutions and a lack of structural economic reform, suggesting the country is at a political turning point where economic stagnation and poor leadership increase the risk of future instability.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of South Africa's water crisis, highlighting the critical role of 'ecological infrastructure' and the need to transition from a reliance on ageing surface-water dams to sustainable groundwater management and water-sensitive urban design. It details the threats to freshwater biodiversity, the systemic failures in wastewater treatment and sanitation, and the necessity of public-private partnerships in water stewardship to mitigate risks to the economy and public health.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has written to the Australian High Commissioner to South Africa to question the allocation of $15,431.00 from the Australian Direct Aid Program to 'MRC Resources' for the 'upgrade of existing fresh water borehole'. The CER notes that the Direct Aid Program is intended for poverty reduction and sustainable development in local communities, rather than for profit-making Australian companies like Mineral Commodities Limited (MRC), which operates mineral sands projects in South Africa. The letter highlights significant social unrest and violence associated with MRC's projects, specifically mentioning the assassination of anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe on 22 March 2016 in Xolobeni. The CER seeks confirmation of the recipient's identity, the location and justification for the borehole project, the application process used, and whether the funding was monitored.

South Africa faces a severe water crisis driven by climate change, population growth, and crumbling infrastructure. The report argues that the country must shift its focus from building new infrastructure to managing demand through water efficiency. Key opportunities for savings include improving agricultural irrigation (30-40%), reducing municipal leaks and household waste (12-30%), and increasing industrial efficiency. The document emphasizes the role of the business community in disclosing water use and investing in water-saving technologies to avoid economic instability and social unrest.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has written to the Minister of Mineral Resources, requesting the public release of compliance monitoring and enforcement data for the mining sector. The CER argues that the lack of public data allows companies to hide poor environmental compliance, which negatively impacts local communities. Although a previous Minister stated in July 2015 that mining sector data would be included in the Department of Environmental Affairs' annual National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report (NECER), the 2014-2015 NECER published in November 2015 contained no such information. The CER seeks confirmation that the 2015-2016 NECER will include this data or asks when the Department of Mineral Resources will publish its own report.