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The document examines how African nations have responded to the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting a trend toward non-alignment and a reluctance to support punitive measures against Russia. It argues that African responses are driven by a combination of historical grievances with Western leadership (such as the 2011 NATO intervention in Libya and COVID-19 vaccine inequity) and strategic national interests. The report details the economic opportunities arising from Europe's shift away from Russian energy, specifically regarding natural gas and critical minerals, while warning that geopolitical rivalry between the US, Russia, and China may undermine regional security initiatives like the Accra Initiative. It concludes by advocating for a foreign policy based on 'non-alignment' and 'indivisible security' to avoid becoming proxies in a new Cold War.

The Lobito Corridor is a 1,300 km railway line in Angola, extending into the DRC, designed to transport minerals to the EU and US. While several MoUs have been signed to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) and EV battery value chains, the author argues the project faces significant risks due to China's established supply chains, the TAZARA railway alternative, and the EU and US's lag in EV technology. The paper suggests that the EU and US should move beyond raw material extraction to support comprehensive industrialization across Africa.

The document argues that UN peace operations are in a 'period of retrenchment' due to a crisis of confidence and a failure to adapt to evolving conflict landscapes. It identifies systemic issues such as 'Christmas Tree mandates'—overly ambitious and multi-dimensional tasks—and a reliance on 'templated and bureaucratic approaches' to deployment. The authors advocate for a shift toward tailored, adaptive, and people-centered mission models. Key recommendations include prioritizing strategic objectives over individual tasks, improving coordination between peace operations and UN country teams, and leveraging partnerships with regional organizations like the African Union. The brief also emphasizes the need for proactive transition planning to avoid the 'peacebuilding financing cliff' and calls for more predictable, flexible resourcing to replace current arbitrary budget cuts and liquidity shortfalls.

The report examines the global tea market, highlighting the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to price volatility and climate change. It assesses the impact of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, noting that while they can provide price floors and premiums, a significant amount of certified tea is still sold as conventional. The document argues for a shift toward more transparent pricing, direct trade, and sustainable land management to ensure living incomes for producers.

The document examines the ecological and human rights risks of various geoengineering approaches, asserting that these speculative technologies could lead to ecosystem collapse and perpetuate neocolonialism.

The document defines key forestry terms and outlines the methodology for tracking progress toward the 2030 goals of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. It establishes a 2018-2020 baseline and a linear reduction pathway requiring a 10 percent annual reduction in loss to reach zero deforestation by 2030. The methodology covers the calculation of gross deforestation, humid tropical primary forest loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and forest degradation using the Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII). It also details indicators for forest restoration, including tropical moist forest regrowth and area under restoration, and biodiversity impacts via 7,025 Forested Key Biodiversity Areas (fKBAs).

The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment finds that the world is largely off track to meet its 2030 forest goals. In 2023, 6.37 million hectares of forest were permanently lost, exceeding the target required to eliminate deforestation by 45 percent. Tropical deforestation remains high, particularly in Asia, while primary forest loss is 38 percent higher than necessary to be on track. Forest degradation is widespread, with 62.6 million hectares losing ecological integrity in 2022. The report also highlights an escalation in forest fire frequency and intensity, with 138 million hectares of tree cover burned between 2001 and 2023. Restoration efforts are hindered by a lack of transparent monitoring, though tropical forest regrowth increased significantly after 2015. Biodiversity in forests is also under threat, with tree cover loss in forested Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) spiking by 10 percent in 2023.

The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment finds that the world is far from meeting its 2030 goals to stop deforestation and degradation. In 2023, 6.37 million hectares of forest were permanently lost, with tropical Asia and Africa seeing significant increases. The report highlights that unsustainable production of agricultural commodities and minerals remains the primary driver of loss, often impacting Indigenous Peoples and local communities. While some progress is noted in Brazil and Indonesia, and through new EU regulations like the EUDR, global efforts are hampered by a massive gap between 'green' and 'grey' financing, with trillions in harmful subsidies continuing to incentivize forest destruction.

The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment finds that the world is off track to meet 2030 forest goals, with 6.37 million hectares of forest permanently lost in 2023. Deforestation is primarily driven by commodity production, including agriculture and mining, with significant demand from industrialized nations like China, the EU, and the U.S. While some progress has been made in forest law enforcement and the establishment of protected areas, the report highlights a massive gap between 'green' and 'gray' finance, noting that environmentally harmful subsidies reach USD 2.6 trillion annually. The assessment emphasizes the critical need for rights-based governance and direct funding for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ensure sustainable forest management.

The report identifies a global shift toward embedding social justice in climate action and the rise of green macroeconomic policies like the US Inflation Reduction Act and the EU Green Deal. While renewable energy capacity and electric vehicle sales are hitting records, the transition faces significant hurdles, including a 'gold rush' for critical minerals often lacking governance, inadequate private sector investment in nature, and a trust deficit between citizens and institutions. The document argues for a new 'eco-social contract' based on participatory governance and a fundamental reform of the multilateral financial system to support low- and middle-income countries.

The document outlines a framework for pricing lithium based on OECD transfer pricing principles, detailing the physical characteristics of brine and mineral deposits, production processes, and the role of price-reporting agencies in establishing market benchmarks for battery-grade and technical-grade lithium.

The report establishes a technical framework for the pricing of lithium chemicals (carbonate and hydroxide) and concentrates (spodumene) using OECD transfer pricing principles. It details the physical characteristics of brine and hard-rock deposits, the production processes for different lithium products, and the economic drivers of demand, primarily linked to the electric vehicle battery market. The document identifies key contractual elements, such as Incoterms and pricing indices, and evaluates the role of Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs) in providing benchmarks for arm's length pricing. It concludes with guidance on comparability adjustments based on product quality, economic circumstances, and contractual terms.

The document analyzes three case studies where digital tools—ranging from free Wi-Fi hotspots and custom apps to SMS and voice technology—are used to bridge the digital divide in mining regions. It highlights that while these programs may not always be designed exclusively for women, they often result in significant female participation and empowerment by providing access to education, employment opportunities, and human rights information. The report emphasizes the importance of co-design, digital literacy training, and multi-stakeholder partnerships in ensuring the sustainability and inclusivity of these technological interventions.

The document outlines a technical framework for the valuation of lithium products—including brines, minerals, and chemicals—to ensure fair taxation in multinational mining operations. It details the physical characteristics of lithium deposits, the production processes for lithium carbonate and hydroxide, and the specific contractual elements that influence pricing. A significant portion of the guide is dedicated to analyzing price indices from major agencies like Argus Media, Fastmarkets, and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, providing tax administrations with a methodology to adjust for product quality, economic circumstances, and delivery terms.

The document analyzes global conflict trends using Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) data. It finds that while battle-related deaths from state-based conflicts decreased in 2023 compared to 2022, 2023 remains the third most violent year since 1989, driven largely by wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The report notes a record high of 59 state-based conflicts in 2023, suggesting a more complex conflict landscape where fewer countries experience a higher number of simultaneous conflicts. Non-state conflicts have stabilized at a higher level than a decade ago, with the Americas now the most affected region due to cartel violence in Mexico and Brazil. One-sided violence continues to be driven primarily by non-state actors, though thirteen governments were still responsible for such violence in 2023.

The document examines the role of 'civic humanitarians'—local actors embedded in society through faith, community, or ethnic ties—within Uganda's refugee response. It argues that while Uganda's progressive policies facilitate refugee-led organisations (RLOs), the localisation agenda is hindered by stringent national registration requirements and narrow, techno-managerial definitions of accountability. The authors highlight that refugees rely heavily on sociocultural support practices (such as 'saidu' and 'ubuntu' philosophy) that remain invisible in formal humanitarian debates. To improve localisation, the brief recommends creating separate registration tracks for RLOs, developing flexible funding mechanisms, and broadening the understanding of accountability to include community-driven and relational models.

The report outlines the potential for green mini-grids to provide electricity to millions in Africa, emphasizing the need for patient growth capital, concessional finance, and robust regulatory frameworks. It highlights the shift toward 'energy services' models that integrate productive use of energy (PURE) to increase profitability and the critical need for domestic workforce skilling and technological innovation to reduce costs.

SEforALL reports significant progress in 2024, including the mobilization of USD 1.4 trillion in commitments through Energy Compacts and the facilitation of a USD 2 billion commitment for Mission 300 in Nigeria. The organization expanded electricity access for 48 million people in 2024 and advanced national energy policies in Kenya, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, while promoting sustainable cooling and clean cooking initiatives.

The Energy Progress Report 2024 reveals that the world is not on track to achieve any of the 2030 targets for SDG 7. While 91% of the global population has electricity access, progress reversed in 2022, leaving 685.2 million people without power, with 83% of the deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa. Clean cooking access stands at 74%, but 2.1 billion people still rely on polluting fuels. Renewable energy's share in total final energy consumption was 18.7% in 2021, and global energy intensity improved by only 0.8% in 2021, far below the 2.6% target. International public financial flows to developing countries rebounded to USD 15.4 billion in 2022 but remain well below the 2016 peak of USD 28.5 billion.

The STAND Initiative addresses the security risks faced by grassroots environmental defenders (GEDs), such as criminalization and physical attacks, which are often driven by poor enforcement of human rights and environmental laws. The initiative provides capacity building, a small grant fund, and collaborative partnerships to enhance advocacy skills and protection measures in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia.