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The document argues that compensation awards in investment treaty arbitrations have become excessively large, inconsistent, and disconnected from the actual investments made. It highlights the problematic use of the discounted cash flow (DCF) method to project future earnings and the failure of tribunals to consider public interest or state ability to pay. To address this, the authors suggest reforms such as capping compensation at the amount actually invested or requiring a balance between public and private interests.

The document argues that current investment treaty compensation practices lead to excessively high awards, often based on speculative future earnings rather than actual losses. It highlights the use of the discounted cash flow (DCF) method as a primary driver of these high costs and notes that tribunals often ignore contextual factors like public interest or state capacity to pay. To address this, the authors suggest reforms such as limiting compensation to actual investment amounts or aligning awards with the host state's domestic laws.

The document argues that current investment treaty arbitration leads to excessively high and inconsistent compensation awards, often based on speculative future earnings rather than actual losses. It highlights the risks of corruption and the financial burden on host states, particularly in regulatory disputes and cases involving planned investments that never materialized. The authors suggest that states reform their treaties to move away from the 'full reparation' principle toward more balanced or capped compensation models.

The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) examines how climate change and nuclear trends—including the expansion of civil nuclear energy and the modernization of nuclear arsenals—interact to reshape the international order. The briefing highlights specific regional vulnerabilities, such as water stress in South Asia and sea-level rise affecting nuclear sites in Egypt and Nigeria. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations for the U.S. government, including the creation of a National Security Council director for the climate-nuclear-security nexus and the elimination of low-yield nuclear weapons to restore international trust.

The report examines the current state of compensation under investment treaties, highlighting a trend toward increasingly large awards driven by the use of forward-looking valuation methods like Discounted Cash Flow (DCF). It identifies systemic issues, including discrepancies between invested amounts and awarded compensation, the complexity of valuation processes, and the disregard for contextual factors such as public interest or a state's ability to pay. The document reviews emerging treaty practices from Africa, India, and the EU and proposes four reform options: balancing rules, capping compensation at the amount invested, integrating gain-based considerations, or applying the host state's domestic law.

The document examines the current state of compensation in investment treaty disputes, highlighting a trend toward massive awards driven by the 'discounted cash flow' (DCF) method. It argues that current practices often diverge from international law and national legal standards, creating significant financial burdens for host states. The guide analyzes three main valuation categories—market-based, income-based, and asset-based—and evaluates emerging treaty practices from Africa, India, and the Netherlands. It concludes by proposing four reform options: balancing rules, limiting compensation to actual investment amounts, integrating host-state benefit analysis, and applying national laws.

The document examines the coordinated response of African regional bodies and the specific national strategies of South Africa and Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the role of the Africa CDC and AU in fostering continental cooperation, while contrasting the high-testing, strict-lockdown approach of South Africa with Nigeria's reliance on existing polio and Ebola infrastructure. The paper argues that while health measures were often proactive, the socio-economic fallout—including job losses, increased poverty, and human rights violations by security forces—will have a more lasting impact than the virus itself.

The report analyzes Russia's strategic return to Africa, driven by Western sanctions and falling oil prices. It focuses on Zimbabwe and Mozambique, highlighting a pattern of elite-directed cooperation centered on extractive industries, arms trade, and political support. While Russia's economic footprint is significantly smaller than China's, it leverages an 'anti-West narrative' and a high tolerance for corruption to secure access to natural resources and political loyalty, often utilizing proxy organizations for election monitoring and paramilitary groups for security.

The document outlines a readiness project implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support 13 accredited and applicant Direct Access Entities (DAEs) within the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). The project aims to remove barriers to GCF accreditation and funding by providing technical assistance for fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender policies, and by developing climate finance tools for risk and impact assessment. Key deliverables include an IDFC-GCF Toolkit, a joint DAE-IDFC Work Program, and the development of multi-country concept notes focusing on climate-resilient recovery post-COVID-19, specifically targeting MSMEs and vulnerable populations in sectors like renewable energy and sustainable land use.

The report identifies over 60 mitigation policies adopted between July 2019 and August 2020, noting the highest activity in the energy and transport sectors. It highlights a lack of explicitly 'green' COVID-19 recovery measures in most assessed countries, except for the EU and Republic of Korea. Additionally, it tracks the progress of NDCs and LTS, noting that only Vietnam has officially revised its NDC target among the group, while the EU and Japan have submitted net-zero long-term strategies.

The document argues that Wikipedia is a critical tool for communicating climate change information to a wider audience than academic journals, noting that it is often the first port of call for the general public and policymakers. It highlights a 'systemic bias' in Wikipedia's contributor base, which tends to be male and from developed countries, resulting in a lack of content from the Global South, particularly Africa. To address this, the guide provides detailed technical instructions on creating accounts, adding citations, using the Visual and Source editors, and navigating Talk pages. It also outlines the 'five pillars' of Wikipedia editing, emphasizing a neutral point of view and the necessity of verifiable sources. Furthermore, the guide explains how to join WikiProjects, such as WikiProject Climate Change, and provides a step-by-step framework for organizing 'edit-a-thons' to collaboratively improve specific topic areas.

The document examines how Covid-19 triggered financial instability in Africa through capital outflows, falling commodity prices, and sovereign credit downgrades, while recommending the development of local capital markets and continental policy coordination to enhance resilience.

SEforALL has transitioned to a strategic model that combines global agenda-setting with data-driven in-country implementation. Key achievements include the launch of the Universal Energy Facility for mini-grids in Sierra Leone and Madagascar, support for Nigeria's 5 million solar connections programme, and the development of 'Recover Better' guides for the Caribbean and Southeast Asia to integrate sustainable energy into COVID-19 recovery. The organization is also leading preparations for the 2021 UN High-Level Dialogue on Energy and co-chairing the Energy Transition Council for COP26.

The document analyses the scope and direction of energy transition policies in 34 African countries, evaluating them against dimensions of energy justice. It finds a general shift toward market-oriented regimes using auction instruments and feed-in tariffs, but warns that an overemphasis on bankability can sideline development goals. The brief identifies several 'good practice' countries and recommends that AU-EU cooperation integrate energy justice criteria, support regional partners, and facilitate policy learning from African successes.

The document analyzes the energy deficit in Africa, noting that over 600 million people lack electricity. It identifies key barriers to green energy adoption, including a need for $70 billion in annual investment, technical capacity gaps, and fossil fuel subsidies. The author argues that the AfCFTA can fast-track the transition by creating a unified market, reducing investment risks through dispute resolution mechanisms, and facilitating the free movement of skilled labor. Additionally, the briefing suggests that the EU-Africa partnership should shift from bilateral aid to regional support, prioritize institutional knowledge sharing on fossil fuel transitions, and focus on local adaptation of green technologies rather than mere imports.

The policy brief examines how the EU can support the implementation of the AfCFTA to foster African economic integration and resilience. It identifies structural hurdles such as non-tariff barriers and infrastructure deficits, and recommends that the EU reorient its trade support, focus on institutional capacity building, coordinate efforts to match local needs, and engage directly with the African private sector.

The document examines Egypt's long-term nuclear ambitions, culminating in the current Dabaa nuclear power plant project. It argues that the project is framed as a 'national prestige' mega-project under President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, characterized by 'technological fetishism' and a lack of public transparency. The author highlights the project's funding via a $25 billion Russian loan and expresses concerns regarding safety, the management of spent fuel, and the exclusion of public consultation in the decision-making process.

The document examines how national investment laws can provide a pathway for foreign investors to initiate ISDS claims, potentially challenging government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights that while treaty-based claims are more common, domestic laws—often influenced by international organization 'best practice' advice—can grant unequivocal consent to international arbitration. This creates risks of unpredictable, costly awards and a dichotomy between how domestic and foreign investors are treated. The brief suggests that governments review and potentially amend or suspend these provisions to preserve policy space during the crisis.

The document warns that national investment laws can act as a mechanism for foreign investors to initiate international arbitration against states, potentially challenging COVID-19 emergency measures. It highlights that many developing countries included ISDS consent in their laws following World Bank 'best practice' advice, creating a broad exposure to costly claims. The authors suggest that governments review and potentially suspend these provisions to maintain policy space during the pandemic.

The document details how authoritative climate data from the Copernicus CDS is integrated into the SAVi model for nature-based infrastructure. It provides a literature review on the impacts of precipitation, vegetation, and temperature on assets like green roofs, wetlands, and urban forests. The report demonstrates the model's application through simulations in Johannesburg, showing how temperature affects phosphorus removal in wetlands and how increasing vegetation cover can mitigate heat-related labor productivity losses.