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The policy brief examines the role of science-policy interfaces (SPIs) in identifying environmental risks and informing global policy since the 1972 Stockholm Conference. It analyzes successful models like the IPCC and IPBES, while evaluating current proposals for new SPIs focused on chemicals and waste and food systems. The author highlights the challenges of power imbalances and the need for credibility, inclusivity, and transparency in SPI design.

The document reports that improvements in forest governance are too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, noting that illegal deforestation increased from 49% to 69% between 2014 and 2020. While some progress has been made in establishing environmental frameworks and demand-side regulations, systemic challenges such as corruption, weak rule of law, and a failure to legally recognize IPLC land rights persist. The report highlights that weak forest governance causes over USD 17 billion in annual economic losses and calls for accelerated action to address legal weaknesses and enhance the participation of women and IPLCs in decision-making.

The study examines the risk management needs of migrants in South Africa sending money to Ghana, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. It finds that senders are primarily concerned with health events, death, and job loss, as these risks threaten their ability to provide financial support to families. While there is interest in insurance for health and funeral costs for both senders and receivers, most currently rely on informal coping mechanisms like savings and borrowing from family. The report suggests that RLIPs should feature clear terms, small discretionary premiums, and a focus on the resilience of loved ones to be successful.

The report compiles academic articles, toolkits, and policy documents focusing on the role of women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It highlights systemic marginalization, including restricted access to high-paying roles, finance, and land, while noting that ASM often provides a critical source of income and agency for women. The bibliography emphasizes the need for gender-responsive policies and formalization strategies to prevent further marginalization of women.

The report argues that African states must transition from being 'junior partners' in global cyber diplomacy to active participants by developing common continental positions and leveraging their demographic position as a future technology market. It highlights the risks of 'norm colonisation' from cyber superpowers and the vulnerability of fragile democracies to information warfare. The author recommends that the African Union recruit 'cyber champions' from digitally mature states and uncouple trade negotiations from cyber diplomacy to ensure a unified approach to digital governance and security.

The document argues that collaborative social accountability—focused on dialogue, trust-building, and inclusive participation—is often more effective than confrontational or purely legal anti-corruption approaches in NRM. Through case studies in Uganda, Nepal, and Vietnam, it demonstrates that empowering marginalized groups, utilizing ICT for monitoring, and conducting political economy analyses can increase state responsiveness and reduce illegal resource extraction.

The document examines the intersection of debt, capitalism, and patriarchy in Africa, arguing that neoliberal debt architectures and austerity measures externalise the costs of social reproduction onto women. It highlights how sovereign debt crises lead to cuts in public services, which in turn drives households toward predatory private lending and microfinance. The author calls for a systemic reform of the global financial architecture, including debt relief without conditionalities, progressive domestic resource mobilisation, and stricter regulation of predatory lending to protect vulnerable populations.

The document details how West Africa is experiencing warming faster than the global average, leading to increased heatwaves, erratic rainfall, and severe economic losses. It highlights critical vulnerabilities in health, food security, and coastal infrastructure, while emphasizing the urgent need for increased climate finance and data collection to support transformative adaptation.

West Africa has experienced warming of 1–3°C since the mid-1970s, leading to increased heatwaves, variable rainfall, and widespread losses in GDP and food productivity. Future projections indicate severe risks, including a potential 30% decline in marine fisheries catch and significant population exposure to sea level rise, particularly in coastal cities like Lagos and Abidjan. Adaptation requires transformative, ecosystem-based approaches and a significant increase in climate finance, as current funding is insufficient and heavily skewed toward non-African institutions.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is implementing a five-year programme (2022–27) focused on accelerating locally-led, equitable, and ecosystem-based climate action. The initiative targets disadvantaged groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, and migrants, across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. CDKN's strategy centers on three priority areas: integrating gender equality and social inclusion into climate policies, enabling inclusive finance for local action, and implementing effective ecosystem-based adaptation. The approach emphasizes 'knowledge-into-action' by combining local, Indigenous, and scientific knowledge to strengthen Southern leadership and institutional capacity.

The report examines how a 'just transition'—ensuring the costs of moving to low-carbon societies are fairly distributed—can be applied in the Global South. Through studies in nine countries, it identifies systemic barriers such as high rates of informal labour, insecure land tenure, and a lack of socio-economic data. It argues that international climate finance is currently too focused on technical transitions and must be broadened to support the social and economic needs of affected communities, including re-skilling and social safety nets.

The report presents survey data from 108,946 Facebook users worldwide, revealing high global levels of worry and belief that climate change is happening, though perceptions of its causes and the responsibility for action vary significantly by region. While there is widespread support for renewable energy and the belief that climate action will not harm economic growth, willingness to engage in organized climate activism remains low in most regions, with a notable exception in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The U.S. Government Global Water Strategy 2022-2027 establishes a whole-of-government approach to achieve a water-secure world. It prioritizes four strategic objectives: strengthening sector governance and financing, increasing equitable access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services, improving the conservation of freshwater resources, and reducing water-related conflict. The strategy emphasizes local leadership, the needs of marginalized populations, and the integration of climate resilience. Implementation is coordinated through the Interagency Water Working Group (IWWG) and focuses on High-Priority Countries (HPCs) identified by a data-driven needs and opportunity index. Specific agency plans from USAID, the Department of State, CDC, and others detail how they will leverage technical expertise, diplomatic engagement, and financial tools to meet these goals.

FSD Africa's 2022 Impact Report details the agency's efforts to deepen African capital markets and transition toward a green economy. Key achievements include mobilising £1.9 billion in long-term capital, supporting the issuance of pioneering gender bonds in Tanzania and Morocco, and expanding green finance initiatives. The report highlights the agency's 'green strategy' target to have 70% of its portfolio be green by 2025, alongside specific interventions in geothermal risk transfer, carbon markets, and COVID-19 emergency job protection in Ethiopia.

The report examines the status of women in Ghana's large-scale mining sector, finding that women are significantly underrepresented, particularly in technical and senior roles. It identifies barriers such as cultural norms, a lack of STEM education, and inadequate childcare facilities, while highlighting the role of company initiatives and advocacy groups in promoting gender inclusivity.

The NAP Global Network's 2021-2022 progress report highlights its efforts to accelerate climate adaptation in the Global South through three main pillars: peer learning, technical assistance, and knowledge generation. Key achievements include the expansion of in-country support programs from two to nine, the launch of the NAP Trends platform, and the delivery of gender-responsive and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) focused summits. The Network reports steady progress toward its 2025 strategy targets, including support for least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), while emphasizing the critical transition from adaptation planning to implementation.

The report finds increasing references to gender equality and responsiveness in NAP documents, with a growing recognition of women as agents of change rather than just vulnerable groups. It highlights progress in institutional arrangements, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation, while providing practical examples from countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Suriname to illustrate the implementation of gender-responsive adaptation.

The report evaluates the integration of gender perspectives in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) globally, noting a shift from viewing women solely as vulnerable groups to recognizing them as agents of change. It highlights improvements in the use of gender analysis, institutional coordination involving gender ministries, and the development of gender-specific capacities. Practical examples from countries like Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Suriname illustrate the application of visual storytelling, formal inter-ministerial agreements, and gender-disaggregated monitoring systems to ensure equitable climate resilience.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) globally, noting an increase in the use of gender-responsive language, gender analysis, and the inclusion of gender ministries in institutional frameworks. It highlights specific progress in capacity building and monitoring and evaluation (M&E), while providing case studies from countries like the Central African Republic, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Marshall Islands, and Suriname to illustrate best practices in gender-responsive climate adaptation.

The report evaluates sustainable cooling policy progress in the 'Critical 9' countries, finding that while energy efficiency policies exist, they are inconsistently implemented and often fail to cover off-grid devices or reflect best-in-class technology. It highlights a significant gap in integrating cooling demand into national electrification planning and financial incentives, while noting varying levels of adoption of National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) and the Kigali Amendment.