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The document examines climate information services in BRACED countries, noting that while access is increasing, end-users struggle with data quality, inappropriate spatial scales, and poor communication. It details regional weather drivers like the ITCZ in Africa and the monsoon in Asia, and argues for a service-oriented approach that integrates localized, two-way communication into resilience programming to improve decision-making at the community level.

The paper argues that the legal distinction between migrant smuggling (facilitating illegal movement for profit) and human trafficking (exploitation) is increasingly blurred in practice, as smugglers often transition into traffickers. It contends that restrictive border controls do not stop migration but instead make smuggling the 'new normal,' increasing migrant vulnerability and profitability for criminal networks. The authors highlight that most irregular migrants successfully reach their destinations despite high risks, and that state efforts to 'demonize' smugglers often serve as political cover for the failure of the global asylum regime.

The CAMA project combined weADAPT's semantic tagging with Gephi visualization software to analyze the landscape of climate adaptation. By mapping relationships between organizations, keywords, and geography, the project identified 'hot topics', research gaps, and the role of bridging networks like SUMERNET in Southeast Asia. The analysis demonstrated how ICT tools can reveal patterns in complex datasets to inform strategic planning and identify potential collaborations for the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in Africa and Asia.

The SE4All Finance Committee report identifies a global annual investment need of over $1 trillion to meet 2030 sustainable energy goals, noting a significant funding gap of $654-862 billion. It argues that while capital is abundant, it is not automatically allocated to sustainable energy due to perceived risks, particularly in emerging markets. The report proposes four key investment themes—green bonds, DFI risk-sharing structures, new insurance solutions, and aggregation models—which could collectively catalyze an additional $120 billion in annual investment by 2020. It emphasizes the need for improved project preparation, the use of dedicated project preparation funds, and the strengthening of the governance and creditworthiness of power utilities in developing countries to create a pipeline of bankable projects.

The document examines how South Africa used its tenure on the UN Security Council to formalise institutional links between the UN and the African Union (AU), specifically through the application of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. It argues that South Africa's efforts helped move the AU from a position of limited capacity to one of greater strategic co-operation, resulting in the creation of joint taskforces and improved coordination for peace support operations in Africa. The author suggests this 'hub and spoke' model of devolving security management to regional organisations offers a pragmatic alternative to the stalled process of formal UN Security Council reform.

The author uses the 'Indian pattern' of communal violence to hypothesize that Myanmar's 2015 elections may trigger anti-Muslim riots and a resurgence of ethnic armed struggle. The paper argues that political elites, particularly the USDP and the military (Tatmadaw), may exploit religious and ethnic cleavages to maintain power or justify military intervention. It suggests short-term measures like postponing census results and long-term structural reforms such as federalism and proportional representation to mitigate these risks.

The document analyzes international mediation as a tool for peacemaking, noting that while it has become more common since the Cold War—particularly for interstate conflicts—it is underutilized in civil wars. It highlights a geographical bias toward Europe and the Middle East and a trend toward the regionalization of mediation through organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS. While mediation significantly increases the likelihood of short-term settlements, the authors find no evidence of consistent long-term positive effects on durable peace.

The briefing explains that under the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), operators must exercise due diligence to minimize the risk of illegally harvested timber entering the EU market. While official documentation—such as permits issued by public authorities or government-accredited schemes like Indonesia's SVLK—is a common tool, the document asserts that it is not sufficient on its own for compliance. It highlights several risks that undermine the reliability of official papers, including forgery, corruption in permit allocation, the use of outdated permits, and a lack of enforcement or monitoring on the ground. To mitigate these risks, the briefing recommends that operators and Competent Authorities supplement official documents with data from NGOs, research institutes, public bodies, and satellite imagery, while maintaining detailed records of their risk assessment procedures.

The policy brief examines South Africa's transition from a human-rights-led foreign policy to a more pragmatic approach that views the R2P doctrine and the ICC with suspicion. It details the evolution of R2P and the ICC, the factors leading to African disillusionment—including the 2011 Libyan crisis and perceived ICC bias—and argues that South Africa must engage constructively with these mechanisms rather than rejecting them to maintain its international and continental influence.

The document examines South Africa's complex relationship with the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) framework, noting a tension between its commitment to protecting civilians and its skepticism toward military interventions that may serve as pretexts for regime change. While South Africa helped integrate R2P principles into the African Union's Constitutive Act, its actions as a UN Security Council member—particularly regarding Libya—have led to perceptions of inconsistency. The author argues that South Africa prefers a moderate approach centered on dialogue and regional solutions, constrained by limited domestic resources and a strategic desire to avoid endorsing interventions that could be applied selectively in Africa.

The document analyzes India's transition from a borrower to an owner in multilateral financial institutions, its internal development finance structure, and its strategic use of development assistance to project soft power and counterbalance China's influence in South Asia. It highlights the tension between India's global aspirations and its domestic infrastructure deficit, which is estimated at $1 trillion under its 12th Five-Year Plan.

The SEI Initiative on the Water, Energy and Food Nexus aims to improve sustainable development by formalizing the interdependencies between water, energy, and agriculture. The initiative is structured around three themes: governing the nexus, understanding the nexus, and implementing the nexus. To achieve this, SEI utilizes a 'nexus toolkit' combining the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system and the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) system to quantify development paths and policy impacts. The initiative applies this framework to specific case studies: in Myanmar, it focuses on sustainable river basin development amidst a transition toward universal electricity access by 2030; in Zambia, it seeks to align conflicting sectoral targets in national policy frameworks; and in Colombia, it focuses on balancing sustainable development in the Rio Cravo Sur watershed within the Orinoco region.

The paper analyzes Myanmar's current investment treaty landscape, noting that the country has seven treaties in force and one pending with Japan. It highlights significant variations between ASEAN-negotiated treaties and bilateral investment treaties (BITs), which complicates government compliance. A critical finding is that most-favoured nation (MFN) clauses may force Myanmar to grant a combination of benefits to investors that exceeds the terms of any single treaty. Additionally, with the exception of the Myanmar-Philippines BIT, all treaties allow foreign investors to pursue binding monetary awards against the state through investor-state arbitration.

The document assesses South Africa's role as an emerging global actor in peace and security, specifically its interactions with the UN peacebuilding architecture (PBC, PBSO, and PBF). It highlights South Africa's experience in mediation and peacekeeping in countries like the DRC and Burundi, while noting a lack of systematic staffing of South Africans in the UN system. The paper emphasizes the potential of South-South cooperation, exemplified by the IBSA Fund, and recommends that South Africa leverage the 2015 UN peacebuilding review to promote African perspectives and national ownership of peace processes.

The policy brief examines the tension between national interests and human rights values in the foreign policies of emerging democracies like Brazil, India, Indonesia, and South Africa. While these states have collaborated with established democracies on specific crises in Myanmar, North Korea, and Libya, the author identifies significant cleavages driven by a preference for sovereignty, non-intervention, and economic interests. The document highlights how historical grievances against Northern hegemony and fear of reciprocal criticism of domestic records inhibit a consistent pro-human rights stance. However, it notes that transnational advocacy, the globalisation of media, and international mechanisms like the UN Human Rights Council provide pathways to pressure states toward greater accountability.

The document argues that the IFC's 'lessons learned' process is insufficient because it ignores institutional culture, fails to address the systemic miscategorisation of project risks, and lacks a formal implementation and monitoring framework. While acknowledging some positive steps, the authors highlight ongoing failures in projects across Honduras, Burma, Indonesia, and Nicaragua, and call for a time-bound plan to integrate human rights assessments and poverty reduction goals into IFC operations.

The report analyzes Myanmar's investment treaty landscape, noting a significant disparity between its older bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and more recent ASEAN-related agreements. It highlights risks associated with investor-state arbitration, most-favoured nation (MFN) clauses, and the potential for costly legal claims due to vaguely worded protections. The author suggests that Myanmar should clarify its treaty objectives and potentially use the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement as a template for future negotiations to ensure more balanced and precise obligations.

Agricultural emissions accounted for approximately 13 percent of total global emissions in 2011, totaling 6 billion tonnes. The primary sources are methane from cattle and nitrous oxide from fertilizers and soil waste, which together comprise 65 percent of the sector's emissions. Global agricultural emissions grew by 8 percent between 1990 and 2010 and are projected to reach nearly 7 billion tonnes per year by 2030, driven largely by population growth and dietary shifts in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Mitigation opportunities include improving crop and grazing management, reducing food loss and waste, and shifting dietary preferences away from meat, particularly beef.

The document outlines the scale and sources of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, identifying the sector as the second largest global emitter. It highlights the role of methane and nitrous oxide, lists the top emitting countries, and discusses the impact of land-use change and dietary shifts. Finally, it presents the GHG Protocol guidelines as a tool for farms to inventory and reduce their carbon footprint through improved production practices and demand-side changes.

The document examines the 'Sustainable Urban Tourism through Low Carbon Initiatives' project in Hue, Vietnam. It identifies that the tourism sector emitted approximately 492,200 tons of CO2e in 2011, with travel being the largest source. The city promoted 'garden houses' as a viable mitigation strategy because they act as carbon sinks, reduce waste through composting, and lower freight emissions by producing local food. This approach also supports local employment, particularly for middle-aged women and non-motorised transport operators. While the initiative reduced in-situ emissions and strengthened the city's commitment to sustainable tourism, the document notes a trade-off: increased tourist attraction may lead to higher overall emissions from travel to the city, which exceeds local reductions.