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This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines how green and transition bonds can facilitate South Africa's shift from a coal-dependent energy system to a low-carbon economy. It analyzes the specific challenges of the South African market, the roles of major emitters like Eskom and Sasol, and provides frameworks for credible transition finance to avoid greenwashing.

This policy brief examines the role of international development finance institutions (DFIs) and multilateral development banks (MDBs) in addressing South Africa's infrastructure deficit. It analyzes the shift from a historical reluctance to seek external aid toward a current necessity driven by rising public debt and the economic impact of COVID-19. The document details the government's Infrastructure Build Programme, the establishment of the Investment and Infrastructure Office (IIO), and the creation of a ZAR100 billion Infrastructure Fund, while highlighting critical gaps in project preparation skills and procurement coordination.

A practical handbook published by WWF South Africa in 2021 designed to empower land users in the Cape Floral Region to identify, plan for, and manage invasive alien plants (IAPs). The guide covers legal obligations, technical clearing methods, health and safety protocols, and long-term rehabilitation strategies.

This 2021 practical guide published by WWF South Africa provides comprehensive instructions for landowners, managers, and contractors on controlling invasive alien plants (IAPs) within the Cape Floral Region. It covers the ecological importance of the region, legal obligations under South African law, strategic planning for removal, various control methods (manual, mechanical, chemical, and biological), health and safety protocols, and long-term rehabilitation strategies.

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) evaluates the local government fiscal framework in South Africa, arguing that the structural assumptions made in the 1998 White Paper on Local Government are fundamentally unsound and have led to widespread municipal financial distress and the erosion of the social wage.

This report documents a public dialogue held on 14 March 2020, organized by the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI). The event focused on the commitment made by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 20 January 2020 to reform State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa, specifically regarding their commercial and developmental mandates, operational efficiency, and the reduction of political interference.

This report reviews the status of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in South Africa, detailing the country's policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, and practical implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience.

This fact sheet details the certification of a ZAR 8 billion (USD 540 million) commercial loan issued on July 15, 2019, to refinance the Redstone Solar Thermal Power Plant in South Africa. The project, developed by ACWA Power and SolarReserve, is a 100MW Concentrated Solar Power plant that became operational in late 2018.

This report analyzes the failure of Section 139 interventions in South African municipalities between 1998 and 2019. It finds that interventions are typically initiated too late, are legally misclassified to avoid mandatory financial recovery processes, and rely on an unauthorized 'administrator model' that often exacerbates municipal collapse. The authors call for a standardized, non-political implementation framework with clear triggers and strengthened oversight.

This 2013 case study by Tracy Ledger examines the origins of South Africa's energy crisis, focusing on the role of the state utility Eskom and the systemic failures that led to widespread power cuts and load shedding starting in 2007.

The Khoikhoi Peoples’ Rooibos Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP), published in 2019 by Natural Justice, serves as a formal framework to assert the Khoikhoi people's rights as traditional knowledge holders of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis). It outlines the community's history of dispossession, their organizational structure for granting Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the mechanisms for sharing benefits from the commercialization of Rooibos through a dedicated trust.

The 2018 Ocean Scorecard, published by WWF South Africa, provides an updated assessment of the state of South Africa's ocean economy and global fish stocks. It tracks progress against a 2016 baseline, highlighting critical declines in specific species, shifts in fishery exploitation levels, and progress in marine spatial planning and coastal livelihoods.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) outlines a strategy for South Africa's transition from a coal-dependent electricity system to a low-carbon model. It emphasizes the need for a 'just transition' to protect vulnerable workers, the urgent need to reform Eskom's business model, and the potential for localizing the manufacturing of renewable energy components to drive economic growth.

This 2018 report by the Centre for Environmental Rights evaluates the legal and practical regulation of wild animal welfare in South Africa. It argues that the current system is fragmented, outdated, and biased toward economic gain, leaving captive and exploited wild animals with minimal protection. The report highlights a critical jurisdictional divide between biodiversity conservation (Department of Environmental Affairs) and animal welfare (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), which results in inconsistent permitting, poor compliance monitoring, and inadequate enforcement.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that crime statistics are an unreliable measure of police performance due to variables beyond police control, such as public reporting habits and the nature of contact crimes. It highlights systemic fragmentation within South Africa's criminal justice system (CJS) and recommends shifting toward alternative performance indicators and the implementation of the Integrated Justice System to identify operational bottlenecks.

This report by WWF South Africa explores the business case for introducing electric orchard tractors in South Africa's horticultural sector. It identifies a significant market opportunity to replace small diesel tractors with electric alternatives for low-energy applications, highlighting potential carbon emission savings, socio-economic benefits through local manufacturing, and the financial viability of a lower total cost of ownership despite higher initial capital costs.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that South Africa's reliance on reactive criminal justice spending is ineffective at reducing violent crime and advocates for a radical shift toward investment in preventive social programmes.

This report by WWF South Africa examines the potential and progress of renewable energy (RE) in South Africa, focusing on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P) and the challenges posed by the state utility Eskom's dominance and the country's historical dependence on coal.

A reflection by Ivan Vaalbooi of Natural Justice on the life and contributions of Andries Steenkamp, a leader within the Khomani San and broader indigenous communities in South Africa.

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.