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The document examines the deployment of container-based sanitation (CBS) in Cape Town, where the number of informal households is projected to reach almost 900,000 by 2040. It details the current use of portable flush toilets (PFTs) and shared container toilets, noting that while communities generally accept these as alternatives to full-flush systems, there are significant needs for improved durability and more reliable servicing. The brief also explores the potential for a circular economy by beneficiating excreta into products like fertilizers or fuel, highlighting regulatory shifts such as the 2019 liquid waste landfill ban and new organic waste treatment standards that may reduce barriers for local providers.

The briefing examines the tensions between WTO members over agricultural subsidies, public stocks, and export restrictions. It argues that for MC13 to be successful, the WTO must move beyond non-binding declarations toward binding commitments, specifically proposing an export restriction exemption for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to ensure food availability during crises.

The paper contends that traditional industrial policy is outdated because it focuses almost exclusively on manufacturing, despite services accounting for approximately two-thirds of global GDP. It proposes a 'service-led' industrial policy based on five pillars: infrastructure, investment/FDI, human capital, regulatory quality, and connectivity. The author highlights that services offer developing economies a more inclusive and sustainable path to growth due to lower capital intensity and smaller minimum scales for global competitiveness. Furthermore, the document notes that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provides governments with more policy space for experimentation compared to the stricter rules governing goods.

The author argues that traditional industrial policy is overly focused on manufacturing and must be redesigned for a services-led economy. Services now represent two-thirds of global GDP and act as critical inputs for all sectors. The paper proposes five pillars for a services-oriented policy: infrastructure, foreign direct investment, human capital, regulatory quality, and digital/physical connectivity. It highlights that developing economies can leverage services due to lower capital intensity, smaller scale requirements, and lower carbon footprints. Furthermore, the author notes that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provides governments with more policy space for experimentation than the rules governing goods.

The assessment finds that the proposed MRT system in Pampanga, consisting of four bus rapid transit lines and one light rail transit line, provides significant societal value. While traditional benefit-to-cost ratios (BCR) suggest the project is not investment-worthy at 0.62 or 0.63, the sustainable BCR (S-BCR) is 1.72. Over a 30-year period from 2023 to 2053, the project is estimated to generate a cumulative discounted net benefit of PHP 360.3 million (USD 6,402 million). The most significant impacts are the avoided costs of traffic accidents (PHP 239.7 million), time savings (PHP 182,367 million), and avoided vehicle operating costs (PHP 109,988 million).

The document provides a geographic overview of the top 15 banana-producing countries as of 2016, categorizing production by harvest area and the level of VSS compliance, ranging from conventional production to VSS compliant.

The document identifies the top 15 sugarcane-producing countries as of 2016, including Brazil, India, and the United States, and categorizes production by harvest area and VSS compliance status.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is a flexible economic initiative involving the United States and 13 other nations, organized around four pillars: connected, resilient, clean, and fair economies. Unlike traditional free trade agreements, IPEF avoids tariff liberalization, which has led to criticisms regarding the lack of U.S. concessions and concerns over the long-term commitment of partners like India. Early ministerial meetings have highlighted tensions over the adoption of high standards, with countries such as Malaysia and Japan requesting transition periods, while the U.S. focuses on digital standards and industrial decarbonization as key areas of influence.

The report examines the limitations of traditional mining taxation—primarily corporate income tax and royalties—and suggests ten alternative policy mechanisms to improve revenue mobilization. These include minimum profit shares, production sharing contracts, state equity participation, commercial state-owned enterprises, variable royalties, the 'Sixth Method' for related-party pricing, carbon pricing to mitigate EU CBAM impacts, development turnover taxes for communities, competitive bidding for licenses, and remote monitoring for quarry production. It emphasizes the need for these tools to be adapted to local administrative capacities and the evolving demand for critical minerals.

The report examines the environmental impact of the ICT sector, specifically regarding energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and the global e-waste trade. It contrasts these negative effects with the potential for ICTs to drive economic growth and support a 'green economy' through improved resource efficiency, dematerialisation, and systemic social transformation. The text highlights the disproportionate burden of e-waste on developing nations and identifies critical policy challenges, such as rebound effects and unintended consequences of digital openness.

The research project examined SD strategies in 19 countries and the European Union, concluding that while innovations exist in strategy types and participation, no country has achieved a truly strategic approach due to fragmented management cycles and weak feedback processes. Key findings highlight that SD strategies often remain peripheral to national budgeting and struggle with 'the administrative trap' of vertical government structures. The document identifies four main strategy types: comprehensive and multi-dimensional, cross-sectoral, sectoral, and integration into existing planning. Specific innovations are noted, such as Sweden's environmental tax shifting and Switzerland's constitutional elevation of sustainable development to a national goal.

The report argues that the ITES sector has missed previous opportunities to drive sustainable development and must now adopt an 'Outsourcing 3.0' model. This framework moves beyond simple cost-cutting (Outsourcing 1.0) and high-value job relocation (Outsourcing 2.0) toward a model where companies, cities, and countries compete responsibly. The authors identify six drivers for this transition: creating a responsible business climate, smart philanthropy at the base-of-the-pyramid, building talent, improving business standards and compliance, fostering product and service innovation (such as 'tribesourcing'), and contributing to low-carbon prosperity. The report emphasizes that the 2009 economic downturn provides a critical window to reset the industry's approach to corporate social responsibility and environmental impact.

The Strong Cities Network (SCN) toolkit, developed by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, guides local authorities in managing the social consequences of terror attacks. It emphasizes the shift toward 'soft targets' in urban centers and the critical role of municipal leadership in preventing social division. The guide details strategies for community engagement, including mapping vulnerable groups and using both direct and indirect outreach. It provides a comprehensive communications framework to de-escalate tensions, combat misinformation, and avoid the glorification of perpetrators. Additionally, it outlines the establishment of psychosocial support working groups to address collective and individual trauma. The document includes leadership checklists and worksheets to help city officials coordinate with national authorities and local stakeholders to build long-term urban resilience.

The document argues that the effectiveness of global climate finance depends on democratic governance at the local level. It references experiences with the Adaptation Fund in Senegal, the Clean Development Mechanism in Chile, Thailand, the Philippines, and South Africa, and REDD in Brazil, Cameroon, Peru, and Tanzania to illustrate governance challenges and best practices.

The NAP Global Network's Targeted Topics Forums (TTFs) are a series of workshops that bring together representatives from developing countries and development cooperation agencies to exchange lessons on technical aspects of the National Adaptation Planning (NAP) process. Unlike one-off workshops, TTFs use a sustained peer learning model, reconvening the same cohorts of international specialists to build a supportive community. Each forum is structured around three pillars: technical inputs from experts, relational opportunities for peer sharing, and reflexive opportunities for countries to apply inputs to their own contexts. Current focus areas include building political support, cross-sectoral integration, financing implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The Network also provides a Country Support Hub for submitting questions and advice on the NAP process.

The report examines the interaction between ICCAs and international and national laws, finding that while international instruments and some national policies show progress, systemic gaps and discriminatory implementation continue to threaten these areas. It highlights the critical need for the recognition of customary land rights, self-determination, and integrated socio-ecological legislation to support community-led conservation.

The briefing examines the systemic threats facing TICCAs, highlighting a widespread lack of legal recognition for customary land rights and traditional governance. While noting positive developments in international jurisprudence and specific national programs—such as Australia's Indigenous Protected Areas and Namibia's Communal Conservancies—it argues that state legislation often remains discriminatory, fragmented, and exclusionary. The document provides comprehensive recommendations for legal reform, the adoption of human rights standards, and the implementation of non-legal support mechanisms to ensure the resilience of indigenous-led conservation.

The submission argues that indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are the most effective guardians of biodiversity, yet they face systemic threats including non-recognition of land rights, 'fortress conservation' models, and violence against land defenders. It provides global case studies of successful community-led conservation and calls for a shift toward rights-based conservation, secure tenure, and the protection of environmental defenders.

The document serves as a guide to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), detailing the collective and individual rights of Indigenous peoples, including self-determination and free, prior and informed consent. It outlines the responsibilities of States and the UN, provides criteria for identifying Indigenous peoples, and offers practical avenues for reporting human rights violations through UN mechanisms. The guide specifically highlights the intersection of UNDRIP with biological diversity, conservation, and land rights.

The report analyzes the interaction between ICCAs and international law, national legislation, and institutional frameworks. It identifies systemic threats to these areas, including discriminatory law enforcement and a lack of secure land tenure. While noting positive developments like the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and specific national reforms in countries like Kenya and Bolivia, it emphasizes that state-led conservation often excludes indigenous peoples. The document provides comprehensive recommendations for legal reform, the recognition of customary land rights, and the implementation of non-legal support mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of ICCAs.