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The report argues that Olam, a Singapore-based agribusiness, operates a 'black box' in its palm oil supply chain by concealing the identity of its suppliers, which allows the company to source oil from producers engaged in deforestation. In Gabon, the report alleges that Olam has cleared approximately 20,000 hectares of forest since 2012, violating FSC standards. In Southeast Asia, Olam's lack of transparency is linked to the 'haze' crisis caused by peatland and forest fires. The document calls for Olam to adopt a 'zero deforestation' policy, publish its supplier list, and restore destroyed habitats.

One year after the Paris Agreement's adoption, the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) finds that national climate policies have made little progress. If NDCs are fully implemented, global warming by 2100 is estimated at 2.8°C, while current policies would lead to 3.6°C. A significant emissions gap remains for 2025 and 2030. The report highlights specific national trajectories, noting that most assessed NDCs are inadequate or medium in ambition, with particular concerns regarding the US, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, while noting positive renewable energy growth in India.

A coalition of European NGOs calls on the EU to intervene in ICAO negotiations to prevent the weakening of the Global Market Based Measure (GMBM). The authors demand the resolution of exemptions through fair differentiation, a strict 2020 deadline for any pilot phases, the protection of the EU's right to implement more ambitious regional measures, and the alignment of accounting methods between ICAO and the UNFCCC to avoid double counting.

The report examines the shift in global climate governance from the top-down targets of the Kyoto Protocol to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the 'ambition gap' in current pledges and argues that the success of the agreement depends on integrating the actions of non-state actors—such as cities, regions, and businesses—into national frameworks. The document details specific subnational initiatives like the C40 network and Brazil's CB27, while providing a case study of Singapore's role in the negotiations.

The report analyzes the volatility of the South China Sea, focusing on the legal battle between the Philippines and China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. It explores the strategic rivalry between the US and China, the difficulties of joint resource development, and the potential for ecosystem-based governance. The EU maintains a position of 'principled neutrality,' advocating for UNCLOS and the rule of law to ensure regional stability and freedom of navigation.

The report highlights the Western Cape's status as a water-stressed region where demand is projected to surpass supply by 2019 in the Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS). It identifies diverse business opportunities in the green economy, including precision irrigation, desalination, water reclamation, and the reduction of non-revenue water. The document details the institutional structure of South African water management and outlines specific funding incentives and grants available for greentech manufacturers and infrastructure projects.

The report estimates that if five analyzed business initiatives achieve their most ambitious plans, they could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2-4.2 billion tonnes per year by 2030. If all relevant companies joined these initiatives, reductions could reach approximately 10 billion tonnes. The document emphasizes that achieving this systemic impact requires governments to remove regulatory barriers and provide incentives, such as carbon pricing and R&D support, to create a virtuous circle of ambition between the public and private sectors.

The guidelines establish a 'first green, then smart' approach, where smart technologies are used to optimize the outcomes of sustainable urban design. The framework covers six smart categories: telecommunications, mobility, governance, energy management, safety, and public services, supported by global case studies to demonstrate economic and environmental viability.

The UN Sustainable Development Summit served to formally adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and affirm global commitment to its implementation. The analysis highlights the success of the Open Working Group's (OWG) inclusive negotiation process, specifically the 'troika' method, in building universal ownership of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While governments announced significant financial and environmental commitments—such as China's US$2 billion South-South cooperation fund and Panama's reforestation pledge—the document identifies critical gaps in the framework, specifically the need for finalized indicators, disaggregated data, and a detailed follow-up and review mechanism. Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes that the success of the SDGs is intrinsically linked to the outcomes of the Paris Climate Change Conference, noting that failure to meet climate objectives would jeopardize all SDGs.

The policy brief examines the emergence of the Blue Economy as a central priority for African policymakers, specifically through the AU's 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (2050 AIM Strategy). It identifies a significant challenge of fragmentation, where maritime ambitions span a complex array of sector-specific institutions and programmes. The author suggests that the 2050 AIM Strategy should link with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), which has recently undergone institutional renewal and adopted the Blue Economy as its top priority. The brief emphasizes that for these initiatives to succeed, they must avoid duplicating sector-specific efforts and instead focus on high-level integrated planning, improved communication platforms, and bolstered institutional capacity.

The report examines the integration of ACP countries into global value chains (GVCs) and regional value chains (RVCs), highlighting significant heterogeneity across the group. It identifies critical barriers to entry, including poor infrastructure, weak institutional frameworks, and low business sophistication. The analysis suggests that while some countries like South Africa and Mauritius are more globally integrated, many others face fundamental challenges in basic trade-enabling requirements. The authors argue against protective industrial policies, instead recommending horizontal measures such as improving the rule of law, investing in workforce skills, and enhancing transport and energy infrastructure to attract multinational corporations.

The document details the creation of global country-level water stress projections by aggregating sub-catchment data using a spatially weighted methodology. It utilizes IPCC AR5 data to model three scenarios—optimistic, business-as-usual, and pessimistic—across three time horizons (2020, 2030, 2040). The rankings are designed to help investors, companies, and governments benchmark national water risks and prioritize adaptation. A 2040 business-as-usual ranking identifies several Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, as having the highest water stress scores of 5.00.

The GCF Secretariat report for mid-March to mid-June 2015 details progress in accreditation, readiness support, and the development of a project pipeline. It highlights the achievement of the Fund's effectiveness threshold with approximately US$ 5.47 billion in contributions and the review of 76 public sector concept notes requesting US$ 3.4 billion. The report also outlines the activities of the Private Sector Facility (PSF), including the review of 48 potential project ideas totaling US$ 3.1 billion, and the Secretariat's engagement with UNFCCC thematic bodies and other climate funds to ensure policy coherence.

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The BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) is currently viewed as a symbolic initiative rather than a substantive challenger to the IMF due to its limited size and reliance on IMF-linked conditionality. Established with a $100 billion pool, the CRA provides liquidity and precautionary instruments to address short-term balance of payments pressures. However, 70% of requested funds are 'IMF-linked', requiring a conditionality-based agreement with the IMF, which the authors argue undermines the CRA's purpose as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions. Drawing on the evolution of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM), the document recommends that the CRA establish its own macroeconomic surveillance facility, increase commitment sizes, and reduce or eliminate the IMF-linked portion to ensure participating countries' independence.

The author contends that modern trade agreements like TTIP, CETA, and TiSA are not about 'free trade' but are tools for corporations to secure interests through secret negotiations. The text argues that these agreements erode national sovereignty, prioritize capital protection over ecological and social rights via private arbitration courts, and threaten public services through privatization. Using NAFTA and a US-Peru agreement as examples, the author claims that promises of growth and jobs often fail to materialize for citizens, benefiting only large corporations.

The report links the expansion of the palm oil industry in Southeast Asia to the use of fire for land preparation, which frequently results in uncontrollable landscape fires. These fires, particularly those on drained peatlands, release hazardous particulate matter that causes an estimated 110,000 deaths annually in the region. The document highlights the exacerbating role of climate-driven droughts and the significant economic losses in tourism and industry, while calling for a global shift toward deforestation-free and peat-free palm oil production.

The report examines the role of performance requirements (PRs) in foreign direct investment, analyzing how their prohibition in bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and the WTO TRIMs Agreement restricts the ability of host states—particularly developing countries—to achieve sustainable development goals. It contrasts traditional BITs, which are silent on PRs, with a growing minority of 'TRIMs+' treaties that impose broader prohibitions. Through the analysis of investment tribunal cases like Mobil Oil v. Canada and Lemire v. Ukraine, the document highlights the unpredictability of legal interpretations. It concludes by offering policy options for states to maintain their regulatory sovereignty, such as avoiding PR prohibitions in treaties or using specific carve-outs and grandfathering clauses.

The document examines performance requirements (PR)—stipulations imposed on investors to achieve specific development goals—and the legal constraints placed upon them by the WTO's TRIMs Agreement and various Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). It highlights a growing trend, led by Canada and the United States, toward broader prohibitions of PRs (MIC+ clauses) that extend to pre-establishment phases. Through the analysis of cases like Lemire v. Ukraine and Mobil Oil v. Canada, the guide illustrates the unpredictability of investment tribunals in interpreting these prohibitions. It concludes by offering strategic options for developing nations to maintain their regulatory space, such as avoiding PR prohibitions in BITs or explicitly excluding certain sectors and mechanisms from such restrictions.

The paper examines the rise of 'mega-regional' trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which aim for deep regulatory integration beyond WTO standards. It argues that while overall GDP impacts on outsiders may be small, these agreements risk eroding trade preferences and establishing new global regulatory norms that could marginalise developing countries. For South Africa, the authors recommend a strategy of unilateral regulatory reform, deeper regional integration within SADC and COMESA, and constructive engagement in the WTO to avoid being left behind by 'competitive liberalisation'.