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The PAIA Civil Society Network (CSN) Shadow Report 2014 evaluates the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in South Africa between August 2013 and July 2014. The report documents widespread non-compliance by both public and private bodies, characterized by high rates of ignored requests, failures to meet statutory deadlines, and a perceived shift toward government secrecy. It highlights the role of litigation in securing information and discusses legislative developments, including the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Protection of State Information Bill.

This report details the results of an expert meeting hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in October 2014 in Montreux, Switzerland. The meeting focused on rethinking international investment-related dispute settlement to move beyond the singular focus on investor rights and state obligations, proposing more inclusive models that allow stakeholders such as local communities and individuals to seek remedies for injuries or human rights abuses.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), arguing that while it provides duty-free access to the US market, it remains underutilised. The author proposes a four-pillar strategy for the October 2015 renewal: timely and extended renewal, addressing non-tariff barriers, improving structural competitiveness through infrastructure and finance, and aligning with global trading shifts like the TPP and TTIP.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs provides recommendations to the South African Parliament on establishing an inclusive blue economy for small-scale fishers. It examines the historical impact of apartheid-era dispossession, the challenges of implementing the 2012 Policy for the Small Scale Fisheries Sector (SSF policy), and the tension between social justice and environmental sustainability in fisheries governance.

This research paper, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket), examines policy instruments and interventions to reduce the negative impacts of Swedish consumption on health and the environment in other countries. It focuses on the international dimension of Sweden's 'generational goal' (generationsmålet), identifying key 'hotspots' such as electronics from China and soy from Brazil, and proposing a mix of economic, administrative, informative, and collaborative measures to drive systemic change toward sustainable consumption.

This report examines the challenges of agricultural water use and productivity in the Limpopo River Basin, highlighting the vulnerability of small-scale farmers to rainfall variability and proposing policy improvements for water management and land tenure across the basin's four countries.

This policy brief examines the risks climate change poses to large-scale hydropower infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and the current lack of climate service integration in the planning process. It argues that while hydropower is critical for energy security, most projects rely on historical data that ignore future hydrological shifts, leaving long-lived assets vulnerable to failure or inefficiency.

This guide provides a framework for identifying 'similar listings' across different iterations of South African environmental legislation to determine if pending or unlawful activities can be authorized under current regulations. It specifically addresses the transition between the Environment Conservation Act (ECA), the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the 2014 EIA Regulations (GNR 982, 983, 984, and 985).

This guide describes the role of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in regulating chemicals and manufactured nanomaterials, specifically detailing the activities of the Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) and its steering groups.

This research paper examines the capacity of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to implement post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) and explores how South Africa can leverage its membership to strengthen these activities. The author argues that SADC is currently constrained by a state-centric approach to security, structural silos, and a lack of institutional capacity, leaving PCRD responsibilities to individual member states. By comparing SADC with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the paper suggests that SADC needs to adopt a more holistic, human-security-based approach and improve its coordination with the African Union (AU) and international donors.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) adoption of the Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. It argues that while the convention is a positive step, African states face significant hurdles in ratification and implementation due to capacity gaps, free speech concerns, and the global nature of cybercrime.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the progress and challenges of regional integration in Africa, drawing primarily on Country Review Reports (CRRs) from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It examines the gap between the African Union's high-level rhetorical commitments to a continent-wide common market and the practical realities of limited trade growth, administrative incapacity, and political reluctance to cede national sovereignty.

The 2015 Shadow Report by the Promotion of Access to Information Civil Society Network (PAIA CSN) evaluates the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) in South Africa between 1 August 2014 and 31 July 2015. The report finds that while the right to access information is constitutionally enshrined, public bodies frequently undermine this right through non-compliance with statutory timeframes, failure to provide legitimate grounds for refusal, and poor record-keeping. The report highlights a contrast between the relatively better compliance of private bodies and the systemic failures of various state departments, while advocating for the urgent appointment of an independent Information Regulator to provide an alternative to costly litigation.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report provides an overview of the energy efficiency sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the drivers for energy efficiency—including constrained power supply and rising electricity costs—the roles of various service providers, the regulatory landscape, and the potential market size for Energy Service Companies (ESCos).

This 2015 market intelligence report by GreenCape examines the transition toward energy efficiency and Alternative Building Technologies (ABTs) within the South African construction sector, with a particular focus on the Western Cape. It details the regulatory drivers, market opportunities in public and private housing, and the role of the Atlantis greentech Special Economic Zone in fostering green manufacturing.

The Renewable Energy – GreenCape Market Intelligence Report 2015 provides an overview of the renewable energy (RE) landscape in South Africa, focusing on the utility-scale Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), as well as commercial, industrial, and residential small-scale embedded generation (SSEG). It highlights the role of the Western Cape as a hub for RE manufacturing and the critical need for an updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to provide investor certainty.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the waste economy in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It examines the market for dry recyclables, organic waste, construction and demolition waste, and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, while detailing the regulatory barriers and investment opportunities within the sector.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report on the Water Sector provides an analysis of water resource management in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the governance framework, current infrastructure projects, and identifies seven key opportunity areas for private sector investment to address water scarcity and security challenges.

This report details the 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 27–29, 2015. The meeting focused on 'The Post-Mining Transition and Environmental Management,' exploring how to integrate environmental, economic, and social planning into the mine life cycle to ensure sustainable transitions and community resilience after closure.

The 'Handbook for the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement', published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in 2015, provides a comprehensive guide for implementing Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in Latin America and the Caribbean. It advocates for shifting the procurement mindset from the lowest purchase price to optimizing value-for-money across the entire lifecycle of an asset, integrating environmental and social criteria into every stage of the procurement cycle to drive inclusive green growth.