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This report, commissioned by UNDP South Africa and published by WWF South Africa, provides a roadmap for implementing Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to help South Africa meet the Global Biodiversity Framework's '30x30' target. It identifies potential marine OECM mechanisms, assesses their biodiversity value and area-based contributions, estimates recognition costs, and proposes a structured national framework for identification, assessment, and reporting.

This fact sheet by WWF South Africa describes the 'Ecochamps' initiative in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, as a model for using community champions to bridge the gap between rural residents, NGOs, government, and researchers. It highlights how upskilling local youth to facilitate the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus can improve natural resource management, citizen science, and social cohesion.

This fact sheet from WWF South Africa describes the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus project, focusing on the use of 'knowledge festivals' and 'community champions' to integrate local decision-making into national frameworks for natural resource management in rural South Africa.

The "One Food: A Toolkit for Farmers" is a guide published by WWF South Africa that introduces the One Food concept, a holistic approach integrating human, animal, and environmental health to create sustainable, climate-resilient food systems. The toolkit provides practical advice for livestock and crop farmers to protect biodiversity, manage resources like water and soil, and mitigate the impacts of climate change through agroecology and rangeland management.

The WWF-SASSI Retailer/Supplier Participation Scheme (RSPS) Report 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative. It evaluates the progress of major South African seafood retailers and suppliers in sourcing sustainable seafood, tracks consumer awareness trends, and outlines a three-phase strategic plan to establish a collaborative industry collective by 2025 to ensure responsibly sourced seafood becomes the market default.

This research paper analyzes China's role as the dominant economy within the expanded BRICS bloc, arguing that China uses the alliance to reshape global power dynamics and counter Western influence. While the bloc has achieved significant milestones through the New Development Bank and advocacy for climate justice and 'de-dollarization', it faces internal instability. Key challenges include the territorial and geopolitical rivalry between China and India, as well as the regional friction between new members Saudi Arabia and Iran.

This policy brief examines the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol, focusing on overcoming digital exclusion and harmonising regulations to boost intra-African digital trade. It provides specific recommendations for member states across regulatory reform, digital public infrastructure, and human capital development to bridge the digital divide and create a predictable business environment for digital services.

These conference proceedings, compiled by the World Resources Institute, document the 50th anniversary of Bogota's Ciclovía and its influence on open-streets initiatives globally. The document details how Bogota's model of closing arterial roads to cars on Sundays has inspired similar programs in Los Angeles, Lima, and Cape Town, while analyzing the social, economic, and policy-driven impacts of these initiatives.

This report examines the potential for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) to expand its role in the global supply of critical minerals required for digital technology and low-carbon energy, emphasizing the need for formalization to mitigate environmental damage and support local livelihoods.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques South Africa's social grant anti-fraud measures, arguing that current surveillance and biometric checks disproportionately penalize vulnerable beneficiaries while failing to target systemic fraud by government officials and private third parties.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the systemic failures and high exclusion rates associated with South Africa's Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, arguing that narrow targeting and administrative barriers prevent eligible vulnerable individuals from accessing support.

This policy note by Daniel Bradlow of the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines priorities for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency to address the sovereign debt crisis in Africa. The author argues that current global governance mechanisms, including the IMF and G20 frameworks, are insufficient to meet the combined debt, climate, and development needs of African nations. The document proposes a 'holistic approach' to debt restructuring that integrates financial obligations with social and environmental commitments, suggests using the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) for reform, and discusses the tension between liquidity and solvency perspectives on restoring financial access.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) expresses concern over contradictions between the South African President's commitment to a permanent basic income support system and the actions of the National Treasury. The IEJ highlights issues including budget cuts to social grants, the potential imposition of an exclusionary online-only application system on other grants, and Treasury's legal claims that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant was only a temporary Covid-19 response.

This policy brief examines the potential for the South African G20 presidency to facilitate the rechannelling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), specifically the African Development Bank (AfDB). It outlines the financial mechanisms for such a transfer, the political and legal hurdles preventing it, and the potential development impacts for African nations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of groundWork and Earthlife Africa, submits a formal objection to Eskom's application for exemptions from Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for eight coal-fired power stations under section 59 of the Air Quality Act (AQA). The submission argues that these exemptions violate the constitutional right to a healthy environment, particularly for residents in Priority Areas, and that Eskom has failed to justify its 14-year delay in achieving compliance.

This policy note outlines the financial crisis in Africa, where rising public debt—reaching $1.8 trillion in 2022—is hindering climate and development goals. It calls for South Africa to use its 2025 G20 presidency to advocate for a holistic debt architecture that balances creditor obligations with social and environmental commitments.

The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, ruled in the #CancelCoal case that the South African government's plan to add 1500 megawatts of new coal-fired electricity generation to the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) was unlawful and invalid. The court found that the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) failed to consider the environmental and health impacts of this additional capacity, particularly regarding the rights of children.

This research paper analyzes the 'magnetic pull' of BRICS, exploring why non-member states seek to join the informal group. It argues that while initial appeal was based on economic credentials and promises of systemic reform, the group has transitioned toward more strategic outreach. The author examines the evolution of BRICS through its 2010 and 2023 expansions and the 2024 Kazan summit, highlighting the role of 'compound soft power' and the challenges of maintaining internal cohesion amidst rapid growth.

This research paper examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can drive economic growth, enhance security, and foster international cooperation among the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). It argues that while AI cooperation is currently nascent, it can help these nations challenge Western dominance in technology and governance, provided they align their diverse regulatory approaches and address challenges like job displacement and economic imbalances.

This research paper examines the human rights records of the BRICS nations, arguing that there is a significant gap between the human rights protections declared in their constitutions and their actual implementation. The authors express concern that the expansion of BRICS to include more autocratic regimes may create a safe haven for governments seeking to avoid Western-led human rights sanctions while pursuing economic and geopolitical dominance.