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This policy brief examines the history and effectiveness of United Nations 'mega-conferences' on sustainable development, from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to Rio+20 in 2012. It analyzes how these events have attempted to integrate economic development, social equity, and environmental protection, while highlighting the persistent tensions between industrialized and developing nations regarding financial responsibility and the right to development.

The report argues that Africa's economic future depends on enhancing women's economic roles, but cautions against legislative quotas for gender parity, such as South Africa's proposed Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. While sub-Saharan Africa has the world's highest entrepreneurship rates, women face significant barriers including lower literacy rates (75% of men's) and discriminatory customary laws. The author suggests that general business environment reforms and prioritizing girls' education are more effective than gender-specific mandates.

This research paper examines the 'restoration economy' in Africa, using South Africa's 'Working for Wetlands' program as a primary case study. It argues that ecological restoration can support economic recovery and resilience ('build back better') if integrated with development planning and funded by a mix of public and private sources, particularly from production sectors like mining and agriculture.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the collapse of gold mining in the Free State Goldfields of South Africa to derive lessons for current and future decarbonization transitions in regional economies.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments on June 7, 2021, regarding the draft Regulations for the use of water for gas exploration and production in South Africa. While welcoming the goal of protecting water resources, the CER argues that the draft regulations are insufficient to protect surface and underground water from the risks of hydraulic fracturing and underground coal gasification (UCG), particularly in the context of climate change.

This policy briefing examines the current state of global nuclear disarmament, framed by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock being set to 100 seconds to midnight in January 2020. It analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diplomatic processes, the success of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Ban Treaty), and the role of non-state actors and small nations in driving a 'humanitarian turn' in disarmament diplomacy.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes 517 energy-related policies approved by G7 nations and invited guests between January 1, 2020, and March 3, 2021. It evaluates whether COVID-19 recovery spending aligns with climate goals and 'build back better' pledges.

This executive summary of the 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance report, produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance with World Bank contributions, analyzes global urban climate investment flows and the enabling conditions required to close the investment gap. It establishes a framework for tracking urban climate finance and provides recommendations for city, national, and international officials to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for low-carbon, climate-resilient urban development.

This executive summary of the 2021 State of Urban Climate Financing report, produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance with World Bank contributions, analyzes global urban climate investment flows, identifies significant funding gaps—particularly in developing nations—and proposes a framework of 'enabling conditions' to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for low-carbon and climate-resilient urban development.

This executive summary of the 2021 report 'O Estado do Financiamento Climático das Cidades' (The State of City Climate Finance), produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), analyzes current urban climate investment levels, identifies barriers to funding, and proposes frameworks to mobilize the necessary capital for low-carbon and resilient urban development.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and Oxpeckers analyzes global coal mine proposals, finding that 2,277 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of new capacity is under development. This expansion is led by China, Australia, India, and Russia, and is largely inconsistent with the 1.5°C warming limit of the Paris climate agreement.

This market brief, prepared by GreenCape for the City of Cape Town, evaluates green technologies and practices to sustainably intensify urban and peri-urban food production. It classifies interventions into three levels based on a modified Gliessman framework: increasing efficiency of current practices, substituting alternative practices, and re-establishing production through novel growing systems. The document provides financial viability assessments for hydroponics, aquaponics, and complete Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems, while also identifying specific investment opportunities for different farm scales in Cape Town.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for the development of Canada's first-ever National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). It analyzes adaptation planning trends globally and across 11 peer countries, evaluates Canada's existing domestic policy and institutional foundations, and proposes 13 considerations to ensure the NAS is inclusive, accountable, and effective in mobilizing federal action.

This policy brief analyzes the services market access negotiations under the WTO E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative (JSI). It highlights a significant trade imbalance, where developed nations are net exporters of the targeted digital services while developing nations are net importers. The brief identifies key challenges, including the 'technological neutrality' of GATS, the undecided legal architecture of the JSI, and a lack of gender and social inclusion considerations. It recommends that developing countries pursue a 'built-in development dimension' through progressive liberalization and multi-stakeholder national assessments.

The June 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) role in managing crises in the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Chad, while analyzing the institutional challenges of the Pan-African Parliament and the strategic partnership between the AU and the United Nations.

This policy brief examines the role of nuclear science and technology in advancing Africa's sustainable development, specifically aligning with the AU's Agenda 2063 and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights applications in healthcare and agriculture, the existing infrastructure of research reactors, and the legal frameworks ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy on the continent.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes how Chinese infrastructure investment and trade goals overlap with Africa's ambition for a single continental market, highlighting both the potential for synergy and the risks of economic imbalance.

Ember's message to the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit emphasizes that achieving 100% clean power is a prerequisite for global carbon neutrality by 2050, citing the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 report.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a comment on 20 May 2021 objecting to a proposed amendment by the Minister of Environmental Affairs to extend the transitional period for mining right holders to comply with the 2015 Financial Provision Regulations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal objection on 20 May 2021 to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment regarding proposed amendments to the Financial Provision Regulations, 2015. The CER opposes the extension of the transitional period for certain right or permit holders to comply with these regulations, arguing that such delays increase the risk of environmental degradation and mine abandonment.