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China saw wind capacity grow from 1.26 GW in 2005 to 91.4 GW by 2013, but faces ongoing issues with grid connection delays and power curtailment due to transmission lagging behind capacity and poor governance coordination. Additionally, a separate IISD study warns that BRIICS nations could face a $278 billion revenue gap by 2030 as they transition away from fossil fuels.

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.

This research paper examines the conflict between international regulatory norms, such as the CITES ivory trade ban, and the diverse local values held by communities in elephant range states and consumer markets. Using Cameroon's Congo River basin and Southern African states as primary examples, the authors argue that ignoring local societal values and the impacts of globalisation can lead to adverse reactions, undermining long-term conservation goals.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines how South Africa can maximize the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) before its 2025 expiration and evaluates three potential frameworks for future trade relations with the United States: a 'simple' approach, a Partial Scope Agreement (PSA), and a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted comments on the 2016 Draft Strategy to Address Air Pollution in Dense Low Income Settlements. While welcoming the document, the CER argues that it lacks measurable plans, adequate baseline data, and a strategy for community consultation to effectively address the health impacts of domestic fuel burning in South Africa.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted these written submissions to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in August 2016. The document outlines systemic failures in the environmental governance of the South African mining sector, detailing how poor monitoring, inadequate enforcement, and flawed impact assessment processes lead to the violation of environmental rights in mining-affected communities. It provides evidence of water pollution, ecosystem destruction, and severe health impacts, while recommending a transfer of regulatory authority from the Department of Mineral Resources to environmental authorities.

This briefing by GreenCape outlines the potential for processing and reusing builders' rubble in South Africa, highlighting road construction as a primary opportunity and emphasizing the necessity of regional operations to manage logistics costs.

A statement of grounds of appeal filed by eight environmental and community organisations against an environmental authorisation granted on 7 June 2016 to Atha Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd for the Yzermyn underground coal mine near Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The appellants argue that the authorisation is based on a fundamentally flawed Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) that ignores critical biodiversity risks, fails to address socio-economic impacts on vulnerable communities, and was granted by an incorrect competent authority.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) provided research and advice that led to the 2011 legislation establishing the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in South Africa, replacing the under-resourced Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to ensure more rigorous oversight of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The August 2016 Peace & Security Council Report details the outcomes of the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, focusing on the deadlock in electing a new AU Commission chairperson, a historic agreement on AU self-financing, and the AU's strained relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It also analyzes the security crises in South Sudan, Libya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This research paper by Thatshisiwe Ndlovu for the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the long-term fiscal history of Botswana, tracing its evolution from pre-colonial tribal tributes to a modern tax state. The author argues that Botswana's current fiscal capacity was shaped by a 'skeletal' colonial tax state characterized by indirect rule and negotiation with traditional leaders, which prevented the violent tax rebellions seen in other British colonies. The paper details the transition from colonial hut and poll taxes to a post-independence system heavily reliant on diamond revenues, and subsequent reforms to diversify the tax base following the 2008 global economic crisis.

This policy briefing describes the 2016 World Conservation Congress (WCC) convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Honolulu, Hawai’i. It outlines the congress's role in shaping the global conservation agenda through a motions process, its alignment with 2015 global sustainability frameworks, and the specific strategic interests and challenges facing African and South African member organisations.

The research paper argues that Southern Africa remains largely excluded from global value chains due to poor infrastructure, weak manufacturing, and a lack of data. It highlights that while South Africa has a strong services component in its exports, the broader region should leverage agro-processing and services liberalisation to drive economic growth and regional integration.

This policy brief evaluates the capacity development component of the Water, Climate and Development Programme for Africa (WACDEP). Launched in 2011, the programme trained 170 people across eight countries to integrate water security and climate resilience into development planning. Key findings indicate that national ownership and localized programme management are critical for translating training into tangible outcomes, and that national trainers are preferable to international experts.

This research paper examines the role of employee share ownership plans (Esops) within South Africa's black economic empowerment (BEE) framework in the mining sector. It analyzes the limitations of debt-based equity models, which leave workers vulnerable to commodity price volatility, and proposes the integration of profit-sharing components to ensure more sustainable monetary benefits for employees.

This briefing, submitted by Earthjustice to the Centre for Environmental Rights, provides a comparative analysis between the United States Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) and South Africa's Draft National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations. It offers specific recommendations to strengthen the South African draft by improving accuracy calibration, clarifying facility-level reporting, expanding the range of covered gases, and reducing flexibility for regulated entities.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting on behalf of several environmental justice organisations, submitted preliminary comments on South Africa's Draft National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reporting Regulations. The submission argues that the draft regulations place an inappropriate burden on data providers to calculate their own emissions and lacks sufficient transparency and public disclosure mechanisms, which are necessary to meet South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The 2016 SAIIA Young Leaders Declaration is a statement of recommendations from South African youth aimed at implementing the COP 21 Paris Agreement, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document outlines specific demands for municipal, provincial, and national governments across five key areas: accountability, education, basic needs, economic development, and stakeholder engagement, while concluding with a pledge of youth commitment to these global and national goals.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting for Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, submitted comments on the Background Information Document (BID) for the proposed Mokolo Crocodile (West) Water Augmentation Project Phase 2 (MCWAP-2). The submission expresses significant reservations regarding the project's sustainability and feasibility, citing climate change and water scarcity, and requests further clarity on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and public consultation.

This research paper analyzes the potential economic and trade implications for South Africa if the United Kingdom were to exit the European Union (Brexit). It examines the current scale of bilateral trade and investment, evaluates three potential Brexit scenarios, and discusses the risks to South Africa's financial stability and trade agreements.