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The document examines the flow of tropical timber from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Uganda and the wider East African region. It highlights the challenges of regulating this trade due to its informal nature and the influence of powerful middlemen. The authors argue that regional cooperation, improved infrastructure, and the promotion of plantation forestry in Uganda are essential to reduce illegal trade and pressure on natural forests. Key recommendations include utilizing the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) for coordination and aligning timber certification standards across the DRC and East African Community (EAC) members.

The report examines the trade of tropical timber from the eastern DRC through Uganda to regional and international markets. It finds that approximately 80% of timber leaving the eastern DRC enters Uganda, where it is either consumed locally or transited to Kenya and South Sudan. The trade is characterized by high levels of informality, significant revenue loss for the DRC, and a profit structure that heavily favors middlemen and politically connected traders over primary producers and transporters. While international markets are increasingly regulated by frameworks like EU FLEGT and the US Lacey Act, regional trade remains largely unregulated due to timber shortages in East Africa. The report highlights the role of the Northern Transit Corridor in facilitating these flows and suggests that bottom-up regional cooperation, similar to the Albertine Rift Strategic Planning Process, could improve sustainability and governance.

The document analyzes the International Bar Association's Model Mining Development Agreement (MMDA 1.0), providing a template and narrative to ensure mining contracts promote sustainable development, transparency, and equitable resource distribution. It details key contractual areas including land tenure, royalties, taxation, and community obligations, while emphasizing the use of international standards like the IFC Performance Standards and EITI. Additionally, the report investigates the existence of similar model agreements for the oil and gas sector, concluding that no internationally accepted model currently exists despite the availability of various national form contracts.

The document details an expert meeting held in April 2012 to address two critical determinants of REDD+ success: the development of Safeguard Information Systems (SIS) and the fostering of effective private sector engagement. It highlights the need for flexible, country-driven SIS that leverage existing national and international architectures to keep transaction costs low. Regarding the private sector, the report emphasizes that policy clarity, certainty on carbon rights, and a 'nested approach' to accounting are essential to attract investment. The report also identifies significant capacity gaps in MRV, safeguards, and benefit-sharing systems across national and local levels.

The document analyzes the first official recognition of agriculture by the UNFCCC at COP 17 in Durban. It reviews submissions from 21 parties to the SBSTA, highlighting a tension between developed countries' focus on scientific mitigation and developing countries' priority on adaptation and food security. The briefing argues that agriculture requires a unique approach to emission reductions—potentially based on efficiency per unit of production—due to the necessity of increasing food supplies for a growing global population. It identifies key points of divergence, including trade implications and the role of smallholder farmers, while suggesting areas of consensus such as the link between agriculture and food security.

The study uses a qualitative generative research methodology in four villages of Haryana State to understand why traditional biomass stoves (chulhas) persist despite health and environmental risks. Findings reveal that users value the ability to regulate heat by combining fuelwood and cow dung, the specific taste of food cooked with biomass, and the low cost of self-made clay stoves. While users desire reduced smoke and fuel savings, advanced stoves approved by the National Biomass Cookstove Initiative (NBCI) often fail to meet practical needs, such as the ability to bake roti or use dung. The authors argue that technical efficiency standards must be balanced with real-world usability to ensure the adoption of cleaner cooking technologies.

The document discusses the health, environmental, and climate impacts of traditional biomass fuel use for cooking, noting that 2.7 billion people rely on such fuels. It argues that previous efforts to introduce efficient stoves failed because they neglected user needs and preferences. To address this, SEI is employing stated-preference survey tools and qualitative 'generative' ethnographic research to understand household decision-making and desires.

Tanzania has implemented the Small Power Projects (SPP) programme to scale up decentralized renewable energy and reduce dependence on drought-prone hydropower and expensive fossil fuels. The programme uses an avoided-cost-based feed-in tariff (FIT) to attract private investment without increasing costs for the national utility, TANESCO. While five plants (28.3 MW) are operational and ten more are planned, growth is hindered by low tariffs, high financing costs, and technical skepticism. The brief highlights the importance of South-South exchanges with Thailand and Sri Lanka in developing the regulatory framework and suggests that transitioning to technology-based tariffs, supported by international climate finance, is necessary for broader deployment of solar and wind energy.

The document examines how DFI lending through financial intermediaries (FIs) reduces transparency, weakens environmental and social safeguards, and often fails to reach the poorest populations compared to direct investment. It highlights specific cases of land disputes and environmental degradation in India and Brazil, and recommends that DFIs prioritize local ownership, increase public disclosure of sub-projects, and implement stricter due diligence focused on development impact.

The report argues that secrecy in large-scale land deals drives bad governance and human rights abuses. It proposes a precautionary principle of "if in doubt, disclose" and identifies four critical entry points for transparency: participatory land use planning, free prior and informed consent (FPIC), public disclosure of all contracts, and independent multi-stakeholder oversight.

The external review assesses WRI's transition toward a more global presence, specifically its expansion into China, India, and Brazil, and its shift toward a 'do-tank' model. While praising WRI's analytical excellence, reputation, and successful engagement with the business sector, the review identifies needs for better program focus, increased attention to poverty and gender, and a more systematic approach to partnership management. It recommends that WRI refine its balance between strategic research and tactical implementation to maintain its comparative advantage as a high-impact global think tank.

The document argues that road traffic accidents are a critical development issue in Africa, with fatalities forecast to rise as motorisation increases without corresponding infrastructure improvements. By comparing a 'base case' forecast with an 'improved scenario' where death rates are stabilised at the current continental average of 32 per 100,000 people, the authors estimate that Africa could prevent 4.2 million deaths and add US$ 234 billion to its GDP by 2050. The brief highlights that the economic gains, primarily driven by a larger labour force, would far outweigh the estimated costs of intervention, which range from US$ 1.7 billion to US$ 24 billion.

The document critiques the application of carbon trading in Africa, asserting that the continent remains marginal to the global market. It highlights how the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) creates perverse incentives, such as rewarding illegal gas flaring in Nigeria or subsidising fossil fuel dependence, while providing minimal financial benefit to local communities. The author argues that carbon offsets act as an 'avoided responsibility mechanism' for the global North and recommends shifting toward more just forms of climate finance.

The document examines the multifaceted relationship between China and Kenya, highlighting a trade imbalance where Kenya exports raw materials and imports value-added, often counterfeit, products. It analyzes how Chinese construction firms provide efficiency and quality but create unfair competition for local contractors through government-backed financial advantages. The paper evaluates Kenyan legislative responses, such as the Anti-Counterfeit Act of 2008 and the National Construction Authority Act 2010, and suggests regional coordination within the East African Community (EAC) to mitigate negative effects.

The document analyses the global rare earth elements (REE) industry, which is dominated by China with a 97% share of upstream production. It examines how China uses export restrictions and production quotas to leverage its monopoly, aiming to induce foreign downstream producers to relocate to China for technology transfer. The paper highlights the strategic importance of REEs for 'green' technology and military applications, and assesses South Africa's potential to re-enter the market through the Steenkampskraal and Zandkopsdrift projects. It also discusses global reactions, including Japan's efforts to reduce REE reliance and the emergence of junior mining companies seeking non-Chinese sources.

South Africa has long served as a primary entry point for international companies into Africa due to its sophisticated economy, financial hubs, and infrastructure. However, the document argues that its status is being challenged by the rise of regional gateways, increasing competition from other African ports and airlines, and internal issues including labour unrest, high port costs, and power price hikes.

The paper examines Kenya's response to maritime piracy, noting that while the country's geostrategic location makes it a crucial actor, its engagement has lacked a coherent domestic strategy. It highlights the economic impact of piracy, the failure of previous prosecution agreements due to resource gaps, and the potential for improved strategic engagement through international conferences and regional cooperation.

The report argues that maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia imposes significant economic costs on Kenya, including shipping surcharges and losses in tourism, while also facilitating money laundering within the country. It assesses previous counter-piracy efforts, noting that while Kenya has attempted to prosecute pirates, these efforts were hampered by jurisdictional conflicts and archaic evidentiary laws. The author recommends a multi-pronged strategy that combines sea-based naval patrols with land-based efforts to rebuild the Somali state and disrupt the financial networks of pirate bosses operating within Kenya.

The document highlights that while the SADC FTA has facilitated some trade growth, its effectiveness is severely hampered by restrictive Rules of Origin, non-tariff barriers (NTBs), and overlapping regional memberships. Private sector actors report administrative burdens in acquiring certificates of origin and the use of technical barriers to trade as veiled protectionism or revenue-raising tools. The briefing recommends harmonizing technical standards, simplifying Rules of Origin through the Tripartite FTA, and improving customs cooperation to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

The report identifies the top ten business constraints in the SADC region to facilitate policy dialogue and practical solutions. By reviewing World Bank data, World Economic Forum reports, and various Business Climate Surveys, the authors found that SADC countries generally perform poorly in ease of doing business, with Mauritius ranking 23rd and the Democratic Republic of Congo ranking 178th in 2012. The final list of top constraints includes issues such as access to finance, tax administration, lack of skilled labour, policy uncertainty, and infrastructure deficits.