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The 'Toxic Friends' campaign by Global Witness aimed to expose the relationships between politicians and corporate polluters, urging leaders to reject 'false solutions' and 'greenwashing' in favor of voices from the climate crisis frontline. The campaign utilized a simplified narrative and social media tactics to engage over 160 influential individuals and 100 organizations across 15 countries. Key strategic goals included delegitimizing corporate presence in policy spaces and highlighting the violence faced by environmental defenders.

The document outlines three priority areas for the U.S. administration: promoting transparency in the extractive industries through the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and legislative disclosure, strengthening anti-money laundering frameworks to prevent the looting of state funds, and breaking the link between the mineral trade and conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Global Witness reports that 200 land and environmental defenders were murdered in 2021, contributing to a ten-year total of 1,733 killings. The report identifies land inequality, corruption, and shrinking civic space as primary drivers of this violence, with Indigenous peoples disproportionately targeted. Analysis focuses on high-risk regions including Latin America, where over three-quarters of 2021 attacks occurred, and specific countries like Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and the Philippines. The document advocates for the implementation of the Escazú Agreement and the strengthening of the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to end corporate impunity.

The document outlines a framework for analyzing payments made by oil, gas, and mining companies to governments. It details ten specific tests—ranging from simple checks of payment types to complex revenue forecast comparisons—designed to identify 'red flags' or discrepancies that may indicate revenue loss due to bad deals, tax avoidance, or lack of enforcement. The guide emphasizes the use of supplementary data, such as fiscal terms and international commodity prices, to verify the accuracy of company disclosures.

The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF) is a pioneering climate finance instrument in South Africa that uses an outcomes-based payment model to de-risk investments in green SMMEs. By providing grant funding to Catalytic Finance Partners (CFPs) upon the verification of specific green outcomes—primarily permanent job creation—the GOF aims to bridge the investment gap for high-potential green businesses. The pilot phase, launched in January 2020 with a total facility size of ZAR 488.1 million, has demonstrated that such incentives can encourage fund managers to invest in sectors they previously avoided due to perceived risk. Key findings highlight the necessity of business development support for SMMEs and the importance of deep sector expertise for fund managers. While the fund has successfully created green jobs and diverted waste, it has faced challenges with slow drawdown of funds due to a prevalence of low-skilled jobs and the disruptive impact of COVID-19. The GOF is now exploring scaling strategies, including expanding its model within South Africa and extending its reach to other African countries such as Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

The document compiles research on the impacts of Universal Basic Income Grants (UBIG) and cash transfers, focusing on their ability to reduce poverty, improve health, and empower women in South Africa and other low-to-middle-income countries. It challenges myths regarding welfare dependency, arguing that such grants often facilitate job searches and productive investments rather than discouraging work. The bibliography also examines the macroeconomic feasibility of UBIG through progressive taxation and the social benefits of universality over targeted assistance.

The report assesses the current state of electricity generation, transmission, and consumption across Africa, highlighting a 'double burden' of climate and transition risk. It finds that while renewable energy potential is high, investment is heavily skewed toward generation and concentrated in a few countries, with significant data gaps hindering effective policy. The analysis of Global Production Networks (GPNs) reveals a heavy dependence on imported technology, particularly from China, and identifies specific challenges and opportunities for localising solar and wind value chains. Employment data is noted as inconsistent, though solar PV dominates the current renewable energy job landscape.

The author examines how the African clothing sector can transition from a linear to a circular model to align with Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12. It identifies three primary opportunities: promoting sustainable inputs like regenerative cotton and plant-based alternatives, greening the manufacturing process to gain a competitive advantage, and transforming the influx of second-hand clothing into a value-added recycling industry. The text emphasizes that without a proactive policy roadmap, African nations risk missing economic upgrades and failing to meet upcoming EU ecodesign regulations.

The Trade Knowledge Network (TKN), coordinated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development since 1998, is a global collaboration of research institutions across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It focuses on strengthening research capacity in developing countries to generate policy analysis on the impacts of trade and investment on sustainable development. The TKN operates through four pillars: strengthening Southern research capacity, generating innovative policy research, connecting with policy-makers, and building a global research network. Its approach is 'Southern-driven,' ensuring research is executed within the local contexts where it is applied. Recent projects have addressed regional trade integration, commodity price volatility, food security in Africa linked to climate change and land degradation, and foreign direct investment incentives in Southeast Asia. Since 1998, the TKN has partnered with over 35 institutions in 28 countries and published more than 80 reports.

The CAPA Initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, implements nature-based solutions (NbS) to protect biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience. In Belize, activities focus on reforestation in the Maya Forest Corridor and coral reef health in marine reserves. In Fiji, interventions include flood mitigation buffers and sustainable fisheries. In the Greater Virunga Landscape (Uganda), the project focuses on restoring agricultural lands and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. In the Kavango–Zambezi Landscape (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Angola), efforts target forest restoration and the stabilization of wetlands and headwaters. Global-level support is provided by IISD through research, capacity strengthening, and gender-responsive approaches.

The evaluation concludes that the CMC hybrid model—combining community radio and telecentre services—is an outstanding success in promoting social inclusion, cultural resilience, and poverty alleviation. Key achievements include the integration of CMCs into local communities and the creation of new livelihood opportunities. However, the report identifies significant challenges, including a lack of internal intersectoral cooperation within UNESCO, inconsistent field office support, and the financial instability of centres relying on volunteers and limited revenue. The evaluation recommends that UNESCO establish a clearer strategic interest in the initiative, develop a more structured Results Based Management (RBM) framework for scaling up, and advocate for enabling national policy environments regarding ICT connectivity and broadcast licensing.

The document describes how the CRiSTAL framework was used in Sanzara, Kapchorwa District, to analyze the impacts of climate variability on crop production. The process revealed that water stress and environmental degradation were primary challenges, leading the community to propose and implement a water gravity flow scheme from the River Sippi to adapt to prolonged dry spells. The project, supported by the IUCN and district officials, involved an environmental impact assessment and a community action plan, with implementation beginning in April 2012.

The document describes how the conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) approach was used to address the degradation of the Lake Edward fishery in Virunga National Park, which had been devastated by decades of violent conflict. By restructuring multistakeholder monitoring committees and implementing a support program involving awareness campaigns, law enforcement, and transboundary dialogue, the initiative improved cooperation among stakeholders, reduced illegal fishing, and increased fish yields. While not solving the broader regional conflicts, the project contributed to peacebuilding through environmental cooperation and strengthened local food security.

The IISD provides multidisciplinary research and participatory risk management to help governments and communities transition from crisis to sustainability. Its work focuses on integrating climate adaptation into decision-making, addressing environmental drivers of conflict in fragile states, and securing agricultural value chains against climate uncertainty.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent policy research organization that operates across six primary programs: Economic Law and Policy, Energy, Water, Resilience, SDG Knowledge, and Reporting Services. The organization focuses on creating holistic, interconnected solutions to global challenges, providing technical support to developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and tracking the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its work spans nearly 100 countries, ranging from supporting solar power transitions in India to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in Indonesia.

The document provides a list of the top 15 cocoa-producing countries as of 2016, categorizing them by production levels and their status regarding Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) compliance.

The document provides a data visualization of the top 15 coffee-producing countries in 2016, comparing their harvest areas and the prevalence of VSS-compliant production areas.

The document provides a data-driven overview of the top 15 tea-producing countries as of 2016, categorizing them by production levels, Human Development Index (HDI), and their status regarding Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) compliance.

The paper examines the transition of Africa's clothing and textile industry from a linear to a circular model. It identifies three primary opportunities: promoting sustainable inputs (such as regenerative cotton and alternative fibers), 'greening' the garment manufacturing process to gain a competitive advantage, and transforming the influx of second-hand clothing into a value-added recycling and upcycling industry. The author emphasizes that without a proactive policy approach and investment in technology and infrastructure, African nations risk missing economic opportunities and failing to comply with upcoming EU eco-design regulations.

The document defines standards for sustainable trade as non-legally binding instruments that integrate environmental and social sustainability into the trading process. It argues that while these standards can reward sustainable production, they may unfairly restrict market access for developing countries due to information gaps, high compliance costs, or irrelevant requirements. The paper details the institutional capacities needed to develop, apply, and demonstrate compliance with these standards, and proposes a demand-driven, regional approach to capacity building involving South-South cooperation and private sector engagement.