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Based on a study of 153 interviews in Colombia, Guatemala, and Nepal, the document finds that female ex-combatants who reintegrate collectively are more socially and politically active than those who reintegrate individually. Collective reintegration helps women maintain the progressive gender relations experienced within certain armed groups, providing security, economic support, and childcare that facilitate leadership and political participation. The author notes that the UN Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards (IDDRS) currently neglect collective reintegration in favor of breaking down command structures, and recommends that the UN explicitly include it as a viable alternative to improve post-conflict gender equality.

The Strategic Plan for Advancing Energy Efficiency Across Demand Sectors by 2030 outlines a framework for G20 countries to double the global annual rate of energy intensity improvement. It focuses on five pillars: buildings, industry, transport, financing, and behavioral change. The plan argues that energy efficiency is the 'first fuel' for the energy transition and proposes specific high-impact opportunities, such as rethinking building codes (RENEW), scaling motor efficiency for SMEs (SME²), and aggregating energy services (FAST). It emphasizes the need to triple annual energy efficiency investments to approximately USD 840 billion by 2030 and highlights the potential of the Indian 'Lifestyle for Environment' (LiFE) initiative to reduce global CO2 emissions by 2 billion tonnes by 2030.

The document highlights a shift in African gas extraction toward countries that have not historically exploited fossil fuels, noting that 84 percent of new pre-production reserves are located in recent entrants. It argues that these developments, largely destined for export, will increase gas production by a third by 2030 but will fail to address local electrification needs while exacerbating climate change and environmental risks.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques the 2023 South African Budget, asserting that it prioritizes debt stabilization and austerity over essential public services and social protection. The IEJ highlights significant real-term funding shortfalls in healthcare, education, and social grants, and warns that conditions on Eskom's debt relief facilitate privatization and exacerbate energy poverty. The document calls for a shift toward a developmental macroeconomic framework, progressive taxation—including a wealth tax and returning the corporate tax rate to 28%—and the implementation of a permanent basic income support system to address systemic inequality and poverty.

The European Green Deal (EGD) offers the African private sector significant opportunities in green hydrogen production and the supply of critical raw materials, driven by the EU's need for energy security and supply chain diversification. While various funding instruments like InvestEU and the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package exist, the report warns of a potential 'unequal partnership' where Africa remains a mere resource supplier. It emphasizes the need for African stakeholders to proactively engage in technology transfer and co-creation to avoid lock-in effects and ensure inclusive growth.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) calls for the 2023/2024 Budget to abandon regressive macroeconomic policies and prioritize public investment in infrastructure, the green economy, and social services. The statement emphasizes the need for the state to absorb Eskom's debt, renegotiate power purchase agreements, and increase the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to the Food Poverty Line to combat extreme poverty and energy instability.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) warns that National Treasury is undermining the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant through restrictive regulations and underfunding. Despite the President's commitment to a permanent basic income floor, the IEJ notes that the grant's value remains frozen at R350, failing to account for inflation and falling short of the Food Poverty Line (FPL) of R663. The document highlights a significant drop in approved applications—from 10.9 million in March 2022 to 7.5 million in January 2023—which the IEJ attributes to an excessively low means test of R624 and an onerous application process. The IEJ demands that the grant be increased to the FPL and that exclusionary provisions be revoked to protect the constitutional rights of the approximately 18.3 million people living in extreme poverty in South Africa.

The document criticises the National Treasury for underfunding the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant and implementing exclusionary regulations. It highlights a significant drop in approved applications from 10.9 million in March 2022 to 7.5 million in January 2023, attributing this to a low means-test threshold of R624 and complex application processes. The IEJ calls for the grant to be increased to the Food Poverty Line of R663 and for the government to honour the President's commitment to protect grants from inflation.

This research paper analyzes Nigeria's foreign policy under President Buhari, arguing that a persistent conflict between regional aspirations and domestic policy instincts has hindered the country's economic and diplomatic goals. The author highlights how domestic measures, such as land border closures and a delay in ratifying the AfCFTA, contradicted Nigeria's stated goals of regional integration and economic growth.

Good Governance Africa provides a critical reflection on the 2023 State of the Nation Address, praising investments in transportation and data costs but expressing concern over the energy crisis and local government failure. The organization highlights the severe economic impact of load shedding and criticizes the lack of a clear timeframe for the declared energy state of disaster. It further notes the absence of updates on the district development model and calls for a regulatory framework to manage municipal coalitions to reduce political instability.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques the 2023 SONA for relying on private sector solutions for infrastructure and the energy transition, which it argues undermines state capacity and affordability. While welcoming the National State of Disaster for the energy crisis and the extension of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, the IEJ highlights failures in grant accessibility and the imbalance of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), where infrastructure receives 89.4% of funding compared to minimal allocations for skills and diversification. The IEJ calls for a radical shift toward a rights-centered development agenda, including the removal of Eskom's debt from its balance sheet and the implementation of a universal basic income grant.

The analysis finds that interactions between key SDG targets are generally synergetic at a global level under a 1.5°C warming limit, with climate finance and policy mainstreaming acting as primary accelerators for other goals.

The document challenges the National Air Quality Officer's (NAQO) decisions to allow Eskom to delay compliance with emission standards. It argues that such postponements are unlawful under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) and the 2017 National Framework, particularly for plants in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA). The submission provides evidence of Eskom's extensive history of emission exceedances and the resulting health costs, including thousands of projected premature deaths. It further asserts that the technology to abate sulphur dioxide (SO2) is feasible and economically beneficial, contradicting Eskom's claims of impracticality.

Two environmental organizations, groundWork and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), have authorized the Centre for Environmental Rights to appeal an environmental authorisation granted on 22 November 2022. The authorisation allows Phakwe Richards Bay Gas Power 3 (Pty) Ltd to develop and operate a 2000 MW gas-to-power plant in Richards Bay IDZ Zone 1F.

The African Climate Foundation outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations to reform the international financial system, addressing systemic imbalances that limit Africa's access to affordable funding. The report highlights a critical gap in climate finance, noting that mitigation receives over ten times the funding of adaptation. Key proposals include reforming IMF and World Bank governance, overhauling the G20 Common Framework on Debt Treatment, and establishing a Global Resilience Reserve Fund. It also emphasizes the need to address the 'risk mind-set' and biased credit ratings that impose high interest rates on African governments despite low infrastructure project default rates.

The report finds that while global coal capacity is increasingly subject to carbon neutrality targets, a significant gap remains between current phase-out rates and Paris Agreement goals. China is the primary driver of new coal capacity, while the US leads in retirements. In Indonesia, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) provides a $20 billion financial commitment to accelerate the electricity sector's emission peak to 2030, though 'captive' coal plants for industrial use remain a significant challenge.

The analysis reveals that only 24% of the 67 sampled countries demonstrated a climate risk responsive recovery. A significant paradox was identified: a country's income level was a stronger determinant of whether it used COVID-19 funds for adaptation than its actual climate vulnerability. High-income countries were more likely to integrate physical climate risks into their recovery plans, while the most vulnerable countries were the least likely to do so, with only Kenya and Vanuatu among the 20 most vulnerable countries approving explicit adaptation actions. Most responsive measures focused on water resources management, disaster prevention, infrastructure, and nature-based solutions, primarily targeting drought and flooding.

The Resilience Evidence Forum 2023 Synthesis Report outlines a multi-scalar approach to building resilience, focusing on people, communities, urban systems, socio-ecological systems, and market systems. It emphasizes the transition from top-down measurement to co-produced evidence that integrates local and Indigenous knowledge with scientific data. The report identifies critical gaps in funding for climate resilience—noting that less than $50 billion is spent annually against needs of $160-340 billion—and advocates for gender-transformative approaches, integrated health and nutrition systems, and the use of mixed-methods to capture transformative, long-term outcomes rather than just short-term recovery.

The 2023 Energy Services Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape identifies significant growth in South Africa's energy services sector, driven by national energy insecurity (load shedding) and rising electricity costs. Rooftop solar PV is the most immediate opportunity, with an estimated annual market value of R7.5 billion and a projected total capacity of 10 GWp by 2035. Behind-the-meter storage, particularly lithium-ion batteries, is growing as a backup solution, with a current market size of R4 billion expected to reach R32.5 billion by 2035. The energy efficiency sector remains sluggish despite a potential annual saving of 120 TWh, though smart meter upgrades present a market opportunity of R40–R60 billion. Key barriers include port inefficiencies causing long equipment lead times and a shortage of skilled technical labor. The report also details the regulatory landscape, including the removal of the 100 MW generation license threshold and the implementation of mandatory energy performance certificates for large buildings.

The document assesses the attractiveness of South Africa's green economy manufacturing market, detailing policy frameworks, electricity costs, labour laws, and tax systems. It highlights significant opportunities in renewable energy, water infrastructure, and sustainable agriculture, while identifying critical bottlenecks such as load shedding, policy inconsistency, and skills shortages.