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This report examines the intersection of gender equality and mine closure, highlighting how women in mining communities often face disproportionate negative impacts and limited benefits. It provides policy recommendations for governments to integrate gender considerations into closure practices to prevent increased social and economic vulnerability for women.

Climate finance for small-scale agrifood systems was USD 5.53 billion in 2019/20, representing only 0.8% of total global climate finance and 19% of agrifood-specific flows. This reflects a 44% decline from the 2017/18 period, driven by reduced commitments from governments and development finance institutions. Funding is dominated by public sources (96%) and primarily delivered via grants and concessional debt, with a critical lack of equity investment. Geographically, Sub-Saharan Africa received the largest share (34%), while South Asia and the MENA region remain significantly underserved despite high climate vulnerability. The report argues that current funding is starkly inadequate compared to the estimated annual general financing needs of smallholder farmers (USD 170 billion) and agri-SMEs (USD 106 billion).

Global climate finance reached an annual average of nearly USD 1.3 trillion in 2021/2022, though this represents only 1% of global GDP. Mitigation finance dominates, particularly in energy and transport, while adaptation finance remains critically underfunded and dominated by public actors. Finance is heavily concentrated in developed economies and China, with significant gaps in least developed countries (LDCs) and emerging markets. The report argues that annual needs must increase at least five-fold to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, recommending reforms to international financial institutions and the mobilization of domestic capital.

Black carbon (BC), or soot, is a potent short-lived climate pollutant resulting from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. The report identifies the residential and transportation sectors as the primary sources, with China and India as the largest emitters. It highlights a 'triple win' of reducing BC: slowing global warming (particularly in the Arctic and Himalayas), preventing millions of premature deaths, and avoiding trillions in economic losses. Key recommendations include scaling clean cooking in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, retrofitting diesel engines with particulate filters, regulating shipping fuels, and incorporating BC into national climate plans (NDCs).

The document outlines how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) functions as a tool for economic empowerment rather than just a social grant. It presents evidence from various countries showing that guaranteed income allows the poor to invest in productive assets, start small businesses, and increase local consumption, which in turn stimulates broader economic activity through a multiplier effect.

The document outlines how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) serves as a government commitment to ensure all citizens receive a minimum amount to meet basic needs. It details the positive impacts of cash transfers on child health, adult mental well-being, and lifelong learning, citing evidence from South Africa, Namibia, India, Kenya, and Tanzania to demonstrate how such guarantees can break cycles of structural poverty.

The document outlines how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) serves as a tool to break the cycle of poverty by improving physical health, mental well-being, and educational attainment. It cites evidence from South Africa, Namibia, India, Kenya, and Tanzania to demonstrate that cash transfers reduce child malnutrition, increase school enrollment, and lower psychological stress. The text positions UBIG as an investment in human capital that supports lifelong learning and prepares workers for a green economy.

The document advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG), defined as a government commitment to ensure all adults receive a minimum income to meet basic needs. It asserts that UBIG provides the stability necessary for individuals to invest in skills, education, and small businesses, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty. Using evidence from cash transfer pilots in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and other regions, the text highlights how these payments lead to increased agricultural productivity, business growth, and a 'multiplier effect' that boosts the broader local and national economy through increased spending.

The report examines the intersection of gender equality and mine closure, noting that women often face disproportionate negative impacts during the post-mining transition, including increased gender-based violence and economic vulnerability. It argues that conventional environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) often lack gender responsiveness. The document provides a framework for integrating gender-based analysis (GBA) and inclusive community engagement across the mine life cycle—from pre-mining planning and land-use decisions to the transition of workers in the service and supply sectors. It concludes with specific recommendations for governments to develop gender mining strategies and mandate the use of GBA in regulatory processes.

The document argues that mine closures often exacerbate the social, economic, and domestic vulnerability of women, who are frequently excluded from decision-making and formal employment in the mining sector. It outlines how gender-blind closure processes can lead to increased gender-based violence, food insecurity, and a higher burden of unpaid care work. To counter this, the report recommends that governments mandate gender-based analysis in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), ensure women's representation in closure committees, and provide targeted social services and retraining for women in the service and supply sectors during the transition to post-mining economies.

The report argues that mine closures often exacerbate the social, economic, and domestic vulnerability of women, who are frequently excluded from decision-making and formal mining employment. It outlines a framework for governments to mandate gender-responsive practices throughout the mine life cycle, including the use of Gender Comparative Analysis (GCA) in environmental and social impact assessments, the creation of inclusive closure committees, and the provision of targeted social services to combat gender-based violence during the post-mining transition. The document emphasizes that while mine operators hold primary responsibility for closure, governments must establish the regulatory standards and strategic frameworks to ensure equitable outcomes for all community members.

The document argues that energy transition planning in Africa is hindered by polarized debates, a gap between science and policy, and the use of simplistic myths about the continent's resources. It calls for a shift toward granular, country-specific evidence to inform decisions on energy systems and the role of fossil fuels.

Natural Justice argues that nuclear energy is an economically unviable and environmentally dangerous alternative to renewable energy in South Africa. The commentary contends that the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill encourages investment in a sector characterized by high costs, long lead times, and significant waste management risks. It specifically criticizes the extensive powers granted to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, citing the Department's poor track record in rehabilitating abandoned mines as evidence that it cannot be trusted to manage nuclear decommissioning and waste. The authors advocate for decentralized renewable energy solutions, such as solar and wind, to address load shedding and rural energy access.

The report identifies a fragmented policy environment and significant perceived cost barriers hindering the adoption of net zero carbon buildings in Nigeria. While the country possesses an advanced green bond market and established conventional debt financing, most other financial and policy instruments remain nascent or small-scale. The authors recommend establishing a national net zero carbon building strategy, increasing professional capacity, and ensuring a just transition that links building affordability with local job creation.

The policy brief examines the challenge of youth unemployment in Africa, noting that millions of young people, including tertiary graduates, struggle to enter the labor market. It evaluates various school-to-work transition initiatives, such as Ghana's National Service Scheme and NABCO, and identifies a critical trade-off between the scale of a program and the quality of its training. The author argues that for these programs to be successful, they must provide comprehensive skills training, ensure inclusivity, avoid political interference, and be coupled with efforts to create more high-quality jobs in collaboration with the private sector.

The document outlines the interconnectedness of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, pollution, and social injustice. It argues that current economic and social systems based on fossil fuels and overconsumption are unsustainable, leading to severe impacts such as rising sea levels, water scarcity, and air pollution. The guide advocates for a fundamental shift toward circular economies, sustainable agriculture, and a 'just transition' that prioritizes the rights of the poor, women, and indigenous populations to ensure the planet's regeneration.

The document argues that the current climate and ecological crisis is driven by economic and social systems reliant on fossil fuels and overconsumption. It calls for a fundamental shift toward renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and circular economic practices to protect biodiversity and ensure social justice. The guide emphasizes that the poorest populations suffer most from environmental degradation despite being the least responsible, advocating for a 'just transition' and the protection of human rights to clean air and water. It urges governments and individuals to move from a relationship of exploitation to one of care for the planet.

The research identifies 'understanding', 'awareness', and 'economic/finance' as the primary capacity gaps for land-based mitigation technologies and practices (LMTs) across five global regions. The authors suggest that addressing knowledge and understanding gaps is a critical first step to increase stakeholder attraction to LMTs. To support scaling, the paper recommends that policymakers develop dedicated support policies and regulatory frameworks, build markets, utilize carbon markets, and collaborate with local and Indigenous Peoples using bottom-up implementation plans and traditional knowledge.

The document outlines insights from the FRACTAL and FRACTAL-Plus projects, arguing that climate services should transition from a product-driven focus to a process-driven approach centered on decision-making needs, learning, and relationship-building.

The report examines how the perception of risk increases the cost of capital, thereby hindering renewable energy deployment in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It details the project development process from a developer's viewpoint, categorizes various investment risks, and analyzes RMT instruments—divided into policy and financial de-risking—designed to make projects financially viable by reducing the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) and increasing Net Present Value (NPV).