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This policy brief examines how Rwanda has utilized the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) to accelerate its national transformation agenda, specifically through infrastructure development and the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI). It analyzes Rwanda's economic trajectory from the post-genocide era to 2019, highlighting the role of 'reform culture capital' and the necessity of private sector engagement to overcome infrastructure deficits.

This case study examines Ghana's participation in the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA), evaluating the relationship between the country's reform commitments and the resulting foreign direct investment (FDI). It analyzes the effectiveness of the CwA framework, the role of the IMF, and the gaps between government-led reforms and the needs of the domestic private sector.

This guide by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) argues that gender justice and the dismantling of the patriarchy are essential for systemic transformation and the achievement of social and environmental justice. It advocates for a grassroots, anti-capitalist feminism to challenge interconnected systems of oppression, including capitalism, racism, neocolonialism, and heteronormativity.

This statement by Natural Justice provides recommendations for the UN High-Level Political Forum 2020, focusing on systems transformation to protect the planet and build resilience. It advocates for rights-based conservation, decentralized energy systems, and the empowerment of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to manage natural resources and hold governments accountable.

This report chapter from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes development finance for energy projects with gender equality objectives between 2008 and 2018. It highlights a significant gap between general development finance and energy-specific finance targeting gender equality, identifies methodological failures in current tracking systems, and proposes a new framework for reporting and measuring gender-focused energy outcomes.

This document summarizes the outcomes of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA) Resilience Roundtable held on December 10, 2019, during UNFCCC COP 25 in Madrid. The roundtable focused on accelerating action to build a resilient 1.5-degree world, emphasizing the need to bring investment in adaptation and resilience on par with mitigation to protect the most vulnerable populations, particularly in least developed countries and small island developing states.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs discusses the objectives and context of the September 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in New York. It highlights the urgency of the 'climate crisis' as defined by the IPCC and UN Secretary General António Guterres, the role of youth activism, and the need to balance climate change mitigation with adaptation, specifically through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Africa.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) issued a statement condemning recent xenophobic violence in South Africa, calling for political leadership to stop scapegoating migrants and for the state to prosecute criminals and implement civic education based on common humanity.

This report summarizes a July 2019 workshop in Bangkok regarding the operationalization of the ASEAN Guidelines and Action Plan on Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. Adopted in October 2018 and based on CFS-FAI principles, these voluntary guidelines aim to promote sustainable investment across ASEAN member states.

This technical annex assesses progress toward Goal 1 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which aims to halve natural forest loss globally by 2020 and end it by 2030. The report finds that the world is not on track to meet these targets, as average annual global gross tree cover loss and carbon emissions from tropical forests increased between 2014 and 2018 compared to historical baselines, despite a decline in loss observed in 2018.

This executive summary evaluates progress five years after the 2014 New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), concluding that the goals to halve tropical deforestation by 2020 and end it by 2030 are unlikely to be met. The report highlights an acceleration in the loss of primary forests, inadequate restoration progress, and a significant gap between 'grey' finance for agriculture and 'green' finance for forest conservation.

This research paper examines the role of digital financial services (DFS) in promoting financial inclusion, with a detailed case study on South Africa. It explores the global benefits and risks of digitisation, South Africa's progress toward its National Development Plan targets, and the broader opportunities for digital financial transition across the African continent.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates how integrated land use and energy technology policies in eastern Africa can simultaneously advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action, health, and energy access.

This policy brief summarizes the IPCC's SRCCL report, detailing how human activity affects 75% of Earth's land surface and contributes to climate change. It highlights that while land currently acts as a net carbon sink, climate change and degradation (driven largely by agriculture and logging) threaten this capacity. The brief emphasizes that sustainable land management, incorporating indigenous knowledge and gender-proofing, is essential for limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C and ensuring future food security.

Friends of the Earth International expresses deep disappointment with the July 16 revised version of the UN's legally binding treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, arguing that the text is too weak and fails to establish international jurisdiction to hold corporations accountable.

Friends of the Earth International criticizes the July 16, 2019, Revised Draft of the UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights, arguing that it dilutes the focus on transnational corporations and fails to establish direct obligations for these entities to be regulated and prosecuted.

This policy brief examines the intersection of mining, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the transition to a low-carbon circular economy, using South Africa as a primary case study. It argues that while a low-carbon future requires increased mineral extraction, this must be decoupled from environmental degradation through green industrialisation and technological innovation.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines five strategies to reduce the food system's impact on freshwater resources, highlighting the disparity between the water people drink and the water required to produce their food.

This briefing argues that private sector development in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS) is not inherently peace-positive and can often increase fragility if not conflict-sensitive. It highlights the disincentives for businesses to engage in peacebuilding, including the risk of government reprisals and the potential loss of profits derived from unjust systems. The document calls for 'systems shapers'—those who finance and regulate the private sector—to prioritize corporate accountability and move away from 'de-risking' strategies that decouple corporate risk from socio-political impacts.

This fact sheet from the Climate Bonds Initiative details a EUR 750 million (USD 840 million) green bond issued by Vodafone on May 24, 2019, marking the first time a UK ICT company has entered the green bond market.