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This research paper examines South Africa's strategic objectives and challenges following its invitation to join the BRIC grouping in December 2010, focusing on its role as a representative for Africa in global governance, development, and trade.

This report documents a speaker's meeting on April 4, 2011, featuring Rob Davies, the South African Minister of Trade and Industry. The discussion focuses on South Africa's trade strategy, the challenges of the WTO Doha Development Round, and the potential of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA) to enhance regional integration and economic growth.

This meeting report details a policy dialogue organized by the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in March 2011. The event focused on the implications of engagement by China, India, and Brazil (CIB) in Africa and how this affects Africa-Europe relations, emphasizing the need for mutual learning, triangular cooperation, and African-led development strategies.

This policy briefing examines the trend of trade protectionism and 'bail-out' subsidies following the global economic recession, specifically analyzing whether South Africa's industrial support measures comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM).

This research paper analyzes how the accounting of international greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets affects the integrity of global climate mitigation pledges. Using a spreadsheet model based on marginal abatement costs, the authors examine scenarios where offsets are either double-counted (credited to both the buyer and seller) or counted only for the buyer. The study finds that double-counting could significantly dilute the ambition of current pledges, potentially reducing global abatement by up to 1.6 billion tons of CO2e by 2020, thereby increasing the gap to meet 2°C warming targets.

This research paper examines South Africa's expected formal admission into the BRICs grouping in April 2011. The author questions the strategic motivation and economic utility of this membership, arguing that the BRICs lack a formal political or economic structure and that South Africa's economic goals can be better pursued through bilateral relations and a broader South-South strategy.

This fact sheet describes the vulnerability of tropical dry forests in the Americas to global change, detailing trends in productivity and the critical need for expanded conservation efforts to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This report reviews the 2002 Belgian Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), arguing that it follows a traditional European model that provides extensive protections for foreign investors while imposing broad obligations on host states. The authors contend that the model lacks necessary refinements to preserve policy space for sustainable development, environmental protection, and labour rights, and fails to address governance issues in investor-state dispute settlement.

This fact sheet describes the Global Connectivity Program of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which focuses on the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the 'global connectivity system' in advancing sustainable development.

This report documents the proceedings of the Fifth Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators, held in Kampala, Uganda, from October 17–19, 2011. The event, co-organized by the Government of Uganda, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), and the South Centre, brought together 79 participants from 40 countries to discuss how developing nations can align foreign direct investment (FDI) with sustainable development goals. The forum focused on the risks of existing bilateral investment treaties (BITs), the importance of regulatory space for host states, and regional cooperation in investment policy.

The REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report documents a January 2011 gathering in Manila, Philippines, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and ASB-ICRAF. The meeting aimed to build policy capacity for developing country negotiators and land managers to ensure that Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) mechanisms deliver a 'Development Dividend'—balancing robust greenhouse gas reductions with sustainable development benefits, equity, and quality safeguards.

This report documents a capacity-building workshop held in Douala, Cameroon, from May 10–12, 2011, focused on transitioning REDD+ from international negotiation to national implementation. The event, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF), brought together over 55 participants from 17 African countries to discuss safeguards, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), the role of agriculture as a driver of deforestation, and financing mechanisms.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the impact of international greenhouse gas offsets on the fulfillment of emission reduction pledges under the Cancún Agreements. It specifically examines the risk of 'double-counting'—where both the buyer and seller count the same emission reduction toward their targets—and how this could dilute global climate ambition and hinder the pursuit of a 2°C pathway.

This 2011 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between urban sanitation system trends in developing regions and the disposal of menstrual absorption materials. It identifies that menstrual products, particularly those with super-absorbent materials, frequently cause blockages in water-borne sewerage systems and accelerate the filling of on-site pit latrines. The report argues that menstrual management is largely ignored in sanitation design and advocates for the integration of women's needs and the promotion of solid waste disposal routes for menstrual materials.

This policy brief examines the tensions between South Africa's domestic economic priorities and its international climate diplomacy. It highlights how the country's reliance on a coal-based 'minerals-energy complex' and the need to expand energy access conflict with its desire to be seen as a 'responsible' global actor and a 'bridge builder' in climate negotiations.

A briefing guide by PriceWaterhouseCoopers analyzing the outcomes of the Cancun Agreement from COP16, focusing on implications for business, carbon markets, and investment, with specific perspectives from China and Brazil.

In a 2010 speech to the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Minister Maite Nkoana‐Mashabane outlines South Africa's strategic approach to the rise of emerging global powers. She emphasizes the importance of South-South cooperation, the role of alliances like BRIC and IBSA in reforming global governance, and the necessity of integrating Africa into the global economy through infrastructure, industry, and intra-trade.

This briefing examines the implications of the Advisory Group on Climate Finance (AGF) recommendations for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. It details the region's specific climate vulnerabilities, its unique emissions profile dominated by land-use change, and the significant funding gaps for both mitigation and adaptation. The document argues that while the AGF's proposed public and private funding mechanisms offer opportunities, the LAC region must actively ensure it receives an equitable share of resources, particularly for adaptation grants, to avoid being overlooked by existing official development assistance patterns.

This executive summary outlines Ghana's National Climate Change Policy Framework (NCCPF), a strategic initiative designed to ensure a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy. The document emphasizes that while Ghana's global contribution to climate change is negligible, the country faces substantial threats to its development goals, particularly in agriculture, coastal infrastructure, and poverty reduction. The NCCPF proposes a multi-sectoral response based on three primary objectives—low carbon growth, effective adaptation, and social development—supported by seven systemic pillars including governance, finance, and capacity building.

This executive summary by Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland argues that carbon trading is an ineffective and dangerous primary tool for tackling climate change. The document proposes a comprehensive package of alternative mitigation strategies across energy, agriculture, forests, and industry, alongside several specific financial mechanisms to provide at least US$420 billion per year in additional climate finance for developing countries.