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This document is a collection of abstracts for the COMPACT National Research Conference 2025, titled "Reimagining Developmental Local Government: New Approaches to Legacy Challenges." The abstracts outline various research papers and provocations focused on enhancing citizen participation, gender and youth inclusivity, innovative urban practices, and performance monitoring within South African municipalities.

These conference proceedings, compiled by the World Resources Institute, document the 50th anniversary of Bogota's Ciclovía and its influence on open-streets initiatives globally. The document details how Bogota's model of closing arterial roads to cars on Sundays has inspired similar programs in Los Angeles, Lima, and Cape Town, while analyzing the social, economic, and policy-driven impacts of these initiatives.

This briefing, authored by Dr. Tanya Petach of the Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI), examines the drivers of declining lake and reservoir water storage globally. It highlights the distinction between anthropogenic causes, such as unsustainable water consumption, and climate-driven factors, such as increased evaporation and changing precipitation patterns, to argue for targeted policy interventions and adaptive management strategies to prevent urban 'Day Zero' scenarios.

The OvaHerero people of Namibia and Angola developed a Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) between 2022 and 2024 to protect their traditional knowledge and land rights from threats like climate change and modernisation. Supported by Natural Justice and International Rivers, the process involved a six-phase approach including community buy-in, capacity building, research across 34 villages and museums, and multiple validation rounds. The final BCP, launched in June 2024 and translated into OtjiHerero, serves as a tool for internal governance and a requirement for external parties to ensure free, prior, and informed consent.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, informs the public about the draft Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for oil and gas exploration in Block 3B/4B off the west coast of South Africa. It outlines the proposed activities by a joint venture of Africa Oil South Africa Corp, Ricocure (Pty) Ltd, and Azinam Limited, detailing the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts, and providing instructions for public comment and participation.

The Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA), coordinated by the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at Stellenbosch University and the Global Resilience Partnership, is issuing a call for applications for transdisciplinary working groups for the 2025-2027 period. Under the theme "Transformative Pathways to Resilient and Sustainable Futures," these groups will conduct synthesis projects to influence policy and practice regarding resilience and development in the southern African region.

The 2024 GreenCape report identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's electric vehicle (EV) sector, particularly in the local manufacturing of private passenger vehicles (estimated at R620 billion annually) and the electrification of freight, public transport, and last-mile delivery. While rising fuel prices and global supply chain diversification (the 'China Plus One Strategy') drive adoption, the transition is hindered by high upfront CAPEX, limited charging infrastructure, and energy security concerns related to loadshedding. The South African government is supporting the transition through the Electric Vehicle White Paper and a 150% investment allowance for qualifying EV and hydrogen-powered vehicle spending starting in 2026.

The GreenCape Market Intelligence Report 2024 focuses on investment opportunities in South Africa's energy services market, specifically rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations and behind-the-meter (BTM) lithium-ion energy storage. The report details the drivers of growth, such as rising electricity costs and loadshedding, as well as barriers including skilled labor shortages and port inefficiencies.

The Natural Justice Strategy 2024-2028 outlines a pan-African approach to securing social and environmental justice through the legal empowerment of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The organization focuses on strategic litigation, policy influencing, and the protection of traditional knowledge to combat the impacts of the climate crisis and harmful extractive projects.

A year-end statement from Nathanial Matthews of the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) reviewing the organization's 2023 activities, highlighting partnerships in climate adaptation, private sector engagement, and resilience measurement.

This insights brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) examines the role of urban informality in building equitable resilience in cities across southern Africa and the Global South. It argues that while informality is often invisible or viewed as a challenge, it provides critical services, livelihoods, and innovation that can enhance urban resilience if harnessed through inclusive governance and partnerships.

This briefing note outlines the current state and future prospects of nuclear energy in Africa, detailing existing infrastructure in South Africa, ongoing construction in Egypt, and the exploratory interests of other nations.

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) issued by GreenCape seeks a service provider to develop the system requirements and solution architecture for an online platform designed to address skills priorities in the renewable energy sector. Funded by UK Pact, the platform aims to connect industry, Post School and Education Training (PSET) institutions, and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to align graduate skills with industry competency needs.

This executive summary describes a study by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) into the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight in South Africa. The research examines the nature of the oversight function, the factors shaping it, and potential enhancements to hold the government accountable, particularly in the context of the 7th Parliament's grand coalition.

This guide, published by Natural Justice in October 2023, provides information about an application by TotalEnergies EP South Africa B.V. (TEEPSA) and its partners to produce oil and gas in Block 11B/12B off the south coast of South Africa. It outlines the proposed activities, potential environmental and social impacts, and the process for public commentary on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs advocates for the upscaling of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It highlights the vulnerability of coastal and island states to climate risks and argues that integrating EbA into national policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can simultaneously address climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development.

A community guide published by Natural Justice in June 2023 regarding the proposed oil and gas exploration by TotalEnergies EP South Africa B.V. (TEEPSA) in the Deep Water Orange Basin off the west coast of South Africa.

This policy brief advocates for the scaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the coastal and marine environments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to enhance climate resilience, conserve biodiversity, and promote socio-economic development.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the barriers and success factors for attracting private sector capital into urban climate investments in emerging economies. It identifies obstacles across macro, city, and project levels and provides a framework of recommendations for city governments, public sector partners, and private/third sector entities to improve local enabling conditions.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a legal argument to the High Court of South Africa stating that, as a registered and accredited law clinic that provides free legal services and does not handle client funds or property, it is legally entitled to litigate without a fidelity fund certificate or a trust account.