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This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to support sustainable development. While China has established numerous bilateral agreements and funds, the document identifies significant challenges including a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This report examines the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in facilitating the transition to a global circular economy to address the 'triple planetary crisis'. It analyzes current trade measures, identifies a disproportionate focus on end-of-life waste management over upstream resource reduction, and proposes a framework for regulatory alignment and mutual recognition of circular goods and services to prevent market fragmentation and 'circular resource nationalism'.

The REGULATING AND ENABLING INNOVATION R3LAB TOOLKIT is a practical guide published by FSD Africa in June 2024 to help insurance regulators in Africa balance the promotion of innovation with consumer protection. It provides a structured framework for conducting innovation gap and ecosystem assessments, introduces a diverse set of regulatory, supervisory, engagement, and monitoring tools, and offers guidance on converting these into actionable workplans with measurable KPIs.

The Stockholm Environment Institute's (SEI) Finance for Sustainable Development (FSD) Program, established in 2022, focuses on bridging the gap between micro-level business viability and macro-level climate and development finance policies. The program specifically targets low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs) to identify how sustainable projects can generate private economic value and attract private-sector investment through research, advisory services, and training.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the status and challenges of Article 6 (A6) of the Paris Agreement leading into and during COP29. It details the three mechanisms for international climate cooperation: Article 6.2 (bilateral trading), Article 6.4 (a UN-governed global market), and Article 6.8 (non-market approaches). The document highlights critical integrity concerns, including the risk of double counting, the lack of transparency in bilateral deals, and the controversy surrounding the use of REDD+ activities and emissions avoidance credits. It specifically notes that operational standards for A6.4 were adopted on the first day of COP29, a move criticized by some observers for lacking transparency.

The 'Toolkit for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for NAP Processes' provides government actors with practical guidance and over 30 country examples to establish MEL systems. These systems are designed to ensure National Adaptation Plans are effective and equitable, while supporting reporting requirements under the Paris Agreement and the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the current technological landscape of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the potential for emerging technologies to drive sustainable development. It analyzes the ASM life cycle—from exploration to mine closure—and identifies gaps in technology adoption, particularly regarding worker safety, environmental protection, and financial inclusion. The document highlights the dual nature of technological advancement: while it can increase productivity and recovery rates, it also risks displacing labor, especially women, and potentially increasing environmental degradation through overmining.

This research paper analyzes the bilateral economic relations between Senegal and Germany from 2012 to 2022, focusing on trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and Official Development Assistance (ODA) during the presidency of Macky Sall.

The April 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor and partners reveals that while global coal capacity reached a record 2,130 GW in 2023, there is a stark divide: China continues to expand its fleet, while most other countries are reducing new construction. The report highlights that only 15% of operational capacity has retirement plans aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Regional analysis shows significant progress in the EU and UK, stability in Sub-Saharan Africa (dominated by South Africa), and a lack of new projects in the MENA region.

This research paper analyzes the tension in German foreign policy between corporate profit interests and value-based rhetoric, specifically regarding trade and investment in Africa. The author argues that Germany is shifting from a broad 'exportist' geoeconomic approach toward a more selective strategy focused on risk mitigation and the securing of critical resources, such as LNG and minerals, while urging a transition toward supporting African economic self-determination and regional industrialization.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) has released its Strategy Summary & Implementation Plan for 2023–2027, which outlines a framework to achieve systemic social and economic change. The strategy focuses on producing critical knowledge, shifting economic discourse, and supporting collective power to advance economic justice in South Africa and across the African continent, with a specific emphasis on feminist and intersectional analytical lenses.

This briefing note by the Global Resilience Partnership and Transitions Research examines the landscape of urban resilience solutions in informal contexts across the Global South. Based on a review of approximately 130 solutions, the report identifies a significant gap in urban climate investment—where only 1.2% of urban climate finance flows to adaptation and resilience—and highlights that most non-governmental solutions are still in early development stages. It provides recommendations for municipalities, funders, and policymakers to scale these innovations through better coordination, hybrid financing, and the integration of informal settlements into city planning.

This toolkit provides a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to climate finance, specifically designed for civil society organisations and trade unions to advocate for just energy transitions in developing nations. It critiques the 'Billions to Trillions' (B2T) neoliberal agenda and the Just Energy Transition - Investment Plan (JET-IP) in South Africa, arguing that these models prioritise private profit and debt over public goods and human rights. The guide outlines six clusters of rights-based principles—ranging from national responsibilities and sovereignty to debt relief in times of crisis—and provides practical 'How to' guides and factsheets to help advocates influence climate investment plans and national budgeting processes.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) advocates for the use of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the mining sector to enhance sustainable development. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), demonstrating through case studies in Namibia, Ghana, Romania, and Mozambique how SEA can influence national policies and regional planning to better manage cumulative impacts, resource use, and stakeholder interests.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) promotes the use of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the mining sector to enhance sustainable development. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), highlighting how SEA integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into high-level plans, policies, and programs (PPPs). Through international case studies, the document outlines the benefits of SEA for governments, companies, and communities, identifies common implementation obstacles, and provides recommendations for integrating SEA into national and regional mining planning, particularly for critical minerals.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) within the mining sector. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), positioning SEA as a strategic tool to integrate environmental and social considerations into policies, plans, and programs (PPPs). Through case studies from Namibia, Ghana, Romania, Mozambique, and Canada, the document demonstrates how SEA can optimize infrastructure, improve governance of artisanal mining, and manage mine closures, while identifying key institutional and political obstacles to its implementation.

This research paper examines the tension in Germany's trade and investment policy toward Africa, contrasting a history of corporate-led 'geoeconomic' interests with a more recent shift toward a morality-based foreign policy. The author argues that Germany has an opportunity to move away from extractivist models and instead support African economic self-determination through domestic resource mobilisation and regional industrial complementarities.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the rising public debt burden in Africa, the complexities of its current composition, and the necessary reforms to the global financial architecture. It argues that while the G20 has established mechanisms like the Common Framework and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), these are insufficient. The document proposes that the African Union (AU), as a new permanent member of the G20, should advocate for an African Credit Rating Agency, an African Debt Monitoring Mechanism, and a more inclusive debt restructuring process that includes private creditors and provides longer repayment periods.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This briefing, submitted by Natural Justice and the Environmental Lawyers Collective for Africa (E.L.C.A), provides commentary on a zero draft study by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) regarding the impact of climate change on human and people's rights in Africa. The document evaluates the study's identification of vulnerable groups and rights, critiques its approach to corporate accountability and extractive industries, and offers recommendations to strengthen the protection of indigenous peoples, children, and the environment through legal and monitoring frameworks.