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This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) provides a critical analysis of the UNEP 'Options for Elements' Paper prepared for the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2). The document evaluates the proposed core obligations and control measures for a new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, highlighting gaps where the Options Paper fails to reflect the ambition of Member State submissions, particularly regarding upstream production limits, chemical safety, and the protection of human health.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes how sustainable finance taxonomies integrate mechanisms to support the transition of high-emission sectors toward net-zero emissions by 2050. It identifies six specific 'Taxonomy Transition Mechanisms' used to define and evaluate the credibility of transition activities, providing a framework for taxonomy designers, investors, and market professionals to ensure robust and science-based decarbonization pathways.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes how financial taxonomies can facilitate the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors. It introduces six 'transition mechanisms'—including forward-looking criteria, expiry dates, and transition plan requirements—to help developers create credible benchmarks. Through case studies of the EU, China, and Australia, the report illustrates different taxonomy archetypes (binary, traffic-light, and mixed) and emphasizes the need to integrate these technical tools with broader national climate policies and science-based pathways.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes how sustainable finance taxonomies incorporate transition mechanisms to support the shift to net-zero emissions by 2050. It identifies six key 'Taxonomy Transition Mechanisms'—including forward criteria, sunset dates, and transition plan requirements—and examines their application across traffic-light, binary, and mixed taxonomy archetypes. Through case studies of jurisdictions like Singapore, the EU, Australia, China, and Rwanda, the report demonstrates how these mechanisms can be used to provide granular, science-based criteria for hard-to-abate sectors, distinguishing between point-in-time 'transition labels' for financial instruments and the long-term 'transition process' of entities and sectors.

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative defines grants as direct fund transfers used to support projects with low commercial potential or to make them investment-ready. It details the types of grants, the risks they mitigate, the providers involved, and the capacity requirements for recipients across different market maturity levels.

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative explains the role of guarantees as financial instruments to transfer risk from borrowers or lenders to third parties, such as multilateral development banks or governments. It details the types of risks covered, the impact on borrowing costs, the institutional and regulatory capacities required for effective implementation, and the specific challenges facing the deployment of guarantees for climate-related projects in emerging and mature markets.

The Venture Finance Portfolio document provides a detailed overview of various investment funds and venture-building platforms supported by FSD Africa and FSDAi. These entities focus on scaling climate-tech, gender-lens investing, and financial inclusion across Africa, utilizing a mix of equity, grants, and debt to catalyze private capital and drive sustainable economic growth.

This fact sheet describes the partnership between FSD Africa and the Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI) from 2016 to 2021, aimed at closing the digital finance skills gap in low-middle income countries to improve the scale and sustainability of digital payment systems.

This executive summary details a study on sovereign debt management in the MEFMI region during the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that the crisis led to sharp GDP contractions and a significant increase in the average debt-to-GDP ratio (rising to 70.6% in 2020). Countries responded with policy rate cuts, tax exemptions, and increased reliance on Local Currency Bond Markets (LCBMs). While international initiatives like the G20's DSSI provided critical relief, the pandemic exposed a lack of business continuity planning and operational risk management in debt offices.

This briefing by E-Consult, coordinated by FSD Africa, examines the potential for establishing onshore financial centres in Africa to attract international capital and skilled employees. It evaluates existing hubs like Mauritius and Johannesburg and assesses the prospects for cities such as Nairobi, Kigali, Lagos, and Accra to become globally significant financial centres.

The Value for Money (VfM) Framework is a guide developed by FSD Africa to provide a consistent, practical structure for assessing and reporting on how resources are used within the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) network. It employs an evaluative reasoning approach based on the 'Four Es' (Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity) and cost-effectiveness, using predefined criteria and performance standards (rubrics) to make robust judgements from mixed-methods evidence.

This practical guide, developed by FSD Africa in collaboration with Oxford Policy Management, provides a structured framework for Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) programmes to design, assess, and report on Value for Money (VfM). It moves beyond simple indicators to an evaluative approach based on explicit criteria and performance standards across five dimensions: economy, efficiency, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and equity.

The Economics for Nature (E4N) report details a six-year global partnership (2016-2022) led by the Green Economy Coalition, the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership, the Capitals Coalition, and WWF France. The programme aimed to shift economic systems toward 'nature positive' models by making the value of natural capital visible in business, finance, and government decision-making. The report outlines key tools developed, lessons learned regarding the challenges of mainstreaming natural capital, and four 'frontiers' for future systemic economic reform to protect biodiversity and human wellbeing.

The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF) is a pioneering climate finance instrument launched in January 2020 to incentivise investment in South Africa's green small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). By using an outcomes-based payment model, the GOF provides grant funding to Catalytic Finance Partners (CFPs) who deploy private capital into green SMMEs, with reimbursements triggered by the creation of verified green outcomes, primarily permanent direct jobs.

This research paper by Pierre Sauvé argues for the modernization of industrial policy to center on the services economy. The author contends that while current industrial policies remain rooted in 20th-century manufacturing paradigms, services now drive global innovation, productivity, and competitiveness, acting as essential inputs for all economic sectors.

This research paper by Pierre Sauvé argues for a paradigm shift in industrial policy, moving from a traditional focus on manufacturing to one that prioritizes the services economy. The author contends that services are no longer merely residual activities but are essential inputs that drive productivity, innovation, and competitiveness across all economic sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing.

This fact sheet describes the advisory and capacity development services provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to help low- and middle-income governments and regional bodies establish legal and policy frameworks for responsible private sector investment in agriculture.

This fact sheet outlines the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) initiatives to promote inclusive and resilient food security through advisory services, policy analysis, and collaborative research projects focusing on sustainable agriculture, gender equality, and trade.

This fact sheet describes the activities and strategic goals of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) regarding inclusive and resilient food security, focusing on sustainable agriculture, policy analysis, and gender equality.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and CUTS International, Geneva, provides an update on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Working Group (IWG) on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) from June to December 2020. It details the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MSMEs, particularly those led by women, and outlines a package of six recommendations and declarations adopted by the IWG in December 2020 to improve MSME integration into the multilateral trading system.