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This report from the Stockholm Environment Institute, part of the Bolivia WATCH I project, analyzes the impact of forest fires on the water balance of the Chiquitania region. It examines the degradation of the Chiquitano Dry Forest caused by deforestation, agricultural expansion, and climate change, while exploring the use of modeling tools like WEAP, Tableau, and GEE for sustainable water and forest resource management.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the proposal to expand the contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies. It argues that while some emerging countries already contribute voluntarily, mandating their contributions at the current rate of developed countries would only provide an additional USD 51.19 billion, which is approximately 5.12% of the estimated USD 1 trillion annual need for developing countries. The document emphasizes that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility and calls for clearer definitions of 'developed countries' and 'climate finance' during the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations at COP29.

This report by Ember evaluates the feasibility of three clean flexibility proposals put forward by the COP29 Presidency in Azerbaijan: achieving 1,500 GW of global energy storage by 2030, expanding grid infrastructure by 25 million kilometres by 2030, and unlocking a global clean hydrogen market. The analysis concludes that while the storage goal is highly achievable due to surging battery manufacturing capacity and falling prices, the grid expansion goal requires a significant increase in build rates and faces substantial regulatory and supply chain hurdles. The report also notes that the deployment of hydrogen electrolysers remains highly uncertain despite large-scale announced projects.

The report outlines a portfolio of nine 'clean flexibility' tools categorized into storing, shifting, sharing, and supplying electricity to ensure grid stability in a renewable-heavy power system. It emphasizes that while storage and grids are critical, a comprehensive approach including demand-side management and flexible generation is necessary to achieve a fully clean electricity supply every hour.

The AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (AfCFTA DTP), adopted in February 2024, is a comprehensive framework designed to facilitate digital trade across Africa. It aims to create an enabling regulatory environment by addressing market access, data governance, and digital inclusion, while bridging infrastructure and regulatory gaps to unlock the continent's digital economy potential.

This research paper by Shamika N. Sirimanne of the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the environmental footprint of the rapidly growing e-commerce sector. It identifies key drivers of environmental degradation—including warehousing, packaging, and high return rates—and proposes a multi-stakeholder agenda for action involving governments, the private sector, consumers, and international organizations to balance economic growth with sustainability.

The paper argues that current international trade law is insufficient to handle the complexities of global data governance, particularly regarding privacy, cybersecurity, and the 'data divide' between developed and developing nations. It suggests moving away from polarized narratives of 'free flow' versus 'sovereignty' toward a multi-layered framework that integrates soft law, multistakeholder cooperation, and specific support for developing countries to ensure digital inclusion and fair competition.

This guide outlines how US states can leverage carbon dioxide removal (CDR) for economic development and climate goals. It recommends that states adopt approach-neutral, performance-based definitions of CDR, set intermediate removal targets based on carbon budgets, and create streamlined regulatory environments. The document emphasizes the necessity of inclusive community engagement, transparency, and the prioritization of co-benefits for disadvantaged communities to ensure safe and equitable deployment.

The COP29 South African Youth Statement, presented by the Youth Policy Committee Global Change Working Group via Youth@SAIIA, outlines a comprehensive set of demands for the South African government delegation to COP29. The statement advocates for a climate justice approach that integrates human rights, gender equality, and social justice, calling for urgent reforms in water sanitation, waste management, and the energy transition to protect marginalized communities.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), focusing on the significant export ambitions of Mexico and Argentina and the import expansion in Brazil. The report warns that these investments, totaling an estimated US$123.6 billion, risk becoming stranded assets and could derail the region's energy transition despite the availability of abundant renewable energy resources.

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the power sector transition within the BRICS bloc, noting that non-fossil power capacity is poised to exceed fossil-fueled capacity for the first time in 2024. While the bloc hosts a significant portion of the world's coal capacity and continues to develop new fossil fuel plants, there is a massive pipeline of wind, solar, and hydropower projects that could potentially align the group with global goals to triple renewable capacity by 2030.

This discussion document examines South Africa's care regime, arguing that both paid and unpaid care work are fundamental to economic stability and societal well-being, yet remain undervalued and underfunded, particularly affecting women.

This briefing discusses how existing and new World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and flexibilities regarding agricultural domestic support can be used to increase agricultural productivity, attract private investment, and promote food security in least developed countries (LDCs).

This briefing by RMI outlines a four-step framework for utilities and regulators to integrate physical and transition climate risks into long-term planning to ensure grid reliability and affordability. It argues that current utility planning often silos climate risk or ignores transition risks, leading to higher costs for ratepayers, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

This research paper examines the feasibility, potential benefits, and challenges of establishing a unified currency among the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). It analyzes the proposal through the lens of Optimal Currency Area (OCA) theory, highlighting the geopolitical goal of reducing reliance on the US dollar while noting significant economic and political hurdles.

This research paper examines the feasibility, potential benefits, and risks associated with the adoption of a unified currency among the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). It analyzes the proposal through the lens of Optimal Currency Areas (OCA) theory, highlighting the tension between the desire for reduced dollar-dependency and the reality of significant economic and political divergence among member states.

This research paper analyzes the first ten annual intergovernmental declarations of the BRICS configuration (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to evaluate how the group represents the interests of the 'majority world'. The author argues that while BRICS has successfully used discursive strategies to advocate for the reform of global economic governance and has achieved some practical outcomes through the G20, there remains a significant gap between its declarative statements and collective policy implementation.

A statement by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) criticizing the 2024 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank, arguing that the global financial architecture and debt relief mechanisms favor rich creditor nations while imposing austerity on developing African countries.

This report by the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre evaluates the economic and environmental benefits of nature-based infrastructure (NBI) within the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP) in Kenya, focusing on water scarcity and sustainable agriculture.

This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that Canada cannot receive climate credits under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), asserting that such exports do not reliably reduce global emissions and that buyers would not provide credits for free.