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This reader's guide provides an overview of the core legal text of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA), a plurilateral initiative within the World Trade Organization (WTO) aimed at facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) to foster sustainable development, particularly in developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs).

This guide details the WTO's Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, which aims to increase FDI in developing countries and LDCs by improving transparency, simplifying administration, and promoting sustainable investment. It outlines a plurilateral approach where signatories commit to procedural reforms, while benefiting from Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for capacity building.

The 'Essential Monitor’s Guide for Prairie Water Retention' is a technical guidebook published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in February 2024. It provides a framework for monitoring the water quantity and quality of water retention projects—natural infrastructure designed for flood and drought mitigation, water quality improvement, and biodiversity enhancement. The guide details the necessity of water and contaminant mass balances, recommends specific monitoring tools and equipment, and explains how to use rating curves and automated samplers to collect data in the challenging environments of the Canadian Prairies.

The February 2024 Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the outcomes of the 37th African Union (AU) summit, the performance of Comoros as AU chair, and the AU's response to crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It also examines the decline of electoral norms across the continent and the necessity of protecting civilians in urban warfare.

This research paper examines the dynamics of synthetic drug markets in West Africa, using tramadol as a primary case study to analyze how criminal networks adapt to supply-side disruptions. The report highlights that law enforcement and regulatory efforts often lead to market displacement, increased prices, and the emergence of more dangerous synthetic substitutes rather than the total disruption of the trade.

This policy brief, authored by the VP3 Regulatory and Policy Strategy Working Group and published by RMI, establishes a set of foundational policy principles designed to enable the growth and integration of virtual power plants (VPPs). The document outlines 17 principles across five key areas—DER asset base, VPP design, equitable compensation, customer experience, and utility/system operator roles—to guide policymakers and energy industry stakeholders in creating a fair and efficient environment for VPPs over a one-to-four-year horizon.

This executive summary of the 'State of the Market Report for Healthcare Facility Electrification' by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes global trends, challenges, and financing needs for electrifying health facilities. Based on data from 387 initiatives across 89 countries, it highlights a significant investment gap and advocates for a shift from grant-based models to sustainable, service-based energy solutions to improve global health outcomes.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the potential and barriers for land-based mitigation technologies and practices (LMTs) in China. It finds that while forestry has been the primary focus for carbon sequestration, other sectors like agriculture, grasslands, and wetlands remain underexploited. The report highlights a lack of standardized methodologies and a fragmented policy landscape, suggesting that these must be addressed to meet China's 2060 net-zero goal.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), a USD 27 billion grant program established by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act 2022. The document outlines how the GGRF can mobilize private capital to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote climate justice in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs), while identifying implementation challenges and proposing five strategic actions to maximize its impact.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and University of Johannesburg provide comments on the draft White Paper for Human Settlements 2023, highlighting gaps in property market regulation, climate strategy execution, and the risks posed by Eskom debt relief to basic service delivery in South Africa.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute details the scale of fossil fuel subsidies in the United States and examines legislative and administrative efforts to reduce or modify them, including the Biden-Harris Administration's FY 2024 budget and the Inflation Reduction Act.

The policy brief examines how the G20 can better support Africa's tax agenda to finance Sustainable Development Goals. While progress was made under the Indian and Indonesian presidencies regarding the Two-Pillar Solution and BEPS, African countries still struggle with low tax-to-GDP ratios (16%) and high revenue losses from tax avoidance. The document recommends that the African Union use its new permanent G20 seat to advocate for a higher global minimum tax, increased digitalization of tax administrations, a global carbon taxation system, and progressive tax policies to fund social protection for the 85.8% of the African workforce in the informal sector.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) developed a beta version of a climate finance landscape for California, analyzing public and private investments from 2019 to 2022 and estimating future investment needs to meet the state's 2045 climate goals.

This report by RMI provides guidance and best practices for developers participating in the US Department of Energy's (DOE) $7 billion Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) program. It focuses on the necessity of meaningful, two-way community engagement and the implementation of Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) to ensure an equitable energy transition, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

Evans Osano of FSD Africa argues that the debt crisis in sub-Saharan Africa requires a comprehensive solvency solution similar to the 1996 HIPC initiative, rather than current liquidity-focused measures, to prevent further erosion of poverty gains and economic decline.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement on January 24, 2024, expressing solidarity with a general strike in Argentina. The strike was called by unions and various social organizations to reject the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) and the "Omnibus Law" introduced by President Javier Milei's government, which the organization describes as a threat to democracy and national sovereignty.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement on January 24, 2024, expressing solidarity with a general strike in Argentina. The strike was called by trade unions and social organizations to reject the 'Omnibus Law' and the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) introduced by President Javier Milei, which the organization claims undermine democratic, social, and environmental protections.

This policy brief, produced by the South African Institute of International Affairs as part of the 'Youth and Social Justice Futures' project, outlines strategic priorities to empower Tanzanian youth. Based on foresight workshops using Youth Futures Literacy Labs and the Three Horizons Framework, the document advocates for technological integration, unrestricted access to information, and comprehensive employment policy reforms to address challenges such as educational exclusion, outdated curricula, and limited youth representation in decision-making.

The Stockholm Environment Institute criticizes the initial appointment of an all-male committee to organize COP29 in Azerbaijan, arguing that gender imbalances in climate leadership undermine climate justice and the effectiveness of climate actions.

Trend Asia provides a critical analysis of the fourth vice-presidential debate of the 2024 Indonesian election, arguing that the candidates' commitments to energy transition are counterproductive and lack necessary legal and socio-economic safeguards for communities and the environment.