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This executive summary describes a report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that analyzes the evolution and current functions of national investment laws. It provides a framework for policymakers to reform these laws, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all model and that laws should be designed based on specific national objectives and desired functions, such as promoting sustainable development.

This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of a proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Bandung, Indonesia. The analysis compares a baseline scenario with a 'current BRT' scenario and a 'high-ambition BRT' scenario over a 28-year period (2022–2050). The assessment demonstrates that while the project may not be economically viable under conventional benefit-cost ratios (BCR) that only consider tangible financial returns, it is highly profitable from a societal perspective when integrating environmental, social, and economic externalities.

This research paper examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) stemming from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It analyzes how smuggling proceeds are generated, moved through formal and informal channels, and laundered into legitimate sectors. The report highlights a significant gap between the existence of anti-money laundering policies and their practical implementation, noting that financial intelligence units in both countries lack the resources and expertise to effectively 'follow the money' in smuggling cases.

This policy brief examines the intersection of rapid urbanization and transnational organized crime in Bamako and Lagos, focusing on how illicit arms trafficking fuels urban violence. It identifies the actors, routes, and drivers of arms proliferation and recommends integrated governance and security interventions to mitigate these threats.

This policy brief examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) resulting from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It identifies a significant gap between the existence of anti-money laundering laws and the actual investigation of smuggling proceeds, which are primarily moved through cash and informal channels. The document highlights institutional weaknesses, including underfunded financial intelligence units and corruption, and provides recommendations to prioritize 'follow the money' approaches to disrupt smuggling networks.

The July 2023 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the outcomes of the fifth mid-year coordination meeting between the African Union (AU) and regional economic communities (RECs). It highlights systemic coordination failures in peace-making, the challenges of AU institutional reforms, and the potential of new initiatives like the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT) to deter unconstitutional changes of government. The report also discusses the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of the UN mission (MINUSMA) from Mali.

This legal guide, published by Natural Justice in July 2023, provides environmental and land rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with information on their constitutional and statutory rights and the legal mechanisms available to remedy human rights violations.

This submission by Ember to the Climate Change Authority (CCA) recommends an ambitious approach to measuring and mitigating coal mine methane emissions in Australia. Ember argues that current reporting is significantly underestimated and that a combination of increased federal regulation, a national methane action plan, and a phased production phaseout of fossil fuels is necessary to meet 1.5C pathways and net zero by 2050.

An open letter from Jabu Hlatshwayo, an intern at the Public Affairs Research Institute, to President Ramaphosa, urging the South African government to prioritize urban land reform and the youth following the February 9, 2023, State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a statement to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) expressing concerns over transparency, environmental monitoring, and the lack of Climate Change Impact Assessments (CCIAs) for upstream gas and petroleum activities.

A coalition of civil society organizations wrote to World Bank Group President Ajay Banga on June 29, 2023, warning that the 'Evolution Roadmap' must not sacrifice human rights and environmental safeguards for the sake of efficiency. The authors highlight a critical gap in the Bank's ability to provide remedy to harmed communities and specifically criticize a March 2023 IFC/MIGA draft framework for being insufficient. They call for a new framework that mandates financial contributions to remedy, community-led remedy plans, and restrictions on exiting projects while accountability processes are ongoing.

The Climate Bonds Guide to Certification outlines a voluntary labelling scheme designed to ensure investments are consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. It provides a framework for certifying Use of Proceeds debt instruments, assets, and entities based on science-based eligibility criteria and independent verification.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International condemning the 16-year Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, describing it as a crime against humanity that has rendered the territory uninhabitable through the denial of basic resources and the destruction of agricultural and fishing lands.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International condemning the blockade of the Gaza Strip, detailing the resulting humanitarian and environmental catastrophe, and calling for an immediate end to collective punishment and the restoration of essential services.

Friends of the Earth International condemns the illegal blockade of Gaza since 2007 as a crime against humanity and a violation of international humanitarian law. The statement highlights a severe humanitarian crisis where 80% of the population depends on aid, 69% of youth are unemployed, and critical infrastructure is failing, with only 4% of water being potable. The organization calls for an immediate end to the blockade, the cessation of military operations, and the restoration of essential services and humanitarian access.

This research paper argues that national budgets in developing and emerging economies are insufficient to meet the high-ambition mitigation pathways required by the Paris Agreement, necessitating increased international climate finance based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).

This statement from the African Center for Economic Transformation evaluates the outcomes of the Paris summit for a new global financial pact, highlighting the emergence of a unified African voice and a broader global coalition calling for the reform of an international financial architecture that is deemed unfit for current overlapping crises.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted a statement to the 53rd Session of the Human Rights Council supporting the revised draft declaration on the human right of international solidarity, specifically praising the inclusion of climate change and environmental degradation.

This guide explains the Clean Miles Standard (CMS), a California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulation designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ridehailing and autonomous vehicle providers by mandating a transition to zero-emissions vehicles by 2030.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines the systemic challenges facing food production in Africa and proposes specific interventions for the G20 to help the continent avoid missing the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and AU Agenda 2063 targets.