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This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—comprising digital identity, payments, and data-sharing systems—can be used to reduce the shadow economy and improve domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in Africa. It argues that while digital payments increase transaction visibility, they must be paired with structural reforms and strategic targeting of high-value tax evaders rather than vulnerable micro-vendors. The document highlights lessons from South Korea and India and suggests that South Africa use its 2025 G20 presidency to advocate for an 'Africa stack' and peer learning on DPI best practices.

This concept note describes a discussion series episode titled "Grants under attack in South Africa: How to save social protection," which examines the National Treasury's instructions to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to reduce the number of social grant recipients to protect the fiscus.

A joint submission by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), the Ethics Institute (TEI), the Equality Collective, and the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) providing feedback on the Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023). While supporting the Bill's goal to enhance the independence of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the authors argue it fails to address the professionalisation of senior appointments and suggest several amendments to strengthen accountability and transparency.

In August 2025, wind and solar power generated a record 34% of Brazil's electricity, totaling 19.0 TWh. This growth has mitigated the impact of a four-year low in hydroelectric output and reduced the reliance on fossil fuels during drought conditions.

This fact sheet presents a worker-centred framework, co-produced with COSATU, to finance South Africa's just transition. It critiques the JET-IP's funding gap and private-sector reliance, proposing instead a shift toward eco-socialism through fiscal reforms (e.g., a Climate Response Fund), monetary policy shifts to support green industrialisation, and the reorientation of Development Finance Institutions.

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute outlines the current state of the global circular economy, emphasizing the urgent need to reduce resource consumption to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. It highlights the disparity in material footprints between high- and low-income populations, the leadership and challenges of the European Union, and the stagnation of global resource productivity since 2000.

This report by Ember analyzes the rapid growth of solar electricity generation in Central Europe (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) from 2019 to 2024. It highlights how the region has outpaced the EU average in solar growth despite low political ambition and a historical reliance on coal, while also examining the region's role as a battery manufacturing hub and the current gaps in grid flexibility and storage deployment.

This report by RMI argues that battery energy storage systems (BESS) can enhance grid reliability and affordability by providing resource adequacy, stability, and resilience. Using California and Texas as successful models, the document highlights how well-defined ancillary service markets and clear interconnection rules allow batteries to compete with fossil fuel generators, reducing costs and improving grid stability. It specifically contrasts these successes with the PJM region, where high uplift costs and interconnection hurdles hinder battery deployment.

This case study examines the transition of Kotzebue, Alaska, from a total reliance on imported diesel to a diversified energy mix incorporating wind, solar, and battery storage to increase energy independence and reduce cost volatility.

The document outlines the unsustainability of China's fossil fuel-driven economic model, citing high import dependence for oil and gas, the finite nature of coal reserves, and significant environmental degradation including carbon emissions that constitute one-third of the global total.

The China Energy Transition Review 2025 by Ember analyzes China's rapid shift toward clean energy and electrification, detailing how its domestic policies and manufacturing scale are driving down global costs and pushing global fossil fuel demand toward a structural decline.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate is requesting feedback from participants of the 33rd meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) via an anonymous survey to improve the effectiveness of future conferences.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has issued a request for Parties to complete an anonymous survey by September 25, 2025, regarding the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) held in Asunción, Paraguay, on May 29-30, 2025.

A policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice arguing that G20 nations, which produce 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, must coordinate to phase out oil and gas. It highlights South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency as a critical opportunity to lead on subsidy reform and financing for the Global South ahead of COP30.

This executive summary from the NewClimate Institute argues that durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR)—which stores CO2 for thousands of years—is essential for neutralizing residual fossil fuel emissions, yet private sector adoption remains low and often serves as a substitute for necessary emission reductions.

The document details the phased reporting milestones of the European Methane Regulation (MER) for imported oil and gas, from 2025 to 2030. It highlights the difficulty importers face in obtaining production segment data and proposes a hybrid solution to attribute methane emissions while balancing environmental integrity with market practicality.

This case study by Ember examines the underreporting of methane emissions at the Hail Creek coal mine in Australia and the resulting supply chain risks for major steel companies, specifically ArcelorMittal, POSCO, and Nippon Steel.

This report by Ember examines how major global steelmakers—specifically ArcelorMittal, Nippon Steel, and POSCO—often omit fugitive methane emissions from coal mining in their Scope 3 emissions reporting. The analysis highlights that reliance on blast furnace technology and the sourcing of coal from high-methane mines in Australia significantly increase the actual climate impact of these companies' value chains, often by percentages that would materially alter their reported greenhouse gas footprints.

This report by Ember assesses the climate impact of methane emissions from Australian coking coal extraction on major steelmakers in the EU, Japan, and South Korea. It highlights a significant gap in Scope 3 emissions reporting, noting that methane from Australian coal can add 10-17% to the short-term climate impact of blast furnace-based steelmaking, with some 'super-emitting' mines potentially doubling this impact. The report argues that cutting coal mine methane is a cost-effective near-term decarbonisation step and warns of regulatory risks under the EU Methane Regulation.

A statement by Trend Asia criticizing the Indonesian government for fiscal injustice, where low-income workers and the middle class face increasing taxes and economic hardship while political elites receive high allowances and tax exemptions.