The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
Countries in all regions of the world are continuing to make strides in their efforts to improve e-government and to provide public services online according to a new report launched by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In a 2018 ranking of countries on e-government development, Denmark, …
Judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Tehseen S. Poonawalla Vs Union of India & Others dated 17/07/2018 regarding cow vigilantism and other incidents of lynching. Supreme Court emphatically states that it is the duty of the State to ensure that the machinery of law and …
More than forty states worldwide currently pursue explicit political strategies to expand and promote their bioeconomies. This paper assesses these strategies in the context of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Theoretical framework differentiates between four pathways of bioeconomic developments. The extent, to which bioeconomic developments along these pathways lead …
Judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Government of NCT of Delhi Vs Union of India & Others dated 04/07/2018 on the issue of administrative head of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Main Highlights of the Judgement are the following: 1. The interpretation of the Constitution …
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of West Bengal State Election Commission & Others Vs Communist Party of India (Marxist) & Others dated 03/07/2018 regarding Panchayat seats in West Bengal going uncontested. Apex Court takes serious note of the fact that out of 58,692 total seats …
Increasing global demand for natural resources is intensifying competition for land across the developing world, pushing companies onto territories that many Indigenous Peoples and rural communities have sustainably managed for generations. These communities, who collectively hold at least half the world’s land but legally own just 10 percent of land …
Water security is key to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, increasingly the world is facing water shortages, and an estimated four billion people do not have sufficient access to safe and reliable water. The link between forests and climate is regularly considered in decision-making, whereas that …
This study was commissioned to improve the understanding of the uptake of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in South Africa, the processes through which EbA has been lead and governed, and how EbA has been integrated into national policy, strategy and implementation. This study also aims to improve the understanding of how …
Given the increasing importance of governance in economic development and the yearning for Africa to catch up, the present paper provides a concise review of the literature relevant to the region. First, it presents stylized facts showing that Africa as a region, since about the late 1990s, substantially improved its …
Though the majority of African countries have developed relatively robust institutional frameworks for the regulation of their electricity sectors, much work remains in strengthening regulatory independence, says the Electricity Regulatory Index for Africa (ERI) – a new report by the African Development Bank. The Report, measures the level of development …
This report seeks to draw upon the composite lessons learned at domestic and subnational levels and aims to respond to three fundamental questions facing policymakers and stakeholders at national and subnational levels: Why do we need strong national climate governance frameworks and how do we get there? What are the …
WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2017 reveals that although some countries have made progress in mental health policy-making and planning, there is a global shortage of health workers trained in mental health and a lack of investment in community-based mental health facilities. This latest edition of the Mental Health Atlas provides …
The insurance industry, a sector with assets worth around USD 15 trillion, needs to urgently step up its low-carbon investments and prepare its portfolios for climate-related financial risks, according to an Asset Owners Disclosure Project report. Nine out of ten investment strategies in the insurance industry are still not aligned …
The European Union (EU) has recognised the high-probability, high-impact threat climate change poses to international security, but is still formulating a response commensurate to the threat. This report outlines how the EU can meet a Responsibility to Prepare for unprecedented yet foreseeable threats to international peace and security. This involves …
The situation analysis primarily focuses on oil palm in the context of biodiversity conservation based on literature published before 31 January 2018, and aims to provide a constructive pathway to addressing sustainability challenges in the palm oil industry. This report does not assess the social and economic implications of palm …
The jurisdictional approach (JA) to REDD+ and low emissions development has gained considerable currency in recent years. As understood here, JA refers to a government-led, comprehensive approach to forest and land use across one or more legally defined territories. Multiple efforts directed at building jurisdictional approaches have been underway across …
Properly managed sanitation systems and improved wastewater treatment are important for safeguarding environment and enhancing sustainable livelihoods in vast areas of South and Southeast Asian countries. Recovering nutrients and energy from organic waste and wastewater is an effective option for improving environmental and health security, rehabilitating agricultural soils and improving …
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Rojer Mathew Vs South Indian Bank Ltd & Others dated 16/05/2018 regarding qualification applicable for appointment in Tribunal/ Commission. Supreme Court in the Order categorically states that " wherever qualification required for appointment to a Tribunal/Commission is of a …
Judgement of the High Court of Uttarakhand in the matter of Gram Sabha Mawakot & Others Vs State of Uttarakhand & Others dated 14/05/2018 regarding declaration of rural self governing institutions like "gram panchayat" to an urban local body, by converting it into a "Nagar Panchayat". The main matter relates …
Adapting to climate change in human settlements is critical to ensuring that human development is not jeopardized and that the world’s growing population has the opportunity to thrive where they live. This report shares key findings, good practices and lessons learned on adaptation in human settlements and is based on …
