Search Climate Insights Directory

This report documents a national stakeholder meeting held in Cotonou, Benin, on February 16, 2017, hosted by the SEEP Network and FSD Africa. The meeting brought together 39 participants from 26 organizations—including government ministries, NGOs, and financial service providers—to explore how Savings Groups (SGs) serve as agents for broader social and economic development in Benin, specifically within the sectors of agriculture, health, and formal financial inclusion.

This report by GreenCape examines the potential for industrial-scale solar thermal energy in South Africa, specifically focusing on the agri-processing and textile industries. It identifies these sectors as high-opportunity areas due to their requirement for low-temperature heat (below 160 °C). While South Africa possesses high solar irradiation, the report notes that the solar thermal market is currently an 'infant industry' characterized by high capital costs, a lack of skilled installers, and restrictive certification policies. The document provides quantitative estimates of energy and carbon savings potential, analyzes financial drivers and barriers, and offers recommendations for policymakers and industry stakeholders to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to solar heat.

This 2017 industry brief by GreenCape examines the financial viability, financing options, and regulatory landscape for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations for businesses in the Western Cape, South Africa. It highlights the role of local government policy, decreasing technology costs, and electricity price increases in driving adoption across the retail, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

This industry brief by GreenCape provides guidance for businesses in the Western Cape on managing food and organic waste to reduce landfilling costs, generate income, and comply with regional regulations.

This report documents the Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) Researchers Meeting held in Cancun, Mexico, from November 29 to December 1, 2017. The meeting, organized by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) with support from Mexico and the US National Science Foundation, focused on translating scientific results into actionable policy outputs, enhancing science communication, and establishing open data principles for CRN3 projects.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines strategies for increasing the climate resilience of the urban built environment, with a specific focus on the Canadian Prairies. It discusses the risks posed by climate variability, the impact of the urban heat island effect, and the application of design protocols and urban planning paradigms to mitigate these risks.

This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines strategies to build climate-resilient urban food systems, focusing on the cities of Calgary and Edmonton. It argues that strengthening local food production and diversifying supply chains can mitigate risks posed by extreme weather and global supply shocks.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development explores economic and financial strategies for building climate-resilient cities, with a specific focus on Alberta, Canada. It advocates for moving beyond traditional financial accounting to 'multiple-bottom-line' approaches and the valuation of ecosystem services to prioritize cost-effective adaptation over reactive disaster response.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines strategies for building climate-resilient urban transportation infrastructure, with a particular focus on Alberta's cities. It emphasizes the need for robustness, redundancy, and resourcefulness to mitigate the risks posed by rising temperatures and extreme weather events.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines strategies to enhance the climate resilience of water supply and sanitation systems in Alberta's urban centres, specifically Calgary and Edmonton. It advocates for a transition from highly centralized infrastructure toward a 'multi-barrier' approach incorporating redundancy, decentralization, and low-impact development (LID) to mitigate risks from extreme weather, such as droughts and floods.

The Adaptive Watershed is a guide for a three-day training program developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). It is designed for local decision-makers in land and water management, climate adaptation, and gender equity to build capacity for inclusive, ecosystem-based, and adaptive watershed management.

This report details a training workshop held from September 18 to 22, 2017, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for government officials from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) member states. Organized by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) and the UEMOA Commission, the workshop focused on optimizing national economic participation in the mining sector's value chain through local content policies, employment, infrastructure, and mineral processing.

This report documents a training workshop held from September 18 to 22, 2017, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for officials from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) member states. The workshop, organized by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) and the UEMOA Commission, focused on optimizing national economic participation in the mining value chain, specifically regarding local content, employment, infrastructure, and mineral processing.

This policy brief evaluates the state of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) in the Western Indian Ocean, arguing that the region remains overly dependent on international naval forces. It suggests a strategic shift toward low-tech solutions, human intelligence, and better integration between maritime security and the blue economy to build sustainable, regionally-owned capabilities.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges and opportunities for funding primary violence prevention programmes in South Africa. It details the government's budgeting and costing processes, highlighting the difficulties of securing funds in a constrained economic climate where resources are often reprioritised from non-core areas.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the gap between Africa's formal legal frameworks for freedom of movement and their actual implementation. While the African Union and various Regional Economic Communities have established treaties to leverage migration for development, national interests and securitized approaches often hinder progress, with West Africa currently serving as the continent's best practice model.

This policy brief, published by the Institute for Security Studies in 2017, analyzes Ethiopia's development trajectory toward 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the document evaluates the impact of various sectoral interventions—specifically in agriculture, education, health, and governance—on poverty, GDP per capita, and the Human Development Index (HDI). It argues that while Ethiopia has seen rapid growth and improvements in basic services since 1991, it still faces significant challenges in agricultural productivity, primary school completion, and domestic revenue mobilization. The brief recommends an 'Integrated Development Push' to accelerate the country's transition to lower-middle-income status.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the African Union's (AU) role in conflict prevention, distinguishing between operational and structural approaches. It argues that while the AU has established various frameworks and roadmaps, it remains overly reactive and lacks the practical steps, coordination, and predictable funding necessary to effectively implement long-term structural prevention.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the increasing trend of Boko Haram targeting displaced persons, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as part of a strategic shift toward 'soft' targets.

The Environmental (Strategic Assessment, Integrated Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2017, establish the legal framework for environmental assessments in Kenya. The regulations detail the requirements for Integrated Environmental Impact Assessments (IEIA) for projects, Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for policies, plans, and programmes, and mandatory environmental audits. It defines the registration and licensing of environmental assessment experts, the role of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in approvals and monitoring, and the procedures for public participation and appeals.