Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines a strategic roadmap for implementing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) withinS within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The authors argue that while SADC has strong foundational payment systems, it faces systemic risks due to policy fragmentation and a lack of regulatory harmonisation, specifically regarding the AU Malabo Convention. The document proposes a 'Triple-A' agenda—accelerate, anchor, and assert—to drive inclusive digital transformation, leveraging lessons from India's 'security-by-design' and Brazil's 'brownfield' approach to digital sovereignty.

This policy brief by Jayati Ghosh for the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the drivers of global food insecurity, specifically the 'ratchet effect' where domestic food prices in low- and middle-income countries remain high even after global prices fall. The author argues that recent price spikes were driven by financial speculation and agribusiness profiteering rather than supply shortages, and proposes a series of strategic interventions including public buffer stocks, financial regulation of commodity markets, and capital flow management to protect vulnerable economies.

Speaking notes from Walid Badawi, Country Director of UNDP in Pretoria, detailing the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the G20 in advancing the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their application within the African context.

This report analyzes the state of the South African mining industry following the August 2012 Marikana massacre. It argues that the tragedy was a symptom of deeper structural issues, including poor living conditions for mine workers, a failing Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) framework, and a volatile regulatory environment. The author calls for a 'new social contract' involving community development agreements and a shift toward broad-based empowerment to ensure sustainable growth and prevent further violence.

This research paper examines the inclusion of women in the renewable energy (RE) value chains of Rwanda and South Africa. It identifies systemic barriers—including limited access to STEM education, a lack of gender-responsive financing, and a disconnect between policy and implementation—that prevent women from moving beyond passive roles as energy consumers into technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial positions. The document provides a three-tier gender mainstreaming toolkit to help policymakers, donors, and the private sector foster a more inclusive energy sector in Africa.

This research paper examines the potential for establishing a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) hybrid Centre of Specialisation (CoS) to support South Africa's Green Hydrogen Economy (GHE). It analyzes systemic failures in the current vocational skills development system—including declining enrolments, poor throughput rates, and a disconnect between curricula and industry needs—and evaluates the existing CoS model and pilot programs (Bambili and NBI) to provide recommendations for a demand-led, flexible skills strategy for the green transition.

This report by Sustainable Energy for All analyzes how energy efficiency, specifically through Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), can expand access to cooling services for low-income households in high-impact countries by making appliances compatible with lower tiers of electricity supply.

The executive summary of 'Energizing Finance: Taking the Pulse 2021' analyzes the financial requirements to achieve universal energy access (SDG7) in Ghana, Mozambique, and Vietnam. It focuses on decentralized solutions, estimating the capital needed for electricity (Tier 1) and clean cooking (Tiers 2-4), while identifying critical affordability gaps and regulatory barriers that hinder private sector investment.

This report provides a comprehensive assessment and roadmap for the electrification of healthcare facilities in Madagascar, specifically focusing on Basic Health Centers (CSB) and District Reference Hospitals (CHRD). It identifies significant energy deficits, a lack of consolidated data, and operational challenges, proposing a phased, integrated approach to achieve universal and sustainable electricity access by 2032.

This report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) examines the intersection of gender equality, energy access, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It highlights how existing gender disparities in energy and digital access are reinforced by AI development biases and funding gaps, while proposing strategies to ensure a gender-just energy transition through diverse AI teams, STEM representation, and gender-responsive policy.

This guide describes an economic model developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and AllOn to analyze the Nigerian solar upstream value chain. The tool evaluates the economic viability, job creation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with three market scenarios: the importation of products, local assembly, and local manufacturing of solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a narrow policy window to steer economic recovery toward a sustainable, net-zero emissions path. It warns against 'carbon lock-in'—where recovery measures entrench fossil fuel dependency—and proposes specific policy levers, such as conditional bailouts and just transition measures, to catalyse industrial transformation.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) explains the critical links between air pollution, human health, and climate change. It argues that prioritizing the immediate health benefits of reducing air pollutants can drive the policy changes necessary to achieve the IPCC's 1.5°C warming goal. The document highlights the role of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and introduces the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Integrated Benefits Calculator (IBC) as tools for cities and countries to plan integrated emission reduction strategies.

This report analyzes water protection measures and farmer attitudes within the Pandivere and Adavere-Põltsamaa Nitrate Vulnerable Area (NTA) in Estonia. It evaluates the effectiveness of the EU Nitrates Directive and Water Framework Directive, highlighting gaps in the integration of agricultural and water management policies. The document includes survey results from farmers in Estonia and other Baltic Sea countries, emphasizing the need for better communication, targeted financial support for manure storage, and a more integrated approach to achieving good water status.

This report analyzes the decisions made by Estonian environmental supervisors (the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Board) regarding the approval of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) programs and reports between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2014. The study evaluates whether these decisions align with the requirements set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management System Act (KeHJS).

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the European Union's proposed 2020 climate targets using the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDRs) framework. It argues that the EU's targets are insufficient to meet the 2°C warming limit and fail to account for the 'right to development' for the global South. The authors call for the EU to adopt a 'two-fold obligation' consisting of deep domestic emissions reductions and significant international financial and technological support to enable a low-carbon transition in developing nations.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute, commissioned by the African Development Bank, examines the linkages between water management and poverty reduction in Ethiopia. It analyzes the country's water resources, agricultural dependencies, and the challenges of meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for water supply and sanitation, while proposing strategies for small-scale irrigation and rainwater harvesting to improve food security and rural livelihoods.

This case study, commissioned by the African Development Bank and conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute, examines the complex linkages between water management and poverty reduction in Tanzania. It analyzes the country's progress toward Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the impact of water on agriculture and ecosystems, and the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Pangani and Rufiji basins.

This document is a book of abstracts from the Science and Research Symposium, a segment of the first-ever Global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference (SBEC) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 26th to 28th, 2018. It compiles nearly seventy abstracts submitted by global scholars and practitioners, focusing on the role of scientific research, technology, and innovation in harnessing the Blue Economy sustainably. The abstracts are organized into thematic areas including sustainable resource use, climate action resilience, global connectivity and transportation, and sustainable cities, with an additional focus on human resource capacity.

This policy brief examines China's evolving role in global climate change mitigation and adaptation, highlighting the intersection of energy security, economic development, and international diplomacy. It details China's domestic targets for reducing energy intensity and increasing renewable energy, while analyzing the geopolitical tensions and trust deficits between China and developed nations like the U.S. and EU.