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The November 2024 Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) efforts to integrate climate change into security frameworks, the strategic direction of Africa's foreign policy, the outcomes of the AU's first G20 Summit, and the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council (UNSC).

The November 2024 Warming Projections Global Update by the NewClimate Institute reports that global warming projections for 2100 have stagnated over the last three years. Current policies set the world on a path toward 2.7°C of warming, while the most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of all announced targets, projects 1.9°C. The report highlights a critical disconnect between the escalating climate crisis and the urgency of government policy implementation, noting that while renewable energy growth is record-breaking, it is being offset by all-time high fossil fuel subsidies.

This briefing examines the challenges of implementing just transition policies in South Africa, highlighting the gap between national ambitions and local priorities, institutional capacity deficits at the subnational level, and the limitations of current financial mechanisms. It specifically analyzes the role of green hydrogen as a potential new value chain and emphasizes the need for transparent decision-making to maintain public legitimacy.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the challenges South Africa faces as it moves from the planning phase to the implementation of its just transition away from coal. It identifies critical misalignments between national and subnational priorities, institutional capacity gaps in coal-dependent regions, and the inadequacy of current financial mechanisms to support transformative, high-risk projects.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticizes the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as a continuation of austerity measures that prioritize debt stabilization over social needs. The IEJ argues that the budget fails to support the Government of National Unity's (GNU) goals of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, specifically citing cuts to social grants and underfunding of public services and industrial development.

The AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (AfCFTA DTP), adopted in February 2024, is a comprehensive framework designed to facilitate digital trade across Africa. It aims to create an enabling regulatory environment by addressing market access, data governance, and digital inclusion, while bridging infrastructure and regulatory gaps to unlock the continent's digital economy potential.

This research paper by Shamika N. Sirimanne of the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the environmental footprint of the rapidly growing e-commerce sector. It identifies key drivers of environmental degradation—including warehousing, packaging, and high return rates—and proposes a multi-stakeholder agenda for action involving governments, the private sector, consumers, and international organizations to balance economic growth with sustainability.

This briefing discusses how existing and new World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and flexibilities regarding agricultural domestic support can be used to increase agricultural productivity, attract private investment, and promote food security in least developed countries (LDCs).

This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that Canada cannot receive climate credits under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), asserting that such exports do not reliably reduce global emissions and that buyers would not provide credits for free.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates Canada's proposed greenhouse gas emissions cap for the oil and gas sector, arguing that while the cap is necessary, certain 'compliance flexibilities' could weaken its effectiveness.

This guide by RMI outlines the application of thermal batteries to decarbonize heating in the United States chemical and petroleum refining sectors, which contribute 5% to 6% of US greenhouse gas emissions. It details how these batteries store electricity as heat in materials like graphite or bricks to provide high-temperature heat for industrial reactions and distillation, potentially reducing heat emissions by up to 99%.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the link between human-caused climate change and extreme weather in Argentina, highlighting the role of the domestic oil and gas industry in driving emissions and the government's preference for fossil fuel production over renewable energy transitions.

This report by Ember analyzes the 2023 power sector landscape in ASEAN, highlighting that electricity demand growth was entirely met by fossil fuels. It examines the costs and reliability of various renewable energy sources, the potential for regional grid interconnection, and the role of carbon financing and policy reforms in accelerating the transition to clean energy.

This research paper analyzes transportation investments under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), highlighting the tension between funding for public transit and the continued prioritization of personal vehicle infrastructure.

This research paper examines the prospects and risks of using commodity-specific environmental attribute certificates (commodity EACs) within corporate GHG accounting and target-setting frameworks, noting a lack of a universal approach and significant fragmentation in their definition and availability.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the role of multilateral development banks (MDBs) in climate finance, arguing that reforms to their capital adequacy frameworks and the use of under-utilised financial tools could unlock hundreds of billions of dollars in additional funding. It highlights the importance of MDBs in meeting the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) while noting that their current contributions remain a small fraction of the total funding required for global climate action by 2030.

A briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlining the expected agenda for the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, focusing on post-expansion integration, trade in local currencies, global governance coordination, and climate transition strategies.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines Nature-based solutions (NbS) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), detailing their potential for climate mitigation and adaptation alongside significant risks regarding biodiversity, land rights, and greenwashing.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-RIO) analyzes how deforestation in the Amazon rainforest reduces rainfall patterns, thereby jeopardizing hydroelectric power generation in Brazil. Through case studies of the Teles Pires HPP and plants in the Paraná Basin, the study demonstrates that the loss of forest vegetation reduces the moisture carried by 'flying rivers,' leading to lower river volumes and significant revenue losses for energy producers, even for plants located thousands of kilometers from the Amazon biome.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explores the 'bioeconomy'—the use of natural resources to support economic growth and environmental health. It details three primary conceptual approaches (biotechnology, bio-resources, and bio-ecology) and examines how different nations, particularly Brazil, are implementing strategies to balance economic development with biodiversity conservation and social equity.