Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper analyzes the institutional changes adopted at COP30 in Belém, specifically the Belém Technology Implementation Programme (TIP), the revised Climate Technology Centre (CTC), and the proposed Just Transition Mechanism (JTM). It argues that while these create a critical window for African countries to secure technological justice and domestic innovation, success depends on overcoming structural constraints such as high debt distress, restrictive intellectual property regimes, and a lack of predictable grant-based financing.

This research paper argues that African nations must shift from an export-oriented 'Kyoto mindset'—which risks exploitative 'carbon grabs' and low credit pricing—to a 'Paris mindset' that prioritizes domestic carbon markets to meet National Determined Contributions (NDCs). The author outlines a five-pillar readiness framework for sovereign market development and analyzes the current progress of several African countries in implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The document introduces a Just Energy Transition (JET) framework developed by Natural Justice specifically for African communities to ensure they are equal partners in energy system changes and benefit from the resulting social and economic developments.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes whether carbon credits generated under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should be eligible for deduction from liabilities under the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It argues that allowing such credits would mitigate the negative economic impact of the CBAM on African exporters, retain climate finance within African borders, and provide policy flexibility to host governments, while proposing specific design measures to prevent carbon leakage and ensure credit integrity.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on the implications for African nations. It evaluates the conference's results across key themes including climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, energy transition, and gender inclusivity, arguing that while some incremental progress was made, the outcomes largely failed to meet the scale of the climate crisis and the specific needs of the Global South.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) argues for the integration of natural capital accounting (NCA) into global economic models and national systems of accounting. It highlights the critical importance of natural assets for low-income countries and Africa, and provides specific recommendations for the 2025 South African G20 presidency to champion the natural capital agenda, build conceptual consensus, address data gaps, and implement bioeconomy initiatives.

This report by FSD Africa provides a pan-African forecast of direct green job creation by 2030 across 12 material value chains. It identifies a significant near-term opportunity for 1.5 to 3.3 million new direct jobs, primarily driven by the energy and power sector. The analysis emphasizes that while long-term potential is vast, immediate investment in human capital and skilling is required to realize these gains.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the governance challenges facing critical mineral supply chains in Africa. It argues that while the global energy transition increases demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt, a lack of transparency and accountability risks causing environmental and socio-economic harm. The document advocates for the implementation of the African Mining Vision and a coordinated approach between national governments, private companies, and civil society to ensure the energy transition does not entrench global inequalities.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the Global Shield (GS) initiative and the broader climate insurance landscape in Africa. The authors argue that while insurance can provide rapid disaster response, it is an insufficient tool for addressing the diverse, slow-onset impacts of climate change and often fails to provide equitable protection due to high premiums, technical complexities, and the risk of 'basis risk' where payouts are not triggered despite actual losses.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the outcomes of COP 28 in Dubai, assessing how the agreements and financial commitments align with the priorities of African nations and civil society organizations. It evaluates progress on the Loss and Damage fund, adaptation finance, the transition away from fossil fuels, and food system resilience, concluding that while historic agreements were reached, the scale of financial commitments remains insufficient to meet Africa's urgent climate needs.

This guidance note, published by the Global Resilience Partnership in December 2023, examines 24 marginal, small-scale initiatives termed "Seeds" within African food systems. The document analyzes how these initiatives contribute to equity and sustainability, the barriers they encounter, and how development partners can better support them to achieve systemic transformation.

This policy brief, co-authored by the Climate Policy Initiative and the Global Center on Adaptation, emphasizes the urgent need to increase the volume and effectiveness of adaptation finance for Africa. It frames climate-resilient development in Africa as an investment opportunity capable of delivering avoided losses, economic gains, and social and environmental benefits.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that increasing climate change literacy across Africa is essential for moving from reactive coping mechanisms to transformative adaptation. It highlights significant gaps in public understanding of the human causes of climate change, particularly among women and rural populations, and advocates for the integration of climate literacy into education and national development agendas to build climate-resilient development pathways.

This policy brief by Zero Carbon Analytics explores the establishment of comprehensive loss and damage facilities at the national level for African countries to address climate-induced economic and non-economic losses. It distinguishes between avoidable, unavoided, and unavoidable risks, proposing a framework that combines risk finance (e.g., insurance, bonds) and curative finance (e.g., trust funds, impact investments) to build resilience and provide compensation.

This report by FSD Africa and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the climate finance needs of African countries based on their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It estimates that implementing these NDCs between 2020 and 2030 will cost USD 2.8 trillion, with a funding gap of USD 2.5 trillion that must be met by international and private sources. The report highlights significant data gaps in adaptation needs and sectoral disaggregation, and recommends that the UNFCCC provide standardized guidance to help countries develop robust, bottom-up financing roadmaps.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of COVID-19 recovery and climate finance, arguing that the pandemic recovery period offers a critical window to 'build back better' through sustainable investment. It highlights the failure of developed nations to meet the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge and emphasizes the specific needs of African countries for increased adaptation funding and systemic reform of the global finance architecture.

This SEI fact sheet, based on a study in the journal Climate Policy, analyzes international public finance for climate change adaptation in Africa from 2014 to 2018. The authors identify five critical shortfalls: insufficient funding levels compared to mitigation and actual needs, a lack of strategic targeting toward the most vulnerable countries, narrow sectoral focus, low disbursement rates of committed funds, and a reliance on loans over grants.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines youth climate advocacy in Africa, focusing on the roles of civil society, government, and international networks. It documents how young people are transitioning from symbolic participants to active agents of change through networking, social media, and policy engagement, while highlighting the systemic barriers—such as the digital divide and tokenism—that hinder meaningful intergenerational equity in climate governance.

This guide, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), translates the findings of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land specifically for African policymakers. It examines the bidirectional relationship between land and climate, the risks of desertification in arid zones, and the resulting impacts on food security and poverty. The document outlines sustainable land management techniques, the importance of gender-inclusive policies, and the need for integrated governance to enhance resilience across the continent.

This 2015 briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines key issues and priorities for the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) ahead of the COP 21 climate conference in Paris. It emphasizes the need for an ambitious, legally binding agreement that addresses the specific vulnerabilities of Africa, ensures equity through the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle, and closes significant financial and ambition gaps to limit global warming.