Search Climate Insights Directory

Africa possesses immense untapped ocean-based renewable energy potential, particularly in offshore wind, which could provide over USD 1 trillion in economic benefits and millions of jobs. While current deployment is minimal, tapping just 5% of the continent's 6,750 GW offshore wind potential could more than double its current power generation capacity and meet all new electricity demand through 2040. Realising this potential requires significant investment in infrastructure and policy frameworks, as Africa currently receives less than 2% of global renewable energy investment.

The report concludes that piecemeal reform is insufficient for Somalia's development, advocating for an integrated approach. It identifies state capacity and human capital as the most critical levers for growth, noting that a 'Combined scenario' of improvements could increase GDP (MER) by US$18.9 billion and lift 6.1 million people out of extreme poverty by 2043. Key recommendations include strengthening public institutions, expanding the manufacturing and agro-processing sectors to reduce reliance on live animal exports, and adopting pragmatic urban governance to manage displacement-driven urbanization.

Sudan possesses significant potential due to its strategic location, diverse mineral deposits, and arable land, yet it remains one of the world's poorest countries. Decades of authoritarian rule and internal conflict, culminating in the civil war since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, have led to the collapse of state institutions and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Despite its history as a petro-state prior to South Sudan's 2011 secession, the economy suffers from a lack of diversification and chronic trade deficits.

The global ocean economy reached USD 2.6 trillion in gross value added in 2020, yet investment in its sustainable transition remains critically low. While tracked ocean finance flows grew to USD 9.18 billion in 2023, this represents less than 2% of the estimated USD 550 billion needed annually by 2030. Financing is heavily reliant on official development assistance (ODA), which accounted for 55% of flows in 2023, but recent ODA cuts by major donors like Germany, the US, the UK, Japan, and France threaten progress. Most funding has historically targeted maritime transport, fisheries, and marine protection, while decarbonisation and adaptation sectors, such as offshore energy and disaster preparedness, remain underfunded. Despite this, investing in the ocean-climate nexus could reduce the 2050 emissions gap by 35% on a 1.5°C pathway and yield global benefits five times the value of the investment.

The briefing advocates for the adoption of Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs) as a central mechanism within the EU Ocean Act to replace siloed marine governance with an integrated framework. It suggests that SOPs can align fisheries, offshore energy, and conservation efforts across EU member states, citing the success of 29 countries globally and the potential for better sea-basin coordination in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

The Changing Markets Foundation argues that the EU's Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture must address the structural unsustainability of carnivorous aquaculture. The organization highlights how the reliance on fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) derived from wild fisheries increases pressure on marine ecosystems and undermines food security in regions such as West Africa, India, Vietnam, Peru, and Senegal. It advocates for a policy shift that prioritizes Low Trophic Aquaculture (LTA)—such as seaweed and bivalve farming—over carnivorous finfish production, while calling for the phasing out of marine ingredients in feed and improved transparency regarding total wild fish inputs in supply chains.

The report argues that South Africa must elevate the Southern Ocean and Antarctica in its strategic planning, as the region is critical for global climate regulation, food security, and maritime safety. While South Africa is the only African state party to the Antarctic Treaty, its diplomatic engagement has been inconsistent. The document highlights rising risks from climate change, such as sea-level rise threatening African coasts, and geopolitical tensions, including Russia's seismic surveying and the blocking of Marine Protected Areas by China and Russia. It suggests South Africa leverage its non-claimant status and role as a logistical gateway to enhance its influence, while warning that its under-resourced navy may struggle with increasing search and rescue demands from growing Antarctic tourism and rerouted shipping traffic around the Cape of Good Hope.

Saint Lucia's second NAP progress report (2022–2024) documents the transition from planning to implementation across eight priority sectors. While five sectoral plans (water, agriculture, fisheries, resilient ecosystems, and health) are complete, three others (infrastructure, education, and tourism) are being finalized via GCF support. The report highlights achievements in water resource management, climate-resilient agriculture, and blue economy initiatives, while recommending a standardized, simplified monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system to address data gaps and staffing constraints.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) 2025 results report details the organization's progress in driving sustainable development through scientific research, capacity building, and policy engagement. Key achievements include the development of the 2025 Production Gap Report, the creation of the Integrated Guide for Business Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutant Emission Assessment, and the support of Kazakhstan's NDC 3.0. SEI also highlights its 'One-SEI' programs, which foster cross-centre collaboration on themes such as sustainable transport, food systems, and finance. Organizationally, SEI reports a 52% reduction in air travel emissions per employee since 2017 and an increase in peer-reviewed journal outputs by 30% over 2024.

ClientEarth argues that the proposed Ocean Act must move from 'paper commitments to real practice' by becoming a legally binding Regulation rather than a Directive. The organization advocates for the achievement of 'Good Environmental Status' (GES) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) as the overarching objective, which would prioritize environmental thresholds over socio-economic goals. Key recommendations include establishing a legally binding target for 30% of EU seas as effectively managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030, banning bottom trawling in MPAs, and phasing out harmful fisheries subsidies. ClientEarth also proposes 'Ocean Mainstreaming' to integrate marine protection across all EU sectoral policies and calls for stronger enforcement mechanisms, including access to justice and infringement proceedings, to close the existing implementation gap.

The policy brief argues that for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a Just Transition must be a multi-sectoral regional transformation strategy rather than a narrow focus on fossil fuel phase-out. It introduces a framework based on six guiding principles—social justice, effective governance, inclusive participation, economic resilience, alignment with climate goals, and green financing—to mitigate risks in sectors like energy, tourism, and transport, while leveraging growth opportunities in the blue and orange economies. The author recommends institutionalizing social dialogue, strengthening regional policy coherence, and mobilizing scaled concessional finance to ensure the transition is equitable and supports long-term economic diversification.

The report finds that SADC's maritime security governance is fragmented, with a significant disconnect between blue-economy rhetoric and actual security planning. While the 2022 Integrated Maritime Security Strategy (IMSS) represents a normative advance over the 2011 strategy, its implementation remains uneven and under-resourced. Regional coordination is primarily driven by external funding and bilateral initiatives, such as South Africa's Operation Copper, rather than formal SADC mechanisms. The report highlights a structural paradox where SADC's most ocean-dependent members—the island states—are the least embedded in its collective security frameworks, preferring partnerships with the Indian Ocean Commission and external powers like India, France, and the EU.

The authors report a 71% decline in global shark and ray populations due to overfishing and bycatch, noting that slow reproductive rates hinder recovery. While some U.S. regions like Florida and Hawai’i show signs of recovery, this has led to increased 'depredation'—sharks taking fish from fishers' lines. The authors criticize the SHARKED Act (S. 2314/ H.R. 207) for potentially allowing shark culls as a mitigation strategy and for excluding Indigenous and tribal communities from its task force. They advocate for collaborative, non-lethal strategies, such as reassessing fishing practices and locations, to ensure coexistence between sharks and the fishing industry.

Burhani Solar installed four off-grid solar PV systems (three 7 kW and one 16 kW) with lithium battery storage for Beach Management Units in Kenya. Funded by the European Union as part of the Go Blue Programme, the project provides reliable power for cold chain infrastructure, water purification, and solar lanterns for women fish traders, transitioning operations from diesel to 100% renewable energy.

The document examines Namibia's transition toward becoming an oil exporter, highlighting the gap between government growth targets and industry realities. While significant offshore discoveries have been made, the report warns that relying on fossil fuels may divert resources from sustainable development and renewable energy, especially as global demand declines and technical challenges persist.

The report provides a comprehensive safeguard framework for a GEF-funded project in Madagascar's Diana, Manambolo-Tsiribihina, and Mahafaly seascapes. It identifies potential risks—including elite capture, livelihood disruption due to resource access restrictions, and gender-based violence—and outlines mitigation strategies. The framework mandates site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and Livelihood Restoration Plans (LRPs) to ensure that the expansion and legalization of LMMAs do not adversely affect vulnerable populations, such as migrant fishers and women.

The Kandy Declaration, issued during the 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum in Sri Lanka, calls for a systemic transformation of global societies to dismantle capitalist and imperialist structures. It advocates for food sovereignty, agroecology, and a feminist just energy transition while opposing corporate monopolies over land, seeds, and water. The document commits to transforming the United Nations multilateral system, cancelling external sovereign debt, and holding transnational corporations accountable for human rights violations through a legally binding treaty.

The Kandy Declaration, emerging from the 3rd Global Nyéléni Forum in Sri Lanka, calls for a systemic transformation to combat the intersecting crises of climate, health, and food insecurity. It advocates for the protection of the 'commons'—including seeds, water, and land—against corporate extractivism and the 'blue' and 'green' neoliberal regimes. The document commits to a feminist and popular transition toward agroecology, a just energy transition, and the reform of the UN multilateral system to prioritize people over corporate interests.

The Kandy Declaration, issued during the 3rd Nyéléni World Forum in Sri Lanka, is a call for systemic transformation by a global coalition of social movements, Indigenous peoples, and civil society. It argues that capitalism and imperialism drive multiple crises—including climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity—through extractivism, industrial agriculture, and the commodification of nature. The document advocates for a transition toward agroecology, food sovereignty, and feminist economies, while demanding the reform of the UN multilateral system to prioritize people over corporate interests. Key commitments include fighting for a legally binding treaty on transnational corporate accountability, implementing a feminist and just energy transition, and opposing 'green and blue' neoliberal regimes.

The report examines the intersection of Africa's blue economy and climate change, highlighting vulnerabilities in fisheries, maritime transport, and tourism. It argues for a transition toward renewable ocean energy, the expansion of blue carbon initiatives, and the implementation of integrated, regional governance to mitigate economic risks and environmental degradation.