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The report analyzes the prevalence and effects of tax incentives in Africa's mining sector, concluding that these measures frequently result in substantial public revenue losses and encourage aggressive tax avoidance. It argues that mining investments are driven more by resource quality and political stability than by tax breaks. The document recommends that African nations move away from generous, contract-based incentives and instead adopt regional tax harmonization and targeted, time-limited incentives linked to specific development goals, such as mineral processing and the energy transition.

South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency focuses on four key priorities: disaster resilience, debt sustainability for low-income countries, financing just energy transitions, and critical minerals for sustainable development. The presidency aims to elevate 'country platforms' like South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and bring African climate finance concerns to the forefront. The Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) for 2025 is tasked with strengthening the global sustainable finance architecture, scaling up adaptation and just transition finance, and unlocking carbon market potential. The report highlights opportunities for South Africa to enhance follow-up mechanisms for G20 commitments, engage African Union (AU) structures, and coordinate with Brazil ahead of COP30. However, the report notes diplomatic challenges regarding the US presidency's approach to climate multilateralism and the Paris Agreement.

The document outlines several voluntary commitments and coalitions aimed at achieving sustainable energy goals. Key initiatives include the Energy Compacts for SDG7, the Just and Inclusive Energy Transition (JIET) Compact endorsed by G20 ministers, and the No New Coal Compact. It also highlights the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South, the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) Compact, and the Energy Compact on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Additionally, it mentions Mission 300, a World Bank and African Development Bank initiative to electrify Africa, and global networks like the Cool Coalition and Mission Efficiency.

The report finds that approximately 7% of energy transition mineral mines overlap with Key Biodiversity Areas, affecting an area roughly twice the size of Belgium. While this impact is smaller than that of fossil fuel extraction, the report warns of significant risks to biodiversity and Indigenous rights, advocating for nature-positive spatial planning, circular economy practices, and responsible mining standards to mitigate these harms.

The report examines the operational and policy failures of the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM), arguing that its outdated risk appetite and domestic content requirements hinder US competitiveness in the global energy transition. It highlights the leadership of foreign export credit agencies (ECAs) from China, Germany, Japan, and India in supporting clean tech and recommends specific legislative and procedural reforms—including raising the default rate cap and expanding support for critical material inputs—to ensure US high-tech industries can meet growing global demand for advanced energy solutions.

South Africa's carbon-intensive export model is increasingly vulnerable as 78% of its exports are sold to countries with net zero targets. The report highlights acute risks in the basic metals, automotive, and agricultural sectors due to high embodied CO2 emissions compared to global competitors. While the EU's CBAM and shifting US trade policies pose immediate threats, South Africa's reserves of critical minerals and renewable energy potential offer a strategic path toward 'carbon competitiveness'. The report argues that success depends on decarbonising the national electricity grid, implementing the Climate Change Act 2024, and securing international support through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The report argues that while artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a significant but overlooked contributor to the global supply of critical minerals, realizing its full potential requires major policy and regulatory shifts to formalize the sector and mitigate environmental destruction.

The document argues that while 'ecological security' is not yet widely recognized in Southeast Asia, it is essential for addressing interconnected threats like the Mekong polycrisis, green transition externalities, and environmental crimes. It highlights the tension between security services and civil society, the influence of US-China competition on resource extraction and infrastructure, and the need for a holistic framework that bridges the gap between political-security and environmental specialists.

The report argues that artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is an underestimated but significant contributor to the global supply of critical minerals, particularly cobalt, tin, and tantalum. It highlights that while some minerals like lithium have high potential for ASM extraction in pegmatite deposits, others like graphite are less viable due to low value per unit of weight. The document emphasizes that the sector's deep informality, lack of geological data, and restrictive licensing frameworks hinder its potential. It presents case studies from the DRC, Indonesia, and Chile to demonstrate both the challenges of informality and the success of formalization models like Chile's ENAMI. The report concludes that for ASM to become a reliable supplier, governments must streamline licensing, provide geological foundations for small-scale plots, and create tailored regulatory frameworks specifically for critical minerals rather than relying on generic gold or gemstone policies.

The report argues that the US can significantly reduce its reliance on newly mined minerals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by prioritizing energy efficiency, right-sizing battery range, and implementing robust recycling policies. Through a 'Very Low Demand Scenario,' the authors demonstrate that newly mined lithium needs could be reduced by 48% from 2025 to 2050, saving 1.5 million metric tons of material. The analysis emphasizes that while electrification is essential for decarbonization, a systems-wide approach—including investments in public transit and rail to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)—is necessary to create a sustainable and just supply chain.

The report analyzes challenges in localizing EV battery production in India, emphasizing the need for backward integration into high-value cell components and equipment manufacturing. It recommends prioritizing the production of synthetic anodes, electrolytes, and LFP cathodes to reduce reliance on critical mineral imports and leverage India's chemical sector expertise. Additionally, it suggests investing in next-generation battery R&D, establishing circular economy frameworks for battery recycling, and creating cell fabrication and testing centers to ensure quality.

India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, but the target has slipped to 2031-32. While India produces 70-80% of its wind turbines domestically and exports significantly to the US, its solar PV sector is heavily dependent on China, which held over 80% of the global module market in 2022. India is attempting to build domestic solar supply chains via the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), though it remains reliant on imports for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Recycling is identified as essential for future supply chain security, with solar PV waste projected to reach nearly 19,000 kt by 2050.

The briefing outlines a three-part agenda for the next US administration to maintain the momentum of its green industrial strategy. It emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between initial investment and long-term economic stability by streamlining permitting, diversifying supply chains to reduce reliance on China, and ensuring that clean energy benefits reach low-income and legacy industrial communities. The author advocates for a 'private-sector-led, government-enabled' framework supported by strategic governance mechanisms to ensure the US remains a global leader in cleantech innovation and manufacturing.

The report argues that a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty can catalyze the financing necessary for a global just transition by establishing new funding regimes, creating state obligations, and supporting parallel financial reforms. It categorizes potential solutions into three clusters: debt management, new forms of finance and investment, and the replacement of fossil fuel revenues. The authors emphasize that wealthy nations must assume historical responsibility by ending extraction first and providing financial support to low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to diversify their economies.

The document analyzes the role of voluntary sustainability standards in the mining sector, categorizing them by focus (supply chain, performance, and principle-based) and scope. It argues that while these standards cannot replace robust regulation, they can complement it by filling regulatory gaps, providing a foundation for new laws, or serving as proof of compliance. The briefing highlights a trend toward harmonization, exemplified by the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI), and emphasizes the importance of third-party certification and multistakeholder governance for credibility. It concludes with recommendations for governments to engage in standards development and align national regulations with emerging sustainability issues to attract investment.

India aims to indigenize battery manufacturing through the PLI-ACC scheme to install 50 GWh of capacity by 2026, yet remains heavily reliant on imports for cells, components, and machinery. The report identifies six primary challenges: skilled labour shortages, a lack of testing and validation centres, dependence on imported critical minerals, insufficient recycling infrastructure, the need for ESG standards to ensure export competitiveness, and high import dependence for manufacturing equipment. It recommends prioritizing the localization of synthetic anodes, electrolytes, and LFP cathodes, while expanding R&D for next-generation technologies like sodium-ion batteries.

The 2024 BRICS Summit is expected to focus on integrating new members and defining the role of 'partner countries' rather than further expansion. Key economic goals include increasing trade in local currencies to reduce dollar reliance and streamlining payments via the BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative. The document highlights opportunities for coordination between BRICS, the G20, and the G7, particularly with Brazil and South Africa holding leadership roles in 2025. On climate, BRICS is expected to reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement and a just transition that allows for the continued use of fossil fuels for energy security, while potentially introducing a new framework for sustainable development and carbon market projects.

The document presents case studies on Chile, Indonesia, and South Africa, focusing on how these nations balance the global demand for critical minerals with the need to decarbonize their mining sectors. It assesses the economic weight of mining, country-level greenhouse gas emissions, and the national policies used to align mining activities with international climate commitments and the Paris Agreement.

The DRC and Zambia are attempting to transition from extractive economies to value-added battery producers to support the global green transition. While they possess critical reserves of cobalt and copper, their efforts are complicated by a history of privatization, problematic governance, and a geopolitical tug-of-war between the USA and China. To succeed, both nations must expand local processing capacity and improve infrastructure, such as the Lobito Corridor, while managing the social and environmental impacts of mining.

Clean energy investment in the U.S. more than tripled between 2018 and 2023, reaching nearly $248 billion annually. Investment is concentrated in the South and West, with zero-emission vehicles, solar power, and wind power serving as the primary drivers of growth across different regions and states.