Search Climate Insights Directory

The paper explores the concept of Buen Vivir, rooted in indigenous Latin American paradigms, and its potential as an alternative to the anthropocentric and growth-based models of development prevalent in Europe. It highlights the tension between Buen Vivir and the 'Green Economy' or 'European Green Deal', arguing that while the latter seeks to 'decouple' growth from resource use, Buen Vivir rejects the logic of infinite economic growth entirely. The authors note that while official EU-Latin American diplomatic recognition of Buen Vivir has been limited and largely stagnant since a 2015 resolution, local-level initiatives in European cities—such as Amsterdam—and countries like Spain and Greece are increasingly adopting practices aligned with Buen Vivir, including agroecology, local currencies, and the promotion of the 'commons'.

The document argues that Zimbabwe can overcome high transport costs and fuel shortages by transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) and micromobility. It highlights the potential for a 'campus model' of electrification in the mining sector, the use of used EV imports to lower entry barriers, and the opportunity to leverage Zimbabwe's rich deposits of battery minerals like lithium and nickel to move from mineral export to local battery manufacturing.

The document analyzes 'ecological civilisation' as a uniquely Chinese vision for sustainable development that integrates ambitious environmental targets with centralized state power and traditional philosophy. It argues that this framework is central to China's modernization project under President Xi Jinping, shifting from a focus on civil society engagement to a top-down, technocratic approach. While the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-2020) saw significant progress in meeting environmental targets and establishing a national carbon market, the report notes a recent rhetorical shift toward 'innovation-driven development' and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and strained US-China relations. Ultimately, it suggests that engaging with China's green transition requires understanding its core priorities of stability, legitimacy, and security.

The paper explores 'Buen Vivir', an indigenous-rooted concept from Latin America that challenges anthropocentrism and infinite economic growth. It examines the concept's formal introduction into EU-Latin American relations via a 2015 EuroLat resolution and contrasts it with the 'Green Economy' and 'European Green Deal', which the authors argue maintain a growth-centric logic. While governmental adoption in Europe remains limited, the text identifies local 'post-developmentalist' practices in countries like Spain, Greece, and the Netherlands—such as agroecology and the recognition of nature's rights—as aligned with Buen Vivir principles.

The document outlines a resilience framework—survive, adapt, and thrive—applied to support green businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the role of international collaborations, such as the International Cleantech Network and the EU Delegation, in providing financial and strategic support to green SMMEs. Key outcomes include the retention of 760 jobs and the creation of 41 new jobs through the Green Outcomes Fund, as well as the integration of South African cleantech solutions into the Solar Impulse Foundation's global portfolio.

The report examines South Africa's nascent electric vehicle (EV) market, highlighting a strong existing internal combustion engine (ICE) automotive sector that must transition to avoid losing key export markets. It identifies four primary investment opportunities: the electrification of public transport, local lithium-ion battery production, passenger vehicle manufacturing for export, and EV application in mining and construction. While global EV sales are rising, South Africa lacks specific subsidies and policies to accelerate uptake, and faces barriers such as high import duties (25% for EVs) and a lack of charging infrastructure. The document also details the potential macroeconomic impact of EV adoption, including reduced oil imports and a projected loss in government revenue from fuel levies.

The Sustainable Landscape Finance Coalition, a partnership between WWF South Africa and Wilderness Foundation Africa, employs a four-stage 'Finance Solution Approach' to bridge the funding gap for biodiversity and landscape conservation. The Coalition has launched six incubators investigating tools such as biodiversity tax incentives, carbon payments, and green bonds, while scaling existing successes like the Section 37D tax deduction, which is projected to release R1.4 billion into protected areas by 2026.

The paper explores 'buen vivir' (living well), a biocentric paradigm from Latin America that challenges the modern focus on infinite economic growth. While formal EU-Latin America diplomatic efforts, such as the 2015 EuroLat resolution, have acknowledged the concept, it remains overshadowed by the 'green economy' and 'European Green Deal' frameworks that maintain a focus on productivity. However, the authors identify a rise in local European initiatives—such as granting legal rights to nature in Spain and the Netherlands and the growth of agroecology and commons-based projects—that align with the logic of buen vivir by seeking a harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

The document argues that the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for Ghana and other African nations to shift from natural resource-based development to a socially inclusive green economy. While Ghana has established frameworks like the National Green Jobs Strategy (2021–2025) and the National Climate Change Policy, its immediate pandemic recovery measures, such as the $17 billion Ghana-CARES programme, have focused on short-term stabilisation rather than structural greening. The author suggests that the G20 and multilateral institutions should condition medium-term financial support on green interventions to ensure a sustainable transition.

The report argues that 'false solutions' to environmental crises are characterized by the financialisation of nature, where ecosystems are treated as 'natural capital' and traded as commodities. These mechanisms, such as carbon credits and biodiversity offsets, allow corporations to continue polluting by paying for compensation elsewhere, often leading to the violation of Indigenous and local community rights. The document contrasts these with 'real solutions' based on grassroots power, social and gender justice, and the dismantling of capitalist accumulation.

The report argues that 'false solutions' to environmental crises—such as carbon markets and biodiversity offsets—do not address root causes but instead reinforce the dominant economic system and corporate power. These mechanisms are characterized by the commodification of nature, the use of technical complexity to exclude public debate, and the violation of Indigenous and local community rights. The document contrasts these with 'real solutions' based on popular power, anti-capitalist perspectives, and the sustainability of life.

The report examines the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to e-mobility in Southern Africa, identifying key drivers such as rapid urbanisation and falling renewable energy costs. Through four sets of scenarios, it analyses the tensions between inclusive and exclusive transitions and the role of proactive versus reactive government policy. The findings highlight a risk of increased inequality if EVs remain accessible only to the wealthy and warn of a 'brain drain' if the region fails to pivot from protecting the declining ICE manufacturing sector toward developing regional EV value chains and renewable energy infrastructure.

The SADC region possesses the raw minerals necessary for lithium-ion battery production but currently exports most as raw materials, missing value-addition opportunities. While South Africa has some R&D and assembly capabilities, the region lacks battery EV manufacturing plants due to policy gaps, infrastructure deficits, and a limited local market. The paper argues for regional collaboration, alignment with the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, and a 'just transition' to create jobs and economic growth.

The strategy outlines a comprehensive plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina to transition to a green economy by 2030 and achieve significant emission reductions by 2050. It identifies high vulnerability in agriculture, water management, and forestry due to increasing temperature extremes and erratic precipitation. The document proposes a low-carbon development path focusing on replacing inefficient coal-fired power plants with renewables, improving building energy efficiency, and modernising transport. A total investment of approximately BAM 16.7 billion is estimated for mitigation and BAM 170 million for adaptation by 2030.

The paper advocates for a regional approach to the electrical vehicle-related minerals and metals (EVMM) industry in Southern Africa, suggesting that SADC member states redefine 'local content' to include the entire region. It recommends the creation of a public-private EVMM working group and a regional coordinating coalition to ensure sustainable supply chains. The author emphasizes the need to ratify the SADC Industrial Development Policy Framework and align national mining visions with the African Mining Vision. Additionally, the document calls for a circular economy approach to mining waste and the inclusion of both artisanal and large-scale mining to ensure decent job creation and community well-being.

The report examines youth climate advocacy in Africa, highlighting the role of civil society, government policies, and the challenges of the digital divide. It argues for a shift from tokenistic inclusion to meaningful participation, where youth are recognized as active agents of change in policymaking and implementation.

The document argues that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the critical link between ecosystem health and human health, urging a recovery strategy that prioritizes the protection and restoration of nature to mitigate the risk of future zoonotic diseases.

The document argues that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the critical link between ecosystem health and human health, urging policymakers to adopt nature-based solutions for both pandemic prevention and economic recovery. It recommends ending ecosystem degradation, reforming livestock production, regulating wildlife trade, and ensuring that economic stimulus packages include green conditionalities to avoid further environmental damage.

The document examines the role of the circular economy in the economic recovery of the EU and AU following the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the EU's Green Deal and its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, while noting that African countries often practice circular economy principles without formal policies. The brief suggests that the EU's desire to shorten global value chains for food and medical security presents an opportunity for Africa to enhance its regional value chains in mining and agriculture through partnerships. It recommends that the EU-AU Summit prioritize a circular economy baseline for all future programmes to ensure sustainable development and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

The Africa Energy Guarantee Facility (AEGF), a risk-sharing instrument launched by the European Investment Bank in 2018, aims to unlock $1.4 billion in clean energy investment across Africa by providing insurance against political and sovereign risks. While the facility leverages the EU's position as a major investor and supports the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), its effectiveness may be hindered by high transaction costs, partial risk coverage, and low investor awareness. The document argues that for the AEGF to succeed, African policymakers must establish enabling regulatory frameworks and promote reforms that facilitate foreign direct investment and technical exchanges in climate-resilient infrastructure.