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The report finds that while infrastructure investors have integrated climate change considerations, they lag in measuring other nature impacts like habitat change and pollution. It identifies physical and transition risks associated with biodiversity loss and highlights a shift toward 'nature-positive' investments driven by evolving regulations such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The document provides case studies of leading practices, including the use of eDNA soil testing and sustainability-linked loans, while noting that a lack of usable data remains a primary barrier to widespread adoption of quantitative biodiversity metrics.

The Institute for Economic Justice criticises the South African National Treasury for dictating government policy through a fiscal framework that prioritises debt reduction over essential public services. The authors argue that the current 'balanced fiscal stance' and reliance on public-private partnerships (PPPs) hinder economic growth and exacerbate poverty. They propose alternative revenue-raising measures, such as wealth taxes and resource rent taxes, to fund a universal basic income grant and public investment in infrastructure and labour-intensive sectors.

A coalition of civil society organizations argues that the AIIB's practice of delegating project approvals to management undermines governance and accountability to shareholder governments and citizens. The statement calls for the Board to reconsider the concept of delegation entirely or, at minimum, ensure that high-risk projects, fossil fuel activities, and financial intermediary investments are approved by the Board rather than the President.

The IEJ argues that Budget 2024 continues a trend of austerity, with R270 billion in budget cuts between 2019/20 and 2026/27 threatening public services and socio-economic rights. The submission highlights declining spending on healthcare and education, inadequate social grant increases relative to inflation, and a flawed reliance on private sector investment to address unemployment and climate change. The IEJ recommends reversing budget cuts, increasing public investment in infrastructure, and raising revenue by taxing high-income earners and restoring corporate income tax rates.

The author examines the "end of development" narrative—the idea that income gaps between developed and developing nations may never close—and its implications for Africa. The text highlights a decline in traditional aid from the UK, EU, and Canada, alongside a drop in Chinese infrastructure loans. It identifies critical gaps in infrastructure ($68-$108 billion annually) and climate adaptation ($453 billion this decade). To counter this, the author urges the African Union to reduce aid dependency, prioritize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and improve the bankability of projects to attract investment rather than relying on dwindling global generosity.

The IEJ criticizes the 2024 Budget for prioritizing debt stabilization over public services and economic growth. It highlights significant real-term cuts in non-interest expenditure, the erosion of social grant values, and underfunding of public employment and healthcare. The report proposes increasing taxes on high-income earners and corporations, expanding social grants to the food poverty line, and increasing public investment to 25% to drive infrastructure and job creation.

The study explores a mechanism to transfer non-sovereign MDB loans to African institutional investors, particularly pension funds, in East and West Africa. It identifies a potential pool of eligible assets from the IFC and AfDB and estimates that up to US$8.69 billion in pension assets could be allocated to such a vehicle if locally domiciled. The report proposes a phased implementation starting with a pilot, managed by a dedicated Fund Manager, using an umbrella fund structure with local currency sub-funds to mitigate foreign exchange risks.

The report investigates the ESG performance of Chinese-led infrastructure projects across Africa and Southeast Asia, arguing that failures often stem from a combination of opaque procurement processes, weak host-country institutional capacity, and the agency of Chinese contractors. It highlights five critical areas of concern: tender and impact assessment processes, land acquisition and community displacement, debt transparency, inter-authority conflict, and long-term economic viability. Through case studies in countries such as Kenya, Cambodia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, the report demonstrates how the 'adaptive governance' of Chinese firms—adjusting standards to match weak local regulations—often leads to negative socio-environmental outcomes. It concludes that while China is developing domestic ESG frameworks, these are not consistently applied overseas, and recommends greater loan transparency and the establishment of independent ESG feasibility studies.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding between four and ten Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) using $8 billion allocated by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). These hubs are designed to catalyze domestic clean hydrogen production and operationalize the DOE's Hydrogen Shot goal of reducing production costs by 80% to $1 per kilogram within ten years. Applicants are evaluated on feedstock diversity (requiring demonstrations from fossil fuels, renewable energy, and nuclear energy), end-use diversity (covering electric power, industrial, residential/commercial heating, and transportation), a minimum 50% non-federal cost share, and community benefits plans aligned with the Justice40 Initiative. The program aims to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors—which accounted for nearly 16% of U.S. emissions in 2018—and foster hydrogen-fueled transportation corridors and export potential. Financial viability is further supported by the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 45V tax credit, offering up to $3.00 per kilogram of clean hydrogen for projects starting construction before 2033.

The 2023 Water Market Intelligence Report highlights a critical state of wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) in South Africa, with 39% requiring urgent intervention. It identifies three primary investment areas: the restoration of municipal infrastructure (estimated at R8.14 billion), the circular economy potential of sludge beneficiation, and the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency (EE) technologies to reduce high operational costs. The report notes significant funding gaps and municipal capacity constraints but points to regulatory drivers, such as the 2019 liquid waste landfill ban, as catalysts for private sector involvement.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative evaluates methodologies for tracking investments in climate resilient infrastructure (CRI). The study pilots a framework based on five climate resilience principles across the water, transport, energy, and AFOLU sectors, finding that CRI investments are a small fraction of total infrastructure spending, with USD 87 spent on non-resilient projects for every USD 1 spent on CRI.

Between 2012 and 2021, the North Region of Brazil received R$ 30.6 billion (US$ 11.1 billion) for land transport infrastructure, representing 17% of the national total tracked. Public sources provided 78% of this funding, with the federal government as the primary source. The rail sector was the largest beneficiary in the North, receiving 55% of resources, heavily driven by the Carajás Railroad. In contrast, public budget funds in the North were overwhelmingly directed to highways (99%), primarily for maintenance and operation (79%). While private finance via incentivized debentures grew nationally, it accounted for 22% of the North's flows. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) contributed R$ 3 billion, with the New Development Bank (NDB) being the most active in the region. The report emphasizes that without improved governance and rigorous socio-environmental analysis, these investments risk driving deforestation in the Amazon.

The report analyzes Peru's sustainable finance landscape, noting that while it was a regional pioneer with the first green bond in 2014, its GSS+ market has expanded more slowly than its peers. As of April 2022, the market reached approximately USD 6.6bn across 16 deals, dominated by sovereign sustainability bonds. The document identifies significant investment gaps in infrastructure (USD 110bn) and sanitation (USD 22bn), while highlighting opportunities in renewable energy, low-carbon agriculture, and nature-based solutions. It outlines structural barriers such as low market liquidity, currency hedging challenges, and political instability, and recommends the development of a national green finance taxonomy by 2025 to provide clarity and attract capital.

The report finds a strong industry desire for a standardized set of ESG metrics in infrastructure investment, as current frameworks are fragmented and inconsistent. While environmental factors are relatively well-covered, social and governance data remain challenging. The study concludes that government regulation and investor pressure are the most effective catalysts for achieving a common reporting standard.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's 2021 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) prioritizes austerity and a budget surplus over necessary socioeconomic investment. The IEJ highlights significant real-term spending cuts in health, basic education, and social protection, asserting that such a contractionary stance stifles economic recovery and increases unemployment. The document advocates for a shift toward fiscal expansion, a comprehensive stimulus package, and the implementation of a wealth tax to fund a transformative economic agenda.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticizes the 2021 MTBPS for implementing real-term spending cuts across health, education, and social protection while prioritizing a primary budget surplus over economic stimulus. The IEJ contends that the government is ignoring available fiscal space and recommends a shift toward a comprehensive stimulus package, the implementation of a wealth tax, and the adoption of a Universal Basic Income Grant to foster an equitable recovery.

The FAST-Infra Sustainable Infrastructure Label (SI Label) is a self-declared sustainability certification for infrastructure assets. It is based on a mapping of over 25 global standards, including the IFC Performance Standards and the EU Green Taxonomy. To achieve the label, assets must meet 14 baseline requirements across four sustainability dimensions, comply with minimum safeguards, and demonstrate a positive contribution to at least one sustainability criterion. While the label is sector-agnostic, fossil fuel projects, including unabated natural gas, are unlikely to qualify due to a carbon threshold of <100g CO2e/kWh. The framework encourages external third-party verification to enhance transparency and market trust.

The document examines China's role as a primary funder and contractor of ICT networks in the Global South, specifically through the Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiative. It compares the implementation of a submarine fibre optic cable in Cambodia and the National ICT Broadband Backbone in Tanzania. The analysis finds that while these projects generally had limited environmental impacts and provided essential connectivity, they suffered from a lack of transparency and mixed results in socioeconomic mitigation, such as limited high-level technology transfer and underutilisation of infrastructure.

The document outlines the financial gap for climate action in Africa, noting that NDCs will require approximately $3 trillion by 2030. It identifies significant barriers to private investment, including political, project, and economic risks, as well as a lack of 'bankable' projects. To address these, the brief recommends the development of NDC implementation plans, the use of credit enhancement mechanisms via blended finance, and the provision of technical grant-based funding to help borrowers reach the bankability stage. It specifically emphasizes the need for catalytic public finance to unlock private investment in adaptation and nature-based solutions.

Climate Adaptation Notes is a proposed funding mechanism designed to mobilize private, commercial bank, and institutional investment for water and wastewater infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. The instrument combines short-term construction financing from commercial banks with long-term asset-based funding from institutional investors, utilizing 'first loss' subordinate debt from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to mitigate risk. The mechanism targets three tiers: the Southern African Common Monetary Union (or ZAR-tied countries), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the broader sub-Saharan Africa region. Success depends on the availability of deep local debt capital markets and a robust pipeline of investable projects. The instrument is currently in pre-piloting and fundraising stages.