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The document argues that marine and coastal ecosystems in Africa are under severe threat from climate change, including sea level rise and tropical storms, but can support community adaptation if protected and restored. It defines Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services to enhance resilience to climate shocks. The statement provides eight key recommendations for COP27, focusing on incorporating EbA into Nationally Determined Contributions, securing innovative financing, improving community-led governance, and promoting nature-based solutions in coastal cities.

The document finds that most African countries failed to maximize the opportunity for a green recovery following COVID-19, primarily due to a massive financing gap and a lack of mainstreaming climate action into national economic planning. While South Africa and Nigeria adopted recovery plans with green components, others like Senegal, Uganda, and Benin showed little overlap between their pandemic responses and NDCs. The author argues for reforming global development finance, implementing carbon taxes, and creating green sovereign wealth funds to bridge the gap between climate ambitions and available resources.

The document advocates for the use of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) to help African coastal and island communities adapt to climate change impacts such as sea level rise and tropical storms. It provides a set of nine key recommendations for SADC stakeholders to integrate EbA into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), align biodiversity and ocean policies, and ensure the inclusion of local communities and gender equity in project design. The statement emphasizes the need for a regional SADC EbA strategy and a resource mobilisation plan to support sustainable investments across the region.

The document evaluates Nigeria's macroeconomic recovery strategies following the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing their compatibility with the nation's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. While the National Development Plan (NDP) and Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) include green initiatives—such as solar electrification and climate-smart agriculture—the author notes a lack of clear implementation tracking and a persistent reliance on oil-led growth. The brief recommends removing fossil fuel subsidies, expanding blended finance, and prioritizing gender-responsive climate-smart agriculture to ensure a sustainable green recovery.

South Africa has increased its climate ambition by lowering its 2030 emission target upper limit from 614 Mt CO2-eq to 420 Mt CO2-eq. While the country leads Africa in green finance and has established a carbon tax, implementation of climate strategies remains slow. The COVID-19 pandemic initially diverted focus toward immediate socioeconomic needs, but later spurred the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Conversely, the Ukraine war has increased global demand for South African coal, potentially incentivizing a rollback of decarbonization. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) provides critical financial support, but the transition is hindered by ongoing power shortages, reliance on new coal plants like Medupi and Kusile, and political sensitivity regarding job losses in the coal sector.

The report identifies significant energy gaps in Nigeria's healthcare system, where 40% of primary healthcare centres lack electricity, contributing to poor health outcomes. It maps the complex governance structure across federal, state, and local governments and reviews renewable energy policies, such as the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP). The analysis reveals a heavy reliance on donor-funded EPC models for electrification, with a noted lack of coordination between the energy and health sectors. It highlights the NPHCDA's '1 PHC per ward' plan to revitalize 10,000 facilities with solar power and recommends stronger cross-sectoral collaboration through initiatives like the Coalition for Sustainable Electrification of PHCs.

The Sierra Leone Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a pathway to 100% electrification and clean cooking by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from biomass and oil toward hydropower and solar PV, requiring an estimated USD 6.5 billion in capital investment by 2040 and a cumulative USD 15 billion by 2050. Key targets include deploying 745 MW of large hydropower and 932 MW of solar PV by 2040, while integrating electric mobility and green hydrogen by 2050. The transition is expected to double energy-sector jobs to 29,117 by 2050 and support national goals such as the Feed Salone strategy and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The report outlines a strategic framework for Kenya to achieve sustainable cooling through the integration of cooling needs into national energy and climate policies, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the National Climate Action Plan (NCAP). It proposes the creation of a cross-ministerial coordinating committee and the development of 'Cool Cities' through urban heat mitigation and green spaces. Key regulatory recommendations include updating the National Building Code for passive cooling and aligning Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) with United for Efficiency (U4E) model regulations by 2025. To support the agricultural and healthcare sectors, the document advocates for modernized cold chain infrastructure and the use of catalytic financing instruments like green bonds and blended finance to attract private investment.

The report highlights the critical energy gap in Africa, where 565 million people lack electricity and 900 million lack clean cooking solutions. It proposes that governments allocate up to 25% of recovery budgets to renewables and localize 30% of the value chain to stimulate GDP and job creation. The document details the socio-economic benefits of sustainable energy in health, agriculture, and gender equality, while providing a framework of eight catalysts—including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and the implementation of cost-reflective tariffs—to accelerate the transition, using India as a successful comparative example.

The document outlines a strategic framework for Caribbean nations to 'recover better' from the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It highlights the economic benefits, such as GDP growth and job creation, and identifies eight key enablers—including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and the adoption of cost-reflective tariffs—necessary to transition from centralized, fossil-fuel-dependent power systems to resilient, decentralized green energy infrastructures.

The report assesses Kenya's cooling landscape, highlighting that 9.6 million people are at high risk due to lack of cooling access. It identifies critical needs in agriculture, where 40% of food is lost annually, and healthcare, where electricity gaps hinder vaccine cold chains. To mitigate these issues and align with the Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP) 2023-2050, the document recommends eight policy interventions, including the adoption of passive cooling, stricter Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs), and the phase-out of HFC refrigerants. It also proposes financial strategies such as green bonds and blended finance to overcome high upfront costs for sustainable cooling technologies.

Sierra Leone's Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a Low Carbon Development (LCD) scenario to reach 100% electrification and clean cooking access by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from fossil fuel dependency—particularly diesel in mining and transport—toward hydropower and solar PV. Key targets include expanding power capacity to 4.5 GW by 2050 and integrating the mining sector into the national grid by 2030. The transition is estimated to require approximately 39 billion USD in total capital investment by 2050, with the transport sector accounting for the largest share. The plan also integrates social objectives, such as the 'Feed Salone' strategy for food security and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) to ensure a just transition for women and youth.

The Impact Benefits Calculator (IBC) is a tool integrated into LEAP that translates emissions scenarios into estimates of health and climate impacts. It utilizes parameterized results from the GEOS-Chem Adjoint model and standard concentration-response functions to calculate population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations and associated premature mortality. The tool is designed to be accessible to planners in the developing world, reducing complex modeling that previously required supercomputers to calculations that run in seconds. It currently supports 161 countries and analyzes pollutants including CO2, methane, black carbon, and nitrogen oxides.

The ICCAP project (2024-2029) seeks to enhance resilience in Asia-Pacific by scaling green financial products for rural smallholders and marginalised groups. It focuses on policy analysis, capacity building for financial service providers, and the creation of a Regional Adaptation Investment Facility (RAIF) to mobilise private capital. The project targets 14,000 direct beneficiaries across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, and Fiji, with a goal of catalysing 250 million EUR for climate adaptation.

Colombia is utilizing the CCAC SNAP initiative and the LEAP-IBC tool to identify priority emitting sectors and integrate short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) mitigation into its national air quality and climate change policies. The process involves quantifying emission scenarios to inform legal frameworks and funding, with specific focus on agriculture (rice paddies, sugar cane, manure management), transport, brick kilns, and cookstoves. To date, 60 regional climate change plans have been reviewed to identify implementation opportunities, and 15 of the 100 measures in Colombia's INDC resulted from SNAP Phase I.

Ghana is utilizing the SNAP initiative to develop a national plan for mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), integrating these efforts into its National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda. The Ghana EPA is employing the LEAP-IBC model to calculate emissions and benefits across both energy and non-energy sectors. Key sectoral actions include the potential implementation of Euro-benchmarked emission standards for transport, the distribution of 200,000 solar lanterns to replace kerosene, and a Green Cooling Programme to replace high-GWP HFC air conditioners. To support these goals, the Ministry of Finance has established a climate change unit as the National Designated Authority for the Green Climate Fund.

Mexico has utilized the CCAC SNAP initiative to develop a strategic national plan for reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), specifically black carbon and methane. By leveraging tools like LEAP-IBC and coordinating through the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), Mexico integrated SLCP targets into its 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), aiming for a 51% reduction in black carbon by 2030. Key sectoral actions include mandating EURO VI technology for new buses in Mexico City by 2018 and implementing clean cookstove and waste management projects in coastal wetland communities.

Pakistan's NDC 3.0 sets a voluntary target to reduce projected 2035 greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, with 17% achieved unconditionally and 33% conditional on receiving USD 565.7 billion in international climate finance. The plan integrates mitigation across energy, transport, and agriculture with a comprehensive adaptation strategy based on the 2023 National Adaptation Plan. Key priorities include transitioning to a renewable-dominant power mix, expanding electric vehicle adoption, and implementing large-scale nature-based solutions like the Recharge Pakistan programme. The document emphasizes a 'just transition' for the workforce and the integration of gender, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) into climate action.

The report outlines a pathway for Lao PDR to reach net zero emissions by 2050, utilizing LEAP and NEMO modelling to compare a Baseline Scenario with a transformative Net Zero Scenario. Key findings highlight the necessity of diversifying the energy mix beyond hydropower, electrifying transport and cooking, and implementing carbon removal technologies. The analysis emphasizes that while hydropower remains dominant, the country must scale up solar, wind, and biomass to ensure resilience against climate-induced droughts. Achieving the target requires significant infrastructure upgrades, including grid modernization and the deployment of direct air capture (DAC) to offset residual industrial and agricultural emissions. The report also addresses critical economic challenges, such as high public debt and currency depreciation, and recommends strengthening regional cooperation through the ASEAN Power Grid and the APAEC framework.

The document evaluates biofuel production in southern Africa, finding that sugarcane generally improves food security and reduces poverty, while jatropha's benefits are unproven or precarious. It highlights a trade-off where sugarcane can increase carbon stocks but displace food crops, whereas jatropha plantations in Mozambique caused substantial carbon stock losses. The brief also notes that high costs hinder the adoption of ethanol cooking stoves in urban Mozambique despite their potential to reduce charcoal-driven deforestation.