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This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the barriers to and enablers of private sector climate finance in Africa. It argues that while significant investment is required to meet Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals and adaptation needs, private investment is currently limited by regulatory, project, and economic risks. The document proposes a combination of regulatory reforms, credit enhancement mechanisms, and capacity building for borrowers to create a bankable pipeline of projects to attract private and impact investors.

This research paper, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), outlines a proposed African climate finance agenda for the COP26 summit. Based on stakeholder dialogues conducted between April and October 2021, the document identifies critical gaps in the quantum and quality of climate finance reaching Africa, emphasizing the need for increased adaptation funding, streamlined access to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the creation of national enabling environments to attract private investment.

This executive summary of the 2021 NYDF Progress Assessment report evaluates government efforts to utilize forests for climate mitigation, focusing on the ambition of climate pledges, investment levels, and implementation strategies. While it notes that the Paris Agreement has confirmed the pivotal role of forests, the report finds that current national targets and financial investments are significantly insufficient to meet the global mitigation potential of forests.

The October 2021 Goal 7 Progress Report on the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) assesses government actions to enhance climate change mitigation through forests. While it concludes that Goal 7—confirming the role of forests in the international climate agenda via the Paris Agreement—has been achieved, it warns that overall progress toward ending forest loss and GHG emissions by 2030 is insufficient. The report outlines six strategic areas for government action: strengthening governance, securing Indigenous and local community rights, aligning economic incentives, promoting multistakeholder collaboration, improving monitoring, and expanding demand-side measures for forest-risk commodities.

This October 2021 report evaluates progress toward Goal 7 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), focusing on national climate action for forests. While it acknowledges the Paris Agreement's confirmation of the role of forests in the international climate agenda, it concludes that current efforts are insufficient to end deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The document provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for governments to strengthen ambition, increase financing, and implement six specific strategies to protect and manage forests sustainably.

This October 2021 report evaluates progress toward Goal 7 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), focusing on national climate actions for forests. While it acknowledges that the Paris Agreement confirmed the role of forests in the international climate agenda, the report concludes that current efforts are insufficient to end forest loss and associated greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. It provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for governments to improve forest climate mitigation through six key strategies: strengthening land-use governance, securing Indigenous peoples and local communities' rights, aligning financial incentives, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration, ensuring robust monitoring, and expanding demand-side measures for forest-risk commodities.

This report by the Forest Declaration Assessment evaluates progress toward Goal 7 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), focusing on national climate actions for forests. It argues that while the Paris Agreement has recognized the role of forests, current government actions are insufficient to stop forest loss and GHG emissions by 2030. The document provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for governments to increase mitigation ambition, align financial flows with climate goals, and implement six specific strategies ranging from governance reform to demand-side measures in importing countries.

This policy briefing examines the barriers to and enablers of private sector climate finance in Africa, emphasizing the need for supportive regulatory environments, credit enhancement mechanisms, and the development of bankable projects to meet the region's significant mitigation and adaptation funding needs.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the critical role of methane (CH4) in driving climate change and outlines the sectors and policy gaps associated with its reduction to meet the 1.5°C temperature target.

The September 2021 Global Update from Climate Action Tracker reports that global climate action continues to lag behind the requirements for limiting warming to 1.5°C. While some countries have updated their NDCs, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant (20-23 GtCO2e). The report introduces a new rating system where only The Gambia is rated as overall 1.5°C compatible, while most developed nations are rated as 'Insufficient' or worse due to inadequate climate finance and policy implementation. It further critiques the lack of transparency and robustness in most national net zero targets and highlights the continued reliance on coal and gas in several major economies.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines the policy processes and priorities for African nations leading up to COP26. It emphasizes the necessity of aligning Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-term Low Emissions Strategies (LTSs) with net-zero trajectories and COVID-19 green recovery plans to achieve a climate-resilient world by 2050.

A World Resources Institute briefing analyzing the outcomes of the UN Climate Change subsidiary bodies sessions held online prior to COP26. The document reports that progress on implementing the Paris Agreement was uneven and limited, hampered by both virtual logistical challenges and deep political divides between nations.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute examines the design and data requirements for an effective Global Stocktake (GST) process under the Paris Agreement, identifying four primary functions the process should fulfill and proposing specific mechanisms to maximize its effectiveness.

This May 2021 briefing from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analyzes the impact of recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) updates and net-zero pledges on global warming projections. It finds that while recent commitments have lowered the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, this remains significantly above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, and current policies are still on track for 2.9°C of warming.

In a parting reflection published on April 16, 2021, Andrew Steer outlines the lessons learned during his nine-year tenure as leader of the World Resources Institute (WRI). He describes WRI's growth into a global team of 1,500 professionals and details the strategic approaches the organization used to influence climate and environmental policy, including the use of data-driven research combined with practical on-the-ground implementation and multi-stakeholder convening.

This annex to the 2021 NYDF Goal 7 Progress Report provides technical and economic mitigation potential estimates for forest-related activities, analyzes the ambition of forest targets in National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and estimates the global finance needs and public finance flows for forest mitigation.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical technical and political areas that UN negotiators must resolve by COP26 in November 2021. It reviews the outcomes of the 2020 Climate Dialogues and highlights significant gaps in the Paris Agreement rulebook, climate finance commitments, and mechanisms for loss and damage and adaptation.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the UN Climate Change Dialogues 2020, which served as a virtual bridge to COP 26. It evaluates the effectiveness of the virtual format, the progress made on outstanding Paris Agreement issues, and the tension between stated national ambitions and scientific requirements for emissions reductions.

This research paper provides estimates of the potential supply of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) issued under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for emission reductions occurring between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2020, specifically to inform Article 6 negotiations at the UNFCCC regarding their transition toward Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines youth climate advocacy in Africa, focusing on the roles of civil society, government, and international networks. It documents how young people are transitioning from symbolic participants to active agents of change through networking, social media, and policy engagement, while highlighting the systemic barriers—such as the digital divide and tokenism—that hinder meaningful intergenerational equity in climate governance.