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The document examines the significant infrastructure financing gap in Africa and argues that the private sector can bridge this gap by accessing 'geopolitical funds' such as China's Belt and Road Initiative, the EU's Global Gateway Initiative, and the G7's Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. It highlights that while these funds offer immense potential, the primary barrier is the 'bankability' of African projects, with 80% of projects failing at the feasibility stage. The brief recommends enhancing African agency and private sector involvement to ensure infrastructure development aligns with continental goals.

The report analyzes the integration of AI and HPC into the fusion energy sector to compress development timelines and overcome technical barriers. It details applications in in-silico design iteration, materials discovery, superconducting magnet optimization, and plasma control. The document also assesses the economic viability of fusion, estimating a potential Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) between 4.7 and 7.9 cents per kWh, and explores a symbiotic relationship where AI accelerates fusion development while fusion provides the firm, carbon-free power required by AI data centers.

The report examines the potential for mining companies to share their digital infrastructure—such as high-speed connectivity and data processing technologies—with host communities to catalyze economic diversification and social benefits. It identifies significant barriers, including the 'usage gap' driven by digital illiteracy and a lack of devices, and a pronounced gender digital divide. The document provides policy recommendations to integrate digital connectivity into local content strategies, improve inter-ministerial coordination, and establish public-private partnerships to ensure the long-term sustainability of these networks beyond the mine's life cycle.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticises the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as a continuation of 'anti-poor' austerity measures. The IEJ argues that the budget prioritises debt stabilisation over inclusive growth, fails to adequately resource public services, and implements 'savage and unconstitutional' cuts to social grants, specifically the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. The statement further warns against the use of binding fiscal rules and the shift toward Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure, which the IEJ claims can increase user fees and hinder access for the vulnerable. Additionally, the document notes a decline in funding for industrialisation and agriculture, and criticises the government's lack of progressive revenue-raising measures and its alignment with OECD rather than UN-led international tax cooperation.

The report outlines a comprehensive strategy for transitioning Nigeria's mass transportation to electric buses, emphasizing the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) as the most viable procurement model. It identifies the transport sector as a major emitter, contributing approximately 15% of national greenhouse gas emissions. Using Lagos as a primary case study, the document details technical specifications for e-buses, charging infrastructure requirements, and the financial benefits of a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. It recommends a phased 24-month implementation plan and policy reforms to encourage local assembly and renewable energy integration for charging.

The report analyzes the implementation of renewable energy (RE) mini-grids in Eastern Indonesia, specifically in East Nusa Tenggara and East Kalimantan. It finds that while private sector interest in small-scale RE projects is low due to high costs and perceived risks, community-driven approaches—characterized by local ownership and the use of Village-Owned Enterprises (VOEs)—are critical for sustainability. Through case studies in Muara Enggelam, Watukarere, Mata Redi, and Treweng, the document highlights that success depends on community consensus, capacity building, and the integration of energy access with local economic development. It recommends that the Indonesian government prioritize inclusive, community-based frameworks and streamlined investment mechanisms to achieve universal energy access.

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.

The CCFLA and Urban-Act Subnational Assessment Tool is designed to help city and regional officials identify strengths and gaps in the regulatory, institutional, and financial environments necessary to scale urban climate finance. The tool evaluates 49 dimensions across four categories: Climate Policy, Budget and Finance, Climate Data, and Vertical and Horizontal Coordination. It provides a structured six-step application process—from institutional mapping to the development of follow-up roadmaps—and includes a comprehensive directory of external resources and global case studies to guide subnational governments in improving their creditworthiness, data reporting, and intergovernmental cooperation.

The report evaluates India's readiness to scale subnational climate finance across four categories: climate policy, budget and finance, climate data, and coordination. It finds that while India has strong national commitments and policies, urban local bodies (ULBs) lack institutional mandates for climate action, suffer from limited fiscal autonomy and poor financial management, and have minimal access to climate-specific data. The analysis highlights a heavy reliance on intergovernmental transfers and a significant gap in private investment and municipal bond issuance. Key recommendations include amending state municipal acts to incorporate climate functions, expanding the scope of Central Finance Commission grants to include climate action, and strengthening the capacity of ULBs to conduct green budgeting and issue municipal bonds.

The Lagos State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (LCARP) identifies critical climate risks—sea-level rise, extreme rainfall, and extreme heat—and proposes a $9 billion portfolio of 33 projects to mitigate these threats. The plan emphasizes diversifying financing mechanisms beyond concessional debt to include blended finance, grants, and nature-based solutions, while recommending policy and governance reforms to attract private investment.

The proposal seeks EUR 742,209 over 18 months to address four primary barriers to climate action in Guatemala: lack of integrated governance, an unfinished GCF Country Programme, the absence of an integrated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for adaptation and finance, and a lack of a common sustainable finance taxonomy. Implemented by GIZ and led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MARN), the project will establish a national coordination mechanism, train public and private stakeholders, finalize a project pipeline aligned with the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and develop a sustainable finance taxonomy to attract private investment.

The 'Catalyzing Low-carbon Investment and Mobilizing Finance for Saint Lucia (CLIMB-SLU)' proposal requests USD 1,631,349 over 36 months to address critical gaps in Saint Lucia's climate finance ecosystem. The initiative focuses on three workstreams: strengthening government capacity to integrate climate and gender considerations into financial planning, enhancing the ability of local financial institutions to manage climate risks and offer green products, and developing a pipeline of bankable projects, specifically a Green Affordable Housing project and a conceptual Green-Blue National Bank. The project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in coordination with Saint Lucia's Department of Economic Development, Department of Finance, and Department of Sustainable Development.

The proposal seeks USD 446,345 over 24 months to address the gap between national-level climate finance and grassroots implementation in Cambodia. It aims to create a single-source sub-national climate fund (SCF) to replace fragmented financing pathways, providing a formalised structure for public and private investment. Key activities include a scoping study on institutional environments, the development of an operating manual, and a National Roadmap for fund management. The project also focuses on capacity building, targeting the training of 55 fund managers and 35 stakeholders, with a minimum 20% female participation rate. The initiative is led by the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development Secretariat (NCDD-S) with technical support from the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and oversight from the Ministry of Environment.

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 document analyzes the constitutional crisis in Senegal following President Macky Sall's decision to postpone the February 25, 2024, elections. It argues that the move is illegal and unconstitutional, reflecting a trend toward authoritarianism and 'hyper-presidentialism'. The text details the roles of key political figures like Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, the repression of civil society, and the potential for regional instability in West Africa if the impasse is not peacefully resolved.

The 2024 National Budget continues a decade-long trend of budget cuts to achieve a primary budget surplus and stabilise debt, despite high levels of poverty and unemployment in South Africa. The IEJ argues that the National Treasury's claim of insufficient funds is contradicted by the drawdown of R150 billion from the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA). The document highlights real-term declines in per capita non-interest expenditure, social grant values, and spending on healthcare and education. It proposes alternative revenue sources, such as wealth taxes and taxing financial transactions, to fund essential services and job creation. The IEJ criticises the reliance on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure and electricity, warning of fiscal risks and potential tariff increases.

Danone has pledged to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk supply by 30 percent by 2030. To achieve this, the company employs a systems approach involving farmer training, research funding for feed additives, and policy advocacy. Danone is a member of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and the First Movers Coalition for Food to drive industry-wide reporting and demand for low-emissions agricultural solutions.

The report analyzes 52 cross-border guarantee instruments from 34 entities, finding that while guarantees are critical for mobilizing private capital in EMDEs, the current landscape is fragmented. Most guarantees are climate-agnostic and focused on commercial risk and debt instruments, with significant gaps in climate-exclusive products, equity guarantees, and coverage for political and currency risks. The study recommends increasing guarantees for low-income countries and high-emitting EMDEs, and expanding the role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in offering climate-specific instruments.

India faces significant climate vulnerability, with adaptation investment needs estimated between USD 14 billion and USD 67 billion annually for 2015-2030. While the government utilizes a 'co-benefits' approach—integrating adaptation into broader development goals—this makes it difficult to track specific adaptation funding. Analysis of six states' updated State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) reveals a collective annual investment need of INR 444.7 billion (USD 5.5 billion) for 2021-30. State governments are the primary drivers of adaptation finance, but their capacity is constrained by high debt levels and strict borrowing limits under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. The report recommends that the 16th Finance Commission include adaptation variables in fund devolution and suggests using Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and blended finance to attract private capital, which is currently limited by data gaps and uncertain returns.

The logistics sector is projected to grow from US$8.9 trillion to US$18.2 trillion by 2030, yet it currently accounts for 10 percent of global emissions. RMI proposes that G20 nations, which represent 80 percent of global CO2 emissions, lead the transition to sustainable logistics by implementing eco-driving and efficient packaging, establishing multi-level government regulatory frameworks, developing zero-emissions trucking corridors, and utilizing public-private partnerships and multilateral development organization financing to manage high capital risks.