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This policy brief examines the barriers Local Green Entrepreneurs (LGEs) face in South Africa, specifically focusing on the lack of inclusive finance. It argues that while small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) are critical for decarbonisation and climate adaptation, they are hindered by limited risk appetite from funders, compliance-driven ESG requirements, and regulatory red tape. The document recommends the development of a Green Economy Framework and the adoption of innovative finance mechanisms to support black-, youth-, and female-owned green enterprises.

This case study examines the GreenPitch Innovation Challenge 2019, a partnership between GreenCape, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), and the City of Cape Town's Invest Cape Town initiative. The program aimed to build economic resilience by supporting early-stage green SMMEs, providing them with networking opportunities, expert feedback, and business development support to overcome barriers such as information asymmetry and lack of resources.

The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF) is a pioneering climate finance instrument launched in January 2020 to incentivise investment in South Africa's green small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). By using an outcomes-based payment model, the GOF provides grant funding to Catalytic Finance Partners (CFPs) who deploy private capital into green SMMEs, with reimbursements triggered by the creation of verified green outcomes, primarily permanent direct jobs.

This case study examines how BG Servers, a drum reconditioning SMME based in Cape Town, built water resilience over a 12-year period through investments in rainwater harvesting, groundwater abstraction, and water efficiency measures.

The GOF PHASE II Proposal by GreenCape seeks to establish a grant facility of USD 3-5 million to attract USD 15-20 million in private capital investments for small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) focused on the green economy.

This report by the Institute for Economic Justice scans Ghana's policy landscape regarding the energy transition, focusing on the integration of localisation, decent work, and gender inclusivity. It identifies a comprehensive energy policy regime but highlights significant gaps in industrial policy, SMME support, and the practical implementation of gender mainstreaming within renewable energy (RE) production networks.