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This policy brief examines the challenges faced by developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs) participating in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on electronic commerce. It highlights a significant digital divide in infrastructure and information, arguing that current negotiations focus too heavily on regulatory cooperation rather than the foundational capacity building and technical assistance required for these nations to implement future commitments and benefit from the digital economy.

The April 2022 Peace & Security Council Report examines the security crisis in Burkina Faso, the implementation of the African Union's (AU) youth, peace and security agenda, the appointment of the fifth Panel of the Wise, and Senegal's priorities as AU chair.

This report by Ember analyzes global electricity trends in 2021, tracking progress against the IEA's Net Zero by 2050 pathway. While wind and solar reached a historic milestone of over 10% of global electricity, an unprecedented surge in electricity demand led to record-breaking coal generation and the largest absolute rise in power sector CO2 emissions ever recorded.

A statement by Jeni Miller, Executive Director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, arguing that the global health community is calling for an accelerated transition away from fossil fuels to protect human health and ensure a liveable planet, particularly in the context of geopolitical disruptions and upcoming climate negotiations.

An opinion piece co-signed by Executive Directors of the Think Sustainable Europe network arguing that the European Union should use the crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine to accelerate the European Green Deal and achieve green strategic autonomy.

This policy brief synthesises case studies from six sub-Saharan African countries to analyse government responses to trade and employment shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It evaluates these responses against long-term goals of social inclusivity and climate resilience, highlighting how economic structure and financial depth influenced the capacity to implement fiscal, financial, and monetary stimuli.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the evolving nature of sovereign debt in Africa, highlighting a shift from traditional multilateral creditors to private bondholders and emerging economies like China. It argues that current debt relief mechanisms are insufficient because they lack statutory, human rights-based frameworks and fail to compel the participation of private creditors, leaving African nations vulnerable to economic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

This policy brief examines the global frameworks and challenges associated with protecting endangered species, focusing on the roles of the IUCN Red List, CITES, and CMS. It highlights the importance of international cooperation and funding, while arguing that conservation efforts must expand beyond iconic species to include lesser-known species that provide critical ecosystem services.

This research paper by Jamie MacLeod and David Luke discusses the implementation challenges of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). While African leaders maintain a strong political commitment to the agreement as a tool for post-COVID-19 recovery and industrialization, the transition from negotiation to actual trading has been stalled by unresolved technical details, most notably the rules of origin.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative outlines the climate finance landscape in Kenya, identifying a significant funding gap and a disproportionate flow of resources toward mitigation rather than adaptation. It proposes three innovative financial blueprints—the African Conservancies Fund, the Chyulu Hills Payment for Ecosystem Services, and the Green Village Savings and Loans Association—designed to mobilize private capital for underfunded adaptation sectors.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics discusses the findings of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), specifically the Working Group II (WGII) report on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. It outlines the severe effects of human-induced climate change on ecosystems and humans, the increasing frequency of extreme weather, the disproportionate impact on marginalised populations, and the critical need for transformative adaptation and mitigation to avoid catastrophic economic and social costs.

This commentary, authored by four policy institutes, evaluates the partnership between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) ahead of the sixth EU-AU Summit. It argues that for the partnership to move beyond institutional circles in Brussels and Addis Ababa, both parties must shift away from donor-recipient models toward a more balanced relationship based on African ownership, private sector engagement, and a recognition of divergent interests in areas such as the green transition and digitalization.

This February 2022 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the composition and challenges of the newly elected African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), the outcomes of the February 2022 AU Summit regarding governance and conflict prevention, and the ongoing debate over equitable regional representation within the Council. It also examines the tensions between the African Union and the European Union regarding the green energy transition and critiques the application of the principle of subsidiarity in the relationship between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

The Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, submits a formal objection to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy's draft Gas Master Plan Basecase Report. The submission argues that the plan is 'reckless and unnecessary', contradicting South Africa's constitutional obligations to protect citizens from climate change and ignoring energy modelling that suggests gas-to-power is not required for energy security.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution of international land governance, focusing on the transition from top-down desertification efforts to the concept of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). It details the drivers of land degradation, the role of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the socio-economic barriers—such as land tenure and gender inequality—that hinder restoration efforts.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how climate change acts as a threat multiplier in Africa, exacerbating food insecurity, resource competition, and displacement, which in turn increase the risk of violent conflict.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) issued this management response to an independent external review conducted by OpenCities + Agulhas between April and November 2021. The document outlines WRI's acceptance of the review's findings regarding its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan and details planned institutional changes to improve impact measurement, research capacity, funding models, and the integration of social equity as the organization develops its next five-year strategy.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa, highlighting the tension between the continent's central role in the AI supply chain and the dominance of foreign technologies. It analyzes emerging national AI strategies in Egypt, Mauritius, and Rwanda, and discusses risks associated with biometric surveillance, precarious digital labor, and the limitations of adopting European regulatory frameworks like the GDPR and the EU AI Act.

This fact sheet, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2022, summarizes findings from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report specifically for North Africa. It details observed climate changes, such as rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, and projects future risks including increased heat-related mortality, biodiversity loss, and threats to food and water security. The document also outlines adaptation strategies, the necessity of increased climate finance, and the specific vulnerabilities of coastal cities and cultural heritage sites in the region.

This fact sheet outlines the goals and approach of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) for the period 2022–27. CDKN is a global Southern-led network that aims to advance gender-equitable and socially-inclusive climate-resilient development by mobilizing knowledge, capacity, and Southern leadership to support locally-led climate action.