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The document explores the complex, indirect link between climate change and violent conflict in Africa, emphasizing that while climate change is a 'risk multiplier', it does not cause conflict in a simple cause-and-effect manner. It highlights regional examples from North Africa, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and Southern Africa, noting that vulnerability is often tied to existing institutional weaknesses and social inequalities. The author calls for the Global North to fulfill climate finance commitments and for African states to prioritize evidence-based, community-informed adaptation measures that account for local conflict dynamics.

The document maps the various 'entry points' for environmental policy within the WTO, ranging from formal committees and negotiating groups to newer, member-led plurilateral initiatives. It highlights that while no single environmental agreement exists, the WTO manages this nexus through general exceptions (GATT Article XX), monitoring bodies (TBT and SPS committees), and specific negotiations on fisheries subsidies and environmental goods. The brief also details three recent ministerial statements from December 2021 focusing on environmental sustainability, plastic pollution, and fossil fuel subsidy reform, which aim to foster cooperation ahead of the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference.

Kenya possesses a relatively large insurance market with a strong history of inclusive innovation, yet retail reach remains limited beyond compulsory lines and the National Hospital Insurance Fund. While the regulatory environment is largely enabling, significant barriers persist, including a shortage of STEM and actuarial skills, high data costs, and a lack of dedicated licensing for insurtechs. The report recommends that the IRA explicitly recognize insurtechs in its framework, enhance cross-authority coordination, and shift toward outcome-oriented innovation monitoring.

The policy brief advocates for a synergistic approach to the climate and biodiversity crises within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It argues that Africa must take a leadership role to ensure that climate finance and implementation are 'nature-positive' and based on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to prevent maladaptations, such as monoculture afforestation. The document emphasises that successful outcomes require the participatory inclusion of local and rural communities and the integration of urban ecological infrastructures.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance asserts that the health of people is inextricably linked to the planet's climate, calling for an accelerated transition to renewable energy to avoid a catastrophic 2.7°C temperature increase. The statement highlights that reducing fossil fuel emissions would save millions of lives annually through cleaner air and healthier cities, while emphasizing that climate justice is essential for health equity.

The document examines India's engagement in global climate politics, specifically focusing on the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a mechanism for promoting sustainable energy in Africa. It argues that the ISA contributes to climate change mitigation while enhancing energy security and sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa by providing access to various forms of capital for poor communities. The text concludes by urging African policymakers to implement complementary initiatives to support the continent's population of over 1.33 billion people.

The document examines how the Ukraine crisis intersects with climate security, emphasizing the need to accelerate the clean energy transition to neutralize Russia's fossil fuel leverage. It details the ecological degradation in Ukraine, including risks to nuclear sites and ecosystems, and warns of global food insecurity due to disruptions in wheat, maize, and sunflower oil exports. Finally, it assesses Russia's own vulnerabilities to permafrost melt and Arctic ice loss, noting that the conflict hinders necessary international climate cooperation.

The authors argue that the European Green Deal is essential for Europe's strategic autonomy from Russia. They warn against short-term fossil fuel measures that create lock-in effects and call for a unified energy strategy focusing on renewables, energy efficiency, and solidarity. The text emphasizes the need for grassroots engagement on energy sufficiency and deeper diplomatic cooperation with the Global South, particularly Africa, to ensure a just and secure green transition.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance asserts that the dependence on fossil fuels creates energy insecurity and severe health risks, urging a rapid transition to renewable energy. The document highlights that meeting Paris Agreement targets would not only mitigate climate threats but actively improve public health through cleaner air and more livable cities. It emphasizes the role of the global health community in advocating for climate justice and health equity, particularly as the world prepares for COP27 in Egypt.

The document asserts that the EU must accelerate its green transition to break dependence on Russian fossil fuels, warning that short-term emergency energy measures could create detrimental lock-in effects. It advocates for a unified European energy strategy focusing on renewables, energy efficiency, and solidarity through mechanisms like the Social Climate Fund, while urging the EU to strengthen diplomatic cooperation with the Global South, particularly Africa.

The document assesses Tanzania's macroeconomic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the use of accommodative monetary and fiscal policies to avoid recession. It recommends strengthening healthcare, implementing macroprudential policies, and prioritizing climate-resilient economic development and social protection for vulnerable groups.

The document examines the COVID-19 macroeconomic responses of South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Benin, Tanzania, and Uganda. It finds that wealthier, more open economies like South Africa and Senegal were more vulnerable to trade shocks but had greater capacity for fiscal and financial stimulus. In contrast, Tanzania and Benin experienced marginal growth deceleration due to minimal government reactions. The report highlights a looming 'debt repayment wall' peaking in 2024 and argues for a transition toward green energy, diversified revenue bases, and the redirection of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from high-income nations to support African development and climate adaptation.

The document examines the rising debt accumulation in Africa since 2010, noting a shift from traditional creditors to emerging economies like China and private bondholders. It analyzes how the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated vulnerabilities, and argues that existing relief initiatives like the DSSI and Common Framework are insufficient because they often exclude private creditors and lack binding legal frameworks. The authors advocate for a statutory Sovereign Debt Restructuring mechanism and the adoption of UN-led principles to ensure transparency and fairness.

The document examines the role of the IUCN Red List, CITES, and CMS in species conservation, highlighting the success and limitations of targeted initiatives like the Global Tiger Initiative and the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Program. It identifies funding gaps, capacity limitations, and a bias toward 'iconic' species as primary barriers to preventing extinction.

The report details the Green Climate Fund's pipeline, which consists of 433 total projects with a combined value of $75,379M (including co-financing). The pipeline is divided into funding proposals and concept notes, with significant allocations across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on adaptation, mitigation, and cross-cutting themes.

The AfCFTA is currently stuck between its negotiation and implementation phases, with substantive trade failing to take off as of February 2022. While 44 AU member states have ratified the agreement, progress is blocked by the delayed conclusion of vital technical components, most notably the rules of origin. Although the Council of Ministers decided in January 2022 to proceed with rules of origin for 87.7% of product lines, the remaining gaps have led to a low number of full tariff offers from member states. The authors argue that regional economic powers, such as Kenya and South Africa, must move past negotiating brinkmanship toward concessions and collaboration to generate the momentum necessary for African industrialization and economic transformation.

The report argues that forests are vital to human health through three primary functions: provisioning (food, water, medicinal plants), prevention (reducing zoonotic spillover and buffering natural hazards), and healing (reducing risks of noncommunicable diseases). It highlights how deforestation and degradation trigger negative health cascades, such as increased disease spillover and higher exposure to pollution and extreme heat. The document advocates for a systems approach to forest conservation, integrating public health and environmental sectors to protect intact forests, improve working land management, diversify restoration, and create urban forests.

The report examines the drivers of recent coups in West Africa and the need for the AU to strengthen normative frameworks against unconstitutional changes of government. It assesses the shift in EU financing from the Africa Peace Facility (APF) to the European Peace Facility (EPF), warning that this may increase European militarism and reduce AU leadership in peace operations. Additionally, it evaluates the transition from AMISOM to ATMIS in Somalia and the potential for joint AU-UN mediation to resolve the political stalemate in Sudan.

The policy brief examines the barriers preventing women in Africa from equitably participating in the restoration economy—the economic activity related to ecological restoration. It identifies that despite international and regional frameworks, women face systemic discrimination, limited political power, and significant financial hurdles, particularly regarding asset ownership and collateral for loans. The author argues that gender equity is essential for the ecological success of restoration projects and proposes reforms in financial systems, customary laws, and decision-making processes to ensure women are active drivers and beneficiaries of the restoration value chain.

The document examines Russia's soft-power strategy in Africa, noting that while Russia is primarily associated with hard power, it leverages Soviet-era legacies, education, and anti-Western narratives to attract African elites and populations. It identifies key strengths in the promotion of multipolarity and traditional values, while highlighting limitations such as insufficient financial resources and the mixed results of vaccine diplomacy.