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This policy briefing examines the evolution of South–South co-operation (SSC) and the shifting landscape of global development effectiveness. It argues that while the rise of emerging powers provides African nations with more diverse options and reduced dependence on Western donors, these new partners primarily pursue their own national interests. The author recommends that African states, regional bodies, and the African Union proactively develop codes of conduct, enhance negotiating capacity, and insist on transparency and accountability to ensure SSC aligns with national and regional development priorities.

The report analyzes the failures of 'first wave' environmentalism surrounding the 1987 Bruntland Report and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to provide lessons for 'second wave' environmentalism in 2012. It evaluates the High Level Panel on Global Sustainability's efforts to address these errors through a focus on relative urgency, a narrative on green growth, and engagement with mainstream economic planning.

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the success of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development depends on integrating a rights-based approach. It examines the historical evolution of human rights and environmental linkages from 1972 to 2002 and critiques the January 2012 Zero Draft of the Rio+20 outcome document for failing to recognize the fundamental right to a healthy environment.

This research paper evaluates the air quality and health co-benefits of 14 emission control measures targeting black carbon, methane, and ozone precursors, finding that full implementation could significantly reduce global PM2.5 and ozone concentrations and prevent millions of premature deaths by 2030, with the majority of benefits occurring in Asia.

This research paper proposes and applies a rapid screening methodology to evaluate the potential of National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans (NAFSIPs) in 14 African countries to generate climate change benefits across adaptation and mitigation.

The CRED V.1.3 Technical Report describes the methodology of the Climate and Regional Economics of Development (CRED) model, an integrated assessment model designed to estimate the optimal pace of climate mitigation investment and its global cost distribution. Version 1.3, completed in June 2011, focuses on the distribution of climate damages and policy costs across nine global regions to inform international climate negotiations.

This January 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides an analysis of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) activities, focusing on political transitions in Egypt, the security situation in Somalia, and the internal functioning of AU mechanisms for democracy and military coordination.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a South and North-led alliance that provides research, advisory services, and knowledge sharing to help developing countries implement climate compatible development. The network focuses on bridging climate change and development policy to achieve low-carbon, climate-resilient futures while reducing poverty.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesizes the findings of the IPCC's SREX report specifically for African policymakers. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and disaster risk management (DRM), emphasizing that disaster risks in Africa are increasing due to both climate change and socio-economic factors such as rapid urbanization and poor governance. The document provides regional observations and projections for temperature and precipitation extremes across Africa and advocates for the integration of DRM and climate change adaptation into national development planning to build long-term resilience.

This 2012 report synthesizes the IPCC SREX findings for Africa, highlighting that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure of vulnerable populations. It details observed and projected increases in temperature and dryness across various sub-regions, warns that current extremes will become the 'new normal' by 2100, and emphasizes the high vulnerability of the agricultural sector and coastal cities. The document advocates for a shift from reactive to proactive, transformational disaster risk management that integrates local knowledge, high-level political leadership, and international financial support.

This briefing synthesises the IPCC SREX report's findings on climate extremes and the agriculture sector. It highlights that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure and vulnerability, particularly in developing countries. Key threats include intensified droughts, heatwaves, and flooding, which cause significant economic losses and threaten food security. The document advocates for 'climate-smart' agriculture, improved disaster risk management, and a combination of short-term coping strategies and long-term structural adaptations to build resilience.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises key findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) specifically for ecosystem management. It examines the interplay between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and ecosystem resilience, advocating for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) as a cost-effective strategy to reduce disaster risk and support sustainable development.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises findings from the IPCC SREX report specifically for the health sector. It examines how climate extremes—such as heatwaves, floods, and droughts—interact with human vulnerability and exposure to create disaster risks, and provides a framework for health policy-makers to integrate disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA).

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises findings from the IPCC SREX report specifically for the water sector. It examines how climate extremes—such as floods and droughts—interact with human vulnerability and exposure to create disaster risk, and provides a framework for integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) to build long-term resilience in water management systems.

This policy brief presents research on how users interact with online climate knowledge brokering (CKB) platforms, based on surveys of over 200 users and four case studies. The findings indicate a misalignment between the research-oriented user base and the policy-maker targets of many platforms, highlighting a need for platforms to move beyond supply-driven models toward a better understanding of user demand and the integration of human facilitation.

This report documents the 5th African Conference of Commandants (ACoC), held from 28–30 November 2011 in Gaborone, Botswana. The conference brought together commandants from African Staff Colleges to discuss the impact of globalisation on human rights, the proliferation of small arms, gender equality in the military, and the standardisation of military education to support the African Standby Force (ASF) and peace support operations (PSOs).

This 2012 guide by the Institute for Security Studies provides a comprehensive reference for African State representatives negotiating the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the United Nations. It details the proposed scope of the treaty, including categories of conventional arms and types of international transactions, and outlines the criteria for authorizing arms transfers, such as risks to peace, security, and human rights. The toolkit also examines implementation requirements, including national authority systems, record-keeping, reporting, and the potential role of an Implementation Support Unit, while highlighting existing African regional and subregional obligations.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the allocation of resources by the Adaptation Fund as of June 2012. It argues that the lack of a clear, agreed-upon definition of "particularly vulnerable" undermines the fund's ability to ensure equity and efficiency in distributing scarce adaptation finance.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the potential socio-economic impacts of increasing investment in basic education across Africa. Using the International Futures (IFs) modelling system, the authors simulate a scenario where African nations adopt the enrolment and completion growth rates of the continent's best-performing countries. The analysis suggests that a modest increase in GDP allocation to education could lead to significant long-term gains in GDP, poverty reduction, and public health, although these benefits would be realized over several decades.

This policy brief examines 'evergreen agriculture' in Zambia, focusing on the integration of specific tree species into annual food crop systems to combat soil degradation and climate change vulnerability. It highlights the success of maize agroforestry and conservation agriculture with trees in increasing yields and sequestering carbon, while discussing the institutional and financial challenges of scaling these practices across Africa.