Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the agenda for the 29th African Union (AU) Summit, the operational challenges of the African Standby Force (ASF), and the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) decision-making trends. It specifically examines the political crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, as well as counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel and Somalia.

This report analyzes the political and economic instability facing Angola during the transition from President José Eduardo dos Santos to his chosen successor, Joao Lourenco, ahead of the August 2017 elections. It identifies critical fault lines, including a severe liquidity crisis, systemic corruption, and a securitized state apparatus, arguing that genuine reform is necessary to prevent the country from unraveling.

This research paper analyzes the impact of commodity price trends, geopolitical shifts under the Trump administration, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution on investment and economic growth in African countries. It argues that while some commodity prices are recovering, African nations should pivot away from fossil fuels and nuclear energy toward minerals essential for renewable energy and digital technologies to avoid premature de-industrialization.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations, tracing them from historical ties to contemporary economic, diplomatic, and security partnerships. It highlights the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the shift in China's approach from 'non-interference' to active engagement in peace and security, while noting the impact of China's 'new normal' economic slowdown on bilateral trade and investment.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates whether the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) can effectively monitor the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the authors identify strong normative and thematic alignment between the three initiatives, they argue that the APRM currently lacks the administrative capacity, funding, and technical rigor to handle the extensive monitoring responsibilities required.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines climate adaptation readiness in Southern Africa by analyzing the region's response to the severe 2015/16 El Niño-induced drought. The author argues that while the El Niño cycle is a natural phenomenon, the resulting drought serves as a critical test of the region's institutional and policy capacity to handle severe environmental stress. The paper identifies significant gaps in national and regional response capacities, highlighting the need for a shift from reactive 'response' to proactive 'prevention' and the scaling of successful local and regional adaptation strategies.

This report details the outcomes of a two-day workshop held in Cape Town in March 2017, focused on the role of civil society in supporting the implementation of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) legislation in South Africa. The event, hosted by the Centre for Environmental Rights, the International Ocean Institute-Africa, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, and WWF-South Africa, aimed to identify resource needs, data requirements, and institutional structures to ensure a participatory, ecosystem-based approach to ocean governance.

This research paper examines the infrastructure financing challenges facing 54 African nations, specifically contrasting the needs and capacities of low-income countries (LICs) and middle-income countries (MICs). It argues that while multilateral development banks (MDBs) provide critical low-interest loans and technical expertise, they face increasing competition from private and bilateral investors and must tailor their bureaucratic processes and financial offerings to the specific economic realities of individual sovereign states to remain relevant.

This report by Friends of the Earth International examines the impacts of 'dirty energy'—including coal, oil, gas, nuclear, and mega-dams—across the African continent. It argues that these energy systems exacerbate climate change, cause severe health and environmental damage, and fail to provide universal energy access, while often benefiting corporate elites over local communities.

The report critiques the prevalence of polluting energy sources in Africa, highlighting the environmental and social costs of coal in South Africa, oil in Nigeria and Uganda, and large dams in Mozambique. It emphasizes the paradox of high energy production alongside extreme energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and advocates for a systemic shift toward decentralized, renewable energy.

This research paper examines the rapid pace of urbanisation in Africa, forecasting population trends and identifying the structural challenges that hinder sustainable urban development. It focuses on the emergence of megacities and the disconnect between urban growth and economic structural transformation.

This research paper examines the conflict between international regulatory norms, such as the CITES ivory trade ban, and the diverse local values held by communities in elephant range states and consumer markets. Using Cameroon's Congo River basin and Southern African states as primary examples, the authors argue that ignoring local societal values and the impacts of globalisation can lead to adverse reactions, undermining long-term conservation goals.

This research paper evaluates Africa's prospects for achieving universal access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by 2030, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the authors compare a 'Current Path' (business-as-usual) against two alternative scenarios: 'Universal Access' (an aggressive push for 97% coverage) and 'Balancing WASH' (a moderate approach based on 2015 baselines). The analysis highlights the massive infrastructure investment required, the potential for significant economic and human development gains, and the risk of spending trade-offs that could undermine health and education goals.

This policy brief examines the misuse of electric shock equipment by law enforcement agencies in Africa, arguing that such tools often facilitate torture and ill-treatment in violation of international and regional human rights frameworks. It specifically analyzes the legal landscape of anti-torture commitments in Africa and provides a detailed case study on the South African Police Service (SAPS), recommending the prohibition of handheld and body-worn electric shock devices.

This research paper examines the role of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in advancing South Africa's developmental agenda and its strategic focus on the African continent. It analyzes the alignment between South Africa's normative goal of African primacy and its actual resource allocation, noting that while budgets face restrictions, strategic investment in African missions remains a priority to support economic diplomacy and the National Development Plan.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's political and economic engagements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that South Africa must transition from a commercial focus to a comprehensive political and economic strategy to ensure stability and protect its investments.

This research paper analyzes the economic constraints facing South Africa in the context of the #FeesMustFall student protests, specifically examining the 2015 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS). It details the government's struggle with rising debt, low growth, and the competing financial demands of social spending, infrastructure, and energy security.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) discusses the October 2015 IMF Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the region's economic challenges and South Africa's specific vulnerabilities in growth, energy, and exports.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving security relationship between China and Africa. It analyzes how China is shifting from a strict policy of non-interference toward deeper engagement in both traditional military security and non-traditional threats, including the protection of its citizens, pandemic response, and environmental conservation, increasingly through multilateral frameworks.

This briefing provides a comparative legal commentary on Brazil's first four Cooperation and Investment Facilitation Agreements (CIFAs), highlighting how they differ from traditional bilateral investment treaties by prioritizing cooperation over investor protection and excluding investor-state arbitration.