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The document assesses the application of gender analyses within the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes of nine countries between 2017 and 2022. It identifies four primary types of impact: policy changes, improved collaboration, evolution of knowledge and practices, and increased investment. The analysis highlights that while gender analyses often inform high-level planning documents and national strategies, their effectiveness depends on high-level political ownership, diverse stakeholder engagement, proactive dissemination of results, and the formulation of concrete, actionable recommendations tailored to specific NAP entry points.

The document argues that African Union (AU) member states must move from being 'rule takers' to 'rule makers' by adopting a common position in international e-commerce negotiations, particularly within the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative. It highlights the need for a harmonised digital taxation strategy to address the ambiguities of the WTO moratorium on electronic transmissions and suggests that AU members first establish non-binding e-commerce principles or guidelines based on the AU's Digital Transformation Strategy before implementing binding continental rules. The brief emphasizes that a flexible, progressive approach to regulatory harmonisation is necessary to account for the diverse digital readiness of African nations and to avoid the risks of a 'one-size-fits-all' model.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).

The report identifies systemic barriers to gender equality in the off-grid solar (OGS) sector across sixteen Sub-Saharan African countries, highlighting a critical lack of sex-disaggregated data and the prevalence of restrictive social norms. It finds that women generally have less access to OGS technologies and are underrepresented in technical and leadership roles within the workforce. To address these gaps, the Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) initiative proposes a strategy focused on elevating women as customers, employees, and entrepreneurs through gender-lens investing, technical assistance for portfolio companies, and dedicated training facilities.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.

The report examines national investment laws as versatile policy tools, tracing their evolution from 1950s development-focused laws to the 1980-2010 trend of aligning national legislation with international investment treaties. It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: governing admission, managing incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The document argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, instead offering a framework for policymakers to align the functions and content of their laws with specific national objectives and sustainable development goals, while warning against the legal and financial risks of incorporating treaty-style protections and prior consent to international arbitration.

The report identifies Project GAIA as a Category I-1 private sector programme operating across multiple countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It confirms that an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), which includes frameworks for land acquisition, resettlement, indigenous peoples, and biodiversity management, was disclosed on June 23, 2023, in English and several local languages.

The "Hardest-to-Reach" (H2R) programme aims to provide clean, climate-resilient off-grid solar (OGS) energy to 72.4 million people across 16 sub-Saharan African countries. The initiative utilizes a two-pronged financing approach: a $50 million grant-funded Market Support Facility (MSF) to support market entry and capacity building for new players, and a $200 million blended finance Market Expansion Facility (MEF) providing impact-linked loans to scale existing OGS companies. The programme targets a mitigation outcome of 5.1 million tCO2eq avoided and an adaptation outcome of 54.3 million first-time energy access beneficiaries. It emphasizes gender inclusivity, targeting 32% female customers and creating approximately 13,922 green jobs, including 4,641 for women.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to explore their role in managing loss and damage. It finds that while nearly half of NAPs explicitly mention loss and damage and almost all incorporate disaster risk management, there are significant gaps in addressing non-economic losses and irreversible impacts. The authors argue that NAPs are essential tools for minimizing loss and damage and recommend that international funding and planning for loss and damage build upon existing NAP risk assessments and institutional frameworks.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral NAPs to determine the extent to which they integrate loss and damage (L&D) information and actions. It argues that NAPs are fundamental tools for minimizing L&D through adaptation and disaster risk management, though they often lack detailed analysis of irreversible impacts and non-economic losses. The authors propose a 'spectrum' approach to L&D—ranging from avoidance (mitigation) to minimization (adaptation/DRR) and addressing (humanitarian response/reparations)—and recommend that international financing mechanisms leverage existing NAP risk assessments to avoid duplication and ensure climate justice.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to assess their integration of loss and damage (L&D) strategies. It finds that while nearly half of NAPs explicitly mention L&D and almost all include disaster risk management (DRM) components, there is a significant gap in addressing non-economic losses and irreversible impacts. The document proposes a 'spectrum' approach to L&D, ranging from avoidance (mitigation) and minimization (adaptation/DRR) to remediation (humanitarian response and reparations). It recommends that governments and international funders leverage existing NAP risk analyses as a starting point for L&D assessments and ensure that new L&D financing targets impacts that exceed adaptation limits to avoid duplicating existing adaptation efforts.

The Universal Energy Facility (UEF), managed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), uses a results-based financing (RBF) strategy to deploy clean energy mini-grids in remote communities. In Madagascar, the UEF has signed grant agreements for nine mini-grid sites, with one developer constructing eight solar-hybrid mini-grids and verifying 786 connections to households and small businesses. A second funding round announced in September 2022 received proposals for 28 additional sites targeting 16,300 solar connections.

The report analyzes the intersection of climate-resilient infrastructure and gender disparities in 19 African countries. It identifies how climate change disproportionately affects women—increasing labor burdens for food, water, and energy—and how inadequate infrastructure exacerbates these vulnerabilities. The document provides detailed socioeconomic profiles for several countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria, highlighting gaps in education, financial inclusion, and political representation. To mitigate these risks, the ICRF proposes a three-component strategy involving blended finance, capacity building, and policy interventions, with specific entry points for gender mainstreaming such as prioritizing women-led companies in procurement and collecting sex-disaggregated data.

The document outlines a regional readiness program for 11 ECOWAS Member States to enhance their ability to mobilize climate finance for the agricultural sector. It focuses on operationalizing a climate unit within the ECOWAS Commission, developing a pool of regional climate finance experts, and creating a digital library of climate-smart agricultural practices. The program aims to bridge the gap between the colossal financial needs for climate adaptation in West African agriculture—estimated at $162 billion—and the actual funding received, while ensuring gender-responsive risk assessments and the alignment of regional policies like ECOWAP with the Paris Agreement.

The proposal identifies significant governance, technical, and financial gaps that prevent sub-national governments in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) from contributing to their countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It proposes a 27-month program implemented by UCLG Africa to build local capacity, establish a 'Partnership Framework' for better coordination between national and local authorities, and develop a pipeline of high-quality climate projects using the Enhanced Direct Access (EDA) modality.

The IGF conducted a hybrid training workshop on November 23–24, 2022, for 30 participants from 12 WIMOWA countries. The training focused on integrating gender equality into local content policies, specifically addressing women's access to direct employment and local procurement. Participants identified the need for multisectoral approaches, policy frameworks, and support mechanisms for female entrepreneurship to overcome sociocultural and financial barriers. Post-workshop feedback indicated that 93% of respondents felt their capacity on gender in local content was enhanced.

Project GAIA establishes a framework to integrate gender equality and social inclusion into its investment cycle, requiring all approved projects to develop specific GESI Action Plans. The plan focuses on five pillars: governance, leadership, employment, capacity building, and consumption (access to basic services). It sets platform-level targets, such as achieving 30% women in governance by year one, and project-level requirements, including mandatory gender assessments and the use of sex-disaggregated data in impact reporting. The framework also incorporates safeguarding measures against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) and gender-based violence (GBVH).

Benin has been implementing a nationally led National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process since 2013, integrating climate adaptation into national and communal development plans. The process has progressed through milestones including capacity building, vulnerability studies, and the 2022 launch of the NAP document. Priority sectors for adaptation include agriculture, health, ecosystems, infrastructure, freshwater resources, energy, coastlines, and tourism, addressing impacts such as floods, sea level rise, droughts, and excessive heat.

Benin has been implementing its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process since 2013, focusing on integrating climate adaptation into national, local, and sectoral development planning. The process has involved national consultations via the National Committee on Climate Change (CNCC) and the integration of adaptation goals into the National Development Plan, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, and various communal development plans. Key climate impacts identified include floods, sea-level rise, droughts, and excessive heat, affecting priority sectors such as agriculture, health, ecosystems, infrastructure, freshwater resources, energy, coastal zones, and tourism.

The briefing assesses the intersection of climate change and U.S. national security, noting progress in regional strategies and whole-of-government planning while highlighting critical gaps in climate finance and implementation. It recommends that the U.S. institutionalize climate security through expanded personnel training, the development of a National Adaptation Plan, and the use of strategic foresight tools like wargaming to prepare for worst-case climate scenarios.