Search Climate Insights Directory

This report provides a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baseline projection for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1990 to 2030. It establishes a business-as-usual (BAU) reference scenario across seven sectors—agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), energy supply, energy demand, transportation, industrial processes, and waste—to help the DRC identify and design nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs).

The February 2013 Peace and Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides analysis on critical security threats and political transitions across Africa. It focuses heavily on the upcoming general elections in Kenya, the military intervention and political transition in Mali, and the protection of women and children in armed conflict. Additionally, it reviews the outcomes of the 20th AU Assembly summit, including discussions on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, and Somalia.

This case study examines the investment incentive landscape for renewable energy in Zambia as of December 2012. It details the country's energy sector structure, the resource potential for various renewable technologies, and the specific financial and fiscal incentives provided by the government to attract private investment, while noting a lack of transparency regarding the costs of these incentives.

This research paper examines the application of the 'complementarity' principle in Africa, arguing that a broader, 'positive' understanding of the concept—where domestic courts, regional bodies, and civil society actively fill impunity gaps—is essential for the success of international criminal justice on the continent.

A briefing on the territorial dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi, focusing on the disagreement regarding the mediation process and the structural limitations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in resolving such conflicts.

This briefing examines food security challenges in Africa, focusing on the impact of price volatility, the role of agricultural policy, and international initiatives like the G-8's New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. It highlights the gap between policy commitments, such as the CAADP's spending targets, and actual implementation, while discussing the tension between trade-led food security and national self-sufficiency.

This policy brief examines the delays in operationalising the African Standby Force (ASF), an African Union (AU) mechanism designed for rapid response to violent armed conflicts in Africa. Despite multiple roadmaps and timelines (2005, 2008, 2010), the force remained non-operational as of 2012, with a revised target of 2015. The author identifies systemic failures in political command, logistical infrastructure, and institutional capacity, arguing that the AU has relied too heavily on ad hoc missions rather than using actual deployments to refine the ASF architecture.

The September 2012 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides analysis on early warning issues in Africa, focusing on the electoral risks in Kenya, the democratic transition in Egypt, and a retrospective of the 19th African Union (AU) Summit.

This report details a study based on interviews with approximately 50 companies to identify trade barriers within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. It highlights a divide in perceived constraints between Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members and non-member states, emphasizing that while large-scale infrastructure projects are necessary, smaller regulatory and bureaucratic interventions are critical for fostering business growth, particularly for small-scale entrepreneurs.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies critiques the 2012 SADC Ordinary Summit in Maputo, arguing that the organization is increasingly neglecting security and political governance in favor of economic integration. The author contends that this separation ignores the necessary links between political stability and economic development, leaving critical governance crises and security frameworks unaddressed in the summit's agenda.

This case study examines the operational challenges faced by ALASKA, a company based in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which specializes in importing goods from South Africa and Mauritius. The document details systemic barriers to business growth, including a dysfunctional banking sector, an opaque and burdensome tax system, severe infrastructure deficits, and pervasive corruption within government agencies.

This case study examines the Bakhresa Group, a conglomerate of 19 companies operating across various sectors in the SADC region, detailing the operational barriers it faces and its strategies for mitigation and advocacy.

This case study examines the operations, challenges, and strategic investments of Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Ltd (MeTL) Group, a large conglomerate operating across Tanzania and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

This case study describes the operations and challenges of Sumaria Group (T) Ltd, a family-owned conglomerate headquartered in Tanzania with diverse interests in plastics, pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, and beverage bottling across Africa and Asia.

MADEL FOOD, a frozen foods importer in the DRC, reports severe operational constraints including a lack of investment credit, widespread corruption and costly customs procedures, poor road infrastructure leading to stock ruptures, and high tax burdens. The company also notes currency volatility and administrative delays in obtaining permits as significant barriers to growth.

This case study examines the operational barriers faced by Tristan, a firm exporting a variety of goods from South Africa to markets including Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, and the DRC. The document details significant challenges regarding visa procurement, customs clearance, banking inefficiencies in Angola, and restrictive fish export permits in South Africa.

This case study examines the Swaziland Sugar Association (SSA), a non-profit entity that markets and sells sugarcane products from Swaziland to the SACU region and Europe. The document details the operational constraints facing the SSA, specifically regarding financial access, infrastructure deficits, and regional trade barriers.

This case study examines the operational challenges faced by Shenimed, a cigarette distribution company in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focusing on barriers related to corruption, infrastructure, taxation, and currency instability.

This case study describes the operational challenges faced by ETS ALBARTOS, a commodity trading company established in 1992 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The company reports significant barriers to business growth, including systemic corruption, inefficient administrative procedures for permits and imports, poor infrastructure, and difficulties in accessing bank loans.

This report examines the drivers and flows of tropical timber exports from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Uganda to regional markets, highlighting the prevalence of unregulated trade and the disparity in benefits among actors within the supply chain.