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The global steel sector faces significant challenges in decarbonization, with emissions intensity growing by 0.5% annually since 2010. While hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (H-DRI) and Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) offer paths to near-zero emissions, their deployment is hindered by high costs, limited green hydrogen supply, and a shortage of high-grade iron ore. The report highlights a geographic divide: the EU and US are shifting toward low-emission tech supported by subsidies and carbon pricing, while high-growth regions like India continue to expand high-emission Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) capacity. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is viewed as a necessary but expensive tool for abating existing capacity, though commercial-scale projects remain limited.

A coalition of over 200 civil society organizations has issued a formal call to governments attending COP28, arguing that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an unsuitable host due to systemic human rights violations and a conflict of interest involving the COP28 president. The letter demands that the UAE end unlawful surveillance, release prisoners of conscience, and abolish the Kafala system. It specifically highlights abuses of migrant workers at Expo City Dubai and the UAE's role in regional conflicts in Yemen and Libya. Furthermore, the organizations condemn the UAE's 'greenwashing' and the dual role of Sultan al-Jaber as both COP28 president and CEO of the state oil company ADNOC, calling for a global commitment to phase out all fossil fuels to maintain the 1.5C temperature goal.

The Nairobi Declaration asserts that Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change despite minimal historical responsibility. It calls for the global community to honor the $100 billion annual climate finance promise, operationalize the Loss & Damage fund, and reform the multilateral financial system to reduce the 'great financial divide' in borrowing costs. The declaration commits Africa to green industrialization, increasing renewable energy capacity to 300 GW by 2030, and valuing its natural capital. It specifically requests the re-channeling of $100 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to Africa and the reduction of corporate tax losses from profit shifting.

The document examines the evolving integration of ocean issues into the UNFCCC climate process, noting a shift from limited recognition in the Paris Agreement to the establishment of the annual Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue. While 2022 saw significant momentum through the 'Super Year of the Ocean' and the BBNJ agreement, the author argues that COP27 outcomes were overly process-oriented and lacked strong language on finance. For COP28, the brief recommends that African stakeholders leverage regional forums and the African Group of Negotiators to shift the global dialogue from knowledge sharing to concrete implementation, utilizing regional successes like the Great Blue Wall and Seychelles' debt-for-nature swap to advocate for increased finance, capacity building, and technology transfer.

The report evaluates the ESG implementation of Chinese-financed infrastructure projects in Africa, analyzing five case studies across Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia in the energy and industrial park sectors. While Chinese financing is noted for contributing to economic growth and local livelihoods, it is also associated with risks of environmental degradation and social and governance concerns. The study specifically examines compliance with local requirements and China's Traffic Light System under the Green Development Guidance for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects.

The Catalyst Climate Resilience Fund (CCRF) is a blended finance vehicle designed to support pre-seed climate adaptation startups in Africa. It provides an initial USD 200,000 investment per company, split between cash and venture-building support from BFA Global. The fund targets a total size of USD 40 million, utilizing a tiered capital structure with first-loss protection to attract commercial investors. Its investment thesis focuses on three verticals: fintech for resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-smart essential services. The fund has already completed its first close of approximately USD 8.5 million in August 2023 and has made 10 initial pre-seed investments across several African nations.

Social Infra Ventures (SIV) is developing a model for affordable housing in Morocco that integrates climate resilience and gender-responsive design. The instrument utilizes a combination of equity and mezzanine debt to fund a pilot project of 250 units, with the long-term goal of listing its rental portfolio as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) on the Moroccan stock exchange to create a self-funding mechanism for expansion. SIV targets secondary cities to reduce land costs and focuses on underserved populations, particularly women, by providing both rental and sale options and incorporating childcare and safety features into community design. Environmentally, the project adheres to IFC EDGE and Building Resilience Index standards to reduce carbon emissions and increase adaptive capacity.

The MENA region increased its operational utility-scale solar and wind capacity by 57% since May 2022, adding 6.9 GW. While prospective capacity has grown by 400% to 361 GW, 60% of these projects are earmarked for green hydrogen production or export rather than domestic decarbonization. Oil and gas power plants still provide over 90% of the region's electricity, and replacing them would require approximately 500 GW of additional solar and wind capacity. The report highlights a disparity in progress, noting that South America operationalized at least four times more capacity in the same period. Additionally, sovereign wealth funds from the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing more heavily in renewables abroad (46 GW) than domestically (14 GW).

The report finds that oil- and gas-fired power plants in development increased by 13% in the last year to 783 GW, with Asia accounting for nearly two-thirds of this capacity. If built, these projects would cost an estimated US$611 billion and generate 41,239 million tonnes of CO2e lifetime emissions. The analysis highlights that China leads global development, while the United States possesses the largest existing capacity. The report further challenges the reliability of fossil fuels during extreme weather and notes that renewables with storage are now cheaper than gas-fired power in many regions, including China.

The conflict in Sudan, which escalated in April 2023 between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's army and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is driven by a struggle for power and control over resources. This instability threatens regional security, specifically regarding the Nile River dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and risks destabilising fragile neighbours like Chad and the Central African Republic. Internationally, the crisis intersects with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 tourism goals and Russia's strategic interests, including a proposed naval base in Port Sudan and gold extraction by the Wagner Group. The author argues that lasting peace requires a long-term approach involving power-sharing and the gradual integration of armed groups into the national army.

The report outlines a framework for developing countries to bridge the adaptation finance gap through seven guiding principles. These are divided into process-related principles—emphasizing country-driven approaches, the engagement of finance ministries, and inclusivity—and content-related principles, which focus on the strategic use of diverse financial instruments, alignment with national development goals, improving the enabling environment, and establishing monitoring and evaluation processes. The report supports these principles with case studies from Kenya, Nepal, and Peru, highlighting that a financing strategy is a continuous process rather than a single document.

The policy brief examines how BRICS partnerships can accelerate the digitisation of African agriculture to drive economic growth. It identifies key barriers in Africa, such as weak coordination and low FDI, and highlights successful digital agricultural models in China, Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa. The author recommends using the New Development Bank (NDB) and the AfCFTA to improve infrastructure and trade, while urging African nations to adopt policies that foster digital literacy and agri-tech entrepreneurship.

The text defends environmental protest and civil disobedience as essential democratic instruments for addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. It highlights the role of movements like Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion in mainstreaming climate action while warning against a global trend of criminalising activists through repressive legislation. The author criticises 'greenwashing' and 'citizenwashing' by private and public sectors, particularly within the COP framework, and calls on the EU to uphold the Aarhus Convention to ensure genuine public participation in environmental decision-making.

The author contends that Africa can leverage the transition to a circular garment industry to drive economic growth and industrial upgrading. Key opportunities include producing sustainable cotton and alternative fibres, greening manufacturing processes to gain a competitive advantage, and repurposing the high volume of second-hand clothing imports into new products and recycled yarns. The author emphasizes that without a proactive industrial policy or circular economy roadmap, African nations risk missing these opportunities and failing to meet Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12, particularly as the European Union introduces stricter eco-design regulations.

The report examines the G7 Climate Club, an intergovernmental forum aimed at achieving global net-zero emissions by mid-century. While acknowledging its goals, the author argues that the Club's structure—particularly its focus on rapid decarbonisation and potential trade restrictions—could undermine African development. Key concerns include the economic reliance of African nations on hydrocarbon exports, the high cost of transitioning to low-carbon industrial processes, and the risk of trade protectionism through mechanisms like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The report highlights a history of unfulfilled G7 financial pledges to Africa and recommends a co-design approach that prioritises technology transfer, climate justice, and financial support over strict carbon accounting and trade sanctions.

The Green Climate Fund's Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) reported a significant increase in registered cases in 2022, totaling 31, which the Fund attributes to the upscaling of projects and the return of personnel to offices post-pandemic. The IIU focused on prevention through 'Ask IIU Live' training sessions, the development of AML/CFT Standard Operating Procedures, and the creation of an Administrative Remedies and Exclusion (ARE) Policy framework. Additionally, the IIU conducted two Proactive Integrity Reviews (PIRs) using data analytics to preemptively detect vulnerabilities in funded activities.

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 document analyzes the transition from the 'Angola model'—characterized by infrastructure-for-resources swaps—to a 'Hunan model' centered on the Hunan province's comparative advantages. This new approach focuses on agricultural technology, construction machinery, and digital trade to foster a more diversified economic relationship between China and Africa, implemented through national platforms like the China–Africa Economic and Trade Exhibition (CAETE) and the China–Africa Economic and Trade Deep Cooperation Zone.

The GCF Risk Dashboard for Q2 2023 reports that portfolio-level risks remain within Board-approved tolerances, with no non-performing loans and liquid assets at approved levels. As of 30 June 2023, the portfolio consists of 216 approved funding proposals totaling USD 12.03 billion in equivalent terms. Funding is distributed across Africa (36%), Asia-Pacific (34%), and LATAM & Car. (26%), with a focus on mitigation (41%) and adaptation (23%), alongside cross-cutting projects. The fund's commitment authority increased significantly due to a USD 1 billion contribution from the United States. While concentration risks are within limits, the portfolio is skewed toward International Accredited Entities and the 'Energy access and power generation' sector. The report also tracks several projects facing implementation delays and identifies a projected 12-month forward liquid asset portfolio of USD 8.9 billion.