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The New York Declaration on Forests Action Agenda (2014) outlines a comprehensive framework for governments, companies, indigenous peoples, and multilateral institutions to slow, halt, and reverse global forest loss. It details a 'menu of key actions' for various stakeholders and reports a surge in zero-deforestation commitments from global commodity traders and consumer goods companies, alongside national pledges for forest restoration and the protection of indigenous lands.

This research paper analyzes the potential costs and benefits for Ethiopia of joining the COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA). It finds that Ethiopia's infant manufacturing sector is not yet competitive and that joining the FTA could increase net unemployment. However, it notes that Ethiopia is successfully expanding economic cooperation in energy and transport with neighbors such as Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, and South Sudan, suggesting that bilateral relations may be more beneficial than formal trade liberalization.

Since the 1960s, Ethiopia has seen mean annual temperature increases of 0.5-1.3°C and a decrease in cold nights. Precipitation trends from 1981-2000 show declining short rains (Feb-Apr) and slight increases in long rains (Jun-Aug) and late-year rains (Oct-Nov), potentially threatening food security. Additionally, flooding has become more common, with major events in 1997 and 2006.

This research paper, produced by the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA), examines the impact of development interventions on local adaptive capacity in Ethiopia. It utilizes the Local Adaptive Capacity (LAC) framework to argue that interventions must better support individual agency, reassess scale and scope, and utilize evidence-based decision-making to build resilience through continuous learning and innovation.

This report summarizes research and capacity-building activities conducted by the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA) between 2010 and 2011 across three sites in Ethiopia. The work focuses on the intersection of climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and development planning to improve the adaptive capacity of rural livelihoods.

This policy brief summarizes research conducted by the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA) between 2010 and 2011 across three sites in Ethiopia. It examines how development interventions in social protection, sustainable livelihoods, and disaster risk management contribute to the adaptive capacity of rural communities to handle climate-related hazards and rising temperatures.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) provides a high-level snapshot of the mitigation landscapes in 14 priority partner countries and regions to inform the development of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) for COP21. It analyzes national legislation, emission targets, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), and donor-funded projects, highlighting the diversity in ambition and capacity across developing nations.

This briefing paper examines the policy tools available to Eastern African states to foster 'national champions' in the mining sector and maximize sustainable development benefits from foreign direct investment. It analyzes the effectiveness of ownership and performance requirements and evaluates how international investment agreements, specifically Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), may restrict the policy space of host governments.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines agricultural cooperatives as a model for inclusive investment. It details the types of cooperatives, their benefits for smallholders, the role of foreign investment in reducing risk and improving skills, and the necessary government support and legal frameworks to ensure their success without undue state interference.

This research paper by Khabele Matlosa examines the evolution of democratic governance in Africa, focusing on the relationship between the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). It analyzes the transition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU), the challenges of implementing governance reviews and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), and proposes strategic imperatives to enhance synergy between the AU's governance and peace architectures.

This research paper by the African Centre for Cities and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network proposes a framework for 'climate compatible development' in African cities, specifically focusing on informal settlements. It argues that because a significant portion of Africa's urban growth occurs in slums, climate resilience must be integrated with poverty alleviation and in situ upgrading to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.

This discussion brief describes a collaborative project led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) applying a water-energy-food nexus toolkit to the Lake Tana and Beles River basins in the Upper Blue Nile region of Ethiopia. The project uses integrated modelling to help policy-makers manage trade-offs between national development goals—such as increasing hydropower production fivefold by 2015 and boosting agricultural production by over 8%—and the sustainable management of natural resources.

This research paper evaluates the use of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) climate data for hydrological modelling in the Upper Blue Nile region, specifically within the Lake Tana basin, comparing it against conventional meteorological data.

This conference report from the Green Economy Coalition details discussions held at Wilton Park in February 2014 regarding 'Real Green Economies'. The document critiques the macro-economic, top-down models of 'green growth' promoted by international institutions, arguing that they often ignore social justice and the needs of the poor. It advocates for a transition based on diverse, community-led pathways and the integration of social equity into green policy from the outset.

An open letter from a coalition of social movements, NGOs, and activists to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, urging a revision of the official definition of 'forests' to better reflect the biological diversity and the needs of forest-dependent communities.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies presents three plausible scenarios for South Africa's economic and political trajectory up to 2030: 'Bafana Bafana' (continued underachievement), 'Mandela Magic' (high growth and vision), and 'Nation Divided' (political instability and populist decline). Using the International Futures forecasting system, the author analyzes how leadership choices, particularly within the African National Congress (ANC) and its alliance with COSATU, will impact GDP, employment, and social stability.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the 50-year trajectory of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its successor, the African Union (AU). It argues that while the AU has improved peace and security compared to the OAU, it struggles to implement democratic governance reforms and lacks the political will and resources to drive a sustainable developmental agenda across the continent.

This report, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), distils the findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report specifically for African decision-makers. It details the observed and projected climate changes across the continent, the resulting risks to food security, health, and economic growth, and the opportunities for adaptation and low-carbon development.

This briefing, produced by the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi) for the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, analyzes strategies for the LDC Group to increase global ambition for climate mitigation within the negotiations for a new climate agreement intended to enter into force in 2020.

This fact sheet explores the relationship between national climate change legislation and a country's position and ambition within international climate negotiations, specifically within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.