Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the increasing flow of foreign direct investment from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—specifically the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar—into Africa. It details how these states are leveraging Africa's renewable energy potential and mineral resources to diversify their own hydrocarbon-dependent economies and secure food supply chains, while providing Africa with an alternative to Western and Chinese financing to address its infrastructure gap.

The 'Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2025' by Sustainable Energy for All provides a comprehensive analysis of global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). The report finds that the world is off-track to achieve universal electricity access, clean cooking, and energy efficiency targets by 2030, with significant regional disparities, particularly in Africa and Asia.

This research paper evaluates South Africa's G20 presidency, noting its partial success in raising global awareness of Africa's challenges in accessing affordable development finance while highlighting a lack of consensus on reforming the G20's Common Framework for debt restructuring and the governance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This report examines the potential for Direct Air Capture (DAC) and other carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies in Africa, with a particular focus on Kenya and the East African Rift region. It highlights the region's competitive advantages in geothermal energy and basaltic rock formations for permanent carbon storage, while outlining the technological, financial, and regulatory innovations needed to scale these systems.

This report presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by the SUNCASA initiative in the Dechatu River catchment in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. The assessment evaluates the economic, environmental, and social performance of interventions such as afforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting, finding that these measures provide significant returns in flood risk reduction, carbon sequestration, and job creation.

This research paper examines the intersection of international trade regulations and Africa's ambitions for green technology and industrialisation. It specifically analyzes the potential impacts of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and US tariffs, arguing that while these measures could theoretically drive demand for renewables, they are more likely to create fiscal constraints and hinder the continent's ability to invest in green R&D. The author advocates for a coordinated African response through the UNFCCC, the WTO, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to secure technology transfer and affordable finance.

The NewClimate Institute's 2025 update evaluates the progress of 25 major emitters, representing over 80% of global emissions, toward their climate mitigation targets. The report finds that while total emissions under current policies may peak by 2026, the projected reductions are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, which requires a 43% reduction by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.

A case study on a three-year community-led watershed restoration project in the Minzir 01 micro-watershed of North Mecha, Ethiopia, demonstrating how rehabilitating degraded land can revive groundwater levels, restore seasonal streams, and improve local livelihoods.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can be leveraged to combat youth unemployment by promoting greentech and Indigenous environmental practices. It argues that shifting from importing green goods to local manufacturing and trading within Africa can create millions of sustainable jobs, particularly in renewable energy, while integrating traditional knowledge to ensure inclusive development.

This guide defines grants as non-repayable transfers used for climate projects with low commercial potential, detailing three main types: development grants, technical assistance, and project preparation facilities. It identifies a wide range of providers from philanthropic organizations to multilateral banks and outlines the operational timelines and overhead costs associated with grant deployment, citing examples from Ethiopia and Rwanda.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines priorities for Africa's adaptation finance under the South African G20 presidency. It highlights a severe funding gap, where Africa requires $187–359 billion annually but faces an 80% shortfall in adaptation investment. The document advocates for a shift from debt-creating loans to grant-based and concessional finance, leveraging G20 working groups and MDB reforms to support National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and locally led adaptation.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) presents a financial case for climate adaptation, arguing that such investments are highly profitable and synergistic with general development goals. Based on an analysis of 320 projects, WRI finds that adaptation investments can yield significant returns through a 'triple dividend' of avoided losses, induced economic development, and additional social and environmental benefits.

This policy brief outlines priorities for South Africa's G20 presidency to mainstream crop insurance as a tool for climate resilience in Africa. It evaluates the evolution of insurance models—from multi-peril to index-based and digital solutions—and recommends that the G20 promote high-quality, inclusive products, holistic risk management, and evidence-based subsidy frameworks to support smallholder farmers.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—comprising digital identity, payments, and data-sharing systems—can be used to reduce the shadow economy and improve domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in Africa. It argues that while digital payments increase transaction visibility, they must be paired with structural reforms and strategic targeting of high-value tax evaders rather than vulnerable micro-vendors. The document highlights lessons from South Korea and India and suggests that South Africa use its 2025 G20 presidency to advocate for an 'Africa stack' and peer learning on DPI best practices.

This report by Ember analyses Chinese customs data to demonstrate a significant increase in solar panel imports into Africa in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. The analysis suggests a structural trend toward increased solar adoption across the continent, potentially driven by distributed solar, which could significantly expand electricity supply and reduce reliance on imported diesel.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in accelerating the transfer and adoption of green technologies (greentech) across Africa. It argues that while patents are often prohibitively expensive for local innovators, non-patent IPR—such as utility models, trademarks, and geographical indications—can drive incremental innovation and job creation. The document analyzes the IPR landscapes of Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, highlighting the gap between high-level regional strategies (like AfCFTA and the AU Green Recovery Action Plan) and the practical, detailed IPR mechanisms needed to scale green businesses.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice examines the structural causes of the African debt crisis, the impact of high interest rates on public services, and the limitations of G20 initiatives. It argues that the crisis is rooted in a 'rigged global system' and calls for systemic reform and debt cancellation through movements like Jubilee 2025.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—comprising digital identity, payments, and data-sharing systems—can be used to reduce the shadow economy and improve domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in Africa.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues for the 'ring-fencing' of development expenditures in Africa to protect long-term investments from short-term fiscal and political pressures. It identifies a 'perfect storm' of challenges—including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, high debt burdens, and technological disruption—that threaten development financing. The document proposes five specific policy mechanisms to institutionalise this protection and suggests that development finance should be framed as complementary to security priorities to leverage international funding.

A report by Ember detailing the increasing dominance of BRICS nations in global solar power generation, highlighting that these countries accounted for over half of the world's solar electricity in 2024, led primarily by China, India, and Brazil.