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The document evaluates the impact of subsistence and smallholder activities on forest loss, noting that while they account for approximately 33% of deforestation and 27-34% of degradation in tropical and subtropical regions, the relationship between poverty and forest loss is non-linear. It identifies clean cookstove distribution and financial support for woodfuel interventions as key proxy indicators for progress. The report highlights a significant increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the woodfuel sector and provides case studies from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru to illustrate localized interventions. It concludes that agricultural ODA and climate mitigation forestry ODA are largely uncoordinated, with the latter concentrating in middle-income countries rather than the least developed countries where food security is most pressing.

The report analyzes the land-sector climate pledges (INDCs) of four major tropical-forest nations. It finds that while Brazil and Indonesia provide some transparency, their land-sector ambitions are low. India's submission lacks critical specifics on GDP and sequestration timing. In contrast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is highlighted as a model for both transparency and ambition, despite its limited national capacity. The author concludes that smaller countries are generally producing better land-sector INDCs than larger emitters.

The document highlights the critical need to transition sub-Saharan African households from traditional biomass to clean cooking energy. It notes that approximately 700 million people currently rely on biomass, causing 600,000 annual deaths and significant economic losses. The paper advocates for a market transformation toward clean stoves and fuels, suggesting intermediate steps such as improved efficiency stoves and sustainable charcoal regulation, while drawing on evidence from Mali, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

The policy brief examines the intersection of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the COP 21 climate negotiations, and the Financing for Development agenda. It advocates for a 'bottom-up' approach to climate mitigation through INDCs that are integrated with domestic socio-economic priorities to create co-benefits in sectors like agriculture and energy. The author emphasizes that African nations should leverage clean energy and the energy-food-water nexus to leapfrog fossil-fuel-based development, while highlighting South Africa's green economy strategies as a model for job creation and GDP growth.

The policy brief argues that any use of carbon markets post-2020 must be governed by strict environmental integrity standards to avoid 'hot air' and double counting. It recommends that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) undergo fundamental reform, including the adoption of social and human rights safeguards, to remain viable. The brief also calls for the exclusion of early action credits from post-2020 targets and urges the UNFCCC to demand greater emission reductions and adaptation levies from the international aviation (ICAO) and maritime (IMO) sectors. Finally, it advocates for the inclusion of human rights and gender equality protections in the core text of the Paris Agreement.

Somaliland is described as a rare success story of stability and democracy in the Horn of Africa, though this progress is considered fragile. The report highlights critical weaknesses in its political system, specifically the chronic delay of presidential and parliamentary elections, and the influence of clan politics on governance. It identifies the lack of international recognition as a primary internal tension and warns of the growing influence of Salafism. Externally, the report notes ongoing border disputes with Puntland and the existential threat posed by the Somali Federal Government's refusal to accept Somaliland's independence.

The paper argues that ecological, financial, and political systems are under increasing pressure, creating a need to integrate 'hard' security (state-centric) with 'human' security (individual and ecosystem well-being). It identifies commonalities between these fields—such as uncertainty, irreversibilities, and multi-stakeholder complexity—and proposes a three-step methodology: context analysis, participatory scenario building, and options appraisal. Case studies demonstrate how water scarcity in the Nile and Euphrates-Tigris basins, climate-driven geophysical changes in the Arctic, and energy-water dependencies in Central Asia create security risks that require integrated governance and investment strategies.

The study evaluates eleven cases of private sector development to determine their relevance to smallholder agricultural investments in five African nations. Using the Committee on World Food Security's Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investments (RAI), the paper argues that investment in, by, and with smallholders constitutes private sector development. It proposes three support approaches: promoting an enabling environment, providing public goods and services, and offering direct investment support, all of which must balance the needs of both business enterprises and smallholders.

The document identifies that National Climate Change Funds (NCCFs) have historically struggled to mobilise resources, accounting for less than 0.2% of global climate finance flows in 2013. Based on interviews with 30 organisations and literature reviews, the brief argues that successful resource mobilisation requires a three-part strategy: establishing a well-defined vision and theory of change, building institutional capacities across people, processes, governance, and partnerships, and implementing a systematic approach to investor engagement.

The report identifies barriers to climate finance for MSMEs in developing countries—including weak policies, knowledge gaps, and unsuitable financial products—and proposes solutions such as risk-sharing instruments, matchmaking platforms, and the use of financial intermediaries to deliver funds efficiently.

The report analyzes the energy-irrigation nexus in Haryana, India, where heavily subsidized electricity has led to the over-extraction of groundwater and financial distress for distribution companies (DISCOMs). It quantifies subsidies for wheat, paddy, and sugarcane, finding that electricity subsidies account for approximately 46% of total subsidies. The study recommends spatial targeting of reforms, the adoption of energy-efficient and solar pumps, and a transition toward output-driven subsidy regimes to ensure long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

The research finds a strong theoretical case for the TFTA due to high trade complementarity between Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, though actual trade is currently limited by significant tariff and non-tariff barriers. While South Africa views the TFTA as a tool for 'developmental regionalism' to reduce poverty through industrialization, secondary powers like Kenya and Egypt may face competition from South African exports in their respective regional markets. The document emphasizes that the success of the TFTA depends on massive upgrades to transregional transport and energy infrastructure, noting that while some progress has been made in port and road corridors, large-scale energy projects in the DRC and Ethiopia face severe financial and technical obstacles.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed the second wave of INDCs for China, Canada, Ethiopia, and Morocco, focusing on agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU). The analysis reveals a disparity between developed and developing nations: Morocco and Ethiopia provided detailed, ambitious land-sector plans, while Canada and China showed significant gaps. Canada's submission lacked specific mitigation actions and excluded natural disturbances from accounting, while China failed to distinguish between new and existing programs and lacked a detailed accounting framework. Morocco's INDC was identified as the strongest, offering concrete actions and differentiating between unconditional and conditional goals.

The paper examines the dynamics of China-Africa economic cooperation, noting a significant increase in Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) from $500 million in 2003 to nearly $15 billion by 2012. While acknowledging the role of Chinese firms in hiring local labour—such as the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation and Chinese National Minerals Corporation—the author highlights a lack of transparency regarding training, health, and environmental standards. The document reviews several academic and scientific initiatives, including the Confucius Institutes and the 20+20 Cooperation Plan, concluding that while these signal a move beyond purely commercial interests, they have often failed to yield tangible results. The author recommends the establishment of a tighter African regulatory framework and an autonomous monitoring mechanism to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.

The document examines how communities in sub-Saharan Africa adapt to biomass scarcity, noting that current strategies often lead to vicious cycles of over-exploitation and degradation. Using the Lake Tana sub-basin in Ethiopia as a case study, the authors analyze the impact of changing biomass supply and demand, emphasizing the role of soil productivity and natural resource governance. The authors conclude that effective strategies must balance the avoidance of vicious cycles with the encouragement of virtuous ones, requiring sustainable soil management, inclusive governance, and cross-sector collaboration within national development strategies.

The report argues that public finance for geothermal energy in developing countries must increase 7-10 fold to meet 2030 targets. Through case studies in Kenya, Indonesia, and Turkey, it demonstrates that public risk mitigation measures—such as concessional loans, guarantees, and exploration support—can reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by 35-48%, allowing governments to achieve deployment targets while spending only 15-35% of the resources required for full public ownership.

The document examines how migration, particularly in the Harenna Buluk district, accelerates deforestation and biodiversity loss in Ethiopia's Harenna Forest. It identifies political pull factors and the introduction of profit-oriented crop farming as key drivers of ecosystem degradation. The brief recommends regulating informal land markets, strengthening species protection, leveraging water conservation narratives, and developing sustainable livelihoods like tourism to protect the ecosystem.

The report examines how migration into the Harenna Forest in southeast Ethiopia accelerates deforestation and biodiversity loss. By comparing Harenna Buluk, which saw significant migration driven by local political elites, with Delo Mena, which had minimal migration, the study finds that migrants introduce intensive farming practices that are adopted by locals, leading to the conversion of forest glades into agricultural land. The report recommends regulating informal land markets, strengthening participatory forest management bylaws, and developing alternative livelihoods like tourism to protect the ecosystem's unique biodiversity and hydrological functions.

The 2015 drought in north and central Ethiopia was an extremely rare event, estimated to occur once every few hundred years in the current climate. Analysis by World Weather Attribution indicates that a strong El Niño enhanced the drought, making it significantly drier during the Kiremt season. However, the study found no conclusive evidence that human-induced climate change influenced the event, as results from various climate models were inconsistent and spanned a range from the drought being less likely to more likely. Despite the severity of the event, which affected nearly 10 million people and caused significant crop and livestock losses, the impact was lower than droughts in 1973 and 1984, suggesting improved national resilience.

The document examines the ACIRC, a proposed rapid deployment instrument for the African Union (AU) initiated by South Africa to address capability gaps in crisis response. It highlights operational hurdles, including political opposition from key member states, funding shortages, and a lack of strategic airlift capacity. The briefing argues that the ACIRC must be integrated into the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and coordinated with the UN to avoid becoming a reactive, short-term tool, while recommending a shift in deployment authority to the AU Peace and Security Council to ensure speed.