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The document argues that South Africa should use its 2025 G20 presidency to address IMF governance and sovereign debt issues. It suggests the IMF needs formal operating procedures for 'new' issues like climate change and gender to avoid opaque, ad hoc management. Regarding debt, it critiques the Common Framework for being too time-consuming and recommends a more holistic approach to development finance to meet climate and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) needs.

The report finds that the fashion industry is increasing its dependency on fossil-fuel-based synthetic fibres, with 69% of all textiles currently being synthetic. It highlights a significant lack of transparency, with 60% of surveyed brands providing incomplete or no data on synthetic volumes. The document criticizes the industry's reliance on recycled polyester from PET bottles as a 'false solution' that does not address microplastic shedding or the overproduction inherent in fast fashion. Most brands are categorized as 'trailing behind' or in the 'red zone' for their lack of meaningful microfibre release policies, often relying on weak voluntary initiatives like The Microfibre Consortium (TMC). The report also notes tepid industry support for upcoming EU legislation and the global plastics treaty, suggesting a preference for the status quo.

The report finds that global fashion brands are increasing their use of synthetic fibres, with synthetic materials accounting for 69% of textile production and projected to reach 73% by 2030. It highlights a significant lack of transparency, with 54% of surveyed companies failing to respond fully. Most brands rely on recycled polyester from PET bottles, which the report describes as a false solution that disrupts bottle-to-bottle recycling and fails to address microplastic shedding. Only two brands, Reformation and Hugo Boss, have committed to phasing out synthetics by 2030. The report also notes weak industry support for EU legislation and the global plastics treaty, with many brands citing a need for further research to delay meaningful action on microplastic release.

The InvestHER Climate Resilience Bond is Uganda's first gender-focused resilience bond, designed to raise USD 25 million in local currency to close the gender gap in the agrifood system. The instrument targets growth-stage agri-SMEs and local financial service providers (FSPs) to increase the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) among women farmers. It utilizes a dual-tranche structure (commercial and concessional) and a grant-funded technical assistance (TA) facility to address barriers such as high collateral requirements and lack of female-tailored financial products. The bond aims to reach approximately 3,825 agri-MSMEs, with nearly 100% being women-owned or led, and impact 470,000 hectares of farmland.

The policy brief argues that the African mining sector is hindered by political and institutional lock-ins, specifically the slow ratification of AMDC statutes. It proposes integrating strategic foresight—a systematic approach to anticipating future trends—into the AMDC's four-pillar mandate to move from reactive to proactive governance. The authors advocate for a 'foresight-led social contract' to ensure mineral wealth benefits local communities and supports the green energy transition. Key recommendations include establishing an anticipatory governance unit, reforming financial architectures to reduce debt dependency, and coordinating regional responses to transnational risks such as deep-sea mining and Global North competition.

The report outlines ten considerations for the design of trade-related circular economy policies and measures (TrCEMs), emphasizing the need for international cooperation to avoid regulatory fragmentation. It highlights the role of the WTO, ISO, and multilateral environmental agreements in aligning definitions and standards. The document specifically addresses the challenges faced by developing countries, such as the need for technical assistance and the risk of a 'circular divide,' and suggests mechanisms like extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee transfers to manage end-of-life products in importing nations.

The report tracks the shift in China-Africa energy cooperation from large-scale infrastructure and thermal power projects toward 'small and beautiful' green initiatives. It highlights a growing alignment between China's commitment to stop funding overseas coal-fired projects and Africa's strategic priorities for climate finance, renewable energy access, and resilient infrastructure. While China offers technological and financial aid, the report notes that some African priorities, such as critical minerals, remain insufficiently addressed.

The Sahel region is experiencing a major geopolitical shift as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and severed ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This move reflects deep-seated anti-French and anti-EU sentiment, driven by perceptions of neo-colonialism and a focus on security and migration over socio-economic development. As the EU's influence wanes, Russia has expanded its presence through military cooperation and strategic economic interests, including potential control over Niger's uranium. The author argues that the EU and ECOWAS must move away from punitive sanctions and colonial-era approaches toward equal partnerships and dialogue to maintain stability and influence in the region.

FSD Africa is implementing a program to promote the adoption of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) across Africa, focusing on adapting the global framework to local contexts. The initiative includes capacity building, the creation of the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA), and strategic outreach to G20 and sovereign stakeholders. A key partnership with FirstRand has involved piloting the TNFD framework through nature-risk assessments in the agricultural and extractive industries and evaluating organizational readiness for disclosure.

The document evaluates the alignment of Sénégalaise des Filières Alimentaires (SFA), a Senegalese rice miller supported by the Smallholder Safety Net Up-scaling Programme (SSNUP), with international responsible investment standards. SFA demonstrates moderate compliance, characterized by a transparent structure and positive contributions to local livelihoods, though it faces challenges with government price setting and operational health and safety enforcement.

The case study evaluates Mahembe, a Rwandan coffee producer, processor, and exporter, against the CFS-RAI standards. It finds that the company maintains a high level of compliance because it deliberately pursues socially responsible business development. However, the report recommends that Mahembe formalize its policies and procedures, specifically regarding community support and young farmers, to ensure long-term adherence to responsible investment standards as the business scales.

Tropic Coffee, a Rwandan coffee processor supported by the impact investor Alterfin, demonstrates a moderately high level of compliance with international responsible investment standards. While the company actively empowers women through improved market access and the formation of savings groups, it faces financial challenges due to competitive rates, lack of a dry mill, and reduced global demand for organic coffee. The study recommends that the board improve its understanding of responsible investment principles to enhance strategy and accountability.

The document evaluates LIMBUA Group Limited's adherence to international responsible investment standards in Kenya's fruit and nut sector, finding a high level of compliance and identifying areas for further improvement in farmer support and employee training.

The research paper examines the role of vertical industrial policies in Africa, contrasting them with horizontal policies and global value chain (GVC) theories. It highlights how Nigeria and Morocco successfully developed their cement sectors through targeted government interventions, while noting that replicating these specific tools in other sectors, such as sugar and tomato paste in Nigeria, has failed due to different raw material coordination needs.

The report identifies currency risk—specifically the mismatch between local currency revenues and hard currency debt—as a primary barrier to climate investment in EMDEs. It argues that while long-term solutions require macroeconomic reform and deeper local capital markets, immediate needs must be met through innovative hedging mechanisms. The document analyzes five specific models: a TCX donor-funded guarantee, Eco Invest Brasil, the Delta onshore DFI platform, FSD Africa's MDB portfolio transfer, and a CPI FX Hedging Facility for India. It concludes that concessional capital is essential in the short term to make these tools affordable and to catalyze private investment.

The report examines benefit-sharing mechanisms (BSMs) in African carbon projects, highlighting the need for transparency, fairness, and community agency to attract high-integrity investment. It categorizes projects by risk—identifying community land-based projects as the highest risk—and proposes five core principles for best-practice BSMs. The authors argue that current low carbon prices fail to cover the costs of robust community engagement and call for regulatory frameworks and commercial financing tailored to the African context.

Japan is transitioning its Africa strategy from Official Development Assistance (ODA) toward private sector-led investment, specifically targeting critical minerals and green energy. This shift is driven by strategic competition with China, particularly regarding supply chain security for rare earth elements and the G7's desire to provide alternatives to Chinese infrastructure loans. While the Japanese government is actively promoting this 'business-based' approach through initiatives like the Green Growth Initiative for Africa and the Minerals Security Partnership, the transition is hindered by high risk perception among Japanese companies.

The webinar 'Youth Action for Climate and Clean Air Now' brought together over 140 youth leaders and experts to discuss the role of young people in mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and improving air quality. Key discussions focused on the science of 'super pollutants' like methane and black carbon, the importance of youth engagement in the 2025 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) update process, and the implementation of community-led solutions such as solar dryers in Ghana and indoor air quality monitoring in UK schools. The event emphasized that reducing SLCPs can provide rapid climate benefits and improve public health, particularly for children in the global south who are disproportionately affected by pollution.

The report evaluates how nature-related risks impact business profits and credit losses in five African banking systems. It finds that an 'orderly transition' aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) minimizes financial risks, whereas a 'disorderly transition' can lead to significant profit losses and increased credit losses, particularly in agriculture and mining. The analysis highlights that nature-related risks in these sectors are comparable in scale to climate-related risks in emissions-intensive sectors.

China has positioned itself as a leader in green technology innovation, utilizing aid, trade, and investment to support the energy transition in the Global South. Through mechanisms like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, China has deployed renewable energy, electric vehicles, and sustainable agricultural technologies across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. However, the effectiveness of these partnerships is hindered by gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, geopolitical tensions with Western nations, and difficulties in meeting global ESG standards.