Search Climate Insights Directory

The Americas Conference on Solar Radiation Modification, held in August 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica, served as a regional forum to introduce the science, governance, and implications of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). The event brought together scientists, policymakers, and representatives from various Americas nations to discuss SRM as a potential supplement to climate mitigation, emphasizing the need for inclusive research, regional collaboration, and a risk-risk framework to evaluate the technology's potential benefits against the dangers of unchecked global warming.

This discussion paper by the African Climate Foundation examines the tension between utilizing Africa's significant natural gas resources for economic development and the risks posed by the global transition to low-carbon energy. It argues that while gas provides short-term revenue and energy security, long-term investments in gas infrastructure are increasingly risky due to falling renewable energy costs and international climate targets. The paper advocates for a shift toward renewable energy (RE) to support industrialization and electrification, provided that climate finance is scaled up.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving relationship between the Republic of Korea and Africa, focusing on opportunities for collaboration in climate change and energy transition. It analyzes Korea's carbon-neutrality goals and the African Union's Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy (2022–2032) to identify synergies in renewable energy, green minerals, smart cities, and sustainable agriculture.

This research paper analyzes the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and identifies strategic opportunities for Korean investors and the Korean government to reverse a decline in trade with Africa. It highlights the potential for Korea to leverage its expertise in capital goods, automotive manufacturing, and clean energy to integrate into emerging African regional value chains.

This SEI briefing discusses the necessity of integrated planning to align the Paris Agreement's climate goals with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It evaluates existing software tools for this purpose and highlights the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) as a unique open-access, quantitative, and prospective tool capable of analyzing both Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This report by FSD Africa provides a first quantitative risk assessment and stress-testing framework for financial institutions in Africa to evaluate nature-related opportunities and risks. Using the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) LEAP approach, the study analyzes the impact of nature loss and nature-positive transitions on equity and lending portfolios across several African countries and private banks. It highlights that while aggregate portfolio impacts may appear small due to limited direct exposure, the risks are material for nature-intensive sectors like agriculture and extractives, where nature-related risks could double expected credit losses by 2030.

A June 2022 briefing by the Climate Action Tracker reporting that progress on updating 2030 climate targets has stalled following the Glasgow Climate Pact. The document warns that current targets and policies are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C, projecting end-of-century warming of 2.4°C based on 2030 targets and 2.7°C under current policies.

This policy brief examines the limited participation of African nations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce. It analyzes the tension between the plurilateral JSI approach and the multilateral Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, highlighting the digital divide and capacity constraints facing African states. The author argues that African countries should engage with the JSI to protect their developmental interests and prepare for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) e-commerce protocol.

This SEI discussion brief examines the relationship between tropical deforestation and water use in agricultural commodity supply chains, specifically focusing on imports into the European Union. It argues that while current policy focuses on deforestation, overlooking water use may shift environmental burdens to water-scarce regions. The brief identifies critical data gaps for beef and wood products and suggests that a comprehensive definition of sustainable supply chains must integrate both land and water stewardship.

The report 'Boom and Bust Coal 2022' tracks the global coal plant pipeline, highlighting a stark divergence between China's continued expansion and a broader global trend toward phasing out coal. While COP26 commitments significantly increased the number of plants with phase-out dates, China's surge in new construction and the persistence of 'clean coal' narratives in some OECD countries challenge the 1.5 degree Celsius warming target.

This policy brief examines the challenges faced by developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs) participating in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on electronic commerce. It highlights a significant digital divide in infrastructure and information, arguing that current negotiations focus too heavily on regulatory cooperation rather than the foundational capacity building and technical assistance required for these nations to implement future commitments and benefit from the digital economy.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the evolving nature of sovereign debt in Africa, highlighting a shift from traditional multilateral creditors to private bondholders and emerging economies like China. It argues that current debt relief mechanisms are insufficient because they lack statutory, human rights-based frameworks and fail to compel the participation of private creditors, leaving African nations vulnerable to economic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

This fact sheet evaluates progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law while empowering Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The document reports that while some legal frameworks and demand-side regulations have improved, overall progress is too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, with illegal deforestation increasing from 49% to 69% over a seven-year period.

This fact sheet, based on the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, details the observed and projected impacts of climate change in West Africa. It highlights significant increases in temperature, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise, which threaten human health, food security, biodiversity, and economic stability. The document emphasizes the region's high vulnerability despite its low contribution to global emissions and calls for transformative adaptation and increased financial and research investment.

This factsheet summarizes the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report for West Africa, detailing how the region is warming faster than the global average. It highlights severe risks to food security, human health (specifically heat-related mortality and diarrhoeal diseases), and biodiversity. The report emphasizes that while adaptation options like ecosystem-based solutions exist, they are severely hindered by a lack of finance and critical data gaps in climate research.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the challenges and opportunities for African nations in global climate change negotiations leading up to COP 27. It examines the structural weaknesses in African diplomacy, the complexities of balancing diverse national interests, and the influence of developed nations on climate policy and trade.

This report section analyzes the increasing vulnerability of the urban poor to extreme heat across 54 high-impact countries in 2022, highlighting a rise in the population at high risk due to lack of access to cooling.

This report by WWF South Africa presents the economic rationale for transitioning from a linear 'take-make-waste' plastic packaging model to a circular plastics economy by 2050 in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and South Africa. Using computational general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, the study demonstrates that such a transition would lead to positive cumulative effects on GDP, employment, and consumer welfare across all three nations while significantly reducing the costs of environmental externalities.

The 2021 AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) report notes a positive shift toward addressing climate-induced insecurity but criticizes the council for ignoring governance deficits as root causes of conflict. The report highlights the PSC's response to military coups in Mali, Guinea, and Sudan, while noting a controversial endorsement of a military transition in Chad. Looking toward 2022, it warns of potential electoral violence in Kenya, Angola, and Senegal, and identifies several conflict hotbeds, including Ethiopia and Libya. It also emphasizes the ongoing threat of violent extremism in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and Mozambique, while noting the AU's struggle with member state funding and the need for strategic autonomy.

A keynote speech delivered by Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi of the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) at the Youth Connekt Africa Summit, advocating for increased regional labor mobility to address youth unemployment and skills gaps in Africa.