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This research paper outlines the strategic opportunities for South Africa in 2020 as it concurrently chairs the African Union (AU) and serves as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The author argues that South Africa can reclaim its continental prestige by focusing on three priority areas: conflict resolution ('Silencing the Guns'), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), and the improvement of governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

This report synthesizes lessons from six country case studies to provide recommendations for designing 'Energy Safety Nets'—social assistance mechanisms intended to ensure the poorest populations can afford both the initial connection to and the ongoing consumption of modern energy services to meet SDG7 goals by 2030.

This guide provides a framework for policymakers and financiers on implementing Energy Safety Nets to ensure the poorest populations can access modern energy services, drawing on experiences from six countries.

This report synthesizes results from the "Ambition to Action" (A2A) project conducted in Kenya from March 2017 to December 2019, focusing on aligning the electricity sector's development with climate targets and sustainable development goals.

This research paper examines the risks and uncertainties associated with sustainable charcoal policies in Kitui County, Kenya, using an interdisciplinary approach that combines stakeholder workshops, informant interviews, and agent-based modelling to incorporate local perspectives into policy simulation.

This case study compendium by Natural Justice examines human rights violations associated with green energy projects in Africa, arguing that the 'just' component of the Just Energy Transition is often neglected. Through examples in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, and Senegal, the document highlights systemic failures in public participation, land rights protections, and environmental safeguards, providing policy recommendations to center human and environmental rights in the energy transition.

This guide, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), translates the findings of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for African policymakers. It details how human-induced climate change is altering ocean chemistry and temperature, accelerating sea-level rise, and melting high-mountain glaciers, all of which threaten marine biodiversity, food security, and coastal infrastructure across the African continent.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between armed conflict and forced displacement in Africa. It evaluates the African Union's (AU) 'Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020' initiative, arguing that while the AU has established necessary infrastructure for early warning and preventive diplomacy, poor governance and structural root causes continue to drive conflict and displacement.

This statement by Natural Justice provides recommendations for the UN High-Level Political Forum 2020, focusing on systems transformation to protect the planet and build resilience. It advocates for rights-based conservation, decentralized energy systems, and the empowerment of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to manage natural resources and hold governments accountable.

The Natural Justice Strategy (2020-2022) outlines a Pan-African approach to securing social and environmental justice for Indigenous peoples and local communities. The organisation is shifting from siloed programmes to three integrated programmatic streams: affirming rights to lands and resources, defending rights against environmental impacts, and standing with communities through legal empowerment and movement building.

This executive summary from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy projects in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Africa and Asia. Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, the report highlights that while energy finance disbursements grew faster than overall development finance between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lag behind commitments, hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy access in High-Impact Countries (HICs). Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, it evaluates the efficiency of development financing for electricity and clean cooking, identifying systemic delays and project design flaws that hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

A briefing by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) providing a global temperature update as of December 2019, highlighting a significant gap between current government pledges and the Paris Agreement goals, while detailing trends in coal, natural gas, and renewable energy.

This commentary by the World Resources Institute argues that climate action is only politically viable if it is 'people-centered,' meaning it purposefully unlocks social and economic benefits, targets them to enhance equity, and ensures a just transition for workers and vulnerable communities. The document provides evidence that bold climate action can deliver significant global economic gains, job creation, and public health improvements while mitigating the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the poor.

This document summarizes a practitioners' workshop held on December 6, 2019, in Madrid during COP25. The event, organized by the EU REDD Facility, Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), and UNDP, focused on the tools, methodologies, and challenges associated with mapping and tracking domestic climate finance to support national climate strategies and Paris Agreement objectives.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the status of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the role of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs). It details the two primary cooperation avenues (Article 6.2 and 6.4), the challenges of establishing a rulebook—including debates over additionality and double counting—and provides examples of pilot projects and national strategies, particularly focusing on Canada's preparations.

The December 2019–January 2020 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council's (PSC) effectiveness in conflict prevention, the challenges of its membership election process, the AU's efforts to rationalise its numerous external partnerships, and the progress of its Youth, Peace and Security agenda.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute compares geothermal and coal power generation in Kenya, evaluating their impacts on costs, affordability, reliability, and sustainable development. The study finds that geothermal energy is significantly more cost-effective, creates more domestic employment, and has far lower environmental and health impacts than the proposed coal plants in Lamu and Kitui.

This report by the NewClimate Institute examines the potential of renewable energy mini-grids to help Kenya achieve universal electrification by 2022. It argues that mini-grids are often more cost-effective than national grid extension for rural and remote areas and can provide significant socio-economic and climate benefits, though they remain under-represented in national planning documents like the 2018 Kenya National Electrification Strategy (KNES) and the 2017-2037 Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP).

This interim report evaluates the Youth Enterprise Grants (YEG) pilot project, which provided cash grants and smartphones to 1,035 youth (aged 18-35) in the Mathare slum of Nairobi. The project tested two payment models: lump sums of ~$1,200 and monthly payments of ~$50. Initial findings indicate that cash transfers are feasible in urban slum environments and effectively encourage entrepreneurial behavior, with a significant shift from casual labor to self-employment. While pre-installed business apps saw low engagement, general internet and social media access via smartphones significantly aided market access and skill acquisition. The report also highlights gender-based differences in spending and saving, and the continued importance of informal saving groups alongside mobile money services.