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The study developed a detailed inventory model for eleven pollutants in Kenya's road transport sector, which accounts for 93% of all freight and passenger traffic. Projections indicate that emissions could increase exponentially by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario. The authors identify improving fuel economy, vehicle standards, fuel sources, and public transport investment as the most effective strategies for improving air quality and meeting climate goals.

The document argues that African Union (AU) member states must move from being 'rule takers' to 'rule makers' by adopting a common position in international e-commerce negotiations, particularly within the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative. It highlights the need for a harmonised digital taxation strategy to address the ambiguities of the WTO moratorium on electronic transmissions and suggests that AU members first establish non-binding e-commerce principles or guidelines based on the AU's Digital Transformation Strategy before implementing binding continental rules. The brief emphasizes that a flexible, progressive approach to regulatory harmonisation is necessary to account for the diverse digital readiness of African nations and to avoid the risks of a 'one-size-fits-all' model.

This report examines the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MEFMI member states in sub-Saharan Africa, detailing how public health measures and external shocks led to GDP declines and increased fiscal pressure.

Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based startup developing Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for permanent storage or industrial use. The company aims to disrupt the high cost of DACC by utilizing Kenya's natural endowments, specifically the high-porosity basaltic rock of the Rift Valley for storage and waste heat from geothermal power for energy. By the end of 2024, Octavia Carbon intends to produce at least one machine per day, reaching a capacity of approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The company projects a cost per tonne of CO2 between $300 and $500, significantly lower than current global ranges of $775 to $1,200, positioning it as a potential global cost leader by mid-decade.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).

The report outlines a framework for developing countries to bridge the adaptation finance gap through seven guiding principles. These are divided into process-related principles—emphasizing country-driven approaches, the engagement of finance ministries, and inclusivity—and content-related principles, which focus on the strategic use of diverse financial instruments, alignment with national development goals, improving the enabling environment, and establishing monitoring and evaluation processes. The report supports these principles with case studies from Kenya, Nepal, and Peru, highlighting that a financing strategy is a continuous process rather than a single document.

The document argues that while Africa's shift toward renewable energy is essential for climate goals and poverty reduction, it risks a "green resource curse" where green energy projects and mineral mining fuel conflict. It identifies three primary conflict trajectories: the establishment of projects (often involving land disputes and "green grabbing"), the mining of critical minerals (linked to weak institutions and rebel financing), and energy production (related to grid access and geopolitical shifts). While most conflicts are local and non-violent, the authors warn of potential for large-scale civil unrest and geopolitical tensions as the global energy balance shifts away from fossil fuels.

The policy brief examines how BRICS partnerships can accelerate the digitisation of African agriculture to drive economic growth. It identifies key barriers in Africa, such as weak coordination and low FDI, and highlights successful digital agricultural models in China, Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa. The author recommends using the New Development Bank (NDB) and the AfCFTA to improve infrastructure and trade, while urging African nations to adopt policies that foster digital literacy and agri-tech entrepreneurship.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to achieving the '30x30' target, emphasizing that numerical expansion must be coupled with qualitative improvements in governance and management. It details a three-phase implementation timeline (Review, Planning, and Implementation), defines key concepts such as OECMs and human rights-based approaches, and provides guidance on integrating biodiversity conservation with climate goals and national policies.

The document analyzes the transition of Chinese infrastructure finance in Africa from large-scale, policy-bank-funded loans to a more cautious approach. It identifies three primary trends: the diversification of lending partners and contractors, a strategic shift toward 'small is beautiful' projects with shorter repayment windows, and the adoption of new funding models like Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Integrated Investment, Construction and Operation (IICO) to reduce sovereign debt burdens.

The Great Blue Wall (GBW) is a proposed regional programme for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) designed to create a network of regenerative seascapes. Led by the IUCN and targeting nine countries, the initiative seeks to combine nature-based solutions with innovative financing to protect critical blue ecosystems—such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs—while fostering a regenerative blue economy. The programme requests USD 200 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), with an additional USD 100 million in co-financing, to implement a four-component strategy focusing on policy frameworks, market development, capital flow acceleration, and regional coordination. Key goals by 2031 include the protection of 2 million km² of the ocean in the WIO and the creation of 2 million jobs.

The report identifies systemic barriers to gender equality in the off-grid solar (OGS) sector across sixteen Sub-Saharan African countries, highlighting a critical lack of sex-disaggregated data and the prevalence of restrictive social norms. It finds that women generally have less access to OGS technologies and are underrepresented in technical and leadership roles within the workforce. To address these gaps, the Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) initiative proposes a strategy focused on elevating women as customers, employees, and entrepreneurs through gender-lens investing, technical assistance for portfolio companies, and dedicated training facilities.

The document establishes a programmatic gender approach for the &Green Fund, which aims to delink deforestation from commodity supply chains (livestock, palm oil, soy, rubber, cocoa, and forestry). It defines a two-tracked investment strategy—gender-sensitive and gender-transformative—integrated into the fund's due diligence and monitoring processes. The report provides detailed gender and socioeconomic baselines for 11 countries, highlighting systemic barriers such as limited land tenure for women, unpaid care burdens, and the prevalence of sexual exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment (SEAH) in agribusiness. It recommends using Environmental and Social Action Plans (ESAPs) as binding loan covenants to ensure equitable benefits and the removal of gender barriers in the target landscapes.

The document examines the intersection of gender and climate change, highlighting how gender inequalities shape the differentiated impacts of climatic shocks. It argues that current climate finance is largely 'gender neutral' and fails to integrate gender-responsive strategies due to a lack of understanding of the gender-climate nexus and flawed operational frameworks. The brief specifically calls on public development banks (PDBs) to move beyond 'business as usual' by implementing transformational gender mainstreaming—which addresses root causes of inequality rather than just symptoms—to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of climate mitigation and adaptation investments.

The document defines 'biotic eruptions' as population or biomass explosions of species driven by human alterations to the environment or the introduction/removal of species. These eruptions can lead to irreversible state shifts in ecosystems, such as harmful algal blooms (HABs) or Arctic greening, which disrupt food security and economic stability. The author argues that these ecological disruptions can cascade into social instability and conflict, particularly in regions with weak governance. Case studies on Lake Victoria and China illustrate how biodiversity loss and invasive species like the fall armyworm exacerbate vulnerabilities. The briefing recommends restoring keystone species, reducing nutrient pollution, and diversifying food systems to enhance security resilience.

This policy recommendation by Natural Justice advocates for the creation of a specific legal framework in Kenya to protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs), arguing that current protections are only inferable through the interpretation of various existing laws.

The investigation tracked 21 items of clothing submitted to ten fashion brands across the UK, France, Belgium, and Germany using airtag trackers. The findings reveal a significant gap between brand promises of reuse and recycling and the actual outcomes: 60% of items were either destroyed, downcycled, or remained stuck in warehouses, while others were shipped to African markets where they often become waste. Only five items were successfully resold within Europe. The report argues that these schemes often encourage further consumption through discount vouchers and lack transparency and traceability, effectively shifting the waste burden to the Global South.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.

The document analyzes the transition from the 'Angola model'—characterized by infrastructure-for-resources swaps—to a 'Hunan model' centered on the Hunan province's comparative advantages. This new approach focuses on agricultural technology, construction machinery, and digital trade to foster a more diversified economic relationship between China and Africa, implemented through national platforms like the China–Africa Economic and Trade Exhibition (CAETE) and the China–Africa Economic and Trade Deep Cooperation Zone.

The report identifies Project GAIA as a Category I-1 private sector programme operating across multiple countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It confirms that an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), which includes frameworks for land acquisition, resettlement, indigenous peoples, and biodiversity management, was disclosed on June 23, 2023, in English and several local languages.