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The document argues that young people (aged 10-24) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by climate change but face structural barriers and tokenism that hinder their participation in decision-making. It proposes a research framework based on social context, substance, procedure, power, and agency to analyse youth engagement in Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

The study analyzes five development scenarios for Kenya's residential cooking sector to quantify GHG emissions, health impacts, and fuel demand. It finds that shifting from 'modern cooking' (LPG and improved biomass stoves) to 'clean cooking' (electric, biogas, and bioethanol) can significantly reduce emissions, with the most ambitious scenario achieving net-zero by mid-century. Implementation of the net-zero scenario could avoid nearly 500,000 premature deaths over 30 years. However, the transition is hindered by high upfront costs, cultural practices like fuel stacking, and the absence of a comprehensive, sector-wide strategy.

A campaign in Western Kenya promoting the use of rockbeds in cooking fires achieved a 67% awareness rate among surveyed households, with 85% of those aware adopting the technology. The intervention is highly cost-effective, costing approximately USD 0.06 per ton of CO2e over five years, with each adopter reducing annual emissions by about 480 kg of carbon dioxide-equivalent.

The document advocates for the use of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Africa to bridge the gap between biodiversity protection and community livelihoods. It highlights that while traditional protected areas often displaced local populations, OECMs allow for diverse governance—including community and private partnerships—that can deliver both conservation and economic gains. Through case studies in South Africa and Kenya, the briefing demonstrates how these models can generate income via tourism, sustainable ranching, and ecosystem services. It concludes that African governments should collectively advocate for community-centred conservation in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, provided that rights-based approaches, innovative financing, and context-specific research are prioritised to avoid elite capture and ensure equitable benefit distribution.

The Matongo Birthing Clinic in Kenya installed an 8.7 kW solar and storage microgrid to combat frequent power outages that previously deterred patients. Since August 2020, the facility has seen facility-based deliveries increase to 95%, reduced energy costs, and improved 24-hour operational reliability.

The report analyzes the fragmentation of current biosurveillance systems and proposes a transition to a global early warning ecosystem. It highlights the role of emerging technologies like metagenomic sequencing and CRISPR-based diagnostics in reducing detection timelines. Through regional case studies and historical vignettes of outbreaks like COVID-19, SARS, and Ebola, the document identifies critical gaps in infrastructure, political will, and data interoperability, while providing a roadmap for future investments and diplomatic coordination.

The document examines China's four waves of SOE reform since 1978, highlighting the use of market competition under state ownership and mixed governance. It argues that while China's unique political system makes direct replication difficult, African nations can adopt tactical lessons such as using quality global exchanges for IPOs, creating competing state-owned units to monitor management, and ensuring durable compensation for workers displaced by reform. The author emphasizes that state capacity and institutional design must precede large-scale ownership reform.

The Powering Healthcare Solutions Catalogue provides a directory of companies offering off-grid energy systems and medical appliances for low-income regions. It highlights a variety of technical solutions, including plug-and-play systems, containerized microgrids, and solar-powered medical equipment, aimed at improving healthcare delivery in areas with unreliable electricity, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The document examines the role of technical assistance in establishing green bond markets in China and Kenya, concluding that while such assistance is a critical element for transformative change in the finance sector, it is not sufficient on its own.

The research paper explores the concept of a restoration economy in Africa, focusing on the South African 'Working for Wetlands' programme. It identifies key enablers for success, such as linking restoration to poverty relief and vocational training, while noting constraints like bureaucratic rigidity and over-reliance on public funding. The author argues that for Africa to 'build back better' post-COVID-19, ecological restoration must be integrated into development planning and funded by the production sectors (mining, agriculture, forestry) that impact ecosystems, moving toward a circular economy model.

The document examines the intersection of power-sharing institutions and gender equality, noting that while power-sharing is a common tool for peacebuilding, it is often 'gender blind'. It argues that consociational models focusing on ethno-national identity can risk embedding patriarchal attitudes or sacrificing women's claims for equality to maintain communal unity. However, the authors suggest that because power-sharing already utilizes group proportions and quotas, it provides a 'natural environment' for securing gender-based quotas. The briefing highlights that power-sharing agreements are seven times more likely to have gender quotas than those without such provisions.

The LEAF Framework is a US$ 959.9 million initiative led by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to expand access to solar home systems, green mini-grids, and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar solutions across six African countries. The program seeks US$ 170.9 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to provide concessional partial credit guarantees, subordinated debt, and technical assistance to de-risk the DRE sector and mobilize local currency financing. Expected impacts include the installation of 386MW of generating capacity, the reduction of 28.8 million tCO2e over the systems' lifetimes, and providing green energy solutions to 1.18 million households and businesses.

The report details CDKN's efforts to bridge the gap between climate knowledge and action through regional programmes in Africa, Asia, and South America. Key initiatives include improving climate information on Wikipedia, tailoring IPCC reports for regional audiences, and mainstreaming gender into climate policy in countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Ethiopia. The network also focused on urban resilience in India and Nepal, and community-led responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report establishes a conceptual framework for urban climate finance, emphasizing that mobilization depends on the alignment of country-specific, city-specific, and climate-specific enabling conditions. It details the five roles city governments play—consumer, provider, fundraiser, regulator, and champion—and argues that a lack of administrative capacity, fragmented authority, and limited revenue sources in developing countries create significant barriers. The document recommends integrating climate considerations into all levels of city planning (strategic, spatial, capital investment, and budgetary) and suggests using carbon pricing, land-value capture, and conditional intergovernmental transfers to close the urban financing gap.

The document critiques orthodox macroeconomic policies for ignoring social reproduction and gendered power dynamics, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. It argues that neoliberal austerity and financialisation have undermined public services and increased the burden of unpaid care on women. The authors propose a recovery based on a 'feminist green economy,' increased fiscal space through progressive taxation and debt cancellation, and a shift toward a social reproductive economy that prioritises basic income and universal access to essential services.

The document contends that Africa's historical 'jobless growth' is due to a dependence on primary commodities and a lack of structural transformation. It proposes a shift from 'stabilization' to 'transformation' by coordinating fiscal and monetary policies with sectoral and labour market interventions. Key recommendations include increasing public investment in the care economy and infrastructure, implementing expenditure-switching methods to reduce import reliance, adopting progressive taxation, and establishing national minimum wages to boost domestic demand and productivity.

The 2018 peace agreement and subsequent trilateral alliance between Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia have resolved historical conflicts but introduced new instabilities. The alliance has exacerbated internal tensions in Ethiopia and Somalia, specifically fueling the conflict in Tigray and tensions in Jubaland. Furthermore, the exclusive nature of this bloc has created distrust among other regional actors like Kenya and Djibouti and threatens to undermine the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) by duplicating its integration efforts.

The study finds that while inclusive power-sharing arrangements positively affect the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments, they do not statistically increase women's empowerment in civil society, including their political participation, civil liberties, and civil society engagement. Using a country-year fixed effects model for 180 countries, the author argues that such institutions often provide an 'illusion of inclusion' by focusing on elite-level representation while failing to address grassroots gender inequalities.

The document analyzes the 'arduous' journey of Zambian civil society in the APRM process, highlighting the establishment of a dedicated CSO APRM Secretariat in 2007 and its eventual closure in 2011. It details how the process was hindered by resource constraints, political instability following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa, and overlaps with a contentious national constitutional review. Key achievements include the production of an independent CSO thematic report that influenced the Country Self-Assessment Report and the Country Review Report. The author argues that the lack of a plan to monitor the National Programme of Action (NPoA) after the Secretariat's closure was a fundamental flaw, and emphasizes the need for long-term funding and collective capacity building for effective governance oversight.

The document examines the role of nuclear science and technology in Africa, highlighting the use of 10 research reactors for education and medical/environmental research. It emphasizes the critical need for radiotherapy machines to combat rising cancer rates and the use of nuclear techniques in agriculture to ensure food security and manage zoonotic diseases. The brief outlines the legal framework for peaceful use, including the Pelindaba Treaty and the NPT, and identifies challenges such as public skepticism, financial instability, and safety risks. It recommends expanded continental training and continued cooperation with the IAEA and AFCONE.