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The document analyzes how climate-induced stressors, such as desertification in the north and sea-level rise in the south, exacerbate security threats in Nigeria, including farmer-herder conflicts and insurgency. It evaluates the current security architecture, finding that while the National Security Strategy recognizes climate change, there is a significant lack of actionable integration within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies. The brief highlights gaps in institutional coordination, resource allocation, and risk assessment, while suggesting lessons from South Africa, Kenya, and Australia to build a more resilient, community-engaged policing model.

The City of Cape Town utilized integrated cost-benefit analyses provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to reverse funding cuts for its Liveable Urban Waterways (LUW) Programme. By quantifying the economic value of nature-based infrastructure (NBI) through avoided costs and co-benefits, the city demonstrated that investments in the Diep/Sand and Zeekoe catchments would generate significant net gains and save up to ZAR 55 million on dredging and canal refurbishment. Consequently, the city approved nearly ZAR 200 million for LUW projects, including wetland creation and canal naturalization, and plans to apply this economic modeling to future investments exceeding ZAR 1 billion.

Ten years after its 2015 adoption, the Paris Agreement has shifted the projected global warming trajectory from 4.8 degrees C to between 2.3 and 2.9 degrees C, though it remains off track for the 1.5 degrees C goal. While clean technology growth has exceeded expectations—with electric vehicles now comprising a fifth of auto sales and solar and wind electricity generation tripling—current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) would deliver less than 14% of the emissions reductions needed by 2035. The author argues that the next decade requires a total economic transformation, a more aggressive approach to phasing out fossil fuels, and a remodeled multilateral process where COP decisions are not subject to a veto by a few nations. Key priorities include supporting the green transitions of large middle-income countries, which account for 60% of global emissions, and integrating climate commitments into national economic policies.

The document argues that a 'window of opportunity' has opened for Africa due to the convergence of China's domestic push for renewable energy leadership and US-China geopolitical tensions. While the US has retreated from climate leadership and scaled back African assistance, China is pivoting toward 'small is beautiful' project financing and green industrialization as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and FOCAC commitments. To maximize these opportunities, the brief recommends that African nations implement rigorous strategic planning, professionalize project pipelines, adopt innovative mixed-financing models to reduce sovereign debt, and pursue regional energy integration through frameworks like the Southern African Power Pool.

Using Kenya as a primary case study, the authors examine how the shift from traditional manufacturing-based industrial policy to a platform-based digital economy risks creating a new form of 'informational dependency'. While Kenya has successfully integrated into global digital services, the authors find that value capture remains limited because data and algorithmic control reside with foreign platforms. The paper advocates for a holistic industrial policy that integrates data governance, decent work standards, and regional cooperation to ensure digital transformation leads to inclusive development rather than extractive accumulation.

The report details the disproportionate risks faced by women environmental and human rights defenders (WEHRDs) in Africa, including gender-based violence, criminalization, and digital surveillance. It highlights a significant gap between the actual violence experienced and official data, which often underreports attacks against women. Through country spotlights on Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, the document illustrates how patriarchal norms and corporate-state collusion exacerbate the vulnerability of WEHRDs. It concludes with recommendations for African states and international donors to implement gender-responsive protection frameworks, end the criminalization of activism, and provide flexible, long-term funding for women-led grassroots initiatives.

The study finds a substantial disconnect between African climate commitments (NDCs) and national development blueprints (NDPs), with NDCs focusing on climate-centric sectors like energy and forestry while NDPs prioritize economic growth, finance, and the private sector. This 'parallel policy framework' is driven by institutional fragmentation, where NDCs are often externally funded and led by environment ministries, whereas NDPs are domestically anchored and led by economic planning ministries. The authors recommend a 'whole-of-government' approach to embed climate goals into national budgets and development strategies to maximize socio-economic co-benefits.

The report finds that recycled polyester releases significantly more microfibers than virgin polyester, contradicting industry claims of sustainability and highlighting the risks of 'bottle-to-textile' downcycling.

The report argues that the fashion industry's shift to recycled polyester is a form of greenwashing, as recycled synthetic fibres release more microplastics than their virgin counterparts. Based on tests of 51 garments from major brands, the study finds that recycled polyester releases approximately 55% more fibres per gram than virgin polyester, and these fibres are smaller and potentially more toxic. The document also highlights the issue of 'downcycling' plastic bottles into textiles, which removes them from closed-loop recycling and creates garments that cannot be effectively recycled. It concludes that the only fundamental solution is to reduce the overall use of both virgin and recycled synthetic fibres.

The report finds that recycled polyester sheds significantly more and finer microfibres than virgin polyester, challenging industry claims of sustainability. Testing of 51 garments from Adidas, H&M, Nike, Shein, and Zara revealed that recycled polyester released an average of 12,430 fibres per gram, compared to 8,028 for virgin polyester. The study argues that the 'bottle-to-textile' recycling model is a form of downcycling that worsens pollution and allows brands to mask a continued reliance on virgin plastics. It also identifies discrepancies in 'recycled' labelling, particularly with Shein, and calls for EU-wide eco-design criteria and a global plastics treaty to cap virgin plastic production.

The report analyzes the integration of methane abatement in sustainable finance taxonomies across five jurisdictions. It finds significant gaps in sectoral coverage, a tendency to prioritize usability over technical rigor, and a lack of specific, measurable criteria. To address these, the report provides a framework of best-practice measures for the energy, agriculture, waste, and wastewater sectors.

The report finds that sustainable finance taxonomies generally suffer from incomplete sectoral coverage, a tendency to prioritize usability over technical rigor, and a lack of specific, measurable criteria for methane abatement. While the energy sector has the most extensive coverage, agriculture and waste sectors are inconsistently addressed. The authors propose a set of evidence-based best practices and technical screening criteria to improve the environmental integrity of green finance frameworks.

The paper examines the 'care crisis' in Africa, where unpaid care work—primarily performed by women—is economically invisible and underfunded due to debt burdens and austerity. It proposes a shift toward 'feminist fiscal justice' by adopting progressive taxation, wealth taxes, and integrated care systems, drawing on successful models from Uruguay, Colombia, and Costa Rica.

The document argues that climate-risk mapping in the global South is currently split between 'precisionism'—the reliance on standardized indices and models—and 'groundtruthing'—the use of lived narratives and ethnography. Precisionism often creates a 'metrics mirage' that obscures social inequalities and justice claims, while groundtruthing struggles to gain policy traction in indicator-driven bureaucracies. To resolve this, the authors introduce 'epistemic diplomacy,' a power-aware procedural approach for integrating mixed evidence. This framework includes five guiding principles, a ten-step operating model, and specific governance safeguards to ensure community co-production and prevent knowledge extraction. The paper provides practical method pairings, such as combining heat sensors with social diaries, to create 'boundary objects' that maintain both technical precision and social meaning for policymakers.

The document details Physicians for Human Rights' (PHR) multipronged approach to documenting conflict-related sexual violence, focusing on the use of standardized forensic medical forms, multisectoral collaboration, and digital tools like MediCapt. It argues that integrating medical-legal evidence with survivor-centred care reduces retraumatization and strengthens the evidentiary base for prosecutions. The paper highlights successful applications of this model in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kenya, and Ethiopia, emphasizing that capacity development for health and legal professionals is essential for translating clinical data into legal accountability.

The document assesses the feasibility of using domestic fiscal tools—explicit fossil fuel subsidies (EFFS) and environmental taxes—to close Africa's climate finance gap, which is estimated at 5–10% of GDP. While these tools could contribute 1.7% and 1.1% of GDP respectively, the author argues they are insufficient to fully close the gap. The paper recommends establishing independent fuel reserve authorities to manage price volatility and suggests a gradual, long-term withdrawal of subsidies to avoid social unrest and inflation. It highlights that Africa's climate finance is heavily dependent on foreign sources and public funding compared to global averages.

The handbook traces G20 engagements with Africa from 2008 to 2025, noting a transition from ad hoc initiatives to structured partnerships, culminating in the African Union's permanent membership in 2023. While identifying successes in rural youth employment and financial inclusion, it highlights persistent implementation gaps in infrastructure and climate finance. The document maps G20 outcomes against AU Agenda 2063, finding strong alignment with economic integration but gaps in peace and institutional capacity. It also details South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency priorities, focusing on solidarity, equality, and sustainability through specific task forces on inclusive growth, food security, and AI.

The report examines the role of risk mitigation and transfer (RMT) instruments in supporting utility-scale wind and solar projects in East Africa. Through six case studies, it finds that while RMT tools—such as political risk insurance, guarantees, and blended finance—are essential for reaching financial close, risks remain high due to macroeconomic instability, currency volatility, and utility financial strain. The analysis highlights a 'start-stop cycle' in countries like Kenya, where rapid deployment led to overcapacity and subsequent government moratoriums on new contracts. Conversely, the GET FiT program in Uganda is presented as a successful model of systematic de-risking through transparent procurement and institutional support.

Nigeria holds 33 percent of Africa's gas reserves and is implementing the 'Decade of Gas' (2021-2030) to transition toward a gas-powered economy. While the country is a top global LNG exporter, it faces significant internal challenges, including high gas flaring (188 Bcf in 2022), inadequate pipeline infrastructure, and poor payment discipline in the power sector. The document argues that natural gas can serve as a bridge fuel toward Nigeria's net-zero 2060 goal and a catalyst for African industrialization in sectors like fertilizers and petrochemicals. However, the global energy transition is leading International Oil Companies (IOCs) to divest from onshore assets, and geopolitical instability—specifically Niger's 2023 coup—threatens major cross-border projects like the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.

The document explores Africa's potential to become a leader in synthetic carbon dioxide removal, particularly through direct air capture (DAC). It identifies the East African Rift, especially Kenya, as an ideal hub due to its abundant geothermal energy and basaltic rock formations suitable for permanent carbon mineralization. The report details current projects, such as Octavia Carbon's Project Hummingbird, and outlines necessary innovations in energy efficiency, geological storage, and project development to scale the industry. It also emphasizes the role of voluntary carbon markets and supportive regulatory frameworks in overcoming financing gaps for first-of-a-kind projects.