Search Climate Insights Directory

The policy brief examines how 4IR technologies—specifically biotechnology, precision agriculture, and controlled-environment agriculture—can enhance water-smart farming in Southern Africa. It highlights the potential of CRISPR for drought-resistant crops, the use of remote sensing and AI for small-scale farmer decision-making, and the promise of vertical farming to bypass climatic limitations, while noting challenges related to energy efficiency and regulatory frameworks.

The document examines how COVID-19 disrupted mining employment through lockdowns, supply chain failures, and commodity price volatility. It highlights the vulnerability of contractual and migrant workers, the risk of insolvency for local SMEs, and the potential for accelerated automation. The author argues that recovery requires shifting from blanket stimulus to targeted support, redesigning workplaces for health safety, and diversifying local industrial bases to reduce dependency on mining jobs.

The document examines how COVID-19 disrupted mining operations, specifically affecting direct employment, contractors, and local suppliers. It highlights the vulnerability of underground mining and non-permanent workers, while noting that automation and 'essential service' designations mitigated some impacts. The report argues for a transition from general stimulus packages to sector-specific support, emphasizing the need for new health protocols, increased local sourcing to reduce global supply chain dependency, and investment in worker reskilling to prepare for future systemic shocks.

The document analyzes how COVID-19 disrupted the mining sector through supply chain failures, reduced demand, and health-related closures. It highlights the vulnerability of non-permanent workers and local SMEs, while noting that automation may accelerate as a risk-mitigation strategy. The author recommends transitioning from general to targeted support, updating health and safety regulations, and investing in worker retraining to build long-term resilience against future 'black swan' events.

The statement argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for governments to focus all resources on public health, specifically the procurement of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines. It calls for the immediate suspension of trade and investment negotiations at the WTO, bilateral, and regional levels, asserting that such activities divert critical resources and personnel. The authors highlight that intellectual property rules under the WTO's TRIPS agreement and free trade agreements may obstruct the affordability and accessibility of life-saving supplies. The document demands the removal of all trade barriers and unilateral sanctions that hinder medical procurement and urges a fundamental rethink of trade rules that encourage monopolies and limit healthcare access.

Friends of the Earth International and a broad coalition of global endorsers call for an immediate cessation of trade and investment treaty negotiations. They argue that governments, particularly in developing and least developed countries, lack the resources to engage in these negotiations while managing the COVID-19 health crisis. The statement demands that trade negotiators focus exclusively on removing obstacles, such as intellectual property rules and unilateral sanctions, that hinder access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that the South African government's R41 billion rescue package is insufficient to counter a projected GDP fall of 6% to 8%. The brief proposes a total intervention of R411.5 billion, comprising R310 billion for direct economic injection and R100 billion for tax and payment deferrals. Key recommendations include a once-off Universal Basic Income (UBI) of R4,500 for all adults, expanded social grants, and a scaled-up wage support scheme (TERS) to prevent mass unemployment. To stabilize the macroeconomy, the brief suggests the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) continue purchasing bonds, implement capital flow management, and secure dollar swap lines with the US Federal Reserve. Financing options include special COVID-19 bonds, solidarity taxes on high earners, and the deployment of UIF surpluses. The document also advocates for South Africa to lead a G20 coalition to secure better financing terms and debt relief for emerging markets and least developed countries.

The analysis finds that while FDI in the SADC region is heavily driven by natural resource endowments and GDP, secondary activities (manufacturing and construction) are the primary drivers of job creation and inclusive growth. The paper highlights a mismatch between export potential and FDI in sectors like aquaculture and meat, while identifying strong growth opportunities in agro-processing and a potential revival in textiles driven by sustainable sourcing. It concludes that while services are growing, they provide significantly fewer jobs than industrial activities, validating the SISR's focus on industrialisation.

The report details how the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) integrates climate change into its monitoring of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC). It analyzes the CRC's use of General Comments, State reporting procedures, and the communications procedure to hold States accountable for protecting children from climate harms. Key findings highlight a growing trend of climate-related recommendations, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and a strong emphasis on children's procedural rights to participation and education. The document also notes a landmark 2019 Joint Statement by five human rights treaty bodies asserting that failure to prevent foreseeable climate-related human rights harm could constitute a violation of State obligations.

The Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership (UCP), established in 2013, works to restore the Umzimvubu River system, a critical part of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area. The partnership addresses pressures from climate change, invasive species, and poor land management to ensure water security for over two million people and the preservation of biodiversity. Key achievements include the clearance of invasive wattle trees to restore spring flows, the creation of over 5,000 conservation and rehabilitation jobs, and the protection of 43 natural springs for human consumption.

The proposal seeks USD 347,838 over 18 months to develop mandatory Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labelling schemes for refrigerators and distribution transformers in Malawi. It aims to reduce electricity losses and GHG emissions by creating a policy roadmap, strengthening institutional capacity, and identifying financing mechanisms to facilitate market transformation toward higher efficiency products.

The proposal outlines a plan to implement Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labelling schemes for refrigerators and distribution transformers in Namibia to reduce electricity losses and GHG emissions. It requests USD 328,755 over 18 months to conduct market analysis, form policy and technical committees, develop national roadmaps, and identify financing mechanisms. The project aims to mitigate the impact of growing electricity demand and high energy losses, which currently burden the government budget due to electricity subsidies.

The document is a collection of scholarly essays celebrating the career of Professor Maxi Schoeman. It examines her theoretical work in constructivism and human security, her critiques of South African foreign policy from the Mandela era through the Zuma administration, and her analysis of the South African National Defence Force's role in regional peacekeeping. The text highlights the tension between South Africa's constitutional human rights values and its pragmatic, often contradictory, international engagements.

The report identifies colonial history, border changes, and poor civil registry systems as primary drivers of statelessness in Southern Africa. It warns that some states are increasingly using the deprivation of nationality as a tool for migration management and political exclusion. The document highlights the critical role of birth registration and the persistence of gender discrimination in nationality laws, while detailing case studies from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar, and Angola to illustrate these systemic failures.

The document maps the 4IR readiness of SADC member states, identifying critical gaps in ICT infrastructure, data affordability, and digital skills. Through case studies of South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, it highlights how policy inconsistency, lack of competition, and a deficit in STEM education hinder technological adoption. It advocates for 'agile governance' and integrated science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies to bridge the digital divide and recommends that the SADC Secretariat focus on skills and awareness to create a regional enabling environment.

The report examines South Africa's historical and recent involvement in Burundi, highlighting a transition from significant military and diplomatic leadership during the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement to a more peripheral role following Burundi's 2015 political crisis. While South Africa has provided tangible support in electoral capacity building and civil service training, the report finds that bilateral agreements have been implemented in a fragmented manner. It emphasizes the value of 'citizen diplomacy' through civil society and academic exchanges, particularly in supporting Burundi's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The authors argue that South Africa should leverage its remaining political capital and technical expertise through a holistic strategy that navigates complex regional dynamics involving the East African Community (EAC) and the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

The August 2019 Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) struggle to define 'unconstitutional changes of government' in the context of popular uprisings in Algeria and Sudan. It highlights the risks of increasing foreign military presence, particularly in the Horn of Africa, and the resulting rivalry between global powers like the US and China. The report also advocates for the inclusion of women in Sudan's peace process and warns of potential political instability in Côte d’Ivoire ahead of the 2020 elections. Finally, it discusses the limited access civil society organizations have to AU and regional economic community structures.

The document details the efforts of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) to support Namibian civil society organisations (CSOs) in engaging with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Following Namibia's accession to the APRM in January 2017, CSOs formed a working group in 2018 to identify 13 critical governance issues and produce a written submission presented on 21 June 2019. The brief outlines ten lessons for other countries, emphasizing the need for early familiarity with the APRM, strategic issue selection, government engagement to build trust, and the use of peer learning from other states. It concludes that the process not only pressured the Namibian government to accelerate its national APRM process but also led to the creation of 'Civic +264', a new information hub for civil society coordination.

The briefing argues that while private sector financing is often promoted to bridge Africa's infrastructure deficit, it carries significant risks including higher costs, a lack of development mandates, and extreme risk aversion. It suggests that public funds should be strategically targeted toward social infrastructure and project preparation where private interest is low, while emphasizing the need for capacity building to prevent exploitation and improve project quality.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) requested access to internal reports and findings from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) regarding Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Assessments conducted in specific water management areas and water transfer projects.