Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief, produced by the Institute for Security Studies as part of the African Futures Project, uses the International Futures (IFs) model to analyze the impact of improving water and sanitation access across Africa. It argues that an aggressive annual improvement rate of just under 2 percentage points could significantly reduce child malnutrition and infant mortality, increase GDP, and lower the probability of state failure by 2050.

This 2002 situation report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a detailed overview of refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) populations across Africa. It defines the legal distinctions between refugees and IDPs, provides statistical data on populations of concern to the UNHCR as of 2000/2001, and analyzes regional trends in displacement driven by conflict, drought, and economic decline.

This report examines the roles of UN agencies and the implementation of the integrated mission concept within the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). It focuses on the coordination between military and civilian actors (CIMIC) to deliver humanitarian aid following Liberia's civil war, analyzing the tensions between military security mandates and the neutrality principles of humanitarian organizations.

A letter dated February 24, 2014, addressed to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim from a coalition of 168 organizations and individuals, urging the revival of B-SPAN, the Bank's Internet-based webcasting system.

This document is a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, provided by a coalition including Natural Justice and Forest Peoples Programme. It outlines the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in biodiversity conservation, highlighting successful local practices, systemic barriers such as 'fortress conservation' and non-recognition of land rights, and the increasing risks faced by environmental defenders.

This report by Natural Justice details trends in threats against environmental defenders in Africa from January 2022 to December 2024, based on data from the African Environmental Defenders Fund. It highlights a high prevalence of non-lethal attacks, particularly in East Africa, driven by extractive industries and government interests, and examines the specific gendered violence faced by women defenders.

This report by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) outlines best practices for using decentralised renewable energy (DRE) to electrify rural health care facilities. It argues that DRE is the most cost-effective and rapid solution for providing essential power for medical equipment, vaccines, and emergency services, particularly in the context of pandemics like COVID-19. The document proposes a public-private partnership model combining 'smart grants' for initial capital and market-based compensation mechanisms, such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), to ensure long-term financial and technical sustainability. It includes 16 case studies from various regions to demonstrate diverse delivery models and technological applications.

This research paper by Amanda Lucey argues for the integration of peace and security into the discourse of South-South Cooperation (SSC), specifically in the context of the BAPA+40 conference. The author contends that while the original 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) focused on economic and social development, the contemporary African reality necessitates a holistic approach where peace and development are viewed as mutually reinforcing.

This research paper examines the expanding diplomatic and economic relationship between China and Africa, highlighting a shift from aid-driven engagement to a commercial partnership dominated by trade and investment. While noting the potential for African economic growth and infrastructure development, the document also addresses concerns regarding debt sustainability, the impact of cheap imports on local industries, and the lack of transparency in Chinese lending.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines Germany's evolving foreign policy and economic relations with Africa, with a specific focus on its 'strategic partnership' with South Africa. It details the transition from Cold War-era ideological instrumentalisation to a post-2000 policy of concentrated bilateral aid and partnerships for reform, while contextualising these efforts within Germany's own domestic economic challenges and its role within the European Union.

This policy briefing, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2015, compares the Open Government Partnership (OGP) with other international peer-review mechanisms, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the UN's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention Review (OECDA). It argues that the OGP's flexible, civil-society-led approach offers unique benefits for transparency and governance, and suggests that African nations should seek OGP membership and harmonise it with existing review obligations.

This fact sheet by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) outlines various donor-funded financing programs available for renewable energy manufacturing and clean energy innovation, primarily targeting Africa and other developing regions.

This guide describes an economic model developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and AllOn to analyze the Nigerian solar upstream value chain. The tool evaluates the economic viability, job creation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with three market scenarios: the importation of products, local assembly, and local manufacturing of solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids.

This policy brief introduces the Transnational Climate Impacts (TCI) Index, a framework developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute to measure country-level exposure to climate risks that cross national borders. The brief argues that globalization connects countries through biophysical, financial, human, and trade pathways, meaning that even wealthy nations with low direct physical vulnerability can be highly exposed to transnational climate risks. It recommends that the UNFCCC and national governments integrate these transnational dimensions into adaptation planning and finance to ensure global economic stability.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes environmental and social risk management for overseas investments, specifically providing lessons for Chinese companies. Through six case studies of non-Chinese multinational companies, the paper demonstrates that strong risk management benefits companies, while weak management leads to financial loss and reputational damage.

This fact sheet describes the Solidarity for Environmental Defenders (STAND) initiative, a collaboration between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED). The initiative aims to support Local Environmental Defenders (LEDs) who face security risks, criminalization, and violence, particularly in countries dependent on extractive industries or large-scale infrastructure.