Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing note provides data on proven oil reserves in Africa, citing BP as the source. It identifies the total reserves for the continent and specifies the five countries holding the vast majority of these reserves.

The November 2023 Peace & Security Council Report examines the diplomatic implications of the first Saudi-Africa summit, the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council's A3 members, the precarious state of South Sudan's transition toward elections, and the AU's efforts to integrate youth into peacebuilding and economic integration via AfCFTA.

This report examines the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the Sahel, focusing on Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. It identifies six critical 'nodes' in tri-border areas that facilitate the flow of weapons. Key drivers of demand include security crises, personal safety, and climate-induced resource conflicts. The report highlights that a significant portion of illicit arms are produced locally or leak from state arsenals, and that profits from this trade are often laundered through real estate. Despite existing regional frameworks like the ECOWAS Convention, the report concludes that national implementation remains the primary obstacle to controlling proliferation.

A September 2023 briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzing the renewable energy transition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It highlights a significant increase in operational and prospective solar and wind capacity, while noting a heavy reliance on fossil fuels for electricity and a strategic pivot toward high-risk green hydrogen exports over domestic decarbonization.

This research paper examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) stemming from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It analyzes how smuggling proceeds are generated, moved through formal and informal channels, and laundered into legitimate sectors. The report highlights a significant gap between the existence of anti-money laundering policies and their practical implementation, noting that financial intelligence units in both countries lack the resources and expertise to effectively 'follow the money' in smuggling cases.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the health cooperation between Germany and African states, arguing that current partnerships are rooted in colonial legacies and lack genuine reciprocity. The author contends that recent shifts toward 'securitization' of health—prioritizing global health security and economic interests—often override the needs of marginalized populations and the goal of strengthening local health systems.

This special report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of agriculture, water access, and climate change in Algeria, forecasting development pathways to 2040. It highlights the country's vulnerability to commodity shocks, low agricultural productivity, and the severe socio-economic risks posed by rising temperatures and sea-level rise.

This research paper examines the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the West African Sahel, focusing on Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. It identifies specific tri-border 'nodes' that facilitate trafficking and analyzes the socio-economic and security drivers, key actors, and the impact of these flows on regional stability and local economies.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the effectiveness of African Union (AU) mechanisms, specifically the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Africa Governance Report (AGR), in improving governance across Africa. The author concludes that governance standards have generally remained static or declined since 1996, and that while APRM membership correlates with better performance, the review process itself does not guarantee improvement.

This research paper examines the historical and contemporary health cooperation between Germany and African nations, arguing that these relations remain unequal and lack reciprocity. The author contends that while Germany promotes multilateralism and health security, its actions often prioritize economic interests and security over the public health needs and autonomy of African partners, calling for a decolonial shift toward health and climate justice.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Tunisia's development trajectory toward 2040. It examines the country's current economic stagnation, demographic shifts, and vulnerabilities to climate change, while proposing three alternative policy pathways—Going for Growth, Leapfrogging, and Sustainability & Equality—to unlock the nation's human capital and improve governance.

This research paper assesses bilateral climate finance provided between 2016 and 2020 to ten developing countries with low governance scores, identifying a heavy skew toward mitigation and a concentration of funding from Japan to Uzbekistan.

The May 2023 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) responses to crises in Sudan and Chad, the slow adoption of structural vulnerability assessments, the complexities of the AU-EU partnership, and the challenges facing the 'Silencing the Guns' initiative.

A Global Energy Monitor briefing on the expansion of gas extraction in Africa, highlighting a shift toward new market entrants and the associated climate and socio-economic risks.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) has issued a call for concept notes for its 'From Knowledge to Action' program, which provides grants to African organizations to support locally-led, inclusive, and climate-resilient actions by mobilizing indigenous and local knowledge.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has seen a 57% increase in operational renewable energy capacity since May 2022, though it remains heavily dependent on oil and gas for over 90% of its electricity. While there is a massive pipeline of future projects totaling 361 GW, approximately 60% of this capacity is earmarked for green hydrogen production and export rather than domestic decarbonization.

This December 2022 briefing by Global Energy Monitor examines the planned US$245 billion expansion of gas infrastructure in Africa. It highlights a significant imbalance where investments in LNG export terminals and pipelines for international markets—driven by Europe's short-term energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine—far outweigh investments in domestic power generation and renewable energy, creating a high risk of stranded assets.

This December 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the expansion of gas infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant imbalance where investments are heavily skewed toward export terminals rather than domestic energy access. The report warns that the surge in interest driven by Europe's need to replace Russian gas creates a high risk of 'stranded assets' and diverts funding from renewable energy and local electrification.

This December 2022 briefing by Global Energy Monitor examines the expansion of gas infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant trend toward export-oriented projects driven by Europe's energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report warns that prioritizing LNG exports over domestic energy needs and renewable energy investments risks creating stranded assets and hindering universal electricity access on the continent.

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the expansion of gas infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant trend toward export-oriented projects driven by Europe's short-term energy needs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The document argues that the focus on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports and pipelines risks creating 'stranded assets' and diverts investment from domestic energy access and renewable energy.