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In 2019, IDFC members committed $197 billion in green finance, a 47% increase from 2018. Climate finance dominated this total at 95% ($187 billion), with mitigation projects receiving the largest share ($163.5 billion), primarily in transport and renewable energy. Adaptation finance grew for the third consecutive year to $19 billion. The majority of finance (74%) originated from non-OECD institutions and was largely deployed domestically, with the East Asia and Pacific region receiving the largest geographic share (69%). Loans remained the primary instrument, accounting for 95% of commitments.

The report highlights a gap between the existing policy frameworks and the actual operational capabilities of countries in the Western Indian Ocean to respond to marine pollution. It uses the 2020 MV Wakashio grounding in Mauritius to demonstrate that national contingency plans alone are insufficient. The author argues that regional cooperation is hindered by limited funding and technical capacity, and recommends the urgent adoption of the draft regional contingency plan and the creation of a Regional Coordination Centre, likely hosted by South Africa, to standardise training and response efforts.

The SADC region possesses the raw minerals necessary for lithium-ion battery production but currently exports most as raw materials, missing value-addition opportunities. While South Africa has some R&D and assembly capabilities, the region lacks battery EV manufacturing plants due to policy gaps, infrastructure deficits, and a limited local market. The paper argues for regional collaboration, alignment with the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, and a 'just transition' to create jobs and economic growth.

The 'Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape' report analyzes financial commitments for electrification and clean cooking in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia for the year 2018. It finds that current investment levels are significantly below the requirements to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) by 2030, with a notable misalignment between where funds are allocated and where the greatest energy needs exist.

The 2020 Energizing Finance report finds a widening gap between actual and required investment for universal energy access, with funding failing to reach the countries with the greatest need. In 2018, only USD 16 billion of the required USD 41 billion for residential electrification was tracked in high-impact countries, and clean cooking finance remained far below the USD 4.5 billion annual requirement. The report highlights a concerning shift toward fossil fuel-generated electricity and a lack of private sector investment in clean cooking, urging a move away from business-as-usual approaches toward coordinated, sustainable financing.

The document outlines a readiness project implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support 13 accredited and applicant Direct Access Entities (DAEs) within the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). The project aims to remove barriers to GCF accreditation and funding by providing technical assistance for fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender policies, and by developing climate finance tools for risk and impact assessment. Key deliverables include an IDFC-GCF Toolkit, a joint DAE-IDFC Work Program, and the development of multi-country concept notes focusing on climate-resilient recovery post-COVID-19, specifically targeting MSMEs and vulnerable populations in sectors like renewable energy and sustainable land use.

The document outlines the role of community protocols in implementing Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) frameworks, emphasizing that these protocols should be community-led and tailored to specific local contexts rather than standardized. It details how protocols help communities define their rights, manage resources like Rooibos and Buchu, and negotiate with industry actors. The text highlights the necessity of government support, legal recognition, and a holistic approach that integrates customary laws with national and international rights to ensure sustainable resource management and fair benefit sharing.

The document outlines practical guidance and case studies on using community protocols to manage biological and genetic resources. It emphasizes that protocols should be community-led, adapted to local contexts rather than standardized, and integrated into national legal frameworks to ensure transparency for industry and the protection of indigenous rights.

The report examines the AU's efforts to adapt counter-terrorism operations through the African Standby Force, the impact of COVID-19 on election observation, and the need for incumbents to step down during elections to ensure fairness. It also analyzes the tension between the principle of inviolable colonial borders and secessionist movements, such as in Ghana, and discusses the complexities of harmonizing a common African position in negotiations with the European Union.

The document examines how SADC member states can leverage their vast reserves of EV-related minerals and metals (EVMM) to move from raw material export to regional beneficiation. It highlights the need for a public-private EVMM working group and coalition to coordinate value chains, formalise artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), and implement a circular economy approach to mining waste. The brief emphasizes that a regional 'green deal' and the finalisation of the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) are essential for a just transition to a low-carbon economy.

SEforALL has transitioned to a strategic model that combines global agenda-setting with data-driven in-country implementation. Key achievements include the launch of the Universal Energy Facility for mini-grids in Sierra Leone and Madagascar, support for Nigeria's 5 million solar connections programme, and the development of 'Recover Better' guides for the Caribbean and Southeast Asia to integrate sustainable energy into COVID-19 recovery. The organization is also leading preparations for the 2021 UN High-Level Dialogue on Energy and co-chairing the Energy Transition Council for COP26.

The document argues that mitigating violent extremism in Southern Africa requires leveraging the youth demographic, who are both victims and perpetrators of the insurgency in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province. It highlights that youth vulnerability to radicalisation is driven by governance deficits, poverty, and marginalisation. The brief recommends that the Mozambican government, SADC, and the AU move beyond military responses to include youth-led interventions such as interfaith dialogue, policy advocacy for empowerment, and support for the reintegration of former fighters.

The document examines the state of regional integration in Africa and Southern Africa, specifically within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies significant gaps in infrastructure and productive integration, noting that while South Africa is the continent's most integrated country, the region as a whole struggles with poverty, unemployment, and poor governance. The author proposes seven dynamic opportunities for recovery: reshaping manufacturing for self-reliance, sustaining pan-African cooperation, closing the digital skills gap, addressing and financing infrastructure deficiencies, establishing infrastructure management systems, and enhancing integrated decision-making through potential supranational organisation. The paper concludes that South Africa must lead these efforts to reclaim regional agency and advance the African Union's Agenda 2063.

The document maps local procurement regulations in the SADC region, distinguishing between demand-side policies (encouraging companies to buy locally) and supply-side interventions (supporting local supplier capacity). It finds that while most SADC countries have some form of local procurement requirement, the level of detail varies significantly, with the DRC, Namibia, South Africa, and Tanzania employing specific targets and plans, while others rely on vague 'best effort obligations'.

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 IEU report for the first half of 2020 outlines the progress of several major evaluations, including assessments of the GCF's country ownership approach, environmental and social safeguards, and the Simplified Approval Process. It highlights the unit's efforts to integrate behavioural science through the new Behaviour and Design Lab (BaDLab) and the LORTA programme. The report also details extensive communication efforts via webinars and social media to increase the uptake of evaluation findings, and provides a budget update showing a total expenditure and commitment of USD 2,447,221 against a 2020 budget of USD 5,581,985 as of 30 April 2020.

The report examines the impact of gas exploration in Mozambique, specifically in Cabo Delgado province. It alleges that French government support for energy companies like Total and financial institutions has exacerbated a cycle of corruption and violence. The document highlights a 2013 naval contract scandal that led to a financial crisis and links the militarization of gas infrastructure to the displacement of local communities and human rights abuses. Furthermore, it warns that the projected gas emissions from these projects represent a 'climate bomb' that contradicts France's stated climate goals.

The report details how France's economic diplomacy and financial support for gas projects in Mozambique, specifically in the Cabo Delgado region, have contributed to a cycle of debt, corruption, and violence. It highlights the 'tuna bonds' scandal involving the CMN shipyards and the subsequent militarization of gas sites, which has led to significant human rights violations and the displacement of local populations. The document further argues that these projects are 'climate bombs' that contradict France's international climate commitments and threaten the biodiversity of the Quirimbas biosphere.

The document details how French involvement in Mozambique's gas sector—through companies like Total and TechnipFMC and banks such as Crédit Agricole—has contributed to a cycle of debt, corruption, and human rights abuses. It highlights the 'tuna bonds' scandal, where illicit debts were contracted to fund a defense program under the guise of fishing. In Cabo Delgado, the report links gas projects to an insurgency that has caused over 1,100 deaths and displaced 100,000 people, noting that militarization prioritizes corporate assets over civilians. Environmentally, the report warns that three developing gas projects could emit greenhouse gases equivalent to seven years of France's total emissions, threatening the biodiversity of the Quirimbas biosphere reserve.

The document details how climate change threatens the bio-cultural resources and traditional knowledge of African indigenous peoples, specifically within Indigenous peoples' and local communities' conserved territories and areas (ICCAs) and pastoralist communities. It highlights the use of traditional knowledge and 'Community Protocols' as essential tools for climate adaptation and the protection of customary laws. Finally, it outlines the severe risks faced by cultural rights defenders in Africa, including land grabbing, physical violence, and criminalization, while recommending the establishment of defender funds and coordinated monitoring to protect these activists.