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The NAP Global Network's 2018-2019 progress report outlines its efforts to enhance national adaptation planning in developing countries through peer learning, technical assistance, and donor coordination. Key achievements include supporting Fiji's first NAP launch, facilitating gender-responsive planning in Africa, and promoting private sector engagement in Ghana, Saint Lucia, and Vietnam. The Network provided technical support to 33 countries this year and continues to focus on aligning NAPs with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to foster climate-resilient development.

The document reports that 1.05 billion people remained at the highest risk of cooling insecurity in 2019, down from 1.1 billion in 2018. It identifies the 'Critical 9' countries with the largest populations at high risk, including India, China, and Nigeria, and notes that China and India have already developed National Cooling Plans, while Brazil, Nigeria, and Bangladesh are currently developing them.

The document analyzes the soybean value chains in Malawi and Zambia, identifying production and marketing bottlenecks that hinder smallholder competitiveness. It evaluates 'bottom-up' interventions (inputs, efficiency, market information) and 'top-down' models (off-takers, commodity exchanges), arguing that an integrated approach combining both is necessary for industrial development and regional value chain formation in the SADC region.

The document examines the sunflower value chain in Malawi, noting that while the crop is drought-tolerant and suitable for smallholders, its industry is underdeveloped compared to soybean. Key constraints include a lack of certified seed, weak extension services, and competition from cheaper, smuggled palm oil. However, recent developments such as a new Seed Policy (May 2018), the removal of VAT on edible oil in 2017, and the establishment of a 'fridge-free' margarine factory by Sunseed Oil in 2017 provide pathways for growth. The briefing recommends increased collaboration between processors, government, and farmer organisations to promote certified seeds and the use of sunflower cake in animal feed.

The document argues that while individual CVF countries have low emissions, their collective impact is significant, equivalent to the world's fifth largest emitter. It provides a 'menu of options' for updating NDCs across key sectors—energy, transport, forests, and agriculture—while emphasizing the need for enhanced international finance, technology transfer, and robust national legal frameworks to implement these ambitions.

At its 21st meeting in October 2018, the GCF Board approved 19 new projects and programmes totaling USD 1.04 billion in GCF investment to support over USD 4 billion in climate action across more than 50 countries. The Board also accredited 16 new entities, appointed the World Bank as the Fund's Trustee, and launched the process for the GCF's first formal replenishment to be concluded by October 2019. Governance updates included the establishment of a Performance Oversight Committee and the appointment of Javier Manzanares as Executive Director ad interim.

The document identifies a significant gap between South Africa's stated goal of harnessing the strategic potential of African migration and its implementation of restrictive policies. While the Department of Home Affairs has proposed progressive measures like SADC visas and regularisation schemes, these have stalled. Instead, the government is fast-tracking the Border Management Authority Bill and the Refugees Amendment Act of 2017, and pursuing the construction of expensive asylum processing centres. The author argues that these measures are based on unsubstantiated claims that low-skilled migrants and asylum seekers pose security risks, and that they distract from endemic administrative corruption and management failures within the Department of Home Affairs.

The study evaluates the impacts of sugarcane and jatropha biofuels in sub-Saharan Africa, finding that while sugarcane offers carbon-sequestration benefits and positive socioeconomic impacts for workers, jatropha failed to benefit local communities due to market collapse and low yields. Additionally, the adoption of household ethanol stoves in Maputo was hindered by high costs.

The document analyzes how climate change increases the frequency and intensity of 'billion-dollar' disasters, straining national budgets and widening the 'protection gap'—the difference between total economic losses and insured losses. It details the transition from traditional actuarial science to forward-looking 'cat models' and geospatial modeling to price risk. To address 'tail risks' and the lack of insurability in vulnerable regions, the text highlights alternative mechanisms: catastrophe bonds for capital market risk transfer, microinsurance (parametric insurance) for low-income populations, and sovereign risk pools for multi-country coverage. It also notes the codification of insurance in international frameworks like the Paris Agreement's 'Loss and Damage' pillar and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The report examines the economic landscape of SADC, noting a decline in intra-regional trade and investment since 2013 and a persistent overdependence on primary commodities. It identifies key barriers to integration, including non-tariff barriers, infrastructure gaps in energy and transport, and a lack of policy harmonisation. While the report highlights the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), it argues that sustainable growth requires a shift toward regional sector complementarity and the creation of regional value chains (RVCs) to reduce vulnerability to global commodity price shocks.

The document analyzes the role of insurance in mitigating the fiscal shocks of climate change, highlighting the growing 'protection gap' where economic losses far exceed insured amounts. It details the shift from historical actuarial data to forward-looking 'catastrophe models' and explores innovative tools such as catastrophe bonds, microinsurance, and sovereign risk pools. The text also discusses the integration of insurance into international climate governance frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The document outlines findings from a multi-year research project on FDI in SADC, highlighting that while FDI can catalyze regional trade and economic development, its success is heavily dependent on governance, policy certainty, and the transition from donor-led to private-sector-led investment. It examines the FDI regimes of South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania, alongside specific analyses of the energy, transport, and agricultural sectors (specifically macadamia nuts and soybeans). The briefing concludes that regional value chains in SADC remain limited and that the primary barriers to deeper integration are trade facilitation and the lack of private sector opportunities rather than a lack of financing.

The Innovations for Resilience Convening, co-hosted by the Global Resilience Partnership, WFP, UNDP, and 1BC, focused on the role of technology and cross-sector partnerships in building community resilience. The report identifies key barriers to scaling innovations—such as rigid funding cycles and risk aversion—and showcases specific projects including satellite-based credit in the Horn of Africa, drone mapping in the Maldives, and hydroponics in Algeria. It emphasizes the need for 'disruptive change' and a 'fail fast' mindset to move from gradual development improvements to exponential growth in resilience.

The document assesses the operationalisation of the SADC Regional Development Fund (RDF), arguing that while the fund aims to mobilise resources for regional integration and infrastructure, its success is hindered by the poor fiscal positions of member states and a critical lack of bankable projects. The authors highlight a significant financing gap in early-stage project preparation, noting that 69% of SADC PIDA projects remain in early development. The paper suggests that the RDF should prioritise early-stage project support over general project finance and recommends absorbing the existing SADC Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) to leverage existing expertise and reduce setup costs. It also addresses the political dynamics of South Africa's economic dominance and the over-reliance on international cooperating partners (ICPs), proposing capacity-building initiatives to improve project conceptualisation and regulatory harmonisation across borders.

The SADC region faces a significant electricity supply-demand gap, with 68% of residents lacking access and a heavy reliance on coal, primarily driven by South Africa. The report argues for a dual approach: strengthening the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through better regional regulation and transboundary projects, and scaling up renewable energy mini-grids in rural areas. It highlights that while the region has vast solar, wind, and hydro potential, investment is hindered by poor policy frameworks and the financial insolvency of national utilities.

The paper examines the macadamia nut sectors in South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi to identify opportunities for regional value chain development and smallholder inclusion. It highlights South Africa's position as a global production leader and potential value-adding partner, while noting that Malawi and Mozambique face challenges such as limited technical knowledge, poor infrastructure, and a lack of extension services. The document recommends establishing a regional industry body for SADC producers and improving economies of scale through collaboration and the creation of local markets for industrialized macadamia products.

The report examines the systemic marginalization of women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), where they constitute 30% of the global workforce but are often relegated to low-value, non-digging roles. It identifies key bottlenecks, including lack of access to land, finance, and geological data, as well as cultural taboos and discriminatory legal frameworks. The document argues for gender-mainstreaming in formalization processes, the creation of women-specific financial products, and the strengthening of female miners' associations to improve women's economic independence and influence in the sector.

The document analyzes the macadamia nut industry in Southern Africa, focusing on the disparity between the advanced sector in South Africa and the emerging industries in Malawi and Mozambique. It highlights the barriers smallholder farmers face, such as high entry costs, lack of technical support, and poor infrastructure. While South Africa is a global leader in production, the report argues that a regional value chain is hindered by a lack of cooperation, differing national capacities, and a heavy reliance on exporting nut-in-shell (NIS) to China. It recommends establishing regional industry bodies, improving domestic processing capabilities, and enhancing technical support for smallholders to move beyond raw material exports.

The document outlines the critical role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, emphasizing that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. It identifies key opportunities, such as strengthening accountability and fostering cross-sectoral partnerships, alongside significant challenges including the lack of common metrics for success and inadequate technical capacity. To address these, the briefing proposes emerging solutions focused on stakeholder alignment, resource strengthening, and improving data quality, such as using sex-disaggregated data and leveraging Information and Communication Technologies for data collection.

Malawi initiated its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process in 2014, completing a stocktaking exercise and establishing a roadmap. The process is managed by a core team of adaptation experts collaborating with cross-sectoral experts to identify long-term priorities. To support this, Malawi submitted a NAP formulation proposal to the Green Climate Fund with technical assistance from UNEP. The document identifies key climate impacts—including wildfires, drought, floods, rainfall variability, and increasing temperatures—and priority sectors for adaptation such as agriculture, fisheries, health, infrastructure, energy, forestry, water, wildlife, and gender.