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The document warns that Namibia is expected to experience temperature increases exceeding the global average if global warming reaches 1.5°C. Projected impacts include increased heat, drought, and water scarcity, which threaten crops, livestock, and human health. It recommends diversifying agriculture, improving soil and water conservation, and strengthening community support systems to build resilience.

The document warns that a 1.5°C global temperature increase will result in a 2°C rise for Namibia, potentially within the next decade. This warming is expected to cause decreased annual rainfall, more frequent heat waves, and a loss of approximately 30% of species. Health risks include increased vulnerability to heat stroke and potential disease outbreaks in new areas, although malaria may decrease due to drier conditions. To adapt, the document recommends diversifying farming, implementing rangeland management, and practicing soil and water conservation.

The Strategic Framework for Water Security and Climate Resilient Development, developed by AMCOW and GWP, outlines a four-phase approach to identify and implement 'no/low regrets' investments in Africa. It emphasizes the critical link between water security and macroeconomic stability, noting that hydrological variability can significantly reduce GDP growth in several African nations. The framework advocates for a shift from isolated adaptation projects toward mainstreaming climate resilience within national budgeting and planning systems, such as Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks. It highlights the importance of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and the use of Robust Decision Making (RDM) to ensure investments perform well across multiple climate scenarios. The document also addresses the need for diverse financing strategies, leveraging both traditional development funds and specialized climate finance like the Green Climate Fund, while promoting a transition toward a Green Economy and the inclusion of gender equality in water management.

The document outlines the threats posed by bulk marine sediment mining, specifically the use of Trailing Suction Hopper-Dredge (TSHD) technology, and calls for a moratorium in South Africa to protect marine ecosystems and fisheries.

The document details the environmental and socio-economic risks associated with three marine phosphate prospecting rights granted in South Africa. It asserts that bulk marine sediment mining would lead to the permanent destruction of seabed habitats, threatening biodiversity and the fishing industry, which provides significant employment and revenue in the Western Cape. The text further argues that South Africa's legal framework, specifically the MPRDA and NEMA, is insufficient to regulate or monitor such activities, potentially leading to an unregulated industry with irreversible ecological consequences.

South Africa's Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy aims to maximise the economic value of its vast mineral reserves—including PGMs, manganese, and vanadium—by shifting from raw ore exports to local beneficiation and high-tech manufacturing. The strategy identifies a specific list of high, moderate-to-high, and moderate criticality minerals and proposes six pillars of intervention: geoscience mapping, value addition, R&D, infrastructure/energy security, financial instruments, and regulatory harmonisation. It emphasizes the need to overcome domestic bottlenecks in energy and logistics, foster regional integration within Africa, and navigate geopolitical tensions, particularly China's dominance in the supply chain, to secure a role in the global green energy transition.

The report warns that bulk marine sediment mining in the Western Cape would likely cause the 'effective destruction and removal of the benthic ecosystem' within mined areas, with recovery potentially taking decades or being permanent. It highlights significant spatial overlaps between proposed prospecting areas and vulnerable benthic habitats, priority conservation regions, and commercial trawl fisheries. Potential impacts include acoustic disturbance to marine mammals and fish, water-column chemistry alterations leading to hypoxia, and the re-suspension of heavy metals. The author argues that the permanent alteration of sea floor habitats is 'inevitable' with deep-sea dredging and calls for a cautious approach to protect biodiversity and sustainable fishery resources.

The document outlines a proposed spatial management system for South Africa's ocean space, divided into four bio-geographic Marine Planning Areas. It defines four high-level goals for Marine Spatial Planning: unlocking the ocean economy, engaging with the ocean, ensuring healthy marine ecosystems, and contributing to good ocean governance. The proposed system consists of general development guidelines, sector-specific guidelines, and a zoning scheme that categorizes sea use into primary, consent, and prohibited uses. Proposed zones include Conservation, Disposal, Fisheries, Heritage Conservation, Marine Aquaculture, Marine Tourism, Maritime Transport, Mining, Underwater Infrastructure, and Marine Special Economic Zones. These plans are intended to be integrated sustainable development tools that balance competing sectoral interests based on a sound evidence base and stakeholder consultation.

This draft report details a two-day parliamentary colloquium held on 21 and 22 August 2018 by the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. The event examined the ethical, conservation, and reputational impacts of captive lion breeding (CLB) for hunting and the lion bone trade, featuring testimony from government departments, industry bodies, and conservation NGOs.

The report values South Africa's commercial fishing industry, highlighting its significant contribution to the Western Cape's economy and the risks posed by marine phosphate mining. It finds that the hake and small-pelagic sectors are the most economically valuable, with substantial spatial overlap between their fishing grounds and proposed mining areas. The analysis warns that mining could lead to habitat destruction, water quality deterioration, and loss of MSC certification, while noting significant uncertainty regarding the actual scale of these impacts.

The Human Rights Committee (CCPR) addressed climate change in its 2023 state review procedure through two Concluding Observations and two Lists of Issues. Key focus areas included Brazil's lack of action on climate change and Amazon deforestation, mitigation efforts in Namibia and Pakistan, the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Namibia, Suriname, Brazil, and Jamaica, and the protection of environmental defenders in Panama and Serbia.

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass provided a platform for stakeholders from Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, and Uganda to explore how to manage the socio-economic disruptions of sustainable development transitions. The program combined webinars and an in-person workshop in Nairobi to discuss the definition of a 'just transition', the role of standalone frameworks versus integrated policies, and the impact of colonial resource extraction on current fiscal and governance capacities. Key findings highlight significant barriers to implementation, including a lack of disaggregated data for impact analysis, difficulties in accounting for the informal economy, and limited funding for the social components of transition, such as stakeholder dialogue and re-skilling. The report concludes with a set of best practices for developing holistic impact understandings, enabling participatory decision-making, and ensuring policy cohesion through co-created justice indicators.

The Africa Green Bond Toolkit, developed by FSD Africa and the Climate Bonds Initiative, serves as a practical manual for entities in Africa to issue green bonds. It outlines the structural differences between green and vanilla bonds, detailing how proceeds must be exclusively allocated to projects with environmental benefits. The document guides issuers through the pre-issuance phase—including the creation of a Green Bond Framework and independent verification—and the post-issuance phase, focusing on reporting and auditing. It highlights global benchmarks such as the Green Bond Principles (GBP) and the Climate Bonds Standard (CBS), while providing African case studies from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria to demonstrate investor demand and the role of credit guarantees in market development.

The 'Kit d’Outils d’Obligations Verte Afrique' is a practical guide developed by FSD Africa and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) to support the issuance of green bonds in Africa. It outlines the structural similarities between green and conventional bonds, while detailing the specific requirements for environmental benefit allocation, transparency, and reporting. The document explains global benchmarks such as the Green Bond Principles (GBP) and the Climate Bonds Standard (CBS), and provides a step-by-step issuance process including pre-emission preparation and post-emission verification. It also highlights successful case studies from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria to demonstrate investor demand and the role of credit guarantees in local market mobilization.

The FSD Africa and FSDAi venture finance portfolio consists of numerous funds and platforms targeting climate action, gender-lens investing, and financial inclusion across the African continent. Key climate-focused initiatives include Africa Climate Ventures, which aims to reduce 100 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030, and the Catalyst Fund, which targets 40 pre-seed climate resilience start-ups. Gender-focused funds such as Aruwa Capital and RiTA Fund I specifically address capital imbalances for female-led businesses. The portfolio also includes sector-specific vehicles for fintech (First Circle Capital), insurance (Inclusive Insurance Investment Fund), and renewable energy (Nithio, Spark Energy), utilizing a mix of equity, grants, and debt to catalyze private investment and drive sustainable economic growth.

The study examines how COVID-19 affected the fiscal positions and debt sustainability of MEFMI member countries, noting a sharp increase in average debt-to-GDP ratios from 63.6% in 2019 to 70.6% in 2020. It highlights the critical role of Local Currency Bond Markets (LCBMs) and international initiatives like the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in maintaining stability. The report identifies significant gaps in operational risk management, specifically the absence of business continuity plans in most member states, and recommends strengthening institutional capacity, technology investment, and the development of transparent debt management strategies to build future resilience.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp economic downturn in the MEFMI region, characterized by contracting GDP growth, widening fiscal deficits, and deteriorating external positions. To mitigate these effects, member states implemented a range of fiscal measures, such as VAT exemptions and social protection transfers, and monetary interventions, including cutting policy rates and reducing statutory reserve requirements. However, these responses, combined with lower revenues and higher borrowing costs, accelerated public debt accumulation and eroded debt-carrying capacity across the region. The document emphasizes the need for sustainable debt management, fiscal buffers, and economic diversification to build resilience against future shocks.

The report analyzes how MEFMI countries utilized external financing, including emergency facilities from the IMF and World Bank, to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. It details the shift in creditor composition toward bilateral and private lenders, the deterioration of debt risk ratings, and the specific policy responses adopted by member states. The document concludes with ten key lessons for public debt management during crises, emphasizing the importance of official external finance, operational risk management, and transparency.

The document outlines mandatory requirements and recommendations for various GCF funding proposals. General requirements for all proposals include signing a funded activity agreement (FAA), completing legal due diligence, and providing certification of the accredited entity's capacity. Specific conditions are detailed for several projects, including requirements for water reduction strategies in Barbados, technology procurement for pond water treatment in Bangladesh, and GHG emission analysis for cookstoves in Bangladesh. Additionally, the document provides recommendations for project implementation, such as ensuring O&M financing in Tajikistan and strengthening community knowledge management in Zambia.

The GCF approved USD 3.7 billion for 76 projects across 79 developing countries, targeting a reduction of 1.3 billion metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Key operational developments include the launch of the Simplified Approval Process (SAP) Pilot Scheme, the adoption of an Indigenous Peoples Policy, and the establishment of an Environmental and Social Policy. The fund is also preparing for its first formal replenishment process and expanding its private sector engagement through dedicated pilot programmes for MSMEs and resource mobilization at scale.