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The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is an alliance of six organizations providing research, advisory services, and knowledge sharing to help developing countries integrate climate resilience and low-carbon growth into their national policies. The network focuses on four strategic themes: climate-compatible development strategies, improving access to climate finance, disaster risk management, and supporting Least Developed Country (LDC) negotiators. CDKN operates across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, implementing projects such as national climate strategies in Rwanda, disaster-resilient reconstruction in Pakistan, and urban adaptation planning in Colombia and Ecuador.

The WACDEP capacity development programme (2012-2015) trained approximately 140 participants across eight African countries to identify and implement 'no/low regret' investments for water security. The programme emphasized national ownership, the use of local trainers, and the integration of training with active national policy processes. Key results included the enhancement of Burkina Faso's National Adaptation Planning process, the development of a funded urban flood management project in Maputo, Mozambique, and the revision of water and land planning Terms of Reference in Tunisia. The brief concludes that decentralised management and mentor-supported learning are critical for translating capacity building into tangible development outcomes.

The policy brief emphasizes that water security is a prerequisite for growth and development in Africa, noting that climate variability can significantly reduce GDP. It advocates for a strategy of 'no/low regret' investments—those that provide returns regardless of the climate scenario—to address the 'adaptation deficit' and minimize risks. The document calls for cross-sectoral coordination, increased investment in water management, and the exploitation of specialized climate adaptation funding, such as the potential Green Climate Fund, to build long-term resilience.

The document outlines a three-step process for NDC implementation: preparatory work, plan elaboration, and execution. It emphasizes a holistic approach across five key modules: governance, mitigation, adaptation, finance, and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV). The guide stresses the importance of integrating climate actions into national development planning, ensuring gender sensitivity, and aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report finds that while most International Financial Institutions (IFIs) commit to gender equality, their actual policies are often weak, understaffed, and poorly resourced. The African Development Bank and Asian Development Bank are identified as having the most receptive accountability mechanisms for gender-related complaints, whereas the IMF, EIB, and EBRD are noted for significant gaps in both policy and redress options.

The report identifies six key mechanisms that taxonomies use to manage the transition of high-emission activities: periodic review of evolving criteria, forward-looking criteria, gradation, specific measures, sunset dates/phase-out guidelines, and transition plan requirements. It analyzes these mechanisms across different taxonomy archetypes—binary, 'traffic light', mixed, and standalone—and provides case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, and China to demonstrate their practical application. The document emphasizes that while no single mechanism is inherently superior, their credibility depends on robust governance, science-based pathways, and the avoidance of carbon lock-in.

The report analyzes the role of taxonomies in climate transition finance, identifying six specific mechanisms used to define and evaluate transitional activities. It examines different taxonomy archetypes—binary, traffic-light, and mixed—and provides case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, China, and others to illustrate how these mechanisms are integrated to ensure credible decarbonization pathways.

The report identifies six core mechanisms used by taxonomies to manage the transition of hard-to-abate sectors: revision of criteria over time, forward criteria, shading, measures, sunset dates, and transition plan requirements. It analyzes these mechanisms across different taxonomy archetypes—binary, traffic light, and mixed—using case studies from the EU, Australia, Singapore, Rwanda, and China to demonstrate how static criteria can be used to assess a dynamic decarbonization process.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance and its partners call for a total phase-out of fossil fuels, health-centered adaptation planning, and strategic climate financing to prevent catastrophic impacts on global health. The statement emphasizes a 'Health in All Policies' approach, arguing that the transition to renewable energy is a public health imperative that could save 3.6 million lives annually. It further advocates for the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund to address health losses, the promotion of sustainable plant-rich diets to prevent 11 million premature deaths, and the exclusion of fossil fuel industry influence from UNFCCC policy-making.

The report evaluates the South African Green Finance Taxonomy (SA GFT) across three pillars: Make Substantial Contribution (MSC), Do No Significant Harm (DNSH), and Minimum Social Safeguards (MSS). While the SA GFT shows high international alignment in its environmental objectives and sectoral coverage, it faces significant usability challenges regarding the DNSH and MSS pillars. Key recommendations include introducing more flexible alignment classifications (e.g., 'eligible' vs 'aligned'), increasing the use of quantitative thresholds, and integrating national regulations like the B-BBEE Act into the social safeguards framework. The report also suggests establishing a dedicated working group and an integrated disclosure framework to reduce the compliance burden on reporting entities.

The document outlines how grants function as direct fund transfers to support climate projects with low commercial potential, acting as a tool to de-risk investments and build institutional capacity. It categorizes grants into development, technical assistance, and project preparation facilities, and identifies key providers ranging from philanthropic foundations and multilateral development banks to vertical climate funds like the Green Climate Fund. The guide details the capacity requirements for recipients, the pathways for financial market readiness across shallow, emerging, and mature markets, and the specific challenges—such as complex reporting and donor fragmentation—that hinder effective uptake.

The document defines guarantees as instruments that transfer risk from transaction parties to third parties, such as multilateral development banks or governments, to lower borrowing costs and crowd in private capital. It details the types of risks covered—commercial, political, and market—and identifies key sectors for application, including energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, agriculture, and green manufacturing. The guide outlines the internal and regulatory capacities governments need to act as either beneficiaries or guarantors, categorizes financial market readiness into shallow, emerging, and mature markets, and discusses challenges such as time horizon misalignments and a lack of bankable project pipelines.

The report details a workshop in Cameroon that led to the creation of the Réseau Afrique Carbone & Changement Climatique (RAC3), a network designed to amplify African civil society voices in carbon market negotiations. It highlights the historical under-representation of Africa in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and discusses the potential benefits of 'vintage restrictions' under the new Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) to encourage new projects. The event also addressed the role of African NGOs in monitoring the environmental integrity of aviation offsets under CORSIA and noted the need for increased advocacy to raise ambition regarding aviation emission reductions in Cameroon.

Carbon Market Watch argues for stringent rules to prevent double counting, 'hot air' credits, and the inclusion of REDD-plus in carbon markets. It advocates for a 'net atmospheric benefit' through discounting, the establishment of a share of proceeds for adaptation and loss and damage, and the integration of a human rights-based approach into the core agreement to protect vulnerable populations.

The report analyzes the FinTech ecosystem in East Africa, identifying key enablers such as high mobile penetration and gaps in traditional financial services. It details the value propositions of FinTechs in lending, payments, insurance, and investment management, while assessing the regional investment landscape. The document highlights a strong concentration of activity in Kenya and a significant reliance on foreign venture capital, particularly from the US and Europe. It also examines the role of partnerships between mobile network operators (MNOs) and banks, and identifies critical gaps in support infrastructure and regulatory clarity.

The report examines seven key credit innovations—scoretechs, invoicetechs, lending aggregators, telco-based lenders, pay-as-you-go (PAYG), peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, and edufintech—across South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. It finds that while digital metamorphosis is improving financial inclusion, credit access remains low, with domestic credit in sub-Saharan Africa at 39% of GDP. Telco-based lending is the most successful model in East Africa, while South Africa leads in MSME financing innovations. However, many models face challenges including high non-performing loans (NPLs), high cost of capital, and a lack of patient capital, particularly in education finance. The report recommends transitioning to hybrid customer acquisition models, leveraging blockchain to reduce fraud, and establishing more supportive regulatory sandboxes.

The report identifies that while insurance innovation exists across Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, it is not yet leveraged to reach underserved segments like MSMEs and rural inhabitants at scale. Key constraints include high mobile data costs, low consumer trust, a significant STEM skills gap, and risk-averse corporate boards. Regulatory frameworks are generally not seen as major barriers, but gaps remain in digital onboarding clarity and license categories for insurtechs. The document recommends that regulators move beyond formal regulation to use proactive market engagement, streamlined supervisory processes, and upgraded digital monitoring systems to foster inclusive insurance growth.

The report examines the financial lives of refugees in Uganda, focusing on the settlements of Nakivale, Bidibidi, Palorinya, and the capital, Kampala. It highlights a significant shift from regular employment to self-employment, with the share of refugees in regular jobs dropping from 25% in their home countries to 6% in Uganda. The average monthly income for refugees is 160,000 UGX, with Kampala having the highest median (205,000 UGX) and Palorinya the lowest (90,417 UGX). The study notes a strong adoption of new financial tools, specifically mobile money (increasing from 7% to 30%) and Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs). Women have shown significant economic progress, with their median monthly earnings nearly tripling from 46,000 UGX to 130,000 UGX. The report also identifies critical vulnerabilities, such as the high cost of charcoal and limited access to medical care, with 20% of refugees unable to afford necessary doctors or medicine.

The Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) project, launched in 2019 by FSD Africa, FSD Uganda, and Access to Finance Rwanda, aims to provide financial services to forcibly displaced people (FDPs). In Uganda, the project supported Equity Bank Uganda Limited, Vision Fund Uganda, and the Rural Finance Initiative, resulting in over 93,300 households registering on a digital platform and 65,484 households receiving digital payments. In Rwanda, Equity Bank Rwanda opened 57,000 accounts for refugees. The project has helped overcome barriers such as insufficient documentation and lack of financial history, with updated regulations now allowing over 600,000 refugees with attestation letters to access mobile-enabled services in Uganda.

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.