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The report examines the role of securitisation in developing African capital markets, noting that while South Africa has a mature market, other sub-Saharan regions remain nascent. It identifies significant barriers, including fragmented legal and tax frameworks, a lack of a 'ratings culture', and limited understanding among financial institutions. Despite these challenges, the study finds a substantial supply of securitisable assets in banking, microfinance, and fintech sectors. It recommends a holistic regulatory approach, the use of anchor investors from DFIs and MDBs, and the adoption of scalable structures like warehouse facilities to mobilise private capital and bridge the private credit gap.

The report examines eight innovative financial instruments—including the Adaptation Benefit Mechanism, biodiversity credits, carbon taxes, carbon trading, credit guarantees, debt-for-nature/climate resilience swaps, pooled investment funds, and sovereign green/sustainability-linked bonds—to bridge the climate finance gap in developing countries. It identifies common barriers such as limited institutional capacity, lack of robust project pipelines, and underdeveloped local capital markets. The document emphasizes that while these instruments can signal a government's commitment to climate action, their success depends on a supportive enabling environment characterized by effective leadership, clear taxonomies, and robust climate data. For least developed countries (LDCs), the report suggests a phased approach, first strengthening basic financial and legal prerequisites before focusing on 'climate investability'. It concludes with specific recommendations for donors and development partners to provide technical assistance, anchor investments, and pilot projects to scale up private sector mobilization.

The document argues that while WTO rules provide policy space for LDCs to build climate-resilient agriculture, these countries often lack the financial and technical capacity to utilize them. It recommends targeted assistance through Aid for Trade to design compliant subsidies, mapping of climate technologies to facilitate TRIPS-compliant transfers, and the establishment of exemptions for LDCs from food and fertilizer export bans to ensure food security amid climate shocks.

The report analyzes three case studies to demonstrate how purposeful, collective learning can improve climate adaptation planning. In Côte d’Ivoire, a national platform fostered a community of practice on the gender-climate nexus. Peru established a platform to integrate Indigenous Peoples' ancestral knowledge into its NAP. Rwanda implemented a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system to refine adaptation priorities. The report identifies key enabling factors such as inclusive leadership, legal institutionalization, and a culture of public accountability, while noting that sustained financial support remains a primary challenge for maintaining learning momentum.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) received unmodified audit opinions for its consolidated financial statements and its major federal program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Total assets decreased from $538.4 million in 2024 to $436.9 million in 2025, while total net assets fell from $489.4 million to $390.8 million. The Institute's programmatic spending for 2025 totaled $274.9 million, with the largest expenditures directed toward 'Food, Forests and Water, Ocean' and 'Climate, Economics, and Finance'. Federal expenditures for 2025 totaled $9.1 million, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The auditor identified no material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting or compliance for major federal programs.

The document argues that Africa's critical raw materials (CRMs) have triggered a resurgence of transactional deals where external powers provide security or infrastructure in exchange for resource access. It contrasts Russia's use of private military companies, the US's transactional 'peace-brokering' model, and China's 'infrastructure-for-resources' strategy, noting that these arrangements often prioritize foreign strategic gains over African long-term stability and sovereignty.

The report examines the evolution of state governance in the Global South, utilizing World Bank governance indicators and four global scenarios (Growth, Sustainable, Divided, and War) to project potential outcomes. It highlights a critical gap between political participation and institutional performance, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, and warns of the systemic risks posed by rising debt, digital divides, and climate vulnerability. The analysis suggests that future state legitimacy will shift from procedural norms toward tangible performance and hybrid governance models that integrate traditional and non-state authorities.

The HSBC India Framework is a Category I-2 sub-project under the Green Guarantee Company (GGC) programme, managed by MUFG Bank, Ltd. It aims to enhance capital deployment for clean energy initiatives in India through GGC guarantees. The framework adopts both HSBC's Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), based on the Equator Principles, and the GGC ESMS to manage risks. While specific transactions are not yet identified, the framework establishes that the more stringent requirement will apply if differences arise between the two ESMS. The project intends to avoid transactions impacting indigenous peoples' land and livelihoods, though land acquisition under IFC Performance Standard 5 may be triggered.

The document examines the evolution of National Youth Policies (NYPs) in Africa, noting a steep increase in adoption that peaked in 2020. While these policies frequently address education, employment, and health, they often neglect youth political participation and face significant implementation gaps. Adoption is driven more by political and institutional factors, such as democracy and administrative capacity, than by demographic needs.

The paper examines bioeconomy implementation in Colombia, Thailand, and East Africa, highlighting a common gap between high-level strategies and ground-level execution. In Colombia, the focus is on territorial strategies and balancing biodiversity conservation with sustainable use. Thailand emphasizes a Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) model driven by Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), though it faces challenges in including artisanal bioeconomy and smallholder farmers. East Africa utilizes a regional strategy (2022–2032) focusing on circularity and value addition, but struggles with infrastructure and funding. Cross-regional findings suggest that successful implementation requires robust monitoring, tailored capacity building, diverse financial support, and inclusive governance.

Africa's nitrogen fertilizer consumption is 5.5x below the global average, leaving 50 million small family farmers at a disadvantage due to high costs and price volatility of imported 'gray' fertilizers. The report argues that Distributed Green Ammonia (DGA) production—which is modular, smaller, and compatible with intermittent renewable energy—can provide a cheaper, more resilient local supply. It highlights emerging technologies such as novel Haber-Bosch systems, plasma catalysis, chemical looping, and direct electrochemical conversion. A commercial modular plant by TalusAg in Naivasha, Kenya, is cited as a proof of concept producing fertilizer over 50% cheaper than imports. Scaling these solutions requires cheap clean electricity, demand aggregation through partners like One Acre Fund, and access to local currency debt to mitigate currency volatility.

The report examines the role of intellectual property rights (IPR) in accelerating the adoption and development of green technologies across Africa. It highlights that while patents are often prohibitively expensive for African innovators, non-patent mechanisms like utility models, trademarks, and geographical indications (GIs) offer more accessible pathways for incremental innovation and market growth. The document analyzes the IPR landscapes of Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, noting that while these countries are emerging as greentech hubs, their legal frameworks often lack explicit provisions for green technology. It further discusses the influence of global agreements like the Paris Agreement and TRIPS, and regional initiatives such as the AfCFTA, arguing that harmonizing IPR systems and reducing registration costs are critical to unlocking Africa's potential in the global green economy.

A Global Witness investigation reveals that 17 of the world's least developed countries and largest US aid recipients have signed lobbying contracts worth over $21 million since November 2024. The report highlights a trend where nations facing humanitarian crises and aid freezes—such as Pakistan, the DRC, and Somalia—are bartering preferential access to critical minerals, oil, gas, and strategic ports for US political or military assistance. Many of these deals involve firms and individuals closely linked to Donald Trump's inner circle, creating a transactional 'America First' dynamic that Global Witness argues risks resource exploitation in fragile, conflict-affected states.

The document outlines a framework for reporting on National Adaptation Plan (NAP) progress, categorising methods into three primary objectives: monitoring activity status, evaluating performance and impact, and learning and communication. It provides a menu of 17 specific tools—ranging from low-effort checklists and traffic-light systems to high-effort indicator tracking and digital platforms—supported by real-world examples from countries such as Saint Lucia, Burkina Faso, and Finland. The guide emphasizes an iterative 'learning by doing' approach, the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and the alignment of national reporting with international commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.

The document outlines a structured approach to NAP progress reporting, categorized into three primary objectives: tracking activities, evaluating performance, and learning/communication. It provides a detailed toolkit of 17 specific methods—ranging from simple checklists and traffic-light systems to complex indicator tracking and digital platforms—supported by real-world examples from countries such as Saint Lucia, Burkina Faso, and Finland. The guide emphasizes an iterative 'learning by doing' approach, urging countries to start simply and integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) into their reporting frameworks.

The document outlines a framework for reporting progress on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), categorizing methods into three primary objectives: monitoring status, evaluating performance, and learning/communication. It provides step-by-step instructions for 17 different methods, ranging from low-effort checklists to high-effort digital platforms and indicator tracking. The guide emphasizes a 'learn-by-doing' approach, encouraging countries to start with simple methods and increase complexity as capacities grow, while ensuring the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI).

The report analyzes the first round of Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) under the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework, focusing on the voluntary adaptation sections (A-BTR). By reviewing 10 diverse countries, the authors find that while there is strong commitment to reporting, most countries lack comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems, leading to a gap in evidence regarding the actual effectiveness of adaptation actions. The report highlights significant reporting gaps for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), a lack of gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) integration, and insufficient transparency regarding financial flows.

WEAP is a comprehensive software tool for integrated water resources planning used by over 50,000 users in nearly 200 countries. It functions as a database, forecasting tool, and policy analysis system that balances water demand—including use patterns and allocation—with supply factors like streamflow and groundwater. The software features a GIS-based graphical interface and supports scenario-based analysis to evaluate the impacts of climate change, demographic shifts, and policy changes on water systems. It has been applied in diverse global contexts, including projects in China, Rwanda, Colombia, India, Nepal, and California, to support stakeholder dialogue and evaluate environmental flows.

The document examines the threats to Africa's development financing, including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, and high debt burdens. It proposes five ring-fencing mechanisms—public expenditure reviews, medium-term expenditure frameworks, independent funds, statutory protections, and debt-relief linkages—to ensure continuity in funding for education, infrastructure, and climate resilience. It further suggests that African governments frame development as complementary to security to leverage international financing and calls for reforms in the international financial architecture to support these protections.

The paper examines how the geopolitical contest between the US and China over critical minerals creates a strategic window for African countries to diversify investors and build domestic green value chains.