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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) issued a statement welcoming the G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders’ Declaration, while noting that the consensus-based nature of the outcome diluted transformative proposals and failed to deliver sufficient progress on climate and development challenges.

This technical paper, developed for the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group, advocates for an integrated approach to climate mitigation and socioeconomic development to support inclusive low-emission pathways.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's G20 presidency, focusing on its efforts to advance African priorities and the broader Global South development agenda amidst a challenging geopolitical climate. The author evaluates four primary priorities—debt sustainability, climate and energy transitions, disaster resilience, and critical minerals—concluding that while the presidency has successfully raised global awareness and shaped the narrative for African development, the ambitious goals are unlikely to be fully realized in practice due to a lack of international consensus.

This research paper examines the intersection of international trade regulations and Africa's ambitions for green technology and industrialisation. It specifically analyzes the potential impacts of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and US tariffs, arguing that while these measures could theoretically drive demand for renewables, they are more likely to create fiscal constraints and hinder the continent's ability to invest in green R&D. The author advocates for a coordinated African response through the UNFCCC, the WTO, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to secure technology transfer and affordable finance.

This research paper analyzes clean cooking policies across G20 countries, arguing that the current reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies is financially unsustainable, often fails to reach the poorest populations, and contradicts net-zero goals. The authors advocate for redirecting these subsidies toward electric cooking and renewable energy alternatives to achieve universal access by 2030.

This research paper introduces a project by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) focused on the 'just transition' in South Africa and Brazil. It examines the need to reconcile climate action with economic development, specifically focusing on protecting vulnerable populations and addressing extreme inequality while shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

This research paper examines the role of green technology, specifically solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind energy, in decarbonisation and industrialisation. It argues that market forces alone are insufficient for scaling renewable energy and emphasizes the necessity of targeted industrial policy and government intervention to ensure equitable transitions, particularly in developing economies like South Africa and Brazil.

This research paper argues that South Africa should continue to prioritise the financial and debt challenges facing Africa following the conclusion of its 2025 G20 presidency. The author highlights a 'vicious cycle' where debt obligations and climate impacts undermine sustainable development goals, and proposes three specific actions—a technical report on finance barriers, the creation of an African Borrower's Club, and a review of IMF operating principles—to address these systemic issues.

This report by Ember examines the global expansion of solar power in the decade following the 2015 Paris Agreement, focusing on the leadership of emerging economies, specifically Brazil, China, and India. It details how national targets, international finance, and industrial policies accelerated solar adoption, shifting the center of solar generation from OECD nations to emerging markets.

This report explores the use of ethnographic research to enhance the inclusivity and participatory nature of South Africa's just energy transition, specifically within the coal-dependent communities of Mpumalanga.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques the 2025 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), arguing that the National Treasury's focus on debt stabilisation and fiscal stability comes at the expense of economic growth, public services, and poverty reduction. The IEJ contends that the budget maintains an austerity agenda, reduces investment in critical infrastructure and social services, and implements a restrictive new inflation target that may hinder domestic demand and investment.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) issued a statement calling for the G20, hosted for the first time by South Africa, to implement people-centred reforms to the global economic architecture. The IEJ advocates for urgent action on debt justice, tax fairness, food security, the care economy, and climate finance to address systemic inequalities affecting Africa.

This synthesis report discusses the role of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency in advancing the 'just transition' agenda, building upon a Ministerial Statement from October 2024 that emphasizes structural actions in national economies and the international financial system to scale up climate action.

The NewClimate Institute's 2025 update evaluates the progress of 25 major emitters, representing over 80% of global emissions, toward their climate mitigation targets. The report finds that while total emissions under current policies may peak by 2026, the projected reductions are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, which requires a 43% reduction by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.

The Unconditional Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) expresses concern over the lack of clarity regarding the future of South Africa's Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, which is set to expire in March 2026. UBIC opposes government proposals to link the grant to employment or offer lump-sum payments, arguing that unconditional cash transfers are the most effective way to address poverty and structural unemployment.

This policy brief argues that Africa can drive economic transformation and a just transition by leveraging its critical minerals (such as cobalt in the DRC) and renewable energy potential through the development of innovation ecosystems. It highlights existing momentum in tech hubs and universities in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco as a foundation for developing green technologies for local and global markets.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) reports that the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) failed to reach a consensus on its final ministerial declaration during South Africa's presidency. Despite broad agreement among 18 member states, one country's sustained reservations regarding gender-based terminology and women's rights framings led to the issuance of a Chair's Statement instead of a joint declaration.

The Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative Progress Report (November 2025) details the global expansion of sustainable finance taxonomies, noting that over 60 are currently in use or development. While high-level interoperability is increasing—with 64% using ISIC-based sector structures and 100% of published taxonomies covering climate mitigation—granular alignment remains difficult. The report highlights that implementation is still in early stages in emerging markets and announces the launch of new tools at COP30, including the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper and Principles for Taxonomy Interoperability, to catalyze cross-border capital flows.

The 'Principles for Taxonomy Interoperability' report, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in November 2025, provides a framework for sustainable finance taxonomy developers and policymakers to ensure that national and regional taxonomies are comparable and interoperable. Launched under the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative at COP29, the document outlines seven high-level principles designed to reduce barriers to cross-border capital flows by establishing common design features, terminology, and implementation strategies while respecting jurisdictional priorities.

The 'Princípios de Interoperabilidade Taxonômica' report, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in November 2025, provides a high-level framework to help sustainable finance taxonomy developers and policymakers increase the comparability and cross-border flow of capital. It introduces seven principles designed to align national and regional taxonomies through common languages, scientific baselines, and collaborative international efforts, supporting the broader 'Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative' launched at COP29.