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This policy brief argues that South Africa's Free Basic Services (FBS) policy fails to support the millions of households living below the poverty line due to exclusionary municipal indigent policies, insufficient benefit levels, and restrictive conditions that hinder productive use of services.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes whether carbon credits generated under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should be eligible for deduction from liabilities under the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It argues that allowing such credits would mitigate the negative economic impact of the CBAM on African exporters, retain climate finance within African borders, and provide policy flexibility to host governments, while proposing specific design measures to prevent carbon leakage and ensure credit integrity.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) submitted a consultation response to South Africa's draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), urging the integration of health linkages into climate policymaking. The submission argues that current emissions targets for 2026-2035 exceed the 1.5°C compatible trajectory and highlights the severe public health and economic burden of air pollution, which costs South Africa approximately USD 52 billion annually.

The report proposes a worker-centred alternative financing framework for South Africa's just transition to a low-carbon economy. It argues that the existing Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) over-relies on private funding and profit-driven models, which may fail to deliver social justice or sufficient green industrialisation. The proposed framework integrates worker demands with promotional fiscal and monetary policies and the reform of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to ensure the transition is treated as a public good.

This report by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) proposes a worker-centred alternative financing framework for South Africa's just transition to a low-carbon economy. It argues that existing mechanisms, such as the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), rely too heavily on private sector funding and profit-driven models, which risk neglecting socioeconomic rights and worker protections. The IEJ advocates for a holistic macroeconomic shift involving promotional fiscal and monetary policies, the creation of a Climate Response Fund (CRF), and the realignment of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to prioritise public goods and job creation over profit.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) provides an overview of the Group of 20 (G20), its governance, and the specific context of South Africa's 2025 presidency. It details the G20's composition, its operational tracks, the role of civil society engagement groups like the C20, and South Africa's priorities for its term.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice examines the systemic failures of the international taxation system, which allow multinational corporations (MNCs) and the super-rich to avoid taxes. It critiques the G20/OECD Two-Pillar Framework for favoring developed nations and discusses the push for a more democratic UN Tax Convention, while evaluating the role of South Africa's G20 presidency in advancing tax justice.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice examines the structural causes of the African debt crisis, the impact of high interest rates on public services, and the limitations of G20 initiatives. It argues that the crisis is rooted in a 'rigged global system' and calls for systemic reform and debt cancellation through movements like Jubilee 2025.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice examines the inequities of global climate finance, arguing that current G20-led mechanisms often exacerbate debt vulnerability in developing nations through a reliance on loans and 'de-risking' strategies that prioritize private profit over public welfare.

This factsheet by Natural Justice outlines the Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill 2025 (MRDB) in South Africa, which seeks to reform mining laws to boost the economy and accelerate projects, particularly those involving minerals for clean energy.

The Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025 (MRDB) is a draft amendment to South Africa's Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 (MPRDA). Published by Natural Justice, this community booklet explains how the Bill aims to boost the economy, regulate artisanal and small-scale mining, and accelerate mining project approvals, while highlighting the potential risks to land rights, the environment, and community consent.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), commissioned by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), provides an independent assessment of the South African government's progress in implementing 60 presidential commitments made in response to the State Capture Commission (SCC) recommendations. The assessment evaluates progress across individual accountability and systemic institutional and policy reforms, highlighting significant delays in legislative updates and a persistent lack of accountability for members of the Executive.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—comprising digital identity, payments, and data-sharing systems—can be used to reduce the shadow economy and improve domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in Africa.

This report by Ember analyzes national 2030 renewable capacity targets across 96 countries and the EU. It finds that despite the COP28 pledge to triple global renewable capacity by 2030, national targets have remained largely stagnant, collectively amounting to a doubling rather than a tripling of 2022 capacity levels.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting on behalf of FSEJN, has filed an appeal to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment to set aside an Environmental Authorisation granted to Afro Energy (Pty) Ltd on 23 June 2025.

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has granted Environmental Authorisation for the Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) project, allowing Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and its partners to begin drilling activities in 2026 or 2027.

This report analyzes the integration of climate action into the operations of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). It identifies a significant gap between Nigeria's international climate commitments and the actual policies and bureaucratic capacity of the FMITI, proposing a new green industrial policy and a comprehensive implementation framework to align economic growth with environmental sustainability.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues for the 'ring-fencing' of development expenditures in Africa to protect long-term investments from short-term fiscal and political pressures. It identifies a 'perfect storm' of challenges—including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, high debt burdens, and technological disruption—that threaten development financing. The document proposes five specific policy mechanisms to institutionalise this protection and suggests that development finance should be framed as complementary to security priorities to leverage international funding.

The Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre conducted a cost-benefit analysis of nature-based infrastructure (NBI) for waterway rehabilitation in Cape Town, South Africa, specifically within the Diep/Sand River and Zeekoe catchments. The analysis demonstrates that NBI interventions—such as creating retention ponds, extending wetlands, and removing invasive species—provide significant economic returns, reduce long-term maintenance costs compared to grey infrastructure, and increase urban resilience against climate-driven flooding.

This case study describes the 'Climate Change Citizenship for a Just Transition in South Africa' (SA Climate Change Champions) project, which aimed to empower youth, women, and communities in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape to engage with the renewable energy sector and climate policy. Co-funded by the European Union and delivered by GreenCape, the project established climate clubs, facilitated policy dialogues, and provided capacity building to ensure inclusive participation in South Africa's energy transition.