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This research paper evaluates the international alignment and interoperability of the South African Green Finance Taxonomy (SA GFT). While the SA GFT shows high alignment regarding the 'Make Substantial Contribution' (MSC) principle, it faces challenges in usability and adoption concerning 'Do No Significant Harm' (DNSH) and 'Minimum Social Safeguards' (MSS) pillars, as well as gaps in governance and disclosure frameworks.

A joint statement by 22 civil society organisations condemning the Department of Basic Education's facilitation of corporate-branded furniture donations, specifically McDonald's 'Mi Desk' desks, in South African schools, arguing that such actions expose children to harmful junk food and gambling marketing.

This research paper argues that ongoing unrest in Mozambique following the October 2024 general elections is driven by deep-seated socioeconomic grievances and distrust of the ruling Frelimo party, rather than electoral fraud alone. The author highlights systemic issues including high youth unemployment, government corruption—specifically the 'hidden debt scandal'—and a history of electoral misconduct. The paper notes a shift in public action, with protests now targeting private sector companies over land rights and infrastructure failures, and warns that the new government under Daniel Chapo faces significant instability unless a genuine dialogue including opposition figure Venâncio Mondlane is established.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes UN voting patterns on Ukraine as of February 2025. It highlights a divergence between European demands for Russian accountability and the Trump administration's shift toward de-escalation, alongside a more strategic, pragmatic approach by Global South nations seeking diplomatic mediation over binary confrontation.

This report analyzes the potential for South Africa to use its public procurement spending, which represents approximately 15% of its GDP, to address environmental issues such as carbon emissions, pollution, and water scarcity.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques a scrapped 2025 National Budget proposal for South Africa, specifically opposing a proposed two percentage point VAT increase. The IEJ argues that the National Treasury's focus on debt stabilisation through expenditure cuts and regressive taxes ignores the country's high unemployment and poverty levels. The statement proposes several progressive revenue-raising alternatives, including taxing wealth and luxury items, reducing tax breaks for high earners, and improving tax collection capacity.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) issued a statement on 19 February 2025 regarding the Cabinet's decision to postpone the national budget to 12 March 2025. The IEJ criticizes the withdrawn budget for proposing a regressive VAT increase and failing to adequately resource government priorities, while urging the National Treasury to adopt progressive revenue-raising measures and a developmental fiscal policy.

This report by the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre evaluates the cost-benefit ratio of implementing nature-based infrastructure (NBI) to mitigate flood risks in the Drakenstein Municipality of South Africa, specifically focusing on river restoration in the Berg River catchment.

Natural Justice provides a critique of the proposed amendments to South Africa's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014, published on 6 December 2024. The organization argues that while the amendments aim to reduce administrative 'red tape', they may weaken environmental oversight and community rights, particularly regarding seismic surveys, mining expansions, and fracturing activities.

This research paper examines urban transportation challenges in Africa, using South Africa as a primary case study to illustrate the impact of colonial and apartheid legacies on infrastructure. It evaluates the effectiveness of high-cost rail projects versus Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and the role of informal paratransit, while proposing policy interventions to improve accessibility and safety.

The 2025 Policy Bulletin: Climate Finance for Development, published by the Climate Policy Initiative and partners, provides actionable recommendations for Public Development Banks (PDBs) to accelerate low-emissions and climate-resilient development. It focuses on operationalizing Paris alignment, enhancing public-public collaborations, mobilizing private finance, and supporting just energy transitions in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs).

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice argues for a state-led, assertive fiscal approach to South Africa's climate response, critiquing the current reliance on the blended finance model. The author proposes the creation of a Climate Response Fund, financed through a combination of carbon tax reforms, earmarked levies, and public sector efficiency savings, to ensure a worker-centric and equitable transition.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in providing climate finance for South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It focuses on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), arguing that its current self-financing model and commercial risk appetite hinder its ability to provide the 'patient capital' necessary for green industrialisation and worker transitions. The paper proposes a shift toward recapitalisation via fiscal and monetary instruments, more concessional lending, and democratised governance to align the IDC with socially just and worker-centred climate goals.

This policy brief analyzes the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in South Africa, finding that its self-financing model, risk-averse lending, and private-sector-biased governance prevent it from effectively funding a just energy transition. Despite a mandate for green industrialization, the IDC remains heavily invested in carbon-intensive sectors and lacks the transparency and patient capital necessary for long-term climate goals.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa must adopt a more assertive domestic fiscal policy to address the climate crisis, rather than relying primarily on blended finance models. The author proposes a suite of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) measures to generate approximately R100bn annually for climate priorities, focusing on state-led infrastructure, carbon pricing, and the creation of a dedicated climate response fund to ensure equity for workers and vulnerable households.

This briefing from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) outlines the organization's efforts to advocate for reformed development finance to support a green and just transition, particularly in the Global South and South Africa. The IEJ emphasizes the need for state-led development strategies, democratic oversight of international loans, and human-rights-based approaches to sovereign debt restructuring.

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Porticus, provides a strategic framework for philanthropic organizations to advance the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS). It argues that redirecting a portion of the USD 2 trillion annually spent on EHS could significantly fund biodiversity and climate goals. The document outlines a theory of change based on defining problems, identifying solutions, and creating political support to open 'policy windows' for reform.

This report summarizes a February 2025 policy dialogue event organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS). The discussion focused on the African Union's (AU) ability to reposition Africa within a shifting global order characterized by geopolitical disruptions, including the 'Trump 2.0' era. The panel identified critical barriers to Africa's strategic positioning, such as financial dependency on external donors, a disconnect between aging leadership and a young population, and a fragmented approach to global diplomacy. The report advocates for institutional reforms within the AU, a shift from focusing on historical reparations toward immediate economic and security stability, and the adoption of a unified foreign policy to increase the continent's global influence.

This concept note proposes the creation of a first-of-its-kind national database in Mozambique to document and protect traditional knowledge (TK) related to biodiversity. The initiative aims to prevent the loss or misappropriation of cultural and scientific resources by establishing a secure, community-governed digital repository that bridges the gap between traditional knowledge systems and modern scientific research.

This fact sheet, published by Natural Justice in February 2025, provides information and guidance for the public to comment on the draft Scoping Report for TotalEnergies EP SA S.A.S (TEEPSA) exploration drilling in the southern area of license block Diep Water Oranje Kom (DWOB).