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This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the power sector transition across the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates). It finds that while the bloc continues to build fossil-fueled capacity, non-fossil capacity additions are accelerating, with the share of power capacity fueled by coal, oil, and gas potentially falling below 50% by the end of 2024.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) is a necessary component of a Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa. It posits that while targeted support for displaced workers is essential, a UBIG provides a foundational safety net for those indirectly affected by the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, builds climate resilience against extreme weather, and facilitates the adoption of sustainable habits.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that food insecurity in South Africa is driven by income poverty, not food scarcity. It proposes a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) to ensure all adults can afford a basic nutritional diet, noting that current targeted grants are insufficient. The document highlights the severe health and economic costs of malnutrition and argues that a UBIG, combined with a 'just food transition' and systemic food system reforms, can break intergenerational poverty cycles without causing significant inflation.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that food insecurity in South Africa is primarily a result of income poverty rather than food scarcity. It advocates for a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) to ensure all citizens can afford a nutritious diet, highlighting the severe health, social, and economic costs of malnutrition and the limitations of current targeted social grants.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that hunger and food insecurity in South Africa are primarily driven by a lack of income rather than a lack of food production. It proposes a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a key mechanism to ensure all citizens can afford nutritious food, thereby breaking cycles of poverty and malnutrition.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues against the implementation of job-seeking requirements for social grants in South Africa, specifically opposing proposals to replace the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant with a conditional grant for job seekers. The document asserts that unemployment in South Africa is structural rather than a result of a lack of effort, and that imposing conditions would be costly, unfair, and counterproductive to economic growth.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues against introducing work-seeking conditions for social grants in South Africa. It asserts that such conditions ignore the structural nature of the country's high unemployment, impose unfair financial burdens on the poor, and violate constitutional rights to social assistance.

This research paper examines Africa's potential to develop a solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector by leveraging its mineral resources and solar irradiance. It analyzes the barriers to entry, such as China's market dominance and high capital requirements, and proposes a regionalized strategy to overcome these challenges.

Ember analysis indicates that global solar capacity additions will reach 593 GW in 2024, a 29% increase over 2023. This growth is driven by continued dominance in China and the US, as well as emerging markets like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, significantly exceeding several industry forecasts.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants have challenged the administration of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant in the Pretoria High Court, alleging that procedural barriers and a lack of purchasing power violate constitutional rights to social assistance. The IEJ criticizes the government for ignoring evidence of poverty and for contradictory positions regarding whether the grant is a temporary Covid-19 measure or a foundation for a permanent basic income system.

This policy brief argues for the adoption of progressive tax instruments—including Financial Transaction Taxes (FTT), net wealth taxes, property taxes, and Resource Rent Taxes—to combat extreme poverty and economic inequality, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights the regressive nature of current African tax structures and provides a case study for South Africa, suggesting that a combination of these taxes could generate hundreds of billions of rands to fund social protection and basic income guarantees.

This report outlines the potential and challenges of the global bioeconomy, emphasizing the need for an integrated, equitable, and sustainable approach to financing and governance to support a low-carbon, nature-positive economy.

This report discusses the restructuring of South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) into two separate entities—the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and the Department of Electricity and Energy—following the formation of a Government of National Unity. It outlines the roles these new departments must play in managing the coal phase-out, the growth of renewable energy, and the sustainable mining of minerals required for the green economy.

This policy brief analyzes the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and the UK Critical Minerals Strategy (CMS), evaluating their potential to support African industrialization. It argues that both frameworks are primarily driven by domestic energy and economic priorities, focusing on reducing dependency on China and mitigating geopolitical risks. The author contends that current capital allocations and the emphasis on domestic processing capacity are insufficient to attract private investment for African value addition and beneficiation, suggesting a need for a shift in political and commercial relations to align with African industrialization goals.

This research paper analyzes the current state of industrial relations between Germany and African nations, arguing that German perspectives are skewed by a paternalistic approach and a failure to recognize the continent's economic diversity. The authors suggest that Germany should shift from a charity-based development model to one focused on trade, investment, and peer-to-peer partnerships to unlock opportunities in sectors like green hydrogen and manufacturing.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) argues for the integration of natural capital accounting (NCA) into global economic models and national systems of accounting. It highlights the critical importance of natural assets for low-income countries and Africa, and provides specific recommendations for the 2025 South African G20 presidency to champion the natural capital agenda, build conceptual consensus, address data gaps, and implement bioeconomy initiatives.

This policy brief examines China's dominant role in Africa's critical minerals sector, highlighting the tension between increased investment and the lack of local value addition. It argues that while China's infrastructure-led approach and state support provide a competitive edge, African nations must shift from exporting raw materials to developing domestic processing and refining capabilities to avoid the 'resource curse' and benefit from the global energy transition.

This policy brief argues that South Africa should use its 2025 G20 presidency to advance African-driven digital public infrastructure (DPI), specifically the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). The author suggests aligning PAPSS with the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments to improve the speed, cost, and transparency of intra-African and global trade.

This policy note by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that South Africa should use its upcoming G20 presidency to champion the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. The author contends that this convention is necessary to combat illicit financial flows (IFFs) and base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), which severely deplete the resources of African economies and hinder sustainable development.

This policy brief examines the global race to secure critical minerals for green and digital industrial revolutions, detailing the strategies of the US, EU, UK, Canada, and China. It argues that African countries can leverage their mineral wealth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by adopting a 'climate-resilient developmental regionalism' approach to build regional value chains and achieve sustainable structural transformation.