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The REGULATING AND ENABLING INNOVATION R3LAB TOOLKIT is a practical guide published by FSD Africa in June 2024 to help insurance regulators in Africa balance the promotion of innovation with consumer protection. It provides a structured framework for conducting innovation gap and ecosystem assessments, introduces a diverse set of regulatory, supervisory, engagement, and monitoring tools, and offers guidance on converting these into actionable workplans with measurable KPIs.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) report 'Strengthening the SAPS for a safer South Africa' provides a framework for reforming the South African Police Service (SAPS) to reverse a decline in organisational performance and public safety observed since 2012. The report outlines five strategic focus areas: leadership and professionalisation, serious violent crime, corruption and accountability, data and technology, and auxiliary policing. It argues that increasing personnel numbers alone is insufficient and calls for evidence-based strategic planning, improved investigative capabilities, and a shift toward a professional police identity to restore public trust.

This fact sheet by Natural Justice details the legal challenge brought by the Wild Coast community and environmental justice organisations against Shell and the South African government. The applicants are appealing a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) order that allows Shell to seek a decision on renewing its seismic survey rights on the Wild Coast.

This policy brief argues that social protection policies are essential for building climate resilience in Africa, where climate change threatens to push 130 million people into poverty. It highlights the role of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) for sovereign insurance and Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) as key examples of climate-responsive tools. The author emphasizes the need for increased funding from multilateral sources like the Loss and Damage Fund and the Green Climate Fund to bridge the financing gap for climate-induced economic damages.

This research paper argues that South Africa's current skills planning system is inadequate for the emerging green hydrogen economy (GHE) due to a reliance on quantitative data and a lack of anticipatory capacity. The author advocates for the integration of strategic foresight (SF) and skills foresight (SF) into the post-school education and training (PSET) system, specifically within technical vocational education and training (TVET). The paper proposes four priority areas: strengthening skills anticipation systems, enhancing TVET sector responsiveness, developing transversal skills, and fostering a renewed education-related social compact to bridge the gap between TVET and universities.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) reports that its Basic Income Election Scorecard prompted several political parties, most notably the ANC, to clarify or expand their commitments to a universal and redistributive basic income grant (BIG) ahead of the election.

This report provides an overview of the South African electricity market, focusing on the energy services (ES) value chain, which comprises rooftop solar PV, energy storage, and energy efficiency. It details the drivers of market growth—including rolling blackouts and rising electricity costs—the roles of key industry players, and the regulatory framework governing the sector.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) produced a scorecard evaluating South African political parties' policies on basic income grants (BIG) ahead of the 2024 election. The report assesses parties against evidence-based principles, including the expansion of the social protection floor, adequate grant values tied to poverty lines, and the removal of conditionalities.

This fact sheet by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the mechanics, predictions, and regional impacts of La Niña, the cool phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. It details the likelihood of a transition to La Niña in 2024, the increasing frequency of multi-year events, and how human-caused climate change influences these phenomena without offsetting overall global warming.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) position paper advocates for the implementation of a universal, unconditional, and redistributive basic income system in South Africa for individuals aged 18-59 to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality.

This report by Ember analyzes global electricity generation trends in 2023 across solar, wind, coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, and bioenergy. It highlights record growth in solar and wind, a slight increase in coal generation driven by droughts in China, and the gap between current growth rates and the IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario requirements.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the current technological landscape of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the potential for emerging technologies to drive sustainable development. It analyzes the ASM life cycle—from exploration to mine closure—and identifies gaps in technology adoption, particularly regarding worker safety, environmental protection, and financial inclusion. The document highlights the dual nature of technological advancement: while it can increase productivity and recovery rates, it also risks displacing labor, especially women, and potentially increasing environmental degradation through overmining.

This policy briefing examines the role of skills governance within South Africa's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem to support the emerging green hydrogen (GH2) economy. It advocates for a shift from a jobs-centric education model to one based on 'economic wellbeing,' which integrates paid work with caregiving, environmental stewardship, and state infrastructure. The document proposes systemic innovations, including the use of green economy skills incubator hubs, innovative financing like social impact bonds, and the implementation of a Universal Basic Dividend (UBD) to ensure the wealth generated from common resources in the GH2 transition is equitably distributed.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the governance challenges facing critical mineral supply chains in Africa. It argues that while the global energy transition increases demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt, a lack of transparency and accountability risks causing environmental and socio-economic harm. The document advocates for the implementation of the African Mining Vision and a coordinated approach between national governments, private companies, and civil society to ensure the energy transition does not entrench global inequalities.

A policy brief by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) arguing that South African municipalities must rapidly deploy renewable energy solutions to ensure low-cost electricity and economic recovery, noting that nuclear options are significantly more expensive and slower.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants (#PTG) filed a replying affidavit on 26 March 2024 in a High Court case challenging the administration of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. The legal action seeks to address exclusionary systems that the applicants claim prevent up to 8 million eligible people from accessing social assistance.

A legal notice filed on April 10, 2024, in which Richards Bay Gas Power 2 (Pty) Ltd abandons costs orders granted in its favour following two separate court rulings in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria.

The April 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor and partners reveals that while global coal capacity reached a record 2,130 GW in 2023, there is a stark divide: China continues to expand its fleet, while most other countries are reducing new construction. The report highlights that only 15% of operational capacity has retirement plans aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Regional analysis shows significant progress in the EU and UK, stability in Sub-Saharan Africa (dominated by South Africa), and a lack of new projects in the MENA region.

The April 2024 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical challenges within the African Union's (AU) peace and security architecture. It analyzes the potential restoration of the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS), the political implications of Chad's May 2024 election, the security crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the strategic priorities of Egypt upon rejoining the Peace and Security Council (PSC).

This policy brief by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) provides a comprehensive overview of the institutional entry points and governance processes within the World Trade Organization (WTO) where trade and environmental policies intersect. It details the roles of various WTO bodies, including the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), the dispute settlement mechanism, and the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM), while highlighting recent member-led initiatives on plastic pollution, fossil fuel subsidies, and environmental sustainability.