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A letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of Fair Finance Southern Africa (FFSA), requesting information from Standard Chartered Bank regarding its role in financing Karpowership South Africa. The letter highlights environmental concerns, legal challenges, and potential contradictions with the bank's net-zero commitments.

The Green Guarantee Company (GGC) is a specialist guarantor designed to help public and private sector borrowers in emerging and frontier markets access long-term hard currency debt from global institutional investors for climate adaptation and mitigation projects. Managed by the Development Guarantee Group (DGG), the GGC provides full guarantees for bonds and loans of 5-20 years, aligned with the Climate Bond Standard (CBS), to mitigate sovereign and currency risks. The instrument includes a Technical Assistance (TA) facility to build issuer capabilities and market readiness. The GGC aims to catalyze approximately USD 10 billion in commercial term debt over its first decade, targeting sectors such as energy, transport, water, buildings, and waste, with an initial pilot phase in South Africa.

This report analyzes the potential for subnational pension funds to increase investments in climate-smart urban infrastructure. It defines subnational pension funds as those limiting membership by location (province, region, state, city) or occupation. The document identifies structural and external barriers to these investments, evaluates the landscape across seven countries, and proposes financial instruments and policy recommendations to mobilize this untapped capital for the climate transition.

The 'Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa' report by the Climate Policy Initiative provides a baseline assessment of climate finance flows into and within African countries for 2019 and 2020. It highlights a massive gap between the annual USD 277 billion required to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the actual annual flows of USD 29.5 billion. The report analyzes the sources, instruments, and sectoral allocations of this finance, noting a heavy reliance on international public funding and a significant under-investment in adaptation and the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sectors compared to their needs.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), commissioned by FSD Africa, provides a comprehensive baseline of climate finance flows in Africa for 2019 and 2020. It highlights a massive financing gap, noting that annual flows of USD 29.5 billion meet only about 11% of the USD 277 billion needed annually to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030. The analysis details the sources, instruments, and sectoral allocations of these funds, emphasizing the dominance of international public finance and the need for increased private sector engagement and better data tracking.

This briefing paper by FSD Africa examines the necessity and mechanisms for mobilising private finance to preserve and restore natural capital across Africa. It identifies a significant annual financing gap of over $100 billion and proposes a 'triple bottom line' investment approach focusing on landscape financing, restorative agriculture, and sustainable supply chains. The document outlines the roles of various stakeholders, including central banks, international development partners, and impact investors, in creating a 'natural capital aligned' investor base through green bonds, carbon credits, and specialist funds.

This report by FSD Africa analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on debt sustainability and financial market development in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. It highlights a high risk of external debt distress for several of these nations and examines the trade-offs between short-term counter-cyclical fiscal measures and long-term financial market stability.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute provides a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission). The Commission investigated systemic corruption in South Africa between January 2018 and June 2022, focusing on how private actors, specifically the Gupta enterprise, collaborated with state officials to redirect public resources for private gain.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted comments on the Draft 8th National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (NGHGIR) on 31 August 2022. The submission argues that the draft significantly undercounts methane emissions due to the omission of fugitive emissions from the oil and gas industry, pipeline transport, and abandoned mines, and criticizes the use of outdated global warming potential (GWP) metrics and low emission factors for coal mining.

The Centre for Environmental Rights submitted combined comments on 25 August 2022 regarding proposed regulations for financial provisioning for the mitigation and rehabilitation of environmental damage caused by mining and exploration operations.

This document contains joint comments submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and seven other civil society organisations to the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE). The submission critiques the proposed 2022 regulations regarding financial provisioning for the mitigation and rehabilitation of environmental damage caused by extractive activities, arguing that the regulations should prioritise environmental protection and community rights over corporate profitability.

The Americas Conference on Solar Radiation Modification, held in August 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica, served as a regional forum to introduce the science, governance, and implications of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). The event brought together scientists, policymakers, and representatives from various Americas nations to discuss SRM as a potential supplement to climate mitigation, emphasizing the need for inclusive research, regional collaboration, and a risk-risk framework to evaluate the technology's potential benefits against the dangers of unchecked global warming.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) submitted proposals to the National Treasury on 19 August 2022 regarding the 2023 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), advocating for a shift from debt stabilisation toward a human-rights based and feminist approach to budgeting.

This government notice and accompanying Terms of Reference establish the National Environmental Consultative and Advisory Forum to advise the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on applications for the suspension and postponement of compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES) and the issuance of Provisional Atmospheric Emission Licences (PAEL).

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted a letter to the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on 5 August 2022. The letter urges the government to strengthen its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets to align with the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact, arguing that current targets are insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and a coalition of civic organisations issued statements condemning hate speech, cyberbullying, and threats of violence directed at the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF) and the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI). The actions are attributed to Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu of ActionSA, the MMC for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, following a court victory by SERI and SAITF against illegal evictions.

This discussion paper by the African Climate Foundation examines the tension between utilizing Africa's significant natural gas resources for economic development and the risks posed by the global transition to low-carbon energy. It argues that while gas provides short-term revenue and energy security, long-term investments in gas infrastructure are increasingly risky due to falling renewable energy costs and international climate targets. The paper advocates for a shift toward renewable energy (RE) to support industrialization and electrification, provided that climate finance is scaled up.

This report examines barriers to accessing finance for community-led resilience in the global South, drawing on the 'Voices from the Frontline' initiative. It identifies five main barriers—regulatory, market, social, economic, and technological—and highlights four sustainable alternatives: VSLA savings groups, the TWW profit-sharing model, Kiva crowdfunding via field partners (iDE), and Abalimi Bezekhaya's subsidised cost model. The report emphasizes that financial access must be paired with capacity building and mentorship, and suggests that the private sector can play a critical role as guaranteed offtakers and mentors for small-scale entrepreneurs.

In H1 2022, GSS+ labelled debt volumes reached USD417.8bn, a 27% year-on-year decrease driven by inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical instability. Green bonds remained the largest segment (52% of volume), with China emerging as the most prolific country. While social and sustainability bonds declined, sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) grew by 5.2%, and transition UoP bonds saw a 2.5-fold increase from Q1 to Q2. Key policy shifts included the EU's inclusion of gas and nuclear as transitional activities and the launch of green taxonomies in Colombia and South Africa.

This briefing by the Global Climate and Health Alliance outlines principles to ensure COP27 prioritizes African health and climate needs. It advocates for a transition where 'net zero' equates to 'zero poverty,' emphasizing the integration of health professionals into climate decision-making, the promotion of indigenous food systems over Western-style diets, and the urgent need for targeted finance and renewable energy access to build community resilience.