Search Climate Insights Directory

This report summarizes a virtual workshop held on January 21, 2021, organized by the European Forest Institute, Climate Policy Initiative, and UNDP. The event brought together over 200 participants from more than 60 countries to discuss the mapping and tracking of domestic climate finance, focusing on how these tools can drive policy ambition, improve reporting under the Paris Agreement, and mobilize both public and private investment.

This annex to the 2021 NYDF Goal 7 Progress Report provides technical and economic mitigation potential estimates for forest-related activities, analyzes the ambition of forest targets in National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and estimates the global finance needs and public finance flows for forest mitigation.

This report summarizes the outcomes of the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Global Meeting held from November 29 to December 3, 2021. The event brought together 359 participants from over 45 countries to discuss strategies for a green and fair COVID-19 recovery, focusing on nature, inequality, and the energy transition. The meeting culminated in a 'Declaration on a green COVID-19 recovery' calling for structural economic transformation to achieve nature-positive and net-zero economies.

This case study by GreenCape examines The Clothing Bank, a non-profit intermediary in South Africa that diverts excess retail clothing from landfills to create entrepreneurial opportunities for unemployed single mothers, demonstrating a circular economy model that addresses both waste and poverty.

This case study by GreenCape examines resilience-led economic interventions implemented in 2020 to support the green business community in Cape Town and the broader South African economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy follows a 'survive, adapt and thrive' framework, focusing on supporting small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) through international collaborations, innovative funding, and policy alignment to ensure a green recovery.

This 2021 GreenCape briefing details the financing landscape for rooftop solar PV in South Africa's commercial and industrial sectors. Driven by rising Eskom tariffs and load shedding, the market has seen significant growth, supported by traditional bank loans, innovative models like PPAs and crowdfunding, and tax incentives such as accelerated depreciation.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape examines the regulatory requirements for Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) in South Africa, specifically the distinction between registration with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and applications for connection with electricity distributors.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape provides a guide for businesses and water users in South Africa on the sustainable use and management of groundwater. It outlines the legal framework under the National Water Act, the risks associated with unmonitored abstraction, and technical recommendations for borehole monitoring to ensure long-term water security.

This 2021 GreenCape industry brief outlines waste-to-energy (WtE) options for businesses in South Africa, focusing on anaerobic digestion, thermal processes, and biofuels. It highlights the potential for reduced waste costs and improved energy security while detailing the complex legislative framework (including NEM:WA and NERSA) and the necessary project development stages from scoping to execution. The document emphasizes that while WtE can be expensive in isolation, it becomes viable when integrated as a collective solution for waste and energy management.

This fact sheet, published by the Institute for Economic Justice, SECTION27, and the Center for Economic and Social Rights, examines South Africa's social protection systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. It evaluates the government's response against the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), highlighting failures in providing an adequate standard of living, food security, and housing, while detailing recommendations from the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The NAP Global Network 2020–2021 Progress Report details the activities of a network dedicated to supporting developing countries in formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). During the reporting period (December 2020 to November 2021), the Network shifted toward providing rapid, short-term technical assistance via its Country Support Hub and focused on integrating gender, health, and finance into adaptation planning to accelerate climate-resilient recovery.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the divergent approaches to migration between Africa and Europe, arguing for a shift from securitised responses toward a collaborative partnership focused on development, legal labour pathways, and the regularisation of remittances.

This policy brief examines the African Union's iDove initiative, a youth-led platform designed to prevent violent extremism (PVE) through intra/interfaith dialogue. It analyzes the initiative's sustainability and adaptability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the shift toward virtual engagement and the need for greater integration into continental policy frameworks.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) analyzes how violence against women and children (VAWC) in South Africa is represented across 57 research papers. Using a feminist 'What is the Problem Represented to Be?' (WPR) approach, the study examines the terminology, framing, and demographic focus of existing research to identify how these representations influence policy and practice.

This policy brief argues that there is a critical lack of evidence demonstrating that policing activities in South Africa actually reduce crime or improve public safety. It advocates for the adoption of evidence-based policing (EBP), which uses rigorous research and causal analysis to determine which specific police interventions work, rather than relying on common sense or tradition.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), supported by the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), submitted public comments on the Companies Amendment Bill, 2021. The submission focuses on how mandatory disclosure of beneficial ownership information can enhance transparency in public procurement and increase the accountability of public servants by exposing hidden conflicts of interest.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of the South African government to fulfill its 1998 White Paper on Energy promise of affordable energy for all. It specifically highlights the systemic failure of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) program, where billions of rands allocated for low-income households are not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to municipal mismanagement.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of the South African government to fulfill its 1998 commitment to provide affordable electricity to low-income households, small businesses, and farmers. It highlights a systemic failure in the implementation of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) policy, where billions of rands intended for poor households are not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to municipal mismanagement.

This report chapter analyzes the appointment and removal processes for senior leadership within South Africa's key criminal justice institutions, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), South African Police Service (SAPS), Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). It argues that current frameworks allow for excessive political interference, undermining institutional independence and the rule of law, and proposes the institutionalization of independent selection panels and more rigorous, transparent criteria for appointments.

This report by the International Network of Energy Transition Think Tanks (INETTT) provides case studies on the status of climate and energy policies across twelve countries. It examines the gap between national commitments (NDCs) and actual implementation, highlighting the role of independent think tanks in driving decarbonization through research, stakeholder dialogue, and policy advocacy in major and emerging economies.