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The report identifies widespread labor rights violations by Chinese companies in Southern Africa, including low wages, unsafe working conditions, and unfair dismissals. It highlights a systemic failure of national governments to enforce labor laws, often exacerbated by corruption and political ties between Chinese investors and local elites. While some positive impacts on employment and infrastructure are noted, the study emphasizes the precarious nature of these jobs and the marginalization of trade unions.

The document reflects on the FRACTAL project, conducted between 2015 and 2021 in nine southern African urban areas, to identify principles for co-producing climate knowledge. It emphasizes the role of co-production in fostering partnerships and mutual learning between stakeholders to support climate-resilient urban development.

The document examines the relationship between climate change and conflict in Africa, asserting that climate change functions as a 'risk multiplier' that exacerbates existing political, social, and economic tensions. It highlights that while some regions like the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin are particularly vulnerable, the path from climate impact to violence is indirect, often mediated by resource scarcity, forced migration, and institutional weakness. The report calls for the Global North to fulfill climate finance commitments and for African nations to adopt evidence-based, community-informed adaptation strategies that are sensitive to local conflict dynamics to prevent future instability.

The report examines pension fund investment patterns across eight Southern African countries, highlighting a general preference for government bonds and listed equities over private equity and private debt. It identifies regulatory constraints, a lack of professional expertise, and reputational risks as primary barriers to the growth of private markets. The document recommends increasing asset allocation ceilings, disaggregating private equity from broader 'alternative' categories, and developing regional investment frameworks to achieve economies of scale.

The document details how Southern Africa is experiencing temperature increases above the global average, increased frequency of heatwaves and droughts, and significant economic losses. It projects severe future risks to food security, human health, and biodiversity, while emphasizing the need for transformative adaptation and increased climate finance to build resilience.

Southern Africa has experienced warming exceeding the global average, leading to increased heatwaves, droughts, and economic losses. Future projections indicate severe risks to food systems, human health, and biodiversity, with significant GDP losses if warming reaches 2°C. Adaptation requires transformative, equity-based approaches and a substantial increase in climate finance and research funding for African institutions.

The document argues that climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' in Africa, where risks are amplified by existing governance deficits and poor development. It emphasizes that while climate-driven scarcity can fuel conflict, causality is complex and depends on political and historical contexts. The authors advocate for integrating climate action into the broader development agenda, transitioning from a narrative of vulnerability to one of economic opportunity through renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure. Key recommendations include strengthening the evidence base for climate security, increasing climate finance flows, and expanding climate diplomacy beyond the UNFCCC to platforms like the G20 and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

The project, funded by the European Union under the GCCA+ Programme, aims to strengthen the use of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in Southern Africa. It focuses on improving national climate policies, promoting community participation, and establishing a regional Community of Practice to enhance the resilience of coastal communities against climate risks such as sea level rise and tropical storms.

The WWF-US Oceans team aims to establish nature-positive seascapes by integrating science-based design, community-led management, and innovative blue finance. The strategy focuses on climate adaptation and resilience, targeting the recovery of marine resources and the security of 100 million people by 2030. Key interventions include the use of nature-based solutions—specifically prioritizing mangroves, fish, seaweed, and aquaculture—and the development of blended finance mechanisms like a Fishery Improvement Fund to ensure long-term sustainability.

The AfCFTA has the potential to generate USD 3.4 trillion in GDP and lift over 100 million people out of poverty by 2040, with primary gains expected in manufacturing and services. However, significant disparities in factor markets—including labour skills, technology adoption, and financial capacity—exist across the continent, with Eastern and Southern Africa generally possessing higher capacities than Central and Western Africa. The document highlights risks associated with heavy reliance on non-African financing, such as the EU-funded Africa Trade Observatory, and urges member states to leverage domestic capital markets and sovereign wealth funds. It further emphasizes that political stability and the empowerment of regional bodies are essential to protect private sector investment in cross-border infrastructure, which the World Bank estimates requires USD 47.6 billion annually.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) reports on its 2021 activities, highlighting the launch of the Innovating for Climate Resilience Fund, the establishment of the Resilience Hub at COP26, and the creation of South to South Resilience Academies. The partnership focused on scaling coastal resilience through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), supporting innovative finance in fragile regions like Sudan and Uganda, and promoting locally-led adaptation through catalytic grants and the Resilience Knowledge Coalition.

The statement criticizes the imposition of travel bans on Southern African countries, asserting that such measures are ineffective at stopping mutations and cause significant economic damage. It highlights the disparity in vaccination rates between Africa and advanced economies, calling for the decentralization of vaccine manufacturing, the implementation of a WTO intellectual property rights waiver, and a shift from unilateralism to collective global action to ensure equitable vaccine distribution.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for groundWork, Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action, and the African Climate Alliance, issued a letter of demand to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). The letter demands the abandonment of the procurement of 1,500 MW of new coal-generation capacity as specified in the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity 2019 (IRP 2019) and a September 2020 ministerial determination, citing economic, environmental, and climate risks.

The Green Aggregation Tech Enterprise (GATE) is a risk-pooling mechanism that guarantees a baseline level of revenue for rural mini grid developers, addressing the lack of credit histories among rural customers. By diversifying risks across different geographies and customers, GATE aims to enable developers to meet debt obligations and crowd in commercial debt. The instrument requires strong implementing partners, support from Development Finance Institutions for initial capital, and a robust regional electricity market, specifically leveraging the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). The initiative is currently preparing for launch in southern Africa, starting with Zambia, and aligns with the Zambian National Energy Policy 2019.

The report identifies southern Africa as a climate change 'hotspot' where warming in the interior is occurring at approximately twice the global average rate. It warns that global warming of 3 °C could lead to the collapse of key crops and the livestock sector. Freshwater availability is projected to decline due to reduced rainfall and increased evaporation, while the risk of multi-year droughts and intense heat waves is expected to rise. These changes threaten food security, increase human mortality in urban areas, and place thousands of unique species at risk of premature extinction. The document emphasizes that the severity of these impacts depends on global mitigation efforts, with 'low mitigation futures' posing significantly higher risks than those limiting warming to 1.5 °C or 2 °C.

The report warns that South Africa is on a 'worst-case' climate trajectory (RCP 8.5), which will lead to extreme heat, water scarcity, and food insecurity, disproportionately harming youth. It details regional collapses in agriculture and tourism, the expansion of informal settlements due to climate-induced migration, and the severe mental health trauma facing children. The author argues that without a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, large parts of the country may become uninhabitable, leading to systemic social conflict and economic collapse.

The statement calls for a transition to 100% renewable energy in Africa to address the dual crises of climate change and Covid-19. It demands the installation of over 300 GW of new renewable capacity by 2030 and 2000 GW by 2050, funded by an estimated $130 billion annual investment. The plan emphasizes community ownership, energy sovereignty, and a feminist just transition that creates 7 million well-paid jobs while ending fossil fuel extraction and illicit financial flows.

The statement calls for a transition to 100% renewable energy in Africa by 2050 to address energy poverty and the combined impacts of climate change and Covid-19. It demands the installation of over 300GW of new renewable energy by 2030 and over 2000GW by 2050, emphasizing socially-owned, community-based systems. The plan estimates an annual investment requirement of US$130 billion, which it argues can be funded through public climate finance, debt cancellation, and stopping illicit financial flows. The authors call for a ban on new fossil fuel developments and the creation of 7 million well-paid jobs in the clean energy sector.

The CER and groundWork oppose the Gas Amendment Bill [B9-2020], asserting that it facilitates fossil fuel development contrary to South Africa's climate obligations and the 1.5°C target. They argue the Bill lacks meaningful public consultation, fails to provide adequate access to information, and irregularly grants environmental regulatory powers to the Energy Regulator, thereby encroaching on the mandate of the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.

The Centre for Environmental Rights asserts that South Africa's transition from coal must go beyond energy shifts to encompass a radical restructuring of society. The author warns that southern Africa is warming at twice the global rate, making incremental change impossible. The document advocates for an "Open Agenda for a Just Transition" that integrates clean energy with food sovereignty, gender justice, and a new economic system based on human needs rather than profit.