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The research identifies a significant gap between solar radiation potential and installed capacity in lower-income countries, driven by high costs of capital linked to sovereign, political, and off-taker risks. To address this, the authors propose a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) with a suggested capitalization of USD 6.6 billion to provide partial guarantees for cross-border debt. The paper models two approaches for the GCGF's impact: one reducing overall risk premiums by an average of 6% and another reducing them by 3% by focusing solely on default rates. The facility aims to mobilize approximately USD 120 billion in debt to meet the 2030 solar targets of shortlisted emerging market and developing economy countries.

The policy brief identifies a 'policy coherence gap' in the global green transition, where structural, long-term policies are being crowded out by unilateral industrial measures and short-term stimuli. It proposes that the G20 adopt a shared agenda to define and prioritize structural green reforms—such as natural capital investment and fossil fuel subsidy reform—to unlock concessionary financing and private investment for low-income and indebted countries. The authors present four options for G20 action, ranging from the status quo to a high-ambition multilateral framework that integrates debt-swap approaches and special drawing rights to facilitate a just transition.

The document argues that current economic systems are failing and that large-scale economic reform requires broad public support, which can be generated through participatory mechanisms. It defines a 'social contract' as an agreement between state and society on rights, responsibilities, and resource distribution, suggesting that a new 'eco-social contract' is needed to prioritize the planet and people over profit. The briefing details various innovative mechanisms for citizen engagement—such as citizen assemblies, participatory budgeting, and just transition processes—and identifies five key tools best suited for driving economic reform. It emphasizes the need to expand these mechanisms to the Global South and frontline communities to restore trust and create a 'social mandate' for a just and sustainable transition.

The document examines Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) as economy-wide planning instruments mandated by the Paris Agreement to guide countries toward net-zero emissions by mid-century. It highlights that while LTSs provide a vital link between short-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term goals, global adoption is currently insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C. For African nations, the author argues that LTSs must balance mitigation with adaptation and socio-economic development. The briefing outlines best practices for LTS development, including policy coherence, stakeholder engagement, high-level political leadership, and the use of strategic foresight tools, while citing specific examples from countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.

The research explores the application of service design in the Global South, using case studies in Kenya and Uganda to demonstrate how human-centred tools can address multidimensional poverty and complex social-ecological systems. It proposes a conceptual framework bridging service design with the capabilities approach to better align interventions with local contexts and normative development goals.

The Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) challenge, a partnership between the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) and Munich Re Foundation, seeks nature-positive agricultural innovations in East Africa. Open to not-for-profit organisations, the challenge provides selected winners with tailored mentoring, a Leadership Academy, communications support, and potential next-stage funding for implementation and scaling. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale across criteria including innovativeness, impact, equity, scalability, viability, team composition, and risk.

The report analyzes how UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) are increasingly integrating climate change into their oversight of State obligations. In 2022, HRTBs made 95 references to climate change in their pronouncements, reflecting a trend toward treating the climate crisis as an urgent human rights issue. Key focus areas include the obligation of developed states to mitigate emissions, the need to phase out fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups such as children, women, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples. A landmark decision by the Human Rights Committee in Billy et al. v. Australia established a State's duty to protect individuals under its jurisdiction from climate impacts and provide effective remedies. The report emphasizes the growing role of HRTBs in defining extraterritorial obligations and the duty to regulate private corporate actors contributing to environmental degradation.

The document argues that voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can act as partners in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing granular data and 'best practice' case studies for government reporting. While governments require high-level aggregated data for Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), VSSs offer detailed monitoring that can fill data gaps, particularly in the Global South. An analysis of 13 VSSs showed high coverage of criteria related to SDG 8 (77.81%) and SDG 6 (72.82%), and moderate coverage for SDGs 15, 2, and 12. The brief provides guidelines for governments to engage VSS stakeholders and incorporate their findings into VNR sections such as 'Institutional mechanisms' and 'Progress on goals and targets'. Case studies from Uganda, India, and Tanzania illustrate how VSSs contribute to specific targets, such as improving land tenure for women in Uganda and reducing child labour through school infrastructure in Tanzania.

The policy brief examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can bridge data gaps and provide evidence for governments reporting on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). Through an analysis of 13 VSS, the authors demonstrate high alignment with SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and provide guidelines for governments to integrate VSS data and case studies into their national reporting processes.

The policy brief examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and can be leveraged by governments to enhance their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). Through a mapping of 13 international and regional standards, the research demonstrates high coverage of goals related to decent work (SDG 8) and clean water (SDG 6). The document provides guidelines for governments to integrate VSS data and case studies from countries like Uganda, India, and Tanzania to address data gaps and promote policy coherence in their national reporting.

The document examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and can be leveraged by governments to overcome data gaps in their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). Through an analysis of 13 international and regional standards, the authors demonstrate high coverage of goals related to decent work (SDG 8) and clean water (SDG 6). The brief provides practical guidelines for governments to integrate VSS data and case studies from countries like Uganda, India, and Tanzania into their national reporting to improve policy coherence and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

The SEI Urban Toolbox for Liveable Cities is a living digital resource hosted on the weADAPT platform, designed to gather SEI-developed tools for city officials, residents, and community groups. Developed through a four-phase co-design process involving internal reviews and workshops with stakeholders in Thailand, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, and Colombia, the toolbox focuses on improving environmental conditions, health, and well-being. Key findings from stakeholder workshops emphasized a strong demand for tools that foster citizen science, participatory mapping, and open data access to inform decision-making. The toolbox organizes resources into four main domains: residents' wellbeing, neighbourhood conditions, environmental quality and ecosystem services, and cross-cutting issues.

A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) has condemned the proposed Approach to Remedial Action by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The CSOs argue that the proposal fails to implement recommendations from a 2020 External Review, ignores existing harms by applying only to new projects, and lacks concrete mechanisms to guarantee financial remedy for affected communities.

The report examines food crisis challenges and resilience interventions in East Africa and Southeast Asia, identifying shared drivers such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The paper examines the transformation of German-African energy relations, moving from a focus on energy poverty and development aid to a complex mix of energy diplomacy, strategic resource interests, and hydrogen technology. It highlights a tension between 'green objectives' (renewables) and 'fossilist objectives' (LNG imports), while warning against 'energy colonialism' in large-scale projects. The author advocates for a transition toward 'energy justice' and a value-chain approach to hydrogen to ensure equitable benefits for African nations.

The document explains the mechanics of the GloBE rules, which aim to ensure a 15% minimum effective tax rate (ETR) for large multinational enterprises (MNEs) with consolidated revenues of €750 million or more. It outlines three primary policy responses for developing countries: implementing a Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (QDMT) or a general national minimum tax, revising existing tax incentives that lower the ETR, or focusing on other priorities if the impact is minimal. The guide also provides a step-by-step methodology for countries to assess their exposure using country-by-country (CBC) reports and analyzes legal obstacles, such as fiscal stabilization clauses in investment contracts and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), that may hinder tax reforms.

The document explains the mechanics of the GloBE rules, which aim to ensure large multinational enterprises (MNEs) pay a minimum effective tax rate of 15%. It outlines three primary response options for developing countries: introducing a locally collected minimum tax (either a Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax or a general national minimum tax), reviewing and reforming tax incentives that lower the effective tax rate below 15%, or focusing on other priorities if the impact is negligible. The guide also provides a step-by-step methodology for assessing a country's exposure based on available data and analyzes legal obstacles, such as fiscal stabilization clauses in investment contracts and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), that may hinder tax reforms.

The document explains the OECD/G20 Pillar Two GloBE rules, which aim for a 15% global minimum tax on multinational enterprises (MNEs) with revenues over EUR 750 million. It details how top-up taxes are collected via the Income Inclusion Rule (IIR) and Undertaxed Profits Rule (UTPR), and how countries can pre-empt these by adopting a Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (QDMT). The guide analyzes the impact of GloBE on various tax incentives, providing a framework for countries to assess their exposure using country-by-country (CBC) reporting. It also addresses legal barriers to tax reform, specifically fiscal stabilization clauses in investment contracts and protections under Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), such as the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) standard.

The report details a stakeholder event focused on overcoming the 'pattern of inaction' regarding gender impact assessments (GIAs) in mining. It identifies systemic barriers to GIA adoption, such as gender bias and a focus on permitting over community mitigation, while highlighting successful models from Canada, Mongolia, and Uganda. The event emphasizes the need for collaborative, experiential guidance and the institutionalization of gender considerations to prevent 'genderwashing' and ensure sustainable progress.

The report evaluates the AU PSC's efforts to integrate youth into peace processes via the WiseYouth network and argues for a community-centred approach to the Sahel strategy to address inter-communal rivalries. It examines the 24-month transition in Guinea, emphasizing the need for regional ownership and inclusive electoral reforms. Additionally, it analyzes the conflict between the SAF and RSF in Sudan, warning that a lack of regional consensus and a proliferation of parallel peace processes may prolong the crisis. Finally, it outlines Uganda's priorities for the PSC chairship in May 2023, specifically regarding the AU-EU partnership.