Search Climate Insights Directory

This fact sheet describes a research project by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to evaluate the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) in Tanzania. The project aims to assess whether this voluntary, non-binding international regime has contributed to on-the-ground improvements in chemical safety and the strengthening of national chemicals management to meet a global 2020 goal of minimizing adverse effects on health and the environment.

This policy brief examines the intersection of transport and environment in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting critical issues such as rising urban air pollution, high road fatality rates, and traffic congestion. It argues that current transport policies often favor automobiles over the needs of poor and vulnerable populations and calls for an integrated approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve equity through strategies like the 'avoid, shift, improve' framework.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the methodologies used to measure and verify emission reductions in improved cookstove projects to ensure their environmental integrity and attract carbon finance. It identifies technical challenges in calculating biomass fuel savings, monitoring stove usage, and determining the fraction of non-renewable biomass, while noting that current methodologies often overlook significant non-CO2 climate benefits like black carbon reduction.

This research paper examines the application of the 'complementarity' principle in Africa, arguing that a broader, 'positive' understanding of the concept—where domestic courts, regional bodies, and civil society actively fill impunity gaps—is essential for the success of international criminal justice on the continent.

A briefing on the territorial dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi, focusing on the disagreement regarding the mediation process and the structural limitations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in resolving such conflicts.

The Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA) is a consortium-led project that improves the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Uganda. The project has influenced national climate and disaster risk reduction policies, implemented district-level training in Ethiopia, and established the first seasonal forecast in Uganda. Its second phase focuses on enhancing flexible, forward-looking decision-making for planners through the use of a specialized simulation game.

The September 2012 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides analysis on early warning issues in Africa, focusing on the electoral risks in Kenya, the democratic transition in Egypt, and a retrospective of the 19th African Union (AU) Summit.

This policy brief explores the potential for a 'Green Revolution' in Africa, using the International Futures (IFs) model to compare scenarios of agricultural intensification. The authors argue that while aggressive policy interventions could make Africa a net food exporter and significantly boost GDP, such production increases must be coupled with social policies to ensure food access for the poor and improvements in water and sanitation to realize human development gains.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute previews a forthcoming book on transforming gender relations in Sub-Saharan African agriculture. It argues that while women provide a significant portion of agricultural labour and are primary food producers for rural families, they face systemic resource gaps and social constraints. The document outlines a conceptual framework for empowerment based on agency, structure, and relations, and highlights the necessity of addressing land ownership and value chain access to improve food security and productivity.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that sustainable public procurement can serve as a catalyst for peacebuilding, nation-building, and sustainable economic growth in fragile states. It highlights the significant proportion of government expenditure dedicated to procurement in these contexts and suggests that using this purchasing power to favor environmentally and socially sustainable goods can mitigate risks, combat corruption, and build local industrial capacity.

This report examines the drivers and flows of tropical timber exports from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Uganda to regional markets, highlighting the prevalence of unregulated trade and the disparity in benefits among actors within the supply chain.

This policy briefing examines the tropical timber trade from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to and through Uganda into the wider East African region. It highlights the challenges of regulating a trade characterized by informal operators and middlemen, and provides recommendations for improving regional coordination, domestic regulation in Uganda, and the use of existing platforms like the ICGLR and the Albertine Rift Strategic Planning Process to promote sustainable development.

This report analyzes the legal and political consequences of Malawi's June 2012 decision to refuse hosting the African Union (AU) Summit because the AU insisted on the invitation of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The document examines how Malawi balanced its international legal obligations and its need to regain Western donor support against its relationship with the AU.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and Oxfam examines the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and the systemic risks associated with their lending through Financial Intermediaries (FIs) rather than direct project investment.

This report by Friends of the Earth International and the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) investigates land grabbing in Uganda, with a primary focus on oil palm plantations in Kalangala. It documents how the acquisition of land by corporations and governments for commodity crops, carbon offsets, and oil exploration displaces rural communities, violates customary land rights, and causes significant environmental degradation and food insecurity.

The Green Economy Coalition provides a statement on the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, supporting its goals but arguing for greater ambition and a stronger focus on energy equity and poverty reduction. The document emphasizes that universal energy access is essential for sustainable development and suggests that success should be measured by development benefits rather than technical metrics.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies uses the International Futures (IFs) forecasting model to analyze the projected rise in road traffic fatalities in Africa through 2050. It argues that road safety is a critical development issue, as rapid motorization often outpaces infrastructure and regulatory improvements. The document compares a 'base case' forecast with an 'improved scenario' where African countries stabilize death rates at current continental averages, demonstrating that aggressive road safety interventions could save millions of lives and provide a significant boost to the continent's GDP.

This seminar report, compiled by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), documents a March 2012 meeting in Kampala, Uganda. The event brought together 44 delegates to discuss the governance of Africa's natural resources, focusing on oil, mining, and renewable resources (land, forestry, and fisheries). The report highlights the tension between the potential for wealth generation and the risks of corruption, conflict, and 'elite capture', while emphasizing the need for transparency, local community inclusion, and African-led research and policy solutions.

This report examines the potential political and social impacts of Uganda's transition to an oil-producing state, highlighting risks related to military influence and local community grievances in the Lake Albert region.

The document describes a report on the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to climate change adaptation in Africa. It outlines an analytical framework for adaptation interventions—addressing vulnerability, building response capacity, managing risks, and confronting climate change—and draws on case studies from Senegal, Malawi, and Uganda to suggest policy and practical interventions.