Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's unemployment crisis is a macroeconomic phenomenon that cannot be solved through microeconomic interventions alone. The document criticizes the 'orthodox' macroeconomic framework adopted since 1996, characterizing both fiscal and monetary policies as contractionary and detrimental to job creation. It proposes a shift toward a developmental macroeconomic approach, featuring a significant fiscal stimulus and a restructured monetary policy mandate to prioritize employment and productive investment over strict inflation targeting.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's monetary policy is 'anti-developmental' because it prioritizes price stability and inflation targeting over growth and employment. The author contends that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) relies on inappropriate tools, specifically interest rate manipulation, which discourages investment and contributes to de-industrialization and financialization. The brief proposes a fundamental shift toward a developmental monetary framework involving direct credit provision to productive sectors, the monetisation of fiscal operations, and closer coordination between the SARB and the National Treasury.

This fact sheet details a EUR 500 million green bond issued by Svenska Handelsbanken on July 3, 2018, with a five-year tenor. The proceeds are allocated to renewable energy, clean transport, waste and water management, green buildings, and sustainable forestry.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments from the first half of 2018, focusing on sovereign issuance, national guidelines, financial incentives, and the role of central banks in supporting the energy transition.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a strategic framework for governments to design and implement local content policies in the mining sector. It outlines a four-step process—aligning with national objectives, taking stock of capabilities, crafting specific policies, and establishing monitoring mechanisms—to ensure mining investments contribute to sustainable, inclusive economic development and diversification.

A Green Bond Fact Sheet for a USD 750 million senior unsecured bond issued by National Australia Bank on June 11, 2018, with a maturity date of September 20, 2021.

This policy brief examines the impact of seismic surveys used in oil and gas exploration on marine fauna, specifically within South Africa. It argues that current mitigation guidelines, which are often based on the UK's JNCC standards and developed by the companies conducting the surveys, are insufficient. The author recommends the establishment of an independent regulatory board to create country-specific, science-based legislative frameworks to protect biodiversity and maintain environmental integrity as South Africa expands its ocean economy through Operation Phakisa.

BBVA issued a EUR1bn green bond on May 14, 2018, under its SDGs Framework, marking the first such issuance by a Spanish bank. The proceeds are primarily allocated to renewable energy (83%), with smaller portions for sustainable transport, water/waste management, and energy efficiency. The bond was oversubscribed, with an order book exceeding EUR3bn and 51% of allocation going to SRI investors, primarily from France and other European nations.

This report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes how extending best practice policies across EU member states could enable the EU to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of -55% to -62% below 1990 levels by 2030, aligning with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.

The report 'Coal To Clean' by Ember (May 2018) analyzes the UK's transition away from coal power, concluding that the country is on track to phase out coal by 2025 without the need for new large gas-fired power plants. It argues that renewables, interconnectors, and small peaking gas plants can provide the necessary capacity and backup, allowing the UK to avoid a 'gas bridge' and move directly toward clean power generation.

This fact sheet details a EUR 750 million green bond issued by ABN AMRO on April 18, 2018, which is notable for being the first bond certified under the Climate Bonds Standard's Marine Renewable Energy Criteria.

This policy brief by SEI, IDDRI, and ODI argues that climate adaptation must shift from a local-to-national focus to a transboundary perspective. It contends that because climate risks are 'borderless'—affecting global supply chains, migration, and ecosystems—international cooperation through the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement is essential to prevent 'climate change contagion' in the global economy.

This report by Ember analyzes the UK's transition away from coal power, concluding that the country can achieve its 2025 coal phase-out without the construction of new large gas-fired power plants. The analysis suggests that renewables, interconnectors, and small-scale technology will replace coal capacity, allowing the UK to bypass a 'gas bridge' to clean power.

This research paper examines the risks and opportunities of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in delivering sustainable infrastructure. It analyzes high-profile failures, such as the collapse of Carillion in the UK, and critiques current policy approaches in the US and developing nations, arguing that PPPs often fail when used primarily to keep debt off public balance sheets rather than to optimize value for money.

This report analyzes the effectiveness of peer learning and peer pressure within three Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs): the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It evaluates how these initiatives use mutual dialogue, best practices, and sanctions to improve governance, transparency, and accountability among member states.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative explains how green securitisation—the process of creating asset-backed securities (ABS) from low-carbon assets—can unlock finance for small-scale projects. It details various structures including synthetic ABS, PACE ABS, solar ABS, and green mortgage-backed securities, highlighting how aggregating small assets allows institutional investors to provide capital to SMEs and urban infrastructure.

This RMI insight brief argues that the global climate finance system must evolve from a focus on 'direct access' to multilateral funds toward establishing national institutions, specifically Green Investment Banks (GIBs), to ensure true country ownership. The authors posit that for large emerging markets, national GIBs can better mobilize domestic private capital and coordinate financial flows to achieve nationally determined commitments (NDCs) than current international structures.

This briefing argues that without a carbon intensity limit of 550gCO2/kWh for capacity payments, Europe's coal plants could be 'supercharged,' extending their operational lives and crowding out cleaner energy alternatives. The document outlines existing EU policy gaps that favor coal and details how specific capacity market designs risk subsidizing fossil fuels over modern technologies like batteries and demand-side response.

This fact sheet by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments in 2017 and projections for 2018. It highlights the rise of sovereign green bonds, the establishment of regional and national guidelines in Asia and Africa, the growth of the green sukuk market in Malaysia, and various financial incentives provided by governments to lower issuance costs and accelerate the transition to low-carbon infrastructure.

The Green Economy Barometer 2017 by the Green Economy Coalition analyzes the global transition toward sustainability, noting a contrast between booming green markets and persistent reliance on fossil fuels and systemic socio-economic gaps.