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Global Witness asserts that the influence of corporate money in US politics, exacerbated by the Citizens United decision, has led to climate inaction and the failure to implement the Cardin-Lugar anti-corruption provision. The organization argues that the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) proposed rules are insufficient because they do not require project-level payment disclosure, which is essential for detecting corruption in the extractive industries, as evidenced by cases involving Shell, Eni, and Glencore.

This research paper examines the peace and security efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), focusing on best practices, lessons learned, and the implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

The briefing examines the 2012 Senegalese presidential election, highlighting how electoral integrity and a neutral military prevented the violence often associated with third-term bids in West Africa. Despite President Abdoulaye Wade's attempts to secure a third term through constitutional manipulation, he received only 34.8% of the vote in the first round, while the opposition collectively secured approximately 60%. The author identifies voter dissatisfaction with systemic corruption, power failures, and social inequality as primary drivers for change, and suggests that the Senegalese experience provides a lesson for the rest of Africa on the importance of transparent electoral bodies in ensuring peaceful power transitions.

The document argues that the exclusion of main opposition parties from three consecutive elections in Benin, driven by a restrictive endorsement requirement in the electoral code, undermines the country's democratic progress and risks triggering civil strife. It highlights a trend in West Africa where incumbents ensure re-election by excluding opponents and calls for African regional organisations to rethink their conflict prevention strategies to consolidate democracy.

The author argues that DDR processes often fail because they prioritize the visible technical aspects of disarmament and demobilisation over the difficult task of reintegration. In West Africa and the Great Lakes region, 'conflict economies' and the desire of local actors to retain power undermine peace accords. The document suggests that without transitioning from a conflict economy to a peace economy and addressing political grievances, DDR cannot prevent a return to violence.

Africa is experiencing rapid population growth and urbanisation, with a projected population of over 1.8 billion by 2035. While the continent shows a positive overall trend, growth is heterogeneous and often outpaced by population increases, leading to a projected rise in the number of people living in extreme poverty. The report highlights a 'demographic dividend' that remains delayed due to high fertility rates, and notes that while global democratic trends are declining, popular support for democracy in Africa remains strong despite fragile foundations. Security is shifting from large-scale interstate conflicts toward more complex, lower-fatality violence, including urban riots and terrorism. Economic growth is hindered by a lack of structural transformation and a significant infrastructure deficit, particularly in basic services like water and sanitation, which the report argues are more critical for poverty reduction than traditional trade infrastructure.

The report analyzes UN discourse on small arms and light weapons (SALW) from 2001 to 2003, concluding that gender perspectives remain marginalized. The authors find that when gender is mentioned, women are almost exclusively characterized as passive victims, while the specific impacts on men and the active roles of women as peace-builders are largely ignored. While NGOs and international organizations demonstrate a more nuanced understanding of gender, member state delegations often lack expertise or prioritize other issues. The document recommends bridging the gap between gender experts and policymakers through targeted education and coordinated advocacy to ensure that the 2006 Review Conference on SALW reflects the diverse experiences of both men and women.

The provided text is a detailed list of references, including academic books, reports from international organizations (UN, AU, ECOWAS), human rights briefings (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch), and legal documents. The bibliography focuses on the geopolitical and security landscape of West Africa, specifically documenting the civil wars and peace processes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the role of ECOMOG and UNMIL, and the application of international humanitarian law and transitional justice.

The document evaluates cocoa suppliers based on their sustainability policies, highlighting the role of cocoa in driving global deforestation and the varying levels of corporate commitment to sustainable practices.

Mighty Earth's Easter Chocolate Shopping Guide evaluates chocolate companies based on their policies regarding deforestation-free cocoa, agroforestry, and living income, awarding Lindt for policy improvement and SucDen for poor transparency and policies.

The document presents a classification of financial instruments for climate adaptation, categorised by their maturity level (mature, emerging, or pilot) and their applicability to specific sectors and regions. It identifies three main categories of instruments: debt instruments, results-based financing instruments, and financial risk management instruments.

Geres advocates for a holistic approach to universal energy access that moves beyond binary measurements to ensure high-quality, affordable, and reliable energy services. The organization focuses on the 'base of the pyramid' (BoP), integrating renewable energy deployment with energy sobriety and efficiency to avoid environmental degradation. Key operational models include Green Business Areas (GBAs) to foster rural entrepreneurship and the promotion of energy-efficient cooking and cooling solutions. Geres emphasizes capacity-building, gender equality, and the use of social enterprises to ensure the long-term sustainability and scalability of energy projects in rural and peri-urban areas.

A 2023 study by the Alliance for Rural Electrification and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung indicates that decentralised renewable energy (DRE) could create up to 40,000 direct jobs by 2030 in Senegal and Ghana. In Ghana specifically, a 'Forward-Leaning-Policy' scenario with 15% renewables in the energy mix could generate over 23,000 direct DRE jobs by 2030, while a 'Business-As-Usual' scenario targeting 10% renewables would result in more than 15,465 jobs.

The document analyzes Senegal's macroeconomic trajectory from the 1970s through the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how the pandemic caused a significant drop in GDP growth in 2020, severely impacting sectors such as tourism, transport, and agriculture. To counter this, the Senegalese government and the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) deployed a combination of stimulus packages, tax rebates, and liquidity measures. These interventions are credited with achieving a 1.3% real GDP growth in 2020, outperforming initial IMF forecasts of -0.4%. The paper also discusses the role of foreign direct investment, the potential of future oil and gas production, and the long-term goals of the Emerging Senegal Plan.

The authors contend that the COVID-19 crisis has revealed a "crisis of confidence" in global institutions, specifically the World Health Organization (WHO), which has been hampered by member state limitations and political polarization. The text highlights the United States' decision to withdraw financial support from the WHO as a sign of retreating from a rules-based global system. To address these gaps, the paper recommends a total overhaul of global governance principles, increased fixed financial contributions to the WHO, the removal of trade barriers for medical equipment, and a redefinition of international peace and security to include global health threats within the UN Security Council's remit. It emphasizes that effective responses require farsighted leadership from the UN, G7, G20, and development finance institutions to ensure scientific collaboration and the provision of affordable medical supplies.

The paper finds that while Senegal has made progress in renewable energy and direct access to climate finance, its overall NDC implementation is unsatisfactory. Key obstacles include a significant funding gap, the lack of a national measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) system, and a strategic shift toward oil and gas exploitation that threatens carbon-reduction goals.

The briefing compares the macroeconomic resilience of Benin and Togo from 2000 to 2020, finding that Benin's economy is more volatile due to greater global integration, while Togo's performance has been shielded by phosphate exports. It examines the impact of national crises—such as political instability in Togo and trade disputes in Benin—and regional shocks like COVID-19 and Ebola, evaluating the fiscal and monetary policy responses of both nations.

The paper compares the macroeconomic resilience of Nigeria and Ghana, noting that while both face vulnerabilities to commodity price fluctuations and climate shocks, Ghana's more diversified economy has generally provided greater resilience. Nigeria's heavy reliance on oil makes it more susceptible to external shocks, leading to recessions in 2016 and 2020. Both countries struggle with significant public debt and fiscal deficits, often resorting to borrowing to finance government expenditure during crises. The authors recommend that Nigeria diversify its economy away from oil and improve fiscal management, while Ghana should expand its export base and accelerate the rollout of renewable energy to improve energy security.

The Mini-Grid Emissions Tool, developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), addresses the lack of standardized carbon tracking in the mini-grid sector. Unlike previous methods that rely on a single default emissions factor and total energy generated, this tool calculates emissions avoided based on actual energy consumed and the diverse range of previous energy sources used by customers. It incorporates specific data for different household energy access tiers, kerosene lamp types, and fossil fuel generator efficiencies to provide a more accurate estimate of climatic benefits.

Ghana is utilizing the SNAP initiative to develop a national plan for mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), integrating these efforts into its National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda. The Ghana EPA is employing the LEAP-IBC model to calculate emissions and benefits across both energy and non-energy sectors. Key sectoral actions include the potential implementation of Euro-benchmarked emission standards for transport, the distribution of 200,000 solar lanterns to replace kerosene, and a Green Cooling Programme to replace high-GWP HFC air conditioners. To support these goals, the Ministry of Finance has established a climate change unit as the National Designated Authority for the Green Climate Fund.