Search Climate Insights Directory

The report challenges the 'miracle crop' narrative of jatropha, presenting ten reasons why industrial-scale plantations fail. It argues that jatropha requires fertile land, significant water, and chemical inputs to be productive, contradicting claims that it thrives on marginal land. This leads to competition with food production, displacement of local communities, and biodiversity loss. Economically, the report highlights a pattern of failed investment projects and unrealistic yield promises. Environmentally, it asserts that land-use change for jatropha can increase carbon emissions, undermining its purpose as a climate solution.

The document examines the multifaceted relationship between China and Zambia, highlighting the risks of debt instability and opaque trade deals against the benefits of infrastructure investment and new export markets. It argues that while China provides a critical alternative source of financing, Zambia's lack of a comprehensive policy and weak regulatory framework make it vulnerable to 'bad practices' and unsustainable borrowing. The author recommends the implementation of a Debt Management Bill, a Freedom of Information Act, and the development of a formal national policy on China to ensure that economic cooperation leads to pro-poor growth.

The report examines food security policies within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), noting that the region exists in a state of permanent food-security crisis. It discusses the role of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and the risks associated with strategic grain reserves and inappropriate trade policies. The document emphasizes the importance of domestic production capabilities and short-term safety nets for vulnerable populations.

The communiqué from the July 2010 Kampala conference identifies critical areas for improving the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Key recommendations include the urgent need to fill the vacant CEO position of the APRM Secretariat, the integration of National Programmes of Action (NPOA) into national budgeting and planning, and the requirement for National Governing Councils to maintain institutional independence with a non-executive majority. The document emphasizes that while twelve countries had completed reviews by 2010, the pace of accession and execution remains slow, urging all 53 African states to join the mechanism.

The document argues that Zambia's mining regulatory framework, which relies on consensus and self-reporting, is inadequate for a diverse investor base. It highlights that while Chinese state-owned enterprises provide stable investment during global crises, their tendency to bypass regulators through direct ties to the presidency and their lack of adherence to international reporting standards undermine regulatory reform and accountability.

The report argues that the 2006–2008 global food crisis was a spike in a long-term trend of food insecurity in Southern Africa. It highlights the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) as the primary framework for coordinated regional responses, emphasizing long-term structural improvements over short-term reactionary measures. The analysis covers specific SADC and COMESA initiatives, the role of strategic grain reserves, and the impact of international trade subsidies on African agricultural productivity.

The paper examines Chinese investment in Zambia's mining sector, noting that while Chinese firms often have poor labour and environmental records, they have rejuvenated inactive mines and maintained investment during global crises. It highlights that these issues are often systemic to the Zambian mining sector rather than exclusive to Chinese firms, and that anti-Chinese sentiment is frequently politicised by opposition leaders.

The report finds that significant greenhouse gas mitigation is possible in developing countries at low or negative costs, primarily through energy efficiency and forestry. While macroeconomic analyses for countries like Mexico and South Africa suggest that low-carbon transitions can be net-positive for GDP, the report warns that technical cost curves often omit significant implementation and transaction costs. It emphasizes that low-income countries (LICs) have different drivers, focusing on co-benefits like health and energy security rather than absolute emission cuts. The document also highlights a critical knowledge gap regarding 'climate resilient growth'—how to structure economies to reduce long-term vulnerability—and calls for better integration of adaptation and mitigation strategies to avoid trade-offs.

Dr. Jakkie Cilliers, Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), delivered opening remarks on April 13, 2010, for the launch of the ISS's expanded Nairobi office. The speech details the ISS's evolution from a South African organization founded in 1991 to a pan-African think tank focused on "sustainable human security." Cilliers highlights the institute's regional presence in Pretoria, Cape Town, Addis Ababa, and Nairobi, and its collaborations with various African Union and regional bodies. The remarks also introduce new initiatives, including the African Conflict Prevention System (ACPS) and the proposed ISS Peace Academy in Addis Ababa, which aims to provide training on non-traditional security issues such as climate change.

The document reports on a February 2010 roundtable discussing the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It highlights the mechanism's success in attracting 30 member states and producing 12 comprehensive Country Review Reports (CRRs) that diagnose governance failures. However, it identifies critical weaknesses, including a 'crisis of leadership', insufficient funding, and a lack of systematic implementation of National Programmes of Action (NPoAs). The discussion emphasizes the need for greater transparency in the Panel of Eminent Persons and more robust civil society engagement to ensure the APRM's long-term credibility and impact.

The document analyzes the strategic interdependence between China and Angola, where Chinese credit lines for infrastructure are guaranteed by oil supplies, and Chinese national oil companies seek equity in Angolan oil blocs. It details the 'Angola model' of resource-collateralized loans and the specific successes and failures of Sinopec's upstream and downstream ventures.

The report examines the hydrological constraints and governance regimes of transboundary river basins in the SADC region, arguing that while water is not a primary driver of conflict, robust institutional frameworks and policy harmonisation are essential for economic growth. It highlights the role of the SADC Water Protocol and the evolution of basin-specific regimes, proposing 'Parallel National Action' as a mechanism to align national policies without eroding state sovereignty.

The study establishes a significant positive correlation between temperature increases and cholera cases in Tanzania, predicting that a 1 degree Celsius rise in annual mean temperature increases the risk ratio for cholera by 23 to 51 percent. By 2030, the total economic cost of additional cholera cases and deaths—including treatment, productivity loss, and the value of statistical life—is projected to range from 1.4 to 7.8 percent of GDP. The authors argue that the costs of these climate-driven health impacts largely exceed the costs of preventive measures, such as household chlorination and improved water sanitation.

The report examines South Africa's energy security, highlighting a critical over-reliance on coal-fired power generated by the state utility Eskom. It argues that this dependency creates a conflict with the country's climate mitigation goals and international commitments. The author identifies structural and institutional barriers—specifically Eskom's market dominance and a lack of coordinated government policy—that hinder the adoption of renewable energy. The report suggests that South Africa must shift from a 'business as usual' fossil-fuel path toward a 'business unusual' approach, leveraging regional hydroelectric and gas potential within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) to ensure a sustainable and secure energy future.

Mozambique possesses significant hydropower, natural gas, and coal potential, yet over 80% of its population lacks grid connectivity, relying instead on traditional biomass. The report details the country's transition from a centralized socialist economy to a liberalized market, highlighting the role of the 1997 Electricity Act in opening the sector to private investment. It examines the functions of key entities like Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) and the National Energy Fund (FUNAE), while outlining strategic goals to increase electrification rates to 20% by 2020 and leverage regional power demand through the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

The report examines energy security in Southern Africa, focusing on the need to expand electricity generation capacity and diversify away from coal. It identifies the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) as a key mechanism for regional cooperation to exploit vast hydropower potential in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. However, the report notes that urgent short-term power shortages often lead countries, especially South Africa, to rely on quicker, coal-fired solutions, creating a 'lock-in' effect. It argues that for SAPP to succeed, the region must overcome significant regulatory risks, high upfront capital costs for hydropower, and a lack of cost-reflective pricing in national utilities.

The study finds that carbon emissions from smallholder irrigation pumps in five Sub-Saharan African countries are currently a negligible fraction of national agricultural emissions and are unlikely to become significant even under high-adoption scenarios. However, the study warns that increased pump uptake may pose a more immediate threat to local water resources, particularly in semi-arid regions like Burkina Faso.

The RANET project in Zambia has implemented a community-based approach to climate monitoring by providing rain gauges to 3,050 rural residents. To ensure this information is useful for adaptation, the project utilizes a multi-channel dissemination strategy including SMS messaging, satellite-based systems like Chatty Beetle, and community FM radio stations that translate data into local languages. The author argues that timely, accurate climate information is a 'perishable commodity' essential for reducing the vulnerability of peasant farmers who depend on rain for crop production.

The document examines the technical and political challenges of integrating REDD into global climate policy, focusing on the scope of activities (from REDD to REDD++), financing mechanisms, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) standards, and institutional governance. It highlights the diversity of national circumstances, particularly in Africa, and the need for a phased implementation approach that balances equity with efficiency.

The report examines the technical, financial, and institutional challenges of implementing REDD, focusing on the definitions of 'forest', funding mechanisms, and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems.