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This report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the Global Resilience Partnership, and USAID outlines the business case for private sector investment in climate adaptation and resilience. It identifies three primary opportunities: 'Protecting' existing assets and supply chains, 'Growing' the market for adaptation solutions, and 'Participating' in public sector implementation. The analysis emphasizes that adaptation is no longer a theoretical risk but a business imperative, particularly in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), where investments often yield high benefit-to-cost ratios.

This insights brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) examines the role of urban informality in building equitable resilience in cities across southern Africa and the Global South. It argues that while informality is often invisible or viewed as a challenge, it provides critical services, livelihoods, and innovation that can enhance urban resilience if harnessed through inclusive governance and partnerships.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This briefing, submitted by Natural Justice and the Environmental Lawyers Collective for Africa (E.L.C.A), provides commentary on a zero draft study by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) regarding the impact of climate change on human and people's rights in Africa. The document evaluates the study's identification of vulnerable groups and rights, critiques its approach to corporate accountability and extractive industries, and offers recommendations to strengthen the protection of indigenous peoples, children, and the environment through legal and monitoring frameworks.

This research paper identifies three priority policy measures to transform food systems and improve nutritional outcomes while adapting to climate change, based on reviews of several countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

This background note provides energy production and demand forecasts for Africa and the global community up to 2043, based on the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform. It details the transition of energy sources, the growth of African energy demand driven by population increases, and the status of fossil fuel reserves and renewable energy projects across the continent.

This briefing note from the Institute for Security Studies provides data on the distribution of proven coal reserves across Africa, citing the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2023.

This report by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the role of smallholder farmers in global food security, their productivity, and their adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. It highlights that small-scale farms, particularly those between two and five hectares, produce a significant portion of the world's food and often exhibit higher land productivity and biodiversity than larger farms. The document emphasizes the importance of integrating smallholders into modern agrifood supply chains and providing financial resources to scale climate-smart agricultural practices, especially in Africa.

The November 2023 Peace & Security Council Report examines the diplomatic implications of the first Saudi-Africa summit, the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council's A3 members, the precarious state of South Sudan's transition toward elections, and the AU's efforts to integrate youth into peacebuilding and economic integration via AfCFTA.

The report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes global coal mining employment and the necessity of a 'just transition' for workers. Using a new dataset from the Global Coal Mine Tracker, GEM estimates that nearly 2.7 million people are directly employed at operating coal mines. The report warns that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk due to planned mine closures by 2035 and 2050, regardless of climate policies, and that significantly more layoffs would occur if the world adheres to 1.5°C and 2°C warming scenarios.

This research paper analyzes the dynamics of Zimbabwe's August 23, 2023, general elections, focusing on the contest between incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa (ZANU-PF) and challenger Nelson Chamisa (CCC). The author examines the electoral system, campaign strategies, and the systemic barriers facing the opposition, while highlighting the election's significance for Zimbabwe's international re-engagement and its role in the global critical minerals market.

This report examines the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MEFMI member states in sub-Saharan Africa, detailing how public health measures and external shocks led to GDP declines and increased fiscal pressure.

This research paper examines how implementing the actions in Zimbabwe's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) can simultaneously meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and achieve economic development goals, including improvements in public health, biodiversity, and energy security.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the limited developmental impact of tourism on local African economies, arguing that the industry often functions as an extractive force. Using Zanzibar as a primary case study, the author illustrates how foreign ownership, 'enclave tourism', and economic leakages prevent local communities from benefiting from industry growth.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs advocates for the upscaling of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It highlights the vulnerability of coastal and island states to climate risks and argues that integrating EbA into national policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can simultaneously address climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development.

This research paper analyzes the evolving energy relations between Germany and Africa, noting a shift from traditional development cooperation toward a broader approach combining energy diplomacy, foreign policy, and technical cooperation. The author highlights a tension between Germany's commitment to a 'just transition' and its strategic interests in securing both renewable energy (particularly green hydrogen) and fossil fuel imports to ensure energy security.

This policy brief advocates for the scaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the coastal and marine environments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to enhance climate resilience, conserve biodiversity, and promote socio-economic development.

This report examines the use of risk mitigation and transfer (RMT) instruments to enable utility-scale renewable energy investments in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Through case studies in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia, the authors analyze how financial instruments from development finance institutions (DFIs) help projects reach financial close by addressing offtaker, political, and currency risks. While RMTs have successfully protected existing projects during recent economic shocks, the report finds they are currently insufficient to enable new projects in countries facing severe debt distress, such as Zambia.

This case study discusses the role of coordinated investment promotion and regional value chains in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), specifically highlighting the proposed Pan-African Trade and Investment Agency and the potential for growth in the automotive sector.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and its partners analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants as of April 2023. It highlights a stark divergence between China, where coal capacity is expanding rapidly, and the rest of the world, where new projects are declining. While the report notes that the 'return of coal' in Europe due to the energy crisis was minimal, it emphasizes that current retirement rates are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals, particularly in non-OECD countries.