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The document advocates for a progressive tax agenda to address extreme poverty and wealth concentration, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It proposes several instruments: Financial Transaction Taxes (FTTs) to curb speculation and raise billions annually; net wealth taxes to target the super-rich; property taxes to leverage immobile assets; and Resource Rent Taxes (RTT) for the extractives sector. Using South Africa as a case study, the brief demonstrates that a combination of these taxes could generate substantial revenue to fund social protection, healthcare, and a Universal Basic Income Guarantee, potentially increasing GDP growth.

The document analyzes China's dominance in Africa's critical minerals landscape, highlighting its role as a primary investor and buyer. It argues that while Africa's reserves are vital for the global energy transition, the current model of exporting raw materials without local processing limits socioeconomic benefits and risks environmental degradation. The brief recommends that African governments pursue strategic partnerships, invest in research and development, and build energy infrastructure to move up the value chain, while urging international partners to support technology transfer and local capacity building.

The policy brief outlines how South Africa can leverage its 2025 G20 presidency and the African Union's (AU) G20 membership to promote the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade. It suggests aligning these African initiatives with the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments to improve the speed, cost, and transparency of international transactions. The author recommends that South Africa champion PAPSS adoption, foster collaboration between African central banks and Afreximbank, and utilize public-private partnerships to secure funding and technical assistance from organizations like the IMF and World Bank.

The policy brief argues that the G20's Common Framework for Debt Treatments (CF) is operationally deficient, leading to protracted restructuring processes for low-income countries. It recommends that the South African G20 presidency prioritize the suspension of debt service payments upon CF requests, the expansion of climate-resilient debt clauses (CRDCs) to all low- and middle-income countries, and the creation of G20 working groups to explore market-based solutions—such as a modern 'Brady Plan'—and statutory reforms to ensure private sector participation in debt workouts.

Since 2014, the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance has supported 78 instruments that mobilized over USD 4 billion, including USD 1.6 billion from the private sector. The report highlights the necessity of balancing innovation with 'actionability'—ensuring projects are bankable and scalable. Key strategies for unlocking private capital include blended finance to mitigate chronic risks, aggregation to handle small-ticket investments, and the use of Theory of Change (ToC) frameworks to quantify social and environmental impacts. Case studies illustrate successes like Brazil's Green FIDC, which achieved 100% private funding, and challenges like South Africa's Climate Adaptation Notes, which stalled due to an unreliable project pipeline. The document also emphasizes the importance of gender-responsive finance and the need for systemic regulatory shifts to make low-carbon investment the default for institutional investors.

CPI has introduced a bespoke taxonomy and machine learning model to better capture private sector adaptation finance, increasing the annual average tracked flows from USD 1 billion to USD 4.7 billion for the 2019-2022 period. The analysis identifies significant gaps in reporting, particularly among insurers and pension funds, while highlighting that the majority of project-level private investment is concentrated in the water and sanitation sector. The report also estimates that annual consumer and household spending on high-adaptation-likelihood products ranges between USD 48 billion and USD 61 billion.

The IGAD mediation for South Sudan (2013-2015) was severely compromised because several member states were simultaneously conflict actors and mediators. Uganda provided military support to the government, while Sudan supplied weapons to the opposition. These rivalries prevented IGAD from reaching a consensus on security arrangements, reduced its leverage to impose sanctions, and undermined the impartiality of its envoys. Despite the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) in 2015, the process failed to end the war, which resulted in an estimated 190,000 to 400,000 deaths by 2018.

The report outlines ten considerations for the design of trade-related circular economy policies and measures (TrCEMs), emphasizing the need for international cooperation to avoid regulatory fragmentation. It highlights the role of the WTO, ISO, and multilateral environmental agreements in aligning definitions and standards. The document specifically addresses the challenges faced by developing countries, such as the need for technical assistance and the risk of a 'circular divide,' and suggests mechanisms like extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee transfers to manage end-of-life products in importing nations.

The report tracks the shift in China-Africa energy cooperation from large-scale infrastructure and thermal power projects toward 'small and beautiful' green initiatives. It highlights a growing alignment between China's commitment to stop funding overseas coal-fired projects and Africa's strategic priorities for climate finance, renewable energy access, and resilient infrastructure. While China offers technological and financial aid, the report notes that some African priorities, such as critical minerals, remain insufficiently addressed.

FSD Africa is implementing a program to promote the adoption of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) across Africa, focusing on adapting the global framework to local contexts. The initiative includes capacity building, the creation of the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA), and strategic outreach to G20 and sovereign stakeholders. A key partnership with FirstRand has involved piloting the TNFD framework through nature-risk assessments in the agricultural and extractive industries and evaluating organizational readiness for disclosure.

The document evaluates the alignment of Sénégalaise des Filières Alimentaires (SFA), a Senegalese rice miller supported by the Smallholder Safety Net Up-scaling Programme (SSNUP), with international responsible investment standards. SFA demonstrates moderate compliance, characterized by a transparent structure and positive contributions to local livelihoods, though it faces challenges with government price setting and operational health and safety enforcement.

The case study evaluates Mahembe, a Rwandan coffee producer, processor, and exporter, against the CFS-RAI standards. It finds that the company maintains a high level of compliance because it deliberately pursues socially responsible business development. However, the report recommends that Mahembe formalize its policies and procedures, specifically regarding community support and young farmers, to ensure long-term adherence to responsible investment standards as the business scales.

Tropic Coffee, a Rwandan coffee processor supported by the impact investor Alterfin, demonstrates a moderately high level of compliance with international responsible investment standards. While the company actively empowers women through improved market access and the formation of savings groups, it faces financial challenges due to competitive rates, lack of a dry mill, and reduced global demand for organic coffee. The study recommends that the board improve its understanding of responsible investment principles to enhance strategy and accountability.

The document evaluates LIMBUA Group Limited's adherence to international responsible investment standards in Kenya's fruit and nut sector, finding a high level of compliance and identifying areas for further improvement in farmer support and employee training.

A case study by the Alliance for Renewable Electrification detailing a portable solar power system developed by GadgetroniX for use in remote locations in Tanzania, specifically within the Manyara Region.

The report identifies currency risk—specifically the mismatch between local currency revenues and hard currency debt—as a primary barrier to climate investment in EMDEs. It argues that while long-term solutions require macroeconomic reform and deeper local capital markets, immediate needs must be met through innovative hedging mechanisms. The document analyzes five specific models: a TCX donor-funded guarantee, Eco Invest Brasil, the Delta onshore DFI platform, FSD Africa's MDB portfolio transfer, and a CPI FX Hedging Facility for India. It concludes that concessional capital is essential in the short term to make these tools affordable and to catalyze private investment.

The report analyzes national MEL systems for climate adaptation in nine countries, noting progress since 2014 in integrating MEL into national adaptation plans (NAPs). While monitoring and reporting are common, evaluation and learning activities are less prominent. The study finds that the systematic integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) is insufficient, though Kenya and Vietnam provide examples of specific GESI indicators. It also emphasizes the link between national systems and global UNFCCC processes, such as the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.

Africa possesses vast untapped renewable energy resources, including 60% of global solar resources, yet accounts for only 1.6% of global installed renewable capacity. The continent faces significant barriers to energy transition, including a massive financing gap—requiring $557 billion by 2030—and a heavy reliance on imported technologies, with Africa contributing less than 1% of global clean energy patent applications. While the region holds 40% of global critical mineral reserves essential for green technologies, it primarily serves as a raw material supplier. The document advocates for strengthened partnerships with the G20 and Global North to improve climate finance, facilitate technology transfer, and develop local green value chains to move beyond the export of primary commodities.

Friends of the Earth Africa rejects the claim that fossil fuel expansion serves African interests, asserting that such projects lead to environmental degradation and human rights abuses rather than energy access. The organization advocates for a people-led transition to clean energy, the rejection of gas as a transition fuel, and the demand for technology transfers and grants to cover ecological debts owed to the region.

China has positioned itself as a leader in green technology transfer to the Global South, utilizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund to deploy renewable energy, green agriculture, and electric vehicle technologies. While achieving significant scale—including exporting photovoltaic modules to over 100 countries—the brief identifies critical challenges: a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, deficiencies in ESG disclosure, geopolitical tensions, and limited local operational capacity. To improve sustainability, the document recommends enhancing transparency, aligning with global ESG standards, and fostering locally led innovation ecosystems through active partner ownership and capacity building.