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The document outlines how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) can address systemic gender inequalities and social instability in South Africa. It argues that by providing a guaranteed income to all adults, UBIG empowers women—who face higher unemployment and unpaid care burdens—and reduces intimate partner violence. Furthermore, the text asserts that unconditional cash transfers strengthen social cohesion, increase trust in government, and lower crime rates, contrasting these benefits with conditional transfers that can create social division.

The document outlines how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) functions as a tool for economic empowerment rather than just a social grant. It presents evidence from various countries showing that guaranteed income allows the poor to invest in productive assets, start small businesses, and increase local consumption, which in turn stimulates broader economic activity through a multiplier effect.

The document assesses the vulnerabilities of Africa's Agenda 2063 framework to escalating climate change, noting that the original 2015 plan relied heavily on fossil fuel assets now at risk of becoming stranded. It highlights a significant 'adaptation deficit' and an economic impact where climate change reduces GDP per capita growth by 5% to 15%. The brief warns that achieving Agenda 2063 goals could release an additional 297 million tons of carbon by 2043, potentially increasing Africa's share of global emissions to 12%. It provides specific recommendations for national governments, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and the African Union to pivot toward climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, and coordinated transboundary water and mobility strategies.

The report examines vertical integration in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), highlighting the roles of subnational governments and non-governmental actors. Based on an analysis of 45 multisectoral NAPs, it finds that while most countries recognize subnational roles in planning and implementation, gaps remain in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and stable financial flows to local levels. It provides recommendations for national governments, subnational authorities, development partners, and funding bodies to strengthen multi-level coordination and capacity.

The document details Africa's strategic position for COP28, as framed by the Nairobi Declaration. It argues that the continent must shift from being viewed as a 'climate victim' to a 'climate champion' by leveraging its renewable energy potential and critical minerals. Central to this is a demand for a complete overhaul of the global financial architecture to increase grant-based and concessional finance, as current investments are far below the $2.8 trillion needed by 2030. The brief emphasizes the urgent need to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund and double adaptation finance to prevent an estimated $6 trillion in economic losses by 2035. It also highlights the importance of the first Global Stocktake as an accountability tool to hold the world's largest emitters and fossil-fuel companies responsible.

The document argues that while African leaders remain committed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a tool for transformative growth, its actual implementation is stalled due to unresolved technical details, primarily rules of origin. Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the agreement has maintained political momentum, with 44 AU member states having ratified it by February 2022. However, the transition from negotiation to operational trade has been slow, with only a small number of symbolic shipments occurring. The authors suggest that regional economic powers, such as Kenya and South Africa, should provide leadership through concessions and collaboration on technical rules to unlock the agreement and stimulate continental industrialization.

The Peer Learning Summit (PLS) convened representatives from 10 countries to exchange knowledge on vertical integration in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process. The workshop focused on five interdependent areas: coordination mechanisms with sub-national governments, capacity strengthening, engagement with the local private sector, engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs), and financial flows to sub-national levels. Key discussions highlighted the necessity of long-term monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress across governance levels and the importance of gender-responsive and socially inclusive (GESI) approaches. Participating countries, including Kenya, Ghana, and Tuvalu, shared specific milestones and challenges, such as limited local funding and technical capacity gaps. The event concluded with countries identifying actionable next steps for their respective NAP processes through June 2024.

The report analyzes the job creation potential of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) in Ghana and Senegal. It introduces a 'job factor' to quantify direct employment per kWc installed and finds that with forward-looking policies, both countries could create over 20,000 direct DRE jobs by 2030. The study highlights the role of DRE in formalizing the informal economy and empowering women and youth, while recommending the removal of import duties and the implementation of targeted training programs to address skilled labor shortages.

The report assesses the direct job creation potential of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) in Ghana and Senegal, finding that both countries could create over 20,000 direct jobs by 2030 under forward-leaning policy scenarios. It introduces an 'Employment Factor' to quantify jobs per kWp installed and highlights the role of DRE in formalising employment for women and youth in rural areas.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total assets of $533,266,191 as of September 30, 2023, an increase from $384,549,025 in 2022. The organization's operating revenues for the 2023 fiscal year totaled $250,310,049, with $235,185,176 in operating expenses. An independent audit by Grant Thornton LLP issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements and compliance for major federal programs, although a significant deficiency was identified regarding the preparation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA). WRI's programmatic work is organized across seven critical issues, including climate, energy, and forests, with a global presence including subsidiaries and offices in India, Europe, Colombia, Kenya, China, and Ethiopia.

The policy brief examines the challenge of youth unemployment in Africa, noting that millions of young people, including tertiary graduates, struggle to enter the labor market. It evaluates various school-to-work transition initiatives, such as Ghana's National Service Scheme and NABCO, and identifies a critical trade-off between the scale of a program and the quality of its training. The author argues that for these programs to be successful, they must provide comprehensive skills training, ensure inclusivity, avoid political interference, and be coupled with efforts to create more high-quality jobs in collaboration with the private sector.

The document examines the evolving integration of ocean issues into the UNFCCC climate process, noting a shift from limited recognition in the Paris Agreement to the establishment of the annual Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue. While 2022 saw significant momentum through the 'Super Year of the Ocean' and the BBNJ agreement, the author argues that COP27 outcomes were overly process-oriented and lacked strong language on finance. For COP28, the brief recommends that African stakeholders leverage regional forums and the African Group of Negotiators to shift the global dialogue from knowledge sharing to concrete implementation, utilizing regional successes like the Great Blue Wall and Seychelles' debt-for-nature swap to advocate for increased finance, capacity building, and technology transfer.

The roadmap, developed during a July 2023 dialogue in Nairobi, serves as an indicative guide for the African Union Commission (AUC) to enhance coordination between Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in addressing transboundary climate risks. It advocates for the creation of a formal implementation plan to align with the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032) and suggests using the 2023 Africa Climate Summit and COP28 as platforms to signal African leadership and secure necessary financial and technical resources.

The document categorizes plastics-related instruments into government legislation, voluntary multistakeholder standards, and non-governmental initiatives. It identifies significant gaps in standards for upstream production and reuse systems, while noting a concentration of existing efforts in waste management. The authors argue for enhanced international cooperation to reduce regulatory fragmentation and improve inclusivity for developing countries, suggesting that a future global plastics treaty could drive the development of harmonized design and transparency standards.

The document emphasizes that financing strategies for adaptation should not exist in isolation but should be aligned with other national financing strategies to ensure a coordinated approach to public and private finance. Such alignment facilitates better prioritization, consistent messaging to international partners, and the integration of climate risks into all national investments and public budgeting.

The study developed a detailed inventory model for eleven pollutants in Kenya's road transport sector, which accounts for 93% of all freight and passenger traffic. Projections indicate that emissions could increase exponentially by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario. The authors identify improving fuel economy, vehicle standards, fuel sources, and public transport investment as the most effective strategies for improving air quality and meeting climate goals.

The document details how residents of Ras-Kitau, supported by Natural Justice, successfully halted a sand mining operation that caused beach erosion and mangrove degradation by proving the project lacked the legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and license.

The document argues that African Union (AU) member states must move from being 'rule takers' to 'rule makers' by adopting a common position in international e-commerce negotiations, particularly within the WTO's Joint Statement Initiative. It highlights the need for a harmonised digital taxation strategy to address the ambiguities of the WTO moratorium on electronic transmissions and suggests that AU members first establish non-binding e-commerce principles or guidelines based on the AU's Digital Transformation Strategy before implementing binding continental rules. The brief emphasizes that a flexible, progressive approach to regulatory harmonisation is necessary to account for the diverse digital readiness of African nations and to avoid the risks of a 'one-size-fits-all' model.

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.

Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based startup developing Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for permanent storage or industrial use. The company aims to disrupt the high cost of DACC by utilizing Kenya's natural endowments, specifically the high-porosity basaltic rock of the Rift Valley for storage and waste heat from geothermal power for energy. By the end of 2024, Octavia Carbon intends to produce at least one machine per day, reaching a capacity of approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The company projects a cost per tonne of CO2 between $300 and $500, significantly lower than current global ranges of $775 to $1,200, positioning it as a potential global cost leader by mid-decade.