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This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the environmental, climate, health, and financial risks associated with the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure. It highlights how improper closure and the proliferation of abandoned wells lead to methane leaks and toxic contamination, while corporate strategies and regulatory loopholes often shift the massive financial burden of cleanup from operators to the public.

The FSD Network Conference, held on February 19–20, 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on learnings from the Gender Collaborative Programme. The event brought together financial leaders and policymakers to discuss gender-responsive financial systems, the use of alternative data for credit scoring, the impact of societal norms on women's financial autonomy, and the role of digital public infrastructure and AI in advancing financial inclusion for women across Africa.

This research paper by Kholofelo Kugler and Tani Washington analyzes the impact of the Trump administration's 2025 tariff policies on African nations. It details the structure of the new tariffs, the specific vulnerabilities of countries like Lesotho and Madagascar, the potential advantages for Egypt and Kenya, and the precarious future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers, commissioned by the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (wrr), examines the potential for Africa to achieve a demographic dividend. It analyzes the stages of demographic transition, the role of urbanization, and the specific conditions—such as health, education, and governance—required to convert a youthful population structure into economic growth. The paper models an ambitious 'Demographics and Health' scenario to demonstrate how accelerated improvements in fertility and mortality could enhance Africa's development trajectory and its relationship with Europe.

This policy brief argues that Africa's youth agenda must transition from a focus on peace and security (YPS) to a more holistic approach integrating development (YPD). It highlights that underdevelopment is a primary driver of insecurity for the continent's youth, who face high unemployment and poverty. The document notes that current AU frameworks have failed to meet mid-way targets for 2024 and recommends integrating developmental indicators into the Continental Framework on YPS and leveraging the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 to create jobs for the 100–120 million youth expected to enter the job market in the next decade.

This policy brief argues that Africa's maritime transport and ports sector requires a dual strategy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience to protect its blue economy. It highlights the risks posed by sea level rise and extreme weather, the impact of new global carbon levies, and the need for a modernized continental governance framework to coordinate the transition to green logistics hubs.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies and the Global Public Policy Institute argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facing a profound legitimacy crisis following the January 2025 withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The authors contend that to survive and restore stability, ECOWAS must move beyond its original economic mandate and the current intergovernmental status quo toward deeper political integration and supranationalism.

This policy brief examines how African youth are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to decentralize peacebuilding, shift early warning systems toward data-driven analysis, and challenge traditional conflict narratives. While youth act as key knowledge creators, the document warns that digital divides, gender gaps, and underdeveloped policy frameworks risk marginalizing these contributions and reinforcing existing power hierarchies.

The Energizing Healthcare 2025 conference report details a two-day event focused on accelerating clean and reliable energy for healthcare facilities in low-resource settings. The report highlights a global energy access gap affecting 1 billion people and outlines the financial, technical, and coordination requirements needed to close this gap by 2030, emphasizing the transition from diesel to solar and the integration of energy into national climate and health planning.

The 2025 Global Forum, hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Government of Barbados in Bridgetown, brought together over 1,300 participants to address energy poverty and the energy transition in the Global South and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The event resulted in the Barbados Declaration, the launch of several Energy Transition and Investment Plans (ETIPs), and the mobilization of over $500 million in new financial commitments for clean energy projects.

The Production Gap Report 2025 by the Stockholm Environment Institute finds that global fossil fuel production plans are increasingly divergent from the Paris Agreement's goals. Governments are collectively planning higher levels of production for coal, oil, and gas than in 2023, with projected 2030 production exceeding 1.5ºC-consistent levels by more than 120%.

This policy brief examines the potential for the South African G20 presidency to facilitate the rechannelling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), specifically the African Development Bank (AfDB). It outlines the financial mechanisms for such a transfer, the political and legal hurdles preventing it, and the potential development impacts for African nations.

This research paper examines the discursive strategies used by the governments of Nigeria and Colombia to align their plans for expanding hydrocarbon production with their climate commitments.

This research paper analyzes the 'magnetic pull' of BRICS, exploring why non-member states seek to join the informal group. It argues that while initial appeal was based on economic credentials and promises of systemic reform, the group has transitioned toward more strategic outreach. The author examines the evolution of BRICS through its 2010 and 2023 expansions and the 2024 Kazan summit, highlighting the role of 'compound soft power' and the challenges of maintaining internal cohesion amidst rapid growth.

The Center for International Environmental Law reports that COP29 failed to deliver on climate ambition, human rights, and finance. Key failures include an insufficient New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of 300 billion USD, the operationalization of carbon markets without strong human rights safeguards, and a lack of agreement on the Just Transition Work Programme. The report also highlights the restrictive civic space in Azerbaijan and the continued underfunding of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage.

This research paper, authored by Marco V. Sánchez of the FAO and published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, argues that low-income and lower-middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, can achieve significant gains in food security and economic growth by optimizing their existing public spending on agriculture rather than relying solely on budget increases.

This case study by RMI evaluates the economic and environmental impact of an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility at the Oko Oba Abattoir in Lagos, Nigeria. The analysis compares a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario with scaling options to replace charcoal fuel and diversify biogas use, concluding that while the project is economically viable, high upfront capital costs remain a significant barrier to private investment.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the oil and gas production narratives used by the governments of Colombia and Nigeria between December 2015 and May 2022. It examines how these narratives—focused on development, energy security, and energy transitions—are used to justify continued fossil fuel expansion despite the Paris Agreement, and provides strategies for civil society and researchers to challenge these frameworks to enable a more equitable energy transition.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines strategies for reducing methane emissions in global agriculture, emphasizing the need for equitable policies that balance climate goals with food security and economic development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines how green technologies in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and green construction can address youth unemployment in Africa. It identifies significant job creation potential but highlights critical barriers including financing gaps, infrastructure deficits, and policy implementation failures.