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The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) reports significant progress between 2020 and 2023 in scaling resilience innovations, democratizing knowledge, and influencing global policy. Key achievements include the incubation of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), the growth of the Resilience Evidence Coalition to over 1,700 members, and the establishment of the Resilience Hub at COP26, COP27, and COP28. GRP focused on amplifying Global South voices through initiatives like the South to South Resilience Academies and the Locally Led Adaptation principles. The report highlights the mobilization of private sector finance through the PREPARE Call to Action and the implementation of innovation challenges such as RAIN in East Africa. These efforts are designed to transition GRP toward its 2024-2029 strategy, focusing on transforming food and financial systems and embedding resilience in the private sector.

The report finds that many of the world's largest fossil fuel producers fail to address the transition of the fossil fuel sector in their climate plans. It argues that third-generation NDCs must include specific targets, pathways, and policies to wind down production in alignment with the COP 28 agreement to ensure a just and orderly transition.

The R3Lab Toolkit offers a framework for insurance regulators to balance the promotion of innovation with consumer protection. It outlines a process starting with innovation gap and ecosystem assessments, followed by the application of a 'toolbox' comprising regulatory adjustments (e.g., sandboxes, tiered licensing), supervisory improvements (e.g., streamlined approvals, suptech), proactive engagement (e.g., newsletters, workshops), and monitoring via KPIs and social listening. The guide emphasizes that the choice of tools must be fit-for-context and supported by top leadership buy-in and internal capacity building.

The document challenges the South African government's promotion of trophy hunting as a conservation tool, asserting that the economic value of the practice is inflated and its ecological costs are too high. It argues that the 'sustainable use' philosophy creates unrealistic revenue expectations and promotes unsustainable practices. The author recommends transitioning to non-consumptive alternatives, such as ecotourism and conservation-enhancing agriculture, to better support local communities and ecological sustainability, aligning with the constitutional duty to protect the environment for future generations.

The Wild Coast community and civil society organisations, including Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa, are challenging an SCA order in the Constitutional Court. They argue that the order allowing Shell to seek a decision on renewing its exploration rights is unfair and fails to protect human rights, cultural beliefs, and the environment. The challenge seeks to ensure that any exploration is subject to proper environmental permission and meaningful consultation with local residents.

The document examines how social protection—comprising non-contributory assistance, contributory insurance, and labour-market interventions—can mitigate the economic shocks of climate change in Africa. It highlights the African Risk Capacity (ARC) for sovereign risk pooling and Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) as key models for resilience. The author emphasizes that while climate change threatens to push 130 million people into poverty, leveraging multilateral funds like the Loss and Damage Fund and Green Climate Fund can finance the necessary social protection systems to protect the continent's most vulnerable.

The research identifies persistent mismatches between technical vocational skills and industry needs in South Africa's emerging green hydrogen economy (GHE). It advocates for a shift from traditional quantitative forecasting to 'skills foresight' (SF)—a participatory, qualitative approach to anticipating multiple future scenarios. The paper proposes four priority areas: strengthening skills anticipation systems via a dedicated DHET foresight team, enhancing TVET sector responsiveness through futures literacy training, developing a 'transversal skills commons' to ensure workforce resilience, and co-creating a new social compact for post-school education and training (PSET) to elevate the status of vocational qualifications.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) reports that its election scorecard prompted several South African political parties, including the ANC, UDM, and GOOD, to clarify or expand their commitments to a universal basic income grant (UBIG). The ANC specifically committed to finalizing a policy for a universal BIG within two years, rejecting conditionalities, and ensuring the grant does not replace existing social security. However, UBIC notes that achieving these goals requires a shift away from austerity measures that currently exclude approximately 6 million eligible people from the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant monthly.

The South African electricity market is dominated by coal-fired power from Eskom, but is currently characterized by severe rolling blackouts and rising tariffs. This has driven a growing energy services (ES) market comprising rooftop solar PV, energy storage, and energy efficiency (EE). The ES value chain is primarily dominated by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Policy drivers include the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019, the Carbon Tax Act, and the removal of the licensing threshold for embedded generation. While rooftop solar is popular, energy storage is in early stages—with Lithium-Ion being most promising for short-duration use—and energy efficiency faces barriers such as a lack of reliable performance data.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) produced a scorecard to assess political parties' positions on basic income grants (BIG) in South Africa. The analysis focuses on whether parties commit to expanding the social protection floor, providing adequate grant values, ensuring universal eligibility for adults aged 18-59, and removing conditionalities. The report highlights a wide disparity in party commitments, with Action SA, the ANC, and GOOD scoring highly for their progressive proposals, while many other parties either lack a clear policy or propose conditional grants that UBIC argues could increase exclusion and dependency.

The document describes La Niña as the cool phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, characterized by the movement of cold water to the central and eastern Pacific surface. For 2024, there is an 85% chance of a transition to neutral conditions between April and June, and a 60% chance of La Niña developing by June to August. The text highlights that multi-year La Niña events are increasing in frequency, with five of the last ten occurring in the past 25 years. While La Niña temporarily lowers global average surface temperatures by about 0.1C, it does not offset human-caused warming; recent La Niña years have been among the top 10 hottest years ever. Regional impacts include drier conditions in East Africa and the southern US, and wetter conditions in Southeast Asia, India, and northern South America, affecting various crop yields and increasing the risk of floods and droughts.

The UBIC position paper argues for a basic income system in South Africa that serves as a universal guarantee for citizens aged 18-59. The coalition proposes a phased implementation through progressive taxation to ensure fiscal sustainability while prioritizing the most vulnerable. Key requirements for the system include that it be unconditional, individual-based rather than household-based, and set at or above the national poverty line to ensure dignity and eliminate income poverty.

In 2023, solar and wind power continued to grow, with solar producing a record 5.5% of global electricity and wind reaching 7.8%. China was the primary driver for both, accounting for 51% of solar growth and 60% of wind additions. Conversely, coal generation reached a record high of 10,434 TWh (35% of the global mix), largely due to droughts in China reducing hydropower output, which fell by a record 88 TWh. Fossil gas remained the second-largest source at 23%, with growth driven by the US. Nuclear generation saw a slight rebound to 9.1% of the mix, while bioenergy reached a record 697 TWh (2.4%). The report notes that while solar and wind are on a positive trajectory, coal and gas must decline sharply, and nuclear and hydro must accelerate growth to meet IEA Net Zero Emissions targets by 2030.

The report analyzes the ASM value chain, from exploration to mine closure, highlighting a stark divide between rudimentary artisanal methods and more capitalized small-scale operations. It identifies critical gaps in technology for ore extraction, transportation, and beneficiation, while showcasing promising innovations in mercury-free gold processing, blockchain-based traceability, and digital mining cadastres. The document warns that while mechanization can boost yields and critical mineral supply, it risks displacing labor—particularly women—and increasing environmental degradation if not managed through inclusive policies and strategic zoning.

The report examines how the Violence Prevention Forum (VPF) influences government officials in South Africa, finding that it enhances intersectoral collaboration and provides a critical 'thinking space' for personal and professional reflection. While some officials find the emotionally demanding and non-traditional methods challenging, many have adopted VPF's inclusive practices and soft skills within their own departments, such as the Department of Basic Education and the Western Cape Government, to improve policy work and internal culture.

The document proposes a shift in South Africa's TVET sector from a jobs-centric model to a 'wellbeing economy' framework to support the emerging green hydrogen (GH2) sector. It advocates for 'skills governance'—integrating foresight, planning, and anticipation—to address unemployment and inequality. Key recommendations include establishing a skills governance working group, creating green economy skills incubator hubs, adopting innovative financing like social impact bonds, and implementing a Universal Basic Dividend (UBD) to redistribute wealth from common resources used in GH2 projects.

The document examines the governance challenges associated with the rising demand for critical minerals in Africa, highlighting the tension between developed nations' focus on supply security and African nations' goals for socio-economic development. It emphasizes that without responsible governance, the energy transition risks causing environmental harm and human rights violations. The author recommends the expedited implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV) and calls for coordinated action among national governments, private sector companies, and civil society to ensure transparency and accountability.

A policy brief by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) arguing that South African municipalities must rapidly deploy renewable energy solutions to ensure low-cost electricity and economic recovery, noting that nuclear options are significantly more expensive and slower.

Natural Justice critiques the South African government's National Biodiversity Economy Strategy, specifically targeting the establishment of 'Mega Living Conservation Landscapes' and the expansion of the game meat and marine fisheries industries. The organization argues that 'fortress conservation' models lead to human rights violations and forced displacement. It advocates for the adoption of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and the implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). The document recommends co-management frameworks, secure land tenure, and the removal of harmful subsidies that disadvantage small-scale fishers, aligning national policy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the African Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

A legal notice filed on April 10, 2024, in which Richards Bay Gas Power 2 (Pty) Ltd abandons costs orders granted in its favour following two separate court rulings in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria.