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The document examines the role of nuclear science and technology in Africa, highlighting the use of 10 research reactors for education and medical/environmental research. It emphasizes the critical need for radiotherapy machines to combat rising cancer rates and the use of nuclear techniques in agriculture to ensure food security and manage zoonotic diseases. The brief outlines the legal framework for peaceful use, including the Pelindaba Treaty and the NPT, and identifies challenges such as public skepticism, financial instability, and safety risks. It recommends expanded continental training and continued cooperation with the IAEA and AFCONE.

The document examines how the global shift toward low-carbon energy, driven by the Paris Agreement, creates a risk of stranded assets for fossil fuel-dependent African nations. While this transition threatens export revenues and economic stability, it offers opportunities through increased demand for critical minerals like cobalt and copper. The author argues for a 'just transition' that avoids premature deindustrialisation and leverages fossil fuel revenues for economic diversification and green industrialisation.

The closure of the BHP steelworks in Newcastle, Australia, serves as a case study in industrial transition. The process was characterized by a decades-long decline that allowed for the development of cooperative relationships between unions and industry, as well as community-led economic diversification. While the transition successfully avoided widespread social collapse and saw a shift toward higher-skilled manufacturing and service sectors, the quality of new employment was often lower (part-time and casual). Additionally, the environmental remediation of the site became the largest in Australian history, with costs exceeding the initial payment from BHP, resulting in a public funding burden.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing Earthlife Africa, groundWork, and the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA), submitted a formal objection to the Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism in Limpopo regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) metallurgical cluster. The CER argues that the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) contains fatal flaws, including insufficient public participation and missing critical data on water and energy, and asserts that the application should have been refused by the regulatory deadline of 19 May 2021.

The statement argues that 100% clean power is a prerequisite for global carbon neutrality by 2050, as established by the IEA. It calls on P4G member countries to leverage recent momentum from the IEA and G7 to transition their power sectors away from fossil fuels, particularly coal, noting that the power sector must reach net zero well before the wider economy to enable the decarbonization of other sectors.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a comment on 20 May 2021 objecting to a proposed amendment by the Minister of Environmental Affairs to extend the transitional period for mining right holders to comply with the 2015 Financial Provision Regulations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal objection on 20 May 2021 to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment regarding proposed amendments to the Financial Provision Regulations, 2015. The CER opposes the extension of the transitional period for certain right or permit holders to comply with these regulations, arguing that such delays increase the risk of environmental degradation and mine abandonment.

The document examines the disparity in green finance between developed and developing nations, noting that while the EU and other developed markets have integrated substantial green recovery measures into their COVID-19 stimulus packages, developing countries often lack explicit green budgets and remain heavily dependent on North-South financial flows. It highlights challenges in the global South, including infrastructure deficits, governance issues, and a 'dependency syndrome' regarding international aid. The brief recommends institutional reforms to enhance capital markets, increased South-South cooperation, and globally coordinated efforts to improve the design and monitoring of green projects.

The document argues that climate change impacts are not equal and are influenced by intersectional factors such as race, gender, power, and poverty. It provides examples of coalitions uniting debt activists, homeless advocates, racial justice groups, indigenous leaders, women's rights organisations, and labour unions to address systemic inequalities alongside the energy transition. These collaborations range from demanding unconditional debt cancellation for the Global South and vaccine equality to promoting 'carbon banks' for Black farmers in the US and integrating trans rights into environmental movements. The briefing highlights that integrating a social justice lens—recognising interacting systems of oppression—is essential for a diverse and effective climate movement.

Reclaim Finance assesses Maybank's May 2021 announcement of its first coal sector financing exclusions, concluding that the policy is too limited because it focuses on new coal mining rather than new coal plants and lacks a phase-out commitment. The analysis notes that Maybank provided at least US$1.7 billion to the coal sector between 2018 and 2020 and currently supports companies planning 13.2 GW of additional coal capacity. The author urges Maybank to end all support for coal expansion and exit the sector by 2040.

The document advocates for a shift from 'global hypercapitalism' to a green and fair economy based on the model of Fair Trade Enterprises. It outlines four key facets of this approach: local community connection, long-term supplier partnerships, prioritizing employees and communities over investors, and active environmental engagement. The text highlights that these enterprises, operating across 82 countries, utilize local production techniques to create low-carbon models and reinvest profits into fair wages and environmental protection, contrasting this with the profit-maximising models of large corporations.

The document examines the state of agricultural value chains in the SADC region, noting that while the sector was minimally affected by COVID-19 compared to others, the pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Key challenges identified include a heavy reliance on subsistence farming, food insecurity, and the impact of climate change. The brief argues for a 'dual approach' that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, the adoption of climate-smart technologies, digitalization of value chains, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance regional trade and food security.

The document details a real-time, adaptive MEL approach for the Table Mountain Water Source Areas Partnership project. It emphasizes 'double-loop' learning to allow for the adjustment of project goals and the Theory of Change as implementation unfolds. The framework integrates a 'spine map' to track the project's actual process, facilitated learning spaces for stakeholders, and collaborative documentation to reduce reporting duplication. The project aims to establish effective joint management systems for groundwater by 2022, utilizing citizen science and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

A coalition of civil society organizations is demanding that the World Bank fulfill promises of a participatory review for its Africa energy strategy. The signatories urge the Bank to prioritize renewable energy and energy access, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, while unequivocally ending financial support for fossil fuel-based development.

The Climate Action Tracker reports that recent Paris Agreement pledges and targets have reduced the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, down by 0.2°C. While the 2030 emissions gap for a 1.5°C pathway has narrowed by 11-14%, current policies still project a warming of 2.9°C. The most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of net zero targets, suggests warming could be as low as 2.0°C, though this remains above the Paris Agreement limit. The report emphasizes that stronger near-term 2030 targets are more critical for reducing warming than the addition of new net zero targets.

The policy brief argues that South Africa's state deterioration is rooted in the politicisation of public administration, where political office-bearers use unchecked appointment and removal powers to install allies and sideline competent officials. To counter this, the author proposes a system of 'segregation of duties' where independent bodies, specifically the Public Service Commission (PSC), manage the process planning and short-listing stages to ensure technical merit, while political leaders retain the final appointment power. For municipalities, the brief suggests involving the PSC or professional associations in selection committees. Because patronage is central to current power structures, the document recommends a 'covering in' mechanism—a strategically incremental implementation via presidential proclamation—to transition departments and municipalities into the new system gradually.

The paper analyzes how international lending influences African countries' integration into global value chains. It finds that Chinese lending, which focuses heavily on transport and communication infrastructure, increases the overall intensity of GVC participation. In contrast, World Bank lending, which prioritizes social sectors like education and health, helps countries move toward higher value-added, upstream positions in production networks. The study emphasizes that reducing trade costs through infrastructure is key to initial GVC access, while human capital investments support economic upgrading.

The paper analyzes how COVID-19 has disrupted climate finance, noting a tension between the need for economic recovery and the fulfillment of the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge. It highlights that while the pandemic created opportunities for 'green recoveries' through stimulus packages, early funding often favored carbon-intensive sectors. The authors emphasize a growing need for adaptation finance and the mobilization of private capital to support a sustainable transition in Africa.

The report details SEforALL's efforts over a 100-day period to accelerate the clean energy transition. Key activities include the launch of the 'Be Bold' campaign, coordination of the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy and its Energy Compacts, and supporting the COP26 Energy Transition Council. The organization also highlights research on sustainable cooling, a youth summit, and specific technical assistance for energy access in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, alongside a new healthcare electrification partnership with USAID and Power Africa.

The document outlines a comprehensive educational campaign by WWF South Africa and The Greenpop Foundation to teach students in grades 4-7 about groundwater, aquifers, and the risks of contamination. It includes detailed lesson plans using physical models to demonstrate aquifer structure and borehole extraction, as well as a poster competition designed to spread awareness within the Cape Town community. The materials highlight the specific vulnerability of the Cape Flats Aquifer due to its sandy soil and high permeability.