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This policy brief argues that climate change hinders the achievement of development goals by disproportionately affecting the 'climate-vulnerable poor'. It calls for the integration of poverty reduction and adaptation strategies, a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction, arguing that climate instability hinders the achievement of development goals. It advocates for integrating adaptation strategies into national poverty reduction policies and calls for more robust evidence to understand how climate impacts interact with other drivers of poverty.

This report summarizes a conference held on May 31, 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). The event brought together experts, diplomats, and academics to analyze the causes and implications of the 2011 popular revolutions in North Africa, specifically in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, while also examining the situations in Algeria and Morocco and the potential for similar unrest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the potential sustainable development benefits of 76 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) bioenergy projects in India, Brazil, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis finds that benefits vary significantly by project type, with on-farm agricultural residue projects offering the highest potential for rural development, while industrial residue projects provide fewer benefits. The document highlights a lack of verification systems to ensure that claimed benefits are actually delivered.

This 2011 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between urban sanitation system trends in developing regions and the disposal of menstrual absorption materials. It identifies that menstrual products, particularly those with super-absorbent materials, frequently cause blockages in water-borne sewerage systems and accelerate the filling of on-site pit latrines. The report argues that menstrual management is largely ignored in sanitation design and advocates for the integration of women's needs and the promotion of solid waste disposal routes for menstrual materials.

The report argues that trade liberalization in Southern Africa has had mixed results for women, often failing to account for the informal economy where 70% of sub-Saharan African informal traders are women. It highlights that legal and institutional barriers are more restrictive than social norms and advocates for regional trade agreements (RTAs) to incorporate a 'gender perspective' and support informal cross-border trade rather than eradicating it.

This policy brief examines the potential and limitations of using private sector finance to support climate change adaptation in developing countries. It argues that while private finance has historically focused on mitigation, there is an emerging market for adaptation-specific products like 'climate bonds'. The document highlights that debt is a more versatile instrument than equity for adaptation projects and suggests that public finance is essential to bridge gaps in project visibility and to ensure funds reach the poorest countries, which are often overlooked by private investors.

This 2010 research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute estimates the carbon footprint of smallholder diesel and electric irrigation pumps in five Sub-Saharan African countries. The study finds that emissions from these pumps are currently a negligible fraction of national agricultural emissions and are unlikely to become significant even under high-adoption scenarios, though local water resource stress may pose a more immediate environmental risk.

This 2010 policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how air pollution, energy production, and pesticide use threaten the ecosystem services necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It argues that the degradation of approximately 60 per cent of examined ecosystem services may prevent the eradication of hunger and poverty, particularly in developing regions.

This briefing by Frances Seymour argues that sustainable forest management provides a 'no regrets' synergy between immediate development needs and long-term climate adaptation and mitigation. While acknowledging potential trade-offs and governance challenges, the author advocates for ecosystem-based approaches and democratic processes to manage the transition.

This concept paper outlines an expert roundtable workshop hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Mombasa, Kenya, on September 29-30, 2009. The workshop focuses on the legal, policy, and institutional challenges associated with climate change and transboundary water conflicts in Africa, with a specific emphasis on the Nile River Basin.

This policy briefing from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the economic relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and development in developing countries. It analyzes the trade-offs between providing incentives for innovators through temporary monopolies and ensuring public access to essential knowledge and medicines. The document reviews the impact of IPRs across various sectors, the role of international agreements like TRIPS, and the debate over whether strong IPR protection stimulates or hinders economic growth and technology transfer in developing nations.

This report details the proceedings of the Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue held in Johannesburg on May 7-8, 2009. The event, organized by ICTSD, IISD, and SAIIA, brought together African trade officials, policy-makers, and experts to examine the intersection of trade policy, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development. The dialogue focused on identifying policy priorities and research gaps to prepare African countries for the UNFCCC Copenhagen summit, specifically addressing vulnerabilities in agriculture, the need for predictable financing, and the diffusion of low-carbon technologies.

This 2009 research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute maps the climate change finance portfolios of five institutions: three bilateral finance institutions (AFD, KfW, and JICA) and two multilateral institutions (EIB and NEFCO). The report analyzes the scale, regional and sectoral distribution, and financial instruments used for climate mitigation and adaptation in developing countries, while identifying barriers to effectiveness and opportunities for future coordination among bilateral finance institutions (BFIs).

This research paper argues that underdevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa is driven by a structural power imbalance where political elites use state control to extract savings from the private sector—primarily peasants and multinational corporations—diverting these resources toward elite consumption and state repression rather than productive investment.

Mr Peter Edopu of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) announced the launch of the Environmental Crime Project in Entebbe, Uganda. Developed in partnership with EAPCCO (a sub-regional INTERPOL office) and funded by the German government, the project aims to combat environmental crimes in Eastern Africa. It is part of the broader ISS Environmental Security Programme, which addresses issues such as climate change, energy security, and natural resource conflict across Sub-Saharan Africa by building a knowledge base and enhancing law enforcement capacity.

This research paper argues that sub-Saharan Africa's underdevelopment is caused by the mismanagement of economic surpluses by political elites and a structural power imbalance between these elites and private sector producers. The author contends that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) fails to address this fundamental malaise and suggests that true development requires redistributing political power to producers through land ownership reform, direct market access, and independent financial institutions.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines a business-centric vision for Africa's economic development, arguing that the continent must prioritize political stability, basic infrastructure maintenance, access to credit, and the rule of law over large-scale projects or long-term social goals to achieve immediate growth.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the economic, social, and political barriers preventing the adoption of clean cooking fuels in sub-Saharan Africa. It contrasts traditional biomass fuels with modern alternatives like LPG, ethanol, and biogas, highlighting how high capital costs, underdeveloped infrastructure, and socio-cultural norms sustain dependence on inefficient fuels. The authors propose a policy framework involving national bureaus, targeted subsidies, and community-led design to facilitate a transition to cleaner energy.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the role of 'soft components'—social and institutional investments—in agricultural water management (AWM) interventions at the mesoscale (community or sub-catchment level). Through meta-analyses and case studies across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, the report argues that high initial social capital and participatory methodologies are critical for the sustainable adoption of AWM technologies. It highlights a significant gap in the monitoring and economic valuation of these soft components and their long-term environmental and social impacts.