Search Climate Insights Directory

This end-of-year commentary by Ember synthesises key findings from 2025 regarding the global energy transition, highlighting how solar and wind power have begun to outpace global electricity demand growth and reshape energy dynamics through the rise of "electrotech" and battery storage.

This policy brief analyzes how African nations can leverage China's dominance in green energy technology and shifting financing models to accelerate electrification. It highlights a 'window of opportunity' created by US-China geopolitical tensions and China's internal focus on national security and environmental sustainability. The author recommends that African governments professionalize project pipelines, adopt innovative financing to reduce sovereign debt, and pursue regional integration—citing examples like the Southern African Power Pool and Kenya's renewables sector—to ensure long-term developmental gains.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) analyzes the potential for the EU-AU summit in Luanda to reinvigorate the partnership between Europe and Africa as a driver for multilateral reform, specifically regarding global peace, security, and governance.

This research paper analyzes the evolution of Nigeria's climate policy and governance, highlighting a persistent struggle with institutional fragmentation and the misalignment of petroleum policies with climate goals. It examines the transition through four 'policy moments,' the impact of International Oil Company (IOC) divestments, and the recent centralization of climate authority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the creation of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate (OSPEC) and the Presidential Climate Action Committee (PCAC).

This research paper analyzes Nigeria's climate policy and diplomacy, arguing that while the country has established a comprehensive policy architecture, its effectiveness is severely hampered by institutional fragmentation, inter-ministerial competition, and a lack of elite consensus. The author examines the shift toward centralized governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the challenges of aligning domestic petroleum interests with global energy transition goals.

This research paper analyzes the resurgence of 'resources-for-security' deals in Africa, driven by the global demand for critical raw materials (CRMs) for green energy and military technology. It contrasts three primary models: Russia's use of private military companies (PMCs) for mining rights, the US's transactional 'peace-brokering' approach to secure supply chains, and China's 'infrastructure-for-resources' strategy via the Belt and Road Initiative. The paper argues that while these deals offer short-term security or development gains, they often reinforce dependency and authoritarianism, mirroring colonial and Cold War extractive patterns.

This report by Ember analyses Chinese customs data to demonstrate a significant increase in solar panel imports into Africa in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. The analysis suggests a structural trend toward increased solar adoption across the continent, potentially driven by distributed solar, which could significantly expand electricity supply and reduce reliance on imported diesel.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice examines the structural causes of the African debt crisis, the impact of high interest rates on public services, and the limitations of G20 initiatives. It argues that the crisis is rooted in a 'rigged global system' and calls for systemic reform and debt cancellation through movements like Jubilee 2025.

This research paper examines Turkey's strategic efforts to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) in Africa to support its domestic industrial goals in defence, electric vehicles, and renewables. It analyzes Turkey's diverse engagement modalities—ranging from direct extraction to integrated industrial hubs and security-linked partnerships—and proposes a trilateral cooperation framework involving the European Union (EU) and African nations to align standards and enhance supply chain resilience.

This policy brief analyzes the political instability in Mozambique following the October 2024 general elections, which saw the ruling Frelimo party maintain power amid allegations of fraud and widespread popular unrest. The author argues that Frelimo's reliance on repression and institutional capture to maintain legitimacy threatens not only domestic stability but also regional trade and the political stability of other former liberation movements in Southern Africa.

This research paper examines the potential for trilateral cooperation between the European Union (EU), China, and African nations within critical raw material (CRM) supply chains. It argues that while the EU seeks to reduce its dependence on China, the deep integration of Chinese firms in midstream and downstream processing, combined with African demands for local value addition, makes a cooperative approach more viable than immediate decoupling. The author proposes a specific model for trilateral cooperation in the Democratic Republic of Congo's cobalt sector to balance the strategic interests of all three parties.

This policy brief argues that South Africa should leverage international interest in green hydrogen to catalyze local socio-economic development and regional integration. It recommends prioritizing trade-focused investments in physical, institutional, and social enablers—specifically port infrastructure, domestic manufacturing of electrolysers, and community-centric social strategies—to ensure the sector benefits the domestic population rather than serving only as an export mechanism.

The April 2025 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the African Union's (AU) peace and security architecture, focusing on the second term of PAPS Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, regional divisions in North Africa, the new AUSSOM mission in Somalia, and the challenges of mediation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the necessity of reforming investment treaties and the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system. It argues that traditional treaties, which prioritize investor protection, often conflict with sustainable development goals, create significant financial burdens for states, and discourage necessary public interest regulations, particularly regarding the energy transition.

The report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) analyzes the landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers to secure critical minerals essential for the green energy and digital transitions. It examines the strategies of twelve key actors—including China, Russia, the EU, and the US—highlighting a trend toward resource diplomacy driven by national security concerns and the need to diversify supply chains away from dominant suppliers.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the challenges of achieving equitable access to urban green spaces in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on informal settlements. It argues that top-down planning often fails to meet the specific needs of marginalized populations and advocates for community-led, inclusive governance to improve public health and environmental resilience.

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).

The ninth FOCAC Beijing Summit (2024) marked a re-calibration of China-Africa relations, with China pledging USD 50.7 billion over three years. African leaders demonstrated increased agency, shifting focus from raw aid to value-added trade, technological transfer, and green energy. Key outcomes include a USD 1 billion deal to rehabilitate the Tazara railway and a strategic increase in Chinese security assistance via the Global Security Initiative. The summit highlights a growing ideological and geopolitical divide, as China offers an alternative governance model to Western liberal democracy and aggressively pursues the African EV and digital markets.

This research paper examines the governance and security challenges in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, specifically analyzing the impact of the withdrawal of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in July 2024. The author argues that the mission's exit, driven by financial constraints and poor coordination, may have created a security void during a period of increasing insurgent activity.

This research paper examines the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia to establish a regional battery industry by leveraging their copper and cobalt resources. It analyzes the geopolitical competition between the USA, China, and the EU for critical minerals, the historical shift from nationalized to privatized mining, and the governance challenges hindering local value addition.