Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines Tanzania's capacity to attract foreign investment, highlighting the shift from socialist governance to a model that relies on foreign capital for job creation and social upliftment. It identifies key competitive advantages and proposes structural reforms to improve the country's investment destination status.

This research paper examines the role of innovative risk finance, specifically insurance, in overcoming barriers to geothermal power development in Kenya and Ethiopia. It details a project by Parhelion, funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), which provided technical training to local stakeholders to increase the use of risk mitigation instruments and leverage private sector capital.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations, tracing them from historical ties to contemporary economic, diplomatic, and security partnerships. It highlights the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the shift in China's approach from 'non-interference' to active engagement in peace and security, while noting the impact of China's 'new normal' economic slowdown on bilateral trade and investment.

This case study examines the emergence of a 'restoration economy' in Kenya, highlighting how entrepreneurs are integrating landscape rehabilitation into profitable business models. Using examples like GreenPot Enterprises and Honey Care Africa, the document illustrates that restoring degraded land can generate financial returns while providing environmental and social benefits, though challenges regarding growth capital persist.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the gap between Africa's formal legal frameworks for freedom of movement and their actual implementation. While the African Union and various Regional Economic Communities have established treaties to leverage migration for development, national interests and securitized approaches often hinder progress, with West Africa currently serving as the continent's best practice model.

This case study describes EarthSpark International's implementation of a solar-powered microgrid in Les Anglais, Haiti, to provide reliable 24-hour electricity. It details the technical, logistical, and regulatory challenges overcome during the project, the development of the SparkMeter billing system, and the resulting economic benefits for local residents and businesses.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the public health, economic, and environmental impacts of traditional biomass cooking in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. It advocates for a transition to clean cookstoves through private-sector support, regulatory reform of the charcoal sector, and the removal of market barriers such as high import duties.

This briefing describes the first phase (2015–2016) of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Initiative on Transforming Development and Disaster Risk (TDDR). The initiative aims to integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) with sustainable development by analyzing how developmental processes create and accumulate risk, focusing on trade-offs, social inequity, and transformative governance.

An introductory statement by the first Executive Director of the Global Resilience Partnership, outlining the organization's goal to shift global development and humanitarian assistance toward a proactive resilience mindset to protect vulnerable communities from disasters and poverty.

This case study examines the Olkaria III geothermal power plant in Kenya, the first privately funded and developed geothermal project in Africa. It analyzes how a combination of public sector risk mitigation, phased development, and international development finance enabled a private developer, Ormat Technologies, to successfully deploy a 110 MW binary plant. The document highlights the role of the Kenyan government in reducing exploration and credit risks to attract private capital and provides lessons for scaling geothermal energy in East Africa.

This policy brief examines the risks climate change poses to large-scale hydropower infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and the current lack of climate service integration in the planning process. It argues that while hydropower is critical for energy security, most projects rely on historical data that ignore future hydrological shifts, leaving long-lived assets vulnerable to failure or inefficiency.

A case study detailing a 2014 capacity-building initiative in Tanzania's capital markets, delivered by FSD Africa and the London Stock Exchange (LSEG) Academy to enhance professional skills and market infrastructure.

This research paper analyzes the security implications of the Westgate attacks in Nairobi, arguing that Kenya's military intervention in Somalia and the broader regional instability facilitate radicalism. It highlights the tension between East Africa's economic growth and its fragility, suggesting that long-term stability requires inclusive, home-grown political settlements rather than solely military solutions.

This briefing analyzes the political environment surrounding Kenya's 2013 elections, examining the impact of a new constitutional framework, the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the persistence of ethnic tensions and socio-economic grievances.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute previews a forthcoming book on transforming gender relations in Sub-Saharan African agriculture. It argues that while women provide a significant portion of agricultural labour and are primary food producers for rural families, they face systemic resource gaps and social constraints. The document outlines a conceptual framework for empowerment based on agency, structure, and relations, and highlights the necessity of addressing land ownership and value chain access to improve food security and productivity.

This policy briefing examines the tropical timber trade from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to and through Uganda into the wider East African region. It highlights the challenges of regulating a trade characterized by informal operators and middlemen, and provides recommendations for improving regional coordination, domestic regulation in Uganda, and the use of existing platforms like the ICGLR and the Albertine Rift Strategic Planning Process to promote sustainable development.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesizes the findings of the IPCC's SREX report specifically for African policymakers. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and disaster risk management (DRM), emphasizing that disaster risks in Africa are increasing due to both climate change and socio-economic factors such as rapid urbanization and poor governance. The document provides regional observations and projections for temperature and precipitation extremes across Africa and advocates for the integration of DRM and climate change adaptation into national development planning to build long-term resilience.

This 2012 report synthesizes the IPCC SREX findings for Africa, highlighting that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure of vulnerable populations. It details observed and projected increases in temperature and dryness across various sub-regions, warns that current extremes will become the 'new normal' by 2100, and emphasizes the high vulnerability of the agricultural sector and coastal cities. The document advocates for a shift from reactive to proactive, transformational disaster risk management that integrates local knowledge, high-level political leadership, and international financial support.

This research paper uses the LPJmL vegetation and hydrology model to compare global per capita water availability and requirements for food production between 1971–2000 and 2070–2099, assessing the impact of climate and population change on the ability of countries to produce a balanced diet.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction. It argues that climate variability hinders the ability of poor populations to escape poverty and threatens the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Africa. The document advocates for the integration of climate adaptation into national development strategies, the collection of more conclusive data on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation projects to ensure they provide tangible co-benefits for the poor.