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This research paper examines the risk of stranded assets in Africa's extractives sectors as the global economy transitions toward low-carbon energy and a circular economy. It analyzes the economic threats to fossil-fuel-dependent nations, the potential for 'premature deindustrialisation', and the opportunities presented by the rising demand for critical minerals. The author argues for a 'just transition' that prioritizes social and developmental goals through economic diversification and improved governance to avoid the 'resource curse'.

This policy brief examines the challenges of measuring and reporting local procurement in the African mining sector. It argues that aggregate spending figures often mask a lack of genuine local value addition, as many 'local' suppliers are merely importers. While some governments and international standards are beginning to demand more granular data, the document highlights a significant gap between current reporting practices and the data needed to steer effective economic policy.

This fact sheet by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) outlines various donor-funded financing programs available for renewable energy manufacturing and clean energy innovation, primarily targeting Africa and other developing regions.

The executive summary of 'Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2021' analyzes energy finance commitments in 20 developing 'high-impact countries' (HICs) for 2019. It finds that investments for both electricity and clean cooking are critically insufficient to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), with electricity finance declining in 2019 and clean cooking investment stagnating. The report emphasizes the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, a shift away from fossil fuels, and a more comprehensive, multi-technology approach to clean cooking to ensure a just energy transition.

This guide by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) defines and provides a framework for Energy Safety Nets (ESNs), which are government-led mechanisms designed to close the affordability gap for the poorest and most vulnerable people to access modern energy services, including electricity and clean cooking fuels.

This guide describes an economic model developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and AllOn to analyze the Nigerian solar upstream value chain. The tool evaluates the economic viability, job creation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with three market scenarios: the importation of products, local assembly, and local manufacturing of solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids.

This guidebook by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) provides a comprehensive overview of career pathways in the sustainable energy and international development sectors. It details the organizational structure of SEforALL, outlining roles within internal operations and external programmes, and offers guidance on the educational backgrounds, technical skills, and soft skills required for interns and analysts. The document also describes SEforALL's remote recruitment process and its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the green energy workforce.

This guide describes the open-source data services provided by the Stockholm Environment Institute for use in energy and environment models, detailing the REST web services and JSON format used to access datasets such as UN Population Prospects, World Development Indicators, IDEES, and IPCC Shared Socioeconomic Pathways.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) explains the critical links between air pollution, human health, and climate change. It argues that prioritizing the immediate health benefits of reducing air pollutants can drive the policy changes necessary to achieve the IPCC's 1.5°C warming goal. The document highlights the role of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and introduces the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Integrated Benefits Calculator (IBC) as tools for cities and countries to plan integrated emission reduction strategies.

This research paper, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the New Climate Economy, examines the health, economic, and environmental impacts of traditional biomass cooking in sub-Saharan Africa. It analyzes the challenges of transitioning to clean cooking energy and provides case studies from Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Kenya to identify success factors for scaling up improved cookstove interventions.

This report argues that transforming gender relations in sub-Saharan African agriculture is essential for improving agricultural productivity, food security, and overall human development. It posits a causal link between gender equality in households and communities and better agricultural outcomes, asserting that standard development interventions cannot fully succeed unless women and men are on equal footing.

This technical paper describes the methodology and updates for Version 2.0 of the Spatial Database of Planted Trees (SDPT), which aims to distinguish planted forests and tree crops from natural and seminatural forests globally to improve timber legality screening and carbon sequestration mapping.

This technical note describes a methodology used to analyze Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) investments in sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2021. By scanning the portfolios of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the study identified 85 projects with significant funding, particularly in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, aimed at addressing water security and flooding while providing biodiversity and carbon sequestration benefits.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes environmental and social risk management for overseas investments, specifically providing lessons for Chinese companies. Through six case studies of non-Chinese multinational companies, the paper demonstrates that strong risk management benefits companies, while weak management leads to financial loss and reputational damage.

This guide details the methodology and data sources used by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to create the Atlas of Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunity. The atlas identifies global areas of forest loss and evaluates the feasibility of restoration by contrasting potential forest coverage with current coverage and human pressure.

The World Resources Institute and collaborators developed a geospatial dataset providing benchmark land use change (LUC) and land occupation (LO) emission factors for 42 major crops for the period 2020–24. The dataset aims to harmonize corporate GHG reporting by providing standardized, jurisdiction-level metrics. 2024 national averages reveal high variability in emissions per tonne of crop, such as soy in Brazil (1.67 tCO₂e) versus the US (0.40 tCO₂e), and highlight that subnational data is necessary to identify emission hotspots.

This working paper by the World Resources Institute evaluates the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) 'direct access' modality, which allows institutions in developing countries to receive funding without international intermediaries. While 62 developing country institutions were accredited as of November 2020, 67 percent of them had not yet received project approval. The paper analyzes four support mechanisms—the Readiness Programme, Project Preparation Facility, Simplified Approval Process, and Enhancing Direct Access pilot—finding that high administrative burdens, funding gaps for concept notes, and rigid eligibility criteria hinder smaller institutions from accessing climate finance.

This project document outlines a global initiative titled "Strengthening the Blue Economy: the Economic Case, Science-Informed Policy, and Transparency," executed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The project aims to transition governments and businesses toward a sustainable ocean economy by developing a landmark High Level Panel (HLP) report, producing six thematic "Blue Papers," and creating a beta version of an online monitoring system called "Ocean Watch."

The WRI Results Framework is a strategic document that maps the organization's goals, intervention targets, and impact indicators across three primary human systems: food, land & water; energy; and cities. It establishes a hierarchy of results from global targets (by 2030) to WRI intervention targets (by 2027) and specific country-level targets, all designed to improve human well-being, protect nature, and tackle climate change.

This World Resources Institute working paper reports on three workshops held in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to identify challenges developing countries face in monitoring and tracking climate finance. It details nine primary technical, political, and capacity barriers, ranging from inconsistent definitions and lack of institutional coordination to the limited transparency of development partners and the difficulty of tracking private financial data.