Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the projected economic and social impacts of a 'Manufacturing scenario' for Africa between 2023 and 2043. The scenario forecasts that a strategic push toward industrialization will drive structural economic transformation, increase GDP, generate millions of jobs, and reduce extreme poverty and income inequality across the continent.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the transformation of narratives regarding Africa, moving from colonial-era stereotypes of poverty and conflict toward a more nuanced portrayal of the continent as a hub of innovation, cultural influence, and geopolitical agency.

This research paper analyzes the economic trajectory of Africa on its 'Current Path' through 2043, highlighting a growing divergence in GDP per capita between Africa and the rest of the world despite an increase in the absolute size of the African economy.

This report analyzes global carbon emissions from fossil fuels and land use, providing forecasts through 2063. It highlights the dominance of coal, the climate impact of LNG, and the roles of major emitters like China, the US, and India, while detailing the specific environmental pressures facing Africa, including deforestation and water scarcity.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the geopolitical landscape of Africa in 2025, characterized by a shift toward a multipolar world. It examines the impact of US strategic retrenchment, the first G20 summit held on the continent, tensions in the Horn of Africa, and the strategic competition over critical minerals along the Lobito Corridor.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the geopolitical landscape of Africa in 2025, characterized by a shift toward a multipolar world order. It examines the impact of the second Trump administration's transactional approach to US-Africa relations, the outcomes of the first G20 summit held on the continent in South Africa, and the strategic competition over critical minerals along the Lobito Corridor. The document also details increasing instability in the Horn of Africa driven by global and regional power rivalries.

The report analyzes the challenges and institutional developments facing Africa's green technology transition in 2025. It highlights the impact of tightening global trade rules, such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the uncertainty surrounding the US African Growth and Opportunity Act, alongside the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement. The document details continental efforts to mobilize climate finance, integrate regional power markets, and adopt AI for climate action, while emphasizing the need for affordable decarbonization finance to prevent the marginalization of smaller African firms.

The report analyzes the state of Africa's green technology transition in 2025, highlighting the tension between increasing technology affordability and tightening global trade and regulatory frameworks. It details the impact of US trade policy shifts, the upcoming EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and continental efforts to mobilize climate finance and integrate energy markets.

This guide, published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in February 2026, provides structured 'Litigation Notes' to help lawyers integrate the findings of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July 23, 2025, Advisory Opinion (AO) on State obligations regarding climate change into current and future legal cases. The document breaks down the ICJ's conclusions into thematic areas, including government framework litigation, adaptation, remedies and reparations, the right to a healthy environment, corporate conduct, climate finance, speculative interventions, and regulatory backsliding. It aims to translate the ICJ's normative clarity into practical tools for promoting climate justice across national, regional, and international courts.

The February 2026 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the declining influence of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the gap between AU normative frameworks and electoral realities, the limited impact of informal consultations on post-coup transitions, and the critical economic necessity of improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure across Africa.

This landscape study by FSD Africa provides a comprehensive assessment of the asset management industry and pension systems across 54 African countries. It identifies a general trend of conservative investment strategies, uneven regulatory oversight, and significant gaps in coverage for informal workers and women. The report recommends a shift toward risk-based supervision, the expansion of micro-pensions, and the development of national ESG taxonomies to mobilize domestic capital for sustainable economic growth.

The African Climate Foundation and Dalberg developed the NDC Investment Planner (NIP) to help African governments translate Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from broad policy frameworks into bankable project pipelines. The NIP provides a structured, three-stage process—Identify, Evaluate, and Select and Act—to align climate ambition with investment logic and economic transformation goals.

The African Climate Foundation (ACF) Strategy 2026–2030 outlines a shift from a 'proof of concept' to a continental platform focused on ensuring Africa's climate transition is shaped by African agency. The strategy prioritizes three core areas—energy access, climate resilience, and green industrialisation—supported by cross-cutting enablers in sustainable finance and international partnerships. ACF operates as a support institution rather than a direct implementer, utilizing strategic grantmaking, fiscal hosting, and incubation to strengthen the capacity of African governments, coalitions, and communities.

The African Climate Foundation (ACF) outlines its 2026–2030 strategy to shift from a phase of expansion to one of systemic integration. The foundation aims to ensure Africa's climate transition is driven from within by supporting local institutions, coalitions, and governments through strategic grants, financial hosting, and incubation. Its framework focuses on three priority areas—energy access, climate resilience, and green industrialization—supported by cross-cutting levers in sustainable finance and international partnerships.

The African Climate Foundation's (ACF) 2026–2030 strategy focuses on shifting from broad programmatic support to integrated systems work to ensure Africa's climate transition is shaped by African agency. The strategy prioritizes three areas: clean energy access, climate resilience, and green industrialization, supported by sustainable finance and international partnerships. ACF utilizes an 'investment platform approach' combining policy reform, pipeline development, and capital connection, delivered through strategic grantmaking, fiscal hosting, and incubation.

This special report provides a scenario analysis (V, U, and L scenarios) of the impact of COVID-19 on Africa through 2030, focusing on economic indicators, extreme poverty, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.

The ARE Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2026, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 21 to 24 April 2026, served as a platform for advancing renewable electrification. The event brought together 1,400 participants, including 215 investors, to discuss funding landscapes, green mini-grids, grid modernisation, and productive uses of energy. Key outcomes included the launch of a USD 25 million project preparation facility by COMESA and the rebranding of ARE to the Alliance for Renewable Electrification.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the barriers to integrating gas infrastructure within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and proposes a strategic framework to unlock regional prosperity through harmonized regulations, a dedicated infrastructure fund, and strengthened regional governance.

This fact sheet from RMI explains the function and application of renewably powered minigrids (and microgrids), detailing three primary configurations—isolated, undergrid, and interconnected—and providing global examples of their use in enhancing energy resilience and access in the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States.

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.