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This policy brief examines the current state of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant deficit that hinders development. While private sector investment and 'leapfrogging' to fibre-optic systems have driven progress, the continent still lags behind global averages in internet penetration, service quality, and affordability. The document recommends strategic policy interventions to improve rural access, enhance policy capacity, and expand the technical skills base to fully realize the benefits of the digital economy.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute provides guidance for Ministries of Finance on integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation into COVID-19 economic recovery packages. It argues that aligning stimulus spending with climate goals can maximize long-term economic gains, create more jobs than traditional investments, and reduce future systemic risks.

This research paper introduces a high-spatial-resolution bottom-up approach for quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agricultural trade, applying it to Brazilian soy exports from 2010–2015 to demonstrate significant variability in carbon footprints based on origin and destination.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the Hong Kong green bond market in 2019, highlighting a trend toward issuer diversification, the launch of the first government green bond, and the dominance of low-carbon building projects. It also examines Hong Kong's role as a regional hub for the Greater Bay Area and the regulatory efforts by the HKMA, SFC, and HKEX to enhance green finance transparency and disclosure.

This report analyzes the environmental implications of the 2022 amendments to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), managed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). The author explains how the creation of specific commodity codes for environmentally sensitive products and environmental goods improves trade monitoring and facilitates the negotiation of trade agreements aimed at climate and environmental sustainability.

This briefing examines the legal implications of invoking 'force majeure' clauses during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as a 'double-edged sword' for governments who may face claims from companies while simultaneously needing the clause to justify their own emergency measures.

This policy brief examines the legal complexities of invoking 'force majeure' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It warns governments that the principle acts as a 'double-edged sword,' as they may need to defend their own pandemic-related measures using the same legal arguments they might use to oppose claims from private companies seeking to avoid contractual obligations.

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This policy brief examines the tension between South Africa's Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the United States' Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). It argues that the US uses GSP eligibility reviews to pressure developing nations into adopting US-oriented intellectual property laws, which may undermine national regulatory space and developmental goals.

This policy brief examines the disruption of 2020's planned 'Super Year for the Ocean' due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that while key negotiations on biodiversity, fisheries subsidies, and climate change were postponed, the crisis provides an opportunity to shift toward a 'Green Stimulus Framework' and a systemic change in how the global community values and governs ocean resources.

A statement by Natural Justice reflecting on the relationship between humanity and nature during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the environmental recovery observed during lockdowns demonstrates the failure of formal climate policies and the need for a shift away from anthropocentric economic priorities.

This briefing by RMI compares the systems challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, arguing that both require transparent, standardized, and reliable data systems to inform critical decisions and investments. The author suggests that the climate fight must adopt the urgency and collaborative data-sharing seen in pandemic responses to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

A statement by Climate Policy Initiative leaders and Joaquim Vieira Ferreira Levy arguing that government bailouts following the COVID-19 pandemic should be linked to climate-impact measures to avoid accumulating environmental debt and to foster long-term economic competitiveness.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor argues that Japan's policy of financing 'best available technology' for overseas coal power is outdated and counterproductive. It contends that ultra-supercritical plants still emit too much carbon to meet Paris Agreement goals, that Japan's absence would not prevent the use of inferior technologies, and that these investments pose significant financial and environmental risks.

This research paper examines the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa, arguing that the crisis accelerates the decline of the liberal international order and increases the vulnerability of smaller nations. The author outlines five key long-term risks—the unravelling of multilateralism, increased trade protectionism, the decline of development cooperation, a potential retreat from climate goals, and restricted human mobility—and proposes a coordinated African response focused on regional integration and proactive global governance reform.

A statement from World Resources Institute (WRI) CEO and President Dr. Andrew Steer outlining the organization's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on staff safety, virtual operations, and the opportunity to integrate climate and biodiversity protections into economic recovery efforts.

This report by the NewClimate Institute synthesizes support provided to Mongolia's NDC process from September 2018 to March 2020, focusing on scenario analysis for the electricity sector aligned with the Paris Agreement and the socio-economic and health impacts of coal power plant expansion.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of green bonds and labelled loans in financing waste management and the circular economy. It highlights a significant investment gap, particularly in plastic waste management in Southeast Asia, and analyzes the market activity of corporate and municipal issuers globally, with a detailed focus on Japan's leadership in resource efficiency.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the impact of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) on the Brazilian industrial sector, focusing on tax incentives, sectoral production, and workforce distribution compared to the rest of Brazil.

This research paper examines the capacity of green bonds to bridge the global adaptation finance gap, specifically focusing on private sector involvement. The author concludes that while green bonds can finance adaptation, they currently do so to a very limited extent and are unlikely to significantly close the finance gap due to geographic mismatches, project scale issues, and a general lack of corporate climate risk awareness.