Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Uganda's development trajectory toward 2040, comparing a 'Current Path' against eight sectoral scenarios. It evaluates progress across demographics, health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and governance, concluding that while progress has been made, integrated policy interventions are required to meet the goals of Uganda Vision 2040.

This research paper provides a background overview of Uganda, detailing its political structure, geography, natural resources, and the evolution of its national development planning frameworks, specifically focusing on the goals of Vision 2040 and the Third National Development Plan (NDPIII).

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers analyzes the state of governance in Africa, comparing its security, capacity, and inclusion metrics against the rest of the world. It examines the relationship between governance quality, stability, and economic development, highlighting the risks associated with autocratic leadership and the role of democratic institutions as shock absorbers.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the role of Vertical Climate and Environment Funds (VCEFs) in mobilizing private climate investment for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies three strategic opportunities for VCEFs to increase their catalytic impact: implementing sequential financing to support projects from ideation to scale, increasing collaboration with the public development bank (PDB) ecosystem to reach local beneficiaries, and aligning funding with country-driven investment plans. The report emphasizes the need to address the high cost of capital in EMDEs to expand market depth and attract institutional investors.

The State of ClimateTech in Africa 2.0 is a report by FSD Africa and partners that analyzes the evolution of the African ClimateTech ecosystem between 2016 and 2025. Moving beyond aggregate funding totals, the report employs a new application-led taxonomy and an adapted Carlota Perez techno-economic framework to demonstrate that African ClimateTech is not a single market but a collection of applications maturing at different speeds. It highlights deep concentrations of capital in the Energy and Mobility sectors and identifies critical financing gaps—particularly in early-stage equity and working capital—that constrain the growth of asset-heavy and adaptation-focused ventures.

This report by Genesis Analytics, commissioned by FSD Africa, Shell Foundation, and Shortlist, forecasts green employment opportunities across Africa with a focus on Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. It argues that Africa's green transition is primarily service-led and decentralized, meaning the majority of jobs will be indirect roles in distribution, maintenance, and operations rather than in construction or manufacturing. The study highlights a significant gap between the potential for job creation and the current availability of skilled workers, particularly in advanced technical areas. It emphasizes that while green value chains are accessible to women, youth, and low-income workers, these groups are often concentrated in low-value, informal roles, necessitating systemic reforms in workplace design, social protection, and training to ensure meaningful inclusion.

This report provides a 'Current Path' development forecast for sub-Saharan Africa from 2019 to 2043, utilizing the International Futures (IFs) platform. It analyzes demographic shifts, economic growth, poverty trends, and energy transitions, projecting a region with significant population growth, increasing urbanization, and a shift toward manufacturing and renewable energy, despite persistent challenges with food insecurity and carbon emissions.

This report provides policy recommendations for the East African Community (EAC) to address development shortfalls, regional instability, and socio-economic inequalities. It emphasizes the need for harmonized national development plans, increased investment in infrastructure and education, and the implementation of regional frameworks for trade, governance, and security to ensure growth keeps pace with a rapidly expanding population.

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), established in 1983 and revised in 2019, comprises 11 member states in Central Africa. While its mandate expanded in 1998 to include peace and security alongside economic cooperation, the region continues to face challenges including low regional integration, currency diversity, and significant economic disparities, with member states ranging from low-income to nominally upper-middle-income.

This research paper provides a comprehensive geographic, political, and socio-economic introduction to Africa, detailing its physical landscape, colonial history, administrative structures, and immense cultural and linguistic diversity.

The report explores how Africa can 'leapfrog' traditional development stages by adopting decentralised renewable energy, mobile-first digital infrastructure, and AI. It highlights the success of mobile money (e.g., M-Pesa) and the potential for solar mini-grids to close the energy gap. A projected 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario suggests that by 2050, such strategic investments could increase GDP per capita by US$510, reduce extreme poverty by 63 million people, and expand the overall economy by nearly US$1 trillion compared to current trends.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines how frontier technologies—such as drones, the Internet of Things (IoT), and small-scale satellites—enable developing countries, particularly in Africa, to leapfrog traditional, costly infrastructure requirements in agriculture, healthcare, and environmental monitoring.

This research paper concludes that Africa's labour force growth is projected to outpace job creation, potentially leading to increased dependence on the informal sector, social instability, and irregular migration. It emphasizes the need for digitisation, investment in infrastructure, and a shift toward entrepreneurship and vocational training to harness the potential of the continent's youth and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This report by FSD Africa argues that domestic capital market development is essential for African economies to mobilize long-term finance for climate adaptation, infrastructure, and demographic shifts, especially as bilateral aid and foreign direct investment decline. It suggests that while public equity markets are often prioritized, they are frequently impractical for smaller or frontier markets due to high costs and information asymmetries. Instead, the report advocates for a focus on strengthening the savings base through pension reforms and macro-financial stability, developing corporate bond markets, and utilizing hybrid public-private structures, guarantees, and pooled investment vehicles to channel institutional capital into infrastructure, housing, and MSMEs.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has issued guidelines for its May 2026 Innovation Challenges, a call for proposals seeking transformative resilience solutions from entrepreneurs and organisations in the Global South. The initiative offers selected winners up to US$50,000 in funding and a comprehensive support package including mentoring, a leadership academy, and communications assistance to scale innovations that address climate and environmental risks.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between India and Africa, arguing that while India possesses significant comparative advantages based on historical ties and shared developmental goals, there is a persistent gap between its strategic rhetoric and material outcomes. The author identifies structural constraints—including limited fiscal headroom, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and reputational risks—that have caused India to lag behind other global powers like China. The report recommends a coherent Africa strategy focused on low-cost, high-impact initiatives in health, education, and digital finance, utilizing 'anchor states' such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt to scale interventions.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines gender discrimination within the family sphere in Africa, focusing on child marriage, the unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work, and disparities in divorce and inheritance rights.

This report examines the state of women's political representation across Africa, highlighting significant gender gaps in parliament, local government, and executive roles, while noting relatively better progress in the judiciary. It identifies structural and cultural barriers to women's participation and argues that increased female leadership correlates with lower corruption, higher social spending, and more effective climate policies.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines gender exclusion in African education, comparing enrollment ratios and attainment levels across different regions and educational tiers. It highlights a persistent gap between male and female education in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Central Africa, and notes that without aggressive interventions, the region will struggle to close the gap with global averages.

This research paper presents an 'Agriculture scenario' for Africa, modeling the potential impact of an agricultural revolution through eight specific interventions using the IFs forecasting platform. The scenario aims to address low productivity, climate vulnerability, and food insecurity to stimulate rural economic transformation and diversification.