Search Climate Insights Directory

This July 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and political challenges across Africa. It focuses on the African Union's (AU) struggle to implement maritime security strategies, the rise of cybercrime and the legislative responses in South Africa, the ten-year legacy of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the impact of the June 2021 elections on Ethiopia's structural divisions.

This research paper assesses the implications of the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) Expanded Mandate, a series of decisions taken between 2016 and 2019 to revitalise the agency. While the expansion has renewed momentum and increased membership, the author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains to avoid distracting from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes how Chinese infrastructure investment and trade goals overlap with Africa's ambition for a single continental market, highlighting both the potential for synergy and the risks of economic imbalance.

The April 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges of the newly merged African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) department, the diplomatic deadlock over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and governance crises in Senegal, Benin, Cameroon, and Chad.

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) identifies key strategies to accelerate climate change adaptation across Africa. Based on interviews with African scientists and practitioners, the paper advocates for a shift toward locally-led, inclusive solutions that integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific projections. It proposes three primary investment pillars: enhancing people's skills and knowledge, building climate-resilient economies, and investing in nature-based solutions.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the divergent approaches to migration between Africa and Europe, arguing for a shift from securitised responses toward a collaborative partnership focused on development, legal labour pathways, and the regularisation of remittances.

The African Environmental Defenders Fund (AED Fund), launched in 2019 by Natural Justice and the International Land Coalition, provides emergency financial assistance to land and environmental defenders across Africa facing imminent threats. Between March 2020 and October 2021, the fund processed 45 applications, approving 27 for support including legal representation, relocation, and medical aid. The report highlights a significant volume of applications from Uganda and a particular vulnerability of female defenders to gender-based violence.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs assesses the economic policy responses of low-income countries (LICs) in Africa to the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that while these countries employed expansionary fiscal and monetary tools, the scale and quality of their responses were modest compared to developed and middle-income nations due to pre-existing structural bottlenecks, high debt, and limited fiscal space. The document emphasizes the need for a data-driven recovery approach, increased digital and financial inclusion, and the continued importance of official development assistance, particularly for fragile states.

This policy brief examines how COVID-19 macroeconomic responses in Nigeria and Uganda have inadvertently increased inequalities. It finds that cash transfers are underfunded and poorly targeted, excluding the urban poor; monetary easing has not lowered commercial loan rates for high-risk borrowers; and budget restructuring has prioritized formal sectors and government suppliers over health, education, and social protection. The brief recommends using electronic platforms for cash distribution and promoting renewable energy investments for low-income households.

The FSD Africa Impact Report documents the organization's efforts since 2012 to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by strengthening financial markets. It details achievements in financial inclusion, capital market development, and institutional capacity building, while outlining a strategic shift toward 'FSD 2.0' to focus on jobs, basic services, and sustainable futures in response to challenges like Covid-19 and climate change.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of skills transfer, gender equality, and the green energy transition in Africa. It highlights the systemic under-representation of women in energy value chains and the need for a 'just transition' that addresses unemployment risks in fossil fuel-dependent economies through reskilling and targeted AU-EU strategic partnerships.

This policy brief examines the potential for the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) to collaborate on a circular economy transition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the EU's goal to shorten global value chains for food and medical security, combined with Africa's need for sustainable economic growth and job creation, provides a mutually beneficial opportunity to implement green recovery strategies and achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

This report documents a virtual training workshop held on July 28-29, 2020, for national experts in Côte d’Ivoire. The workshop focused on the methodologies and tools required to create greenhouse gas (GHG) and black carbon inventories specifically for the waste sector, as part of a broader project to support the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

This special report analyzes the initial response to COVID-19 in Africa, examining the vulnerabilities of the continent's health systems, the various mitigation strategies adopted by different nations, and the challenges of implementing lockdowns in contexts of high poverty and informality.

This July 2020 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical political and security challenges across Africa, focusing on the Central African Republic's electoral turning point, the diplomatic impasse between Somalia and Somaliland, insecurity in the Sahel, and the impact of COVID-19 on governance and elections across the continent.

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.

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 case study examines the role of the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) Incubator in supporting five selected grantees to scale their resilience innovations. It details the Incubator's methodology, which includes gap analysis, leadership training, and business model development, and evaluates the progress of projects focused on food systems, risk financing, urban habitat, water governance, and smallholder market access across Africa and Asia.

The Green Economy Coalition (GEC) has outlined a 10-year strategy (2020–2030) to catalyze systemic economic reform toward green and fair economies. The plan focuses on shifting social narratives, building public demand, and influencing policy across five key themes: governance, finance, economic sectors, inequality, and nature.

This policy brief examines the slow adoption of the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection and suggests that the African Union adopt the 'norm entrepreneur' approach of the European Union. It highlights Mauritius as a regional success story and recommends the AU implement agile governance principles and create a continental cybersecurity agency similar to ENISA to better protect citizens and combat cybercrime.