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Zimbabwe's 2021 Revised NDC increases its conditional GHG emission reduction target to 40% per capita by 2030 (up from 33%) and expands its scope to cover all IPCC sectors: Energy, IPPU, Waste, and AFOLU. The report emphasizes Zimbabwe's high vulnerability to climate change, particularly in its rainfed agriculture sector, and outlines a mitigation cost of US$4,834.47 million. It introduces the National Climate Change Fund and a National Climate Finance Facility to mobilize public and private investment.

This policy brief explores green growth financing mechanisms to support Africa's economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the 'twin COVID–climate crisis' provides an opportunity to 'build back better' by integrating sustainable investment into stimulus packages, leveraging private capital through green bonds, and reforming fiscal and financial regulations to increase climate resilience.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines strategies for sustainable resource mobilisation to strengthen global healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues for a shift from disease-specific 'vertical' funding to a 'whole systems approach' that addresses the triple burden of non-communicable diseases, existing infections, and pandemic response gaps. The document emphasizes the importance of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM), the need for equitable vaccine distribution through the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX, and the potential for LMICs to leverage lessons from the AIDS epidemic to challenge intellectual property barriers via TRIPS waivers.

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.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical technical and political areas that UN negotiators must resolve by COP26 in November 2021. It reviews the outcomes of the 2020 Climate Dialogues and highlights significant gaps in the Paris Agreement rulebook, climate finance commitments, and mechanisms for loss and damage and adaptation.

This briefing by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) evaluates the impact of recent net zero pledges on global warming projections, noting that while targets have lowered end-of-century estimates, a significant gap remains between current policies and the goals required to limit warming to 1.5°C.

The Green Finance Mapping Report 2020, published by the Climate Policy Initiative, analyzes the 2019 green finance commitments of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). It details a rebound in green finance to $197 billion in 2019, with a heavy concentration in climate mitigation and a growing trend in adaptation finance. The report also examines the distribution of these funds between OECD and non-OECD institutions and their alignment with the Paris Agreement.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the alignment of global power sector investment with the Paris Agreement goals for 2018. Using a new science-based methodology, CPI finds that significant investment continues to flow into fossil fuel power, putting the world on a temperature trajectory exceeding 3.2°C. The document highlights a critical gap in asset-level transaction data and provides recommendations for public and private actors to halt carbon-intensive investments and accelerate the decommissioning of fossil fuel plants.

The FSD Africa Jobs Framework Methodology Paper describes a four-step experimental process designed to estimate and qualify the contribution of financial sector interventions to job creation and quality in Sub-Saharan Africa. The framework focuses on 'gross job creation' rather than net effects, utilizing a combination of firm-level data, sector-based multipliers, and a 'Decent Jobs Assessment' to provide a range of indicative employment figures.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) uses 'futures thinking' and scenario-building to explore the potential adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region over a 5- to 15-year period. It identifies key driving forces—such as rapid urbanization and falling renewable energy costs—and examines the tensions between inclusive and exclusive transitions and the role of proactive versus reactive government policy.

This policy brief examines the fiscal impact of COVID-19 on African nations, focusing on the limitations of the G20/Paris Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). It argues that while the DSSI provides temporary liquidity relief, it fails to address long-term solvency crises due to the non-participation of private creditors and multilateral development banks (MDBs), and the discouraging influence of credit rating agencies.

The Goal 9 assessment evaluates progress toward rewarding countries and jurisdictions that reduce forest emissions through public policies, results-based finance, and private-sector sourcing. As of 2020, nearly USD 4.7 billion in results-based finance has been committed since 2010, with disbursements increasing to over USD 260 million annually in recent years. The report also highlights the role of carbon markets, which have channeled USD 2.5 billion to forest projects over 20 years, and the emergence of domestic compliance schemes that allow forest carbon credits.

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 report examines the potential for electric vehicle (EV) adoption within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), highlighting the opportunities presented by low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) and the systemic barriers to a just transition.

This briefing provides notes from a three-part webinar series organized by Natural Justice in October 2020. The sessions focused on the development, application, and legal recognition of community protocols within the framework of Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS), emphasizing community-led processes to protect traditional knowledge and biological resources.

This policy brief analyzes the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, arguing that while the conflict is framed as religious extremism, it is rooted in systemic neglect, regional inequality, and a 'resource scramble' involving rubies and natural gas. The authors suggest that the Mozambican government's security response and the marginalization of local communities have exacerbated structural problems, drawing parallels to the Niger Delta in Nigeria.

This policy brief examines the implications of large-scale electric vehicle (EV) adoption for the mining sectors of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states. It argues that while the region possesses vast reserves of EV-related minerals and metals (EVMM), it primarily exports raw materials. The author advocates for regional cooperation, the establishment of a public-private EVMM working group and coalition, and the adoption of a circular economy approach to ensure a just mining transition and the development of local value chains.

This workshop report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) synthesizes discussions from July 2020 regarding the standardization of data for integrated energy planning. It focuses on the use of geospatial least-cost modelling to achieve universal energy access, identifying critical data gaps and quality standards for both electrification and clean cooking planning, and exploring the convergence of these two sectors through electric cooking.

This policy brief examines how the European Union (EU) Green Deal operationalizes the concept of 'just transition' through a territorial approach. It analyzes the use of the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) to engage subnational carbon-intensive regions, aiming to bypass national-level political resistance to carbon neutrality by 2050. The author identifies several risks, including the potential for national governments to block funding, the lack of monitoring for vulnerable groups, and the need for the EU to address the global geopolitical impacts of decarbonization on fossil fuel-producing countries.