Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution presents Southern African states with an opportunity to transform their economic trajectories through a systemic innovation approach. It advocates for a 'just e-volution' that integrates the mining, automotive, and energy sectors to move toward a low-carbon economy, specifically suggesting a 'Green New Deal' for the SADC region to avoid becoming a dumping ground for obsolete internal combustion engine technology.

The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) is a strategic electricity infrastructure development plan for South Africa, designed to balance least-cost electricity supply and demand while considering security of supply and environmental impacts. The document updates the previous IRP 2010–2030 to reflect lower-than-expected GDP growth, declining electricity demand, and the deteriorating performance of Eskom's existing power plants.

This Final Scoping Report details the environmental assessment for the southern site of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Limpopo, South Africa. The proposed development aims to establish a heavy industrial hub focused on energy and metallurgy, including plants for steel, ferrochrome, and thermal power generation. The report identifies significant environmental risks, particularly regarding water scarcity in a semi-arid region, potential biodiversity loss within the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, and the need for extensive bulk infrastructure. It outlines the regulatory framework, preliminary impact assessments, and a Plan of Study for the subsequent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) phase.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the process of engaging Namibian civil society organisations (CSOs) in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It details how the APRM Sensitisation Project in Namibia (ASPIN), supported by SAIIA and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), enabled CSOs to develop an evidence-based submission on 13 critical governance issues to influence the country's self-assessment process.

The July 2019 Peace & Security Council Report examines the progress of African Union (AU) institutional reforms, the coordination between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and specific political transitions in The Gambia and Algeria. It also analyzes the potential for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to stabilize the Horn of Africa and evaluates the 'Silencing the Guns' initiative.

This research paper examines the implementation of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in Africa, using Zambia as a primary case study. It analyzes the benefits of trade facilitation for landlocked lower-middle-income countries, the role of the TFA Facility and donor assistance, and the specific challenges and successes of trade facilitation reforms at four of Zambia's strategic border posts.

The April 2019 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical stability challenges across Africa, focusing on the fragility of peace deals in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, the trend of constitutional amendments to extend presidential terms, and the escalating crises in Cameroon and Sudan.

This briefing tracks the integration of human rights into UN climate governance from 2010 to 2019. It highlights the progression from the Cancun Agreements to the Paris Agreement, where human rights, health, and the rights of indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups were explicitly recognized. The document details how COP decisions have mandated human rights considerations in capacity building, gender action, and loss and damage. It also reports that by December 2017, 76 Parties had referenced human rights in national reports and 24 countries had included them in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

This IISD report presents the results of a 2018 online survey of 72 respondents from 54 developing countries regarding their investment treaty negotiation processes. It examines trends in treaty renegotiation, the impact of investment disputes, the use of model treaties, ratification procedures, and the specific government agencies involved in leading and supporting these negotiations.

The February 2019 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the election of four new members to the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), the 2019 AU chairmanship of Egypt, and South Africa's upcoming 2020 chairmanship. It also analyzes the viability of a new peace deal in the Central African Republic, the humanitarian focus on refugees in 2019, and the escalating political crisis in Sudan.

This guide, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), translates the findings of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land specifically for African policymakers. It examines the bidirectional relationship between land and climate, the risks of desertification in arid zones, and the resulting impacts on food security and poverty. The document outlines sustainable land management techniques, the importance of gender-inclusive policies, and the need for integrated governance to enhance resilience across the continent.

This guide distils the 2019 IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land for African decision-makers. It highlights the critical link between land degradation and climate change, noting that desertification affects 46 African nations and threatens food security. The report advocates for integrated governance, the empowerment of women and marginalized groups, and the adoption of sustainable land management practices—such as those seen in the Great Green Wall initiative—to build resilience and mitigate emissions.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the distribution of power and influence within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while South Africa remains the dominant economic and military power, the region would benefit from decentralising responsibilities by identifying 'regional champions' or 'locomotives' to drive specific sectoral priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).

This report, produced by DMA Global for FSD Africa, examines the drivers and barriers influencing the migration of remittance senders from cash-based agent services to digital channels for transfers from the UK to Africa. Based on focus group discussions (FGDs) with 74 members of various African diaspora communities in London, the report finds that while online service usage has surged in some communities, a strong 'stickiness' to cash remains in others, often linked to the quality of digital payment infrastructure in the receive-country.

This report examines the intersection of gender and migration in South Africa, arguing that current migration policies are largely gender-neutral or geared toward men, which increases the vulnerability of women migrants. Through focus groups and interviews with mixed migrant women in the Western Cape, the study highlights the 'triple discrimination' of xenophobia, racism, and misogyny faced by African women migrants, and calls for rights-based, gender-sensitive policy reforms.

This research paper examines the political economy of border economies in the SADC region, focusing on the Beitbridge and Chirundu border posts. It analyzes the causes of 'standing time' (truck delays) and the tensions between trade facilitation efforts and the sustainability of local border economies, providing policy recommendations to improve driver wellbeing, support small-scale traders, and diversify border town economies.

This policy briefing examines the potential for developing a domestic sunflower value chain in Malawi, identifying bottlenecks in production and processing while highlighting opportunities for industrial growth and diversification from traditional crops.

The September 2018 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines challenges to democracy in Africa, the complexities of peace initiatives in the Central African Republic, political instability in Lesotho, the fragile peace deal in South Sudan, and the ongoing evolution of the African Standby Force.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the state of regional economic development within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It analyzes the decline in intra-regional trade and investment since 2013, the persisting overdependence on primary commodities, and the structural, infrastructural, and political-economic barriers hindering deeper integration. The document evaluates current initiatives, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), while providing case studies on sector diversification in Mozambique, the macadamia nut regional value chain, and transport infrastructure in Tanzania and Namibia.

The August 2018 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines several African Union (AU) challenges, including the shift in the AU's approach to Western Sahara, tensions over LGBTI rights and the independence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, institutional friction between the AU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the need for non-military stabilisation strategies in the Lake Chad basin to combat Boko Haram.