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This policy brief by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes the implications of the July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change. The document argues that the ruling provides a legal and moral foundation to demand scaled-up climate finance, emphasizing the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) and the necessity of reparations. It specifically links the ruling to the Baku to Belém (B2B) Roadmap and the financing of the third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) leading up to COP30.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes the economic and administrative burdens placed on African nations by evolving European Union (EU) climate regulations, specifically the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for shipping, and Methane Regulations. The authors argue that these measures often lack adequate mitigation for developing countries, risking significant GDP losses, increased trade costs, and the exclusion of smallholder farmers from EU markets.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes whether carbon credits generated under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should be eligible for deduction from liabilities under the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It argues that allowing such credits would mitigate the negative economic impact of the CBAM on African exporters, retain climate finance within African borders, and provide policy flexibility to host governments, while proposing specific design measures to prevent carbon leakage and ensure credit integrity.

This informal input paper, prepared for the G20 Working Group on Trade and Investment by the African Future Policies Hub, Lead-IT, and the World Resources Institute, advocates for a shift from nationalistic green industrial policies toward "cooperative green competitiveness." The report outlines strategies for inclusive green industrialisation, emphasizing the role of industrial clusters, regional cooperation, and reformed climate finance to ensure developing countries are integrated into global green value chains without repeating past patterns of resource exploitation.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub analyzes proposed amendments to the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduced on 26 February 2025. While the amendments aim to reduce the administrative burden on EU importers through new volumetric thresholds and simplified default values, the report argues these changes primarily benefit EU entities and may negatively impact African exporters by increasing costs or reducing the benefits of domestic carbon pricing.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub, APRI, and LSE assesses the economic impacts of a proposed global shipping carbon tax on African states. Using a CGE model and a case study of Ghana, the authors find that while GDP impacts are limited, a shipping levy would increase commodity prices, reduce household incomes, and exacerbate existing freight cost imbalances for African nations. The report recommends that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopt measures that allow for the redistribution of revenues as direct grants to climate-vulnerable countries for out-of-sector mitigation and resilience projects.