Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the implementation, achievements, and challenges of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) free movement protocols. It analyzes the impact of geopolitical fragmentation, security threats, and protectionist policies on regional integration, while discussing the implications of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Friends of the Earth conducted lab tests on Target's Good & Gather brand baby food in August 2025, finding a higher variety of pesticides than in 2024. The analysis of apple and pear fruit purées revealed 29 different pesticides, including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and PFAS, despite levels being below U.S. EPA limits.

This case study describes FSD Africa Investments' (FSDAi) role in the International Housing Solutions (IHS) Kenya Affordable Green Housing Fund, highlighting how catalytic equity capital and an Open Source Policy are used to scale affordable, green-certified housing and generate public market intelligence in Kenya.

This research paper analyzes clean cooking policies across G20 countries, arguing that the current reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies is financially unsustainable, often fails to reach the poorest populations, and contradicts net-zero goals. The authors advocate for redirecting these subsidies toward electric cooking and renewable energy alternatives to achieve universal access by 2030.

This briefing by RMI explains how 'flexible service connections' can accelerate the deployment of electric truck charging infrastructure by allowing fleets to access underutilized grid capacity without waiting for multi-year utility upgrades.

This policy brief by RMI outlines five strategic areas for action to decarbonize the ammonia fertilizer supply chain in Brazil, aiming to transition the country from a fertilizer importer to a global leader in sustainable production.

This report introduces the Integrated Net Present Value (iNPV) framework, developed by RMI and Schneider Electric, to help the US light manufacturing sector better quantify the total value of investments in electrification, automation, and smart manufacturing.

This research paper introduces a project by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) focused on the 'just transition' in South Africa and Brazil. It examines the need to reconcile climate action with economic development, specifically focusing on protecting vulnerable populations and addressing extreme inequality while shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

This research paper examines the role of green technology, specifically solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind energy, in decarbonisation and industrialisation. It argues that market forces alone are insufficient for scaling renewable energy and emphasizes the necessity of targeted industrial policy and government intervention to ensure equitable transitions, particularly in developing economies like South Africa and Brazil.

This briefing outlines the economic case for investing in natural capital, demonstrating that nature-based solutions in forests, wetlands, and food systems provide returns ranging from 6.8 to 51 times the investment. It highlights that such investments could provide over 50% of the cost-effective mitigation needed for a 2°C pathway and significantly reduce climate-related losses in developing countries, despite current financial flows remaining misaligned and skewed toward harmful environmental subsidies.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) examines the intersection of energy poverty and green industrialization in Africa. It argues that while the continent faces severe electricity deficits and fossil fuel dependence, its abundant renewable resources provide a strategic opportunity to leapfrog to cleaner energy systems to drive job creation and productivity, provided that institutional, regulatory, and financing barriers are addressed.

This policy brief by Ember analyses the failure of India's early offshore wind auctions and outlines the systemic barriers preventing the sector's growth. It argues that rigid auction designs, a lack of domestic supply chains for high-capacity turbines, and transmission risks have deterred developers, and recommends adopting flexible international best practices to unlock the country's offshore wind potential.

The document introduces a Just Energy Transition (JET) framework developed by Natural Justice specifically for African communities to ensure they are equal partners in energy system changes and benefit from the resulting social and economic developments.

A briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics detailing how soy-driven deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado biome reduces regional rainfall and agricultural productivity, creating a paradox where individual farmer profits are outweighed by regional economic losses and global supply chain risks.

This research paper argues that South Africa should continue to prioritise the financial and debt challenges facing Africa following the conclusion of its 2025 G20 presidency. The author highlights a 'vicious cycle' where debt obligations and climate impacts undermine sustainable development goals, and proposes three specific actions—a technical report on finance barriers, the creation of an African Borrower's Club, and a review of IMF operating principles—to address these systemic issues.

This research paper examines the systemic gaps in disability inclusion within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) frameworks for peace, security, and development. It argues that while a Regional Action Plan exists, it is underfunded and isolated from core strategic pillars, leaving persons with disabilities (PWDs) vulnerable during crises and excluded from regional governance.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero examines the critical role of equity and catalytic equity in closing the clean energy investment gap in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) to reach net zero goals by 2035.

This report by Ember examines the growth of solar energy in Brazil, China, and India over the decade following the Paris Agreement. It details how the transition of solar leadership from advanced economies to emerging markets was driven by national policies, international financial mechanisms, and industrial scaling, resulting in solar becoming the fastest-growing electricity source globally.

This report by Ember examines the global expansion of solar power in the decade following the 2015 Paris Agreement, focusing on the leadership of emerging economies, specifically Brazil, China, and India. It details how national targets, international finance, and industrial policies accelerated solar adoption, shifting the center of solar generation from OECD nations to emerging markets.

This report explores the use of ethnographic research to enhance the inclusivity and participatory nature of South Africa's just energy transition, specifically within the coal-dependent communities of Mpumalanga.