The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
The African Development Bank, UN Food and Agriculture Organization and CGIAR’s Alliance of Biodiversity International Center and Big Data in Agriculture Platform created digital agriculture country profiles aimed at helping bolster agricultural transformation and accelerate economic growth. The South Africa country analysis maps out digital issues and opportunities related to …
As of April 19, 2021, South Africa has recorded 1.56 million COVID-19 cases and almost 54,000 deaths – more than any other country on the African continent. The country has begun the national rollout of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J;) COVID-19 vaccine, with over 292 thousand doses administered it aims …
In response to challenges related to a fossil-dominated energy system and a slow-paced renewable energy roll-out, the goal of this report is twofold: first, to explore new models for renewable energy development that create a greater role for public and community ownership, and second, to consider the implications these business …
East and Southern African countries possess vast potential for renewable energy development. Co-ordinated regional plans will play a vital role in scaling up the use of renewables for power generation, strengthening regional power supplies, meeting national climate commitments and ensuring energy security. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) supports countries …
This paper considers different approaches to modelling the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic/lockdown shocks. Review different modelling strategies and argue that, given the nature of the bottom-up recession caused by the pandemic/lockdowns, simulation models of the shocks should be based on a social accounting matrix (SAM) that includes both …
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, launched South Africa’s updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for public consultation during a virtual stakeholder session. The updated draft NDC, the cornerstone of South Africa’s climate change response, was approved by Cabinet on 24 March 2021 to be released for public …
Deforestation rates are significantly lower in Indigenous and Tribal territories where governments have formally recognized collective land rights, according to a new report. Jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the …
National governments can spur COVID-19 recovery, achieve shared prosperity and drive climate action through national policies and targeted investments to decarbonise cities and make them more resilient. This report shows the power of urban transformation and the many ways to achieve it by looking up close at six major emerging …
Computer-based models are valuable tools for investigating scenarios for aligning near-term actions and policies with long-term goals. Nonexperts who contribute to climate mitigation decision-making need to be able to evaluate these models and recognize that there is no “best” model that answers all policy questions. This issue brief provides guidance …
This paper discusses the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis on the energy sector and frames it in the broader perspective of the climate crisis and development aspirations. It present practical challenges and responses observed in several emerging economies and developing countries, and discuss how key patterns in those countries …
The CAT Climate Governance series seeks to produce a practical framework for assessing a government’s readiness - both from an institutional and governance point of view - to ratchet up climate policy and implement adequate transformational policies on the ground, to enable the required economy-wide transformation towards a zero emissions …
Environmental Justice organisation groundWork will launch their latest report on the state of environmental justice in South Africa titled The Elites Don’t Care: People on the frontlines of Coal, Covid, and the Climate Crisis. This report follows on from Down to Zero, the groundWork 2019 report on the politics of …
The African Water Facility, together with the Water Research Commission, South Africa, as its implementing agent, supported the demonstration project Operationalizing community-led Multiple Use water Services (MUS) in South Africa. As knowledge broker and research partner in this project, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) analyzed processes and impacts at …
The African Water Facility, together with the Water Research Commission, South Africa, as its implementing agent, supported the demonstration project Operationalizing community-led Multiple Use water Services (MUS) in South Africa. As knowledge broker and research partner in this project, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) analyzed processes and impacts at …
South Africa’s economy, which was already in a precarious state before Covid-2019, has been tipped into full blown crisis by the pandemic. Gross na-tional government debt is expected to be upwards of 86% within two years. Eskom, which is the country’s state-owned monopolistic and vertically integrated electricity utili-ty, is a …
The new study, Insights from the Incarcerated: An assessment of the illicit supply chain in wildlife in South Africa, builds on earlier interviews with the same offenders to understand their motivations in engaging in wildlife crime. Almost three-quarters of the offenders had been imprisoned for rhino-related crimes, the remainder for …
South Africa saw a sharp decrease in Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emissions in 2019, bringing the country’s emissions to their lowest level on record, according to new research by Greenpeace India and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). A significant drop in emissions would increase the quality …
The Statistics South Africa general household survey in 2016 noted that despite the large improvements made since 1994, many households still lack access to safe, affordable and reliable sanitation services. The establishment of sanitation infrastructure and public services that are sustainable, protect the environment and nurture human health remains a …
New WWF Plastics Facts & Futures Report highlights the need for a systemic approach to tackle plastic pollution in South Africa. For too long the burden of plastic pollution has been laid at the door of consumers and individuals – with a heavy emphasis on awareness, recycling and clean-ups – …
Investing in nature and nature-based solutions is an important pathway to address the current ecological crisis. The loss of biodiversity, with around one million animal and plant species threatened with extinction, is putting at risk our economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide. Diverse and innovative measures …
