Author: THINKTEAM Support

Slow progress and small wins at the IMF and World Bank meetings

At their annual meetings in Marrakesh this month, the World Bank and IMF agreed to some incremental reforms, including increasing IMF lending resources, representation for Africa on the IMF Executive Board, and quicker administrative processes for World Bank lending. However, little was achieved on debt reform or capital increases for the Bank.
  • Climate Finance

Interview with Kenya’s special climate envoy, Ali Mohamed, on the outcomes of the Africa Climate Summit

We had the pleasure of speaking with the Special Climate Envoy for Kenya, Ali Mohamed, in the days that followed the Africa Climate Summit to discuss his views on its outcomes and what they might mean for Africa’s positioning in the climate negotiations. In the interview that follows we discuss the framing of African action, climate finance, renewable energy, carbon taxes and loss and damage.
  • COP28

Malawi orders review of Carbon Credit projects as Kenya introduces new Carbon Markets Bill

Malawi and Kenya are both seeking to firm up their domestic policy on carbon markets, with a focus on ensuring more benefits for communities. Echoing Zimbabwe, Malawi has stated an intention to revisit existing contracts, while Kenya is looking to devise a more detailed set of rules on benefit sharing, governance and legal processes.
  • Article 6

Wrangling over Climate Finance Language in SDG Summit Declaration

The US, the UK and a handful of developed countries have pushed back on climate finance language within a draft declaration on the SDGs ahead of the SDG summit in New York in September. Issues of contention included the manner in which calls to reform the international financial system were phrased, and the establishment of a multibillion-dollar development stimulus plan.
  • Climate Finance, COP28

Ruto calls for the creation of a Global Green Bank

Kenyan President William Ruto is looking to radically shake up the global climate finance architecture, proposing that multilateral lenders provide at least $500 billion/year to settle existing debts and free up domestic resources for climate and development priorities. He also wants the establishment of a global Green Bank, financed by carbon taxes and other climate levies.
  • Climate Finance, COP28

Africa Climate Summit under fire from CSOs

Civil Society Organisations are arguing that the African Climate Summit has been “hijacked by Western governments, consultancy companies, Global North think tanks and philanthropy organisations/ foundations.”
  • COP28

Scottish Scientist, Jim Skea, elected to chair IPCC, outwinning Brazilian and South African nominees

Scottish scientist Jim Skea was recently nominated to chair the IPCC. His election extends an unbroken run of male leaders since the IPCC was established in 1988. Skea was also preferred against South African candidate Debra Roberts, who actively campaigned for more representation of women and scientists from the global south. She also wanted to address data gaps for the south, particularly Africa.
  • COP28

IMO Mulls a Global Shipping Levy: Africa May Lose out While Others Gain

Following the agreement of revised targets for the shipping sector, the IMO is discussing the introduction of a global shipping levy. A group of African nations initially came out in support of but then went quiet during negotiations. A recent study anticipates that African GDPs will be significantly impacted by a levy whilst the GDPs of EU and the US stand to benefit.
  • Climate Finance, NetZero and the Just Transition

African Governors Propose Targeted Reforms to Climate Finance Architecture

African governors of the IMF and World Bank met in Cabo Verde to discuss reforms to the global climate finance architecture. Their clearly articulated set of proposed reforms focuses on the need to jointly address global public goods and SDGs, reduce African debt insecurities, and enable a country owned and driven approach.
  • Climate Finance

UAE to Put Trade on COP28 Agenda as Australia Joins Climate Club

The UAE intends to introduce a special focus on trade at COP28, as countries are increasingly using trade to pursue their climate and growth objectives. The decision comes as Australia decides to join the G7’s Climate Club, a group that may increasingly see trade used to disadvantage countries with unambitious targets.
  • COP28, Trade