Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are national policy instruments that communicate countries’ domestic climate commitments to the international community, report progress towards these commitments and outline support that is needed to ensure e …

Globally, oceans face a range of threats. As efforts to develop sustainable blue or ocean economies accelerate, the need for evidence-based policymaking has never been more pressing. The good news is that there is a growing understanding of how the sci …

The global COVID-19 pandemic has marked a turning point in business-as-usual practices, highlighting the need to re-think and re-establish economy-wide norms based on systemic sustainability and equity considerations. At the same time, countries are at …

Agriculture and other land-use sectors play a major role in the global response to climate change – as a large source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as a carbon sink, and as a sector vulnerable to climate extremes and variability. Nationally Determ …

Climate change is one of the most significant intergenerational equity challenges of our time. Young people – who currently represent over 50% of the global population – are the generation who will not only be most impacted by climate change, but who w …

This briefing presents key insights from a wider set of briefings produced through the project Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe, jointly implemented by the South African Institute of Inter …

2020 was meant to be a ‘Super Year for the Ocean’, with a series of negotiations and political processes due to take place on ocean governance, climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development. However, the disruption caused by COVID-19 has del …

Despite the climate change commitments made under the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015, the world will continue to experience negative climate impacts. As such, pre-emptive adaptation planning is necessary to build and sustain countries’ social, econom …

Marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. Coastal and marine EbA involves governing and managing ecosystems to enhance their resi …

The Quirimbas National Park (QNP) in Mozambique has some of the greatest coastal and marine biodiversity in the region and is one of the country’s largest and most important protected areas. In and around designated conservation areas such as the QNP, …

Coastal livelihood interventions can help communities by providing additional incomes, while protecting and maintaining resources and the environment. The identification and promotion of resilient and diversified livelihood opportunities are crucial to …

This year’s COP23 takes place against a complex geopolitical backdrop, with difficult discussions around developing countries’ needs and developed countries’ obligations sure to feature once again. Romy Chevallier, a senior researcher at the South Afri …

In light of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement (PA) in June 2017, continued political momentum and concrete outcomes at upcoming climate change summits are needed to reinforce global commitment to the PA. From 6–17 November 2017 nearly 200 coun …

The African continent is blessed with valuable and diverse coastal and marine resources, but much of its natural capital is either threatened or declining. Globally, oceans are experiencing enormous challenges related to warming temperatures, a drastic …

Tanzania is the only country in Africa where blast fishing, (fishing with explosives), still occurs on a large scale. Besides killing and injuring fish, these blasts cause irreversible damage to coral reefs, destroying the habitats of many reef species …

Global climate change is an unprecedented threat in human history; one that will unfold over a long timescale, unevenly, in a non-linear fashion,and unpredictably. In response there is increasing focus on programming and policies that promote transform …

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region has valuable and diverse coastal and marine resources, but much of its natural capital is either threatened or declining. As countries in the WIO region gear for a sustainable oceans economy, there is an urgent nee …

“The demand for ivory products exceeds the available supply of elephant tusks, resulting in the extensive illegal killing of elephants. It is therefore imperative that demand-reduction campaigns help consumers to make the link between elephant poaching …

“Since the 1990s the development–conservation paradigm in the Southern African region has shifted from an approach that emphasised centralised management and wildlife protection, to one that better incorporates socio-economic development and promotes i …

“The World Conservation Congress (WCC), one of the world’s largest environmental gatherings, is convened every four years under the auspices of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to find collaborative solutions to conserve global …

“If Botswana is to continue its success story as an African anomaly, it will have to manage its transition to a less diamond-dependent economy skilfully. Until alternative and new sources of economic growth can be found, eco-tourism will be the keyston …

“In December 2015 the UN will host the 21st annual Conference of Parties (COP 21) negotiations to achieve universal commitment to an ambitious, legally binding agreement on climate change. A total of 196 countries will spend two weeks deliberating on t …

“The effective management of the coastal zone is linked directly to the long-term development and wellbeing of coastal populations. Its importance warrants a dedicated management approach to balance its development, use and protection. Integrated coast …

“Protected areas (PAs) are conservation management tools designed to safeguard the world’s most threatened species and protect essential ecosystem services and biological resources. Today 200 000 PAs, including national parks and indigenous and communa …

“The more value African countries derive from PAs, the more importance they will attach to them and the more effectively they will be regulated and protected. Similarly, if local communities consider natural resources and wildlife as central to their l …