Energy poverty is a pervasive and persistent development issue in Africa. Despite the continent’s rich natural resources, the “resource curse” remains a reality for countries with insufficient generation capacity, aging power plants, weak institutions and a lack of affordable energy finance. Additionally, the continent faces crippling energy deficits driven by urbanization and industrialization, coupled with […]
Robust environmental and social risk management (ESRM) frameworks are posited as tools that can, if effectively implemented, contribute to more sustainable and inclusive development. Yet beyond the ESRM challenges that have emerged from previous booms, the ongoing critical mineral boom is associated with distinct geographies, rapid speed of expansion and, in some cases, newly-commercialized extraction […]
Demand for energy transition minerals (TMs) is set to expand many-fold as global investors and nations embrace the ongoing global energy transition. The task of establishing sustainable and inclusive production methods for these supply chains is an urgent one for source countries – most of which are developing countries located in Latin America and the […]
By Julia Radomski and Rebecca Ray As the global economy shifts toward a greener future, the role of public development finance institutions (PDFIs) and export credit agencies (ECAs) in financing transition minerals (TMs) — which are vital for the green energy transition — is increasingly salient. Demand for TMs is set to expand many-fold as […]
The most notable milestone of 2024 was the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods institutions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organization. This anniversary came as calls for ambitious global economic governance reforms gain momentum in key fora, and developing country frustrations with the existing system continue to grow. 2024 […]
By Rebecca Ray Representatives from governments and civil society from around the world are gathering in Cali, Colombia this month for the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16). They will take stock of progress and recommit to the goal of preserving global biodiversity through the Kunming-Montreal […]
A global transition toward sustainable trade and supply chains is essential in the age of climate change and energy decarbonization. Low-carbon technologies (LCTs) and the related minerals are at the forefront of this transition, playing a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development. The international trade of LCTs is pivotal in […]
By Jiaqi Lu As the world faces the urgent challenges of climate change, global trade for low-carbon technologies (LCTs) is becoming increasingly critical to meeting the surging demand for clean energy. Low-carbon technologies, ranging from renewable energy to electric vehicles and energy storage systems, are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting sustainable development. […]
By Tianyi Wu For those suggesting China has disengaged from its cooperation with Africa, Chinese leader Xi Jinping sent a clear message at the recent ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC): China is back and reaffirming its commitment to support “modernization” in African countries, offering its own development model as an example. How will this […]
By Akanksha Goyal and Angie Ye The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing from September 4-6, 2024, with African leaders and members of FOCAC scheduled to attend. Since the inception of the FOCAC in 2000 and the China-Africa Development Fund in 2006, China’s economic ties with Africa […]