Energy and Covid-19: Sustainable Finance

An essential tool to enable access to clean and affordable energy in Namibia

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 targets to ensure access to affordable and clean energy to all beings by 2030. Namibia is characterized by low energy access levels, especially in rural areas. Renewable energy in the form of hydropower, solar, wind and biomass are sources of clean energy in Namibia, but coal and oil still provide a large portion of the country’s energy. Incremental policies and financial resources are still required to support growth in investments for on-grid, mini grid, and off-grind energy complemented by energy efficiency projects to address energy challenges. Options including microcredit, project finance and Public Private Partnerships (PPP) can be considered to achieve community electrification and energy efficiencies depending on the scale of the project.

Energy and Covid-19: The era of sustainable finance

Could Green Bonds & Social Bonds be the solution to South Africa’s socio-economic woes?

Climate-related risks are far-reaching, and research indicates that they will impact all sectors. Consequently, addressing climate change is no longer viewed as a “government issue”, but rather a challenge that needs to be tackled using collective action and a collaborative approach involving both public and private sector stakeholders. The last five years have witnessed more and more private capital being mobilised towards green investments. While climate-related finance is growing, the current levels of investment are nowhere near where they should be in order to facilitate transformational change and reach the globally agreed upon climate goals. There is an urgent need to address this funding gap and the mobilization of both public and private sector funding is of para-mount importance in this regard.

Covid-19, NDC updates, and power sector overhauls in Sub-Saharan Africa

Emerging opportunities for achieving just and prosperous futures

Carbon Pricing in Sub-Saharan Africa

Increasing global interest in national carbon pricing measures, and financial and political imperatives to introduce them, is driving active discussion in Africa on regional and country-appropriate approaches. A paucity of scholarship that is informed by a nuanced appreciation of the region’s specific carbon pricing context and dynamics means that the rapidly evolving African conversation is, generally speaking, unsupported by relevant analysis. In recognition of this deficiency, this study, commissioned by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and conducted by a South African and Kenyan team of carbon legal and technical specialists, is a timeous and important contribution to the African carbon pricing debate.

The impacts of Covid-19 on the power sector in sub-Saharan Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on economies and societies the world over, in a myriad of ways. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) the spread of the virus has not yet been as prolific as it has in some other parts of the world. However, with large parts of the population living under or close to the poverty line, fragile public health systems, inadequate infrastructure, and limited fiscal space, the region is more vulnerable to the health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic than many other parts of the world. These vulnerabilities are evidenced in the rapidly accelerating infection rates in the region. The power sector has a vital role to play in ensuring the resilience of societies in their response to COVID-19, in driving the recovery of economies and stimulating socio-economic development. Conversely, the impact of COVID-19 on the power sector has implications for the resilience of the sector itself which is dependent on the characteristics of power sectors and is becoming increasingly apparent the world around (RES4Africa, 2020; AU, 2020; Ozili, 2020).

Le Model Asiatique

Publication de la KAS et la Fondation Brenthurst

En 1960, le PIB par habitant des pays d'Asie du Sud-Est était près de la moitié de celui de l'Afrique. En 1986, l'écart s'était rétréci et aujourd'hui, la tendance s'est inversée, plus de la moitié des plus pauvres du monde vivant désormais en Afrique subsaharienne. Pourquoi l'Asie du Sud-Est s'est-elle développée alors que l'Afrique a pris du retard ? L'aspiration asiatique relate les histoires incalculables de croissance explosive et de fortunes changeantes : les dirigeants, les événements et les choix politiques qui ont sorti un milliard de personnes de la pauvreté absolue en une seule génération, le plus grand changement de ce genre dans l'histoire de l'humanité. La pertinence de l’exemple de l’Asie du Sud-Est vient du fait que l’Afrique fait face à un boom démographique, qui peut soit conduire à une crise, soit à la prospérité ; et alors que l'Asie se transforme à nouveau, cette fois hors de la fabrication à bas prix en haute technologie, laissant un vide qui appartient à l'Afrique. Mais loin du déterminisme d’ « Africa Rising », ce livre appelle à un pragmatisme sans précédent dans la poursuite du succès africain.

Advocacy and Africa’s New Climate Economy: Evidence-Based Action

Workshop report

In Sub-Saharan Africa, bold climate action is required if the region is to successfully transition to the new climate economy, grounded in sustainable development practices and policies. The workshop aimed to generate ideas and recommendations that will result in concrete actions towards a more resilient and prosperous Africa.

Covid-19 in Kamerun

Der abwesende Präsident

Kamerun weist nach Südafrika die meisten Covid-19 Infektionen in Subsahara-Afrika auf. Das Gesundheitssystem des zentralafrikanischen Landes ist nicht in der Lage, eine angemessene Versorgung der Patienten sicherzustellen, die wirtschaftlichen Konsequenzen der Pandemie sind für die Bevölkerung bereits jetzt spürbar. Trotzdem hat sich Präsident Paul Biya bisher nicht öffentlich zu der Krisensituation geäußert. Während die Zahlen der Neuinfektionen im Land steigen, wird die Kritik an seinem Führungsstil lauter.

New Frontiers in Local Content: Environment and Transparency

Workshop Report

There has been little consideration of how the broader social and environmental debates related to mining governance intersect with the agenda around local content. This workshop aimed at seeking to draw out key insights from the assembled stakeholders.

KAS_Scholarships 2020

Le Programme Régional Sécurité Énergétique et Changement Climatique en Afrique subsaharienne de Konrad Adenauer Stiftung e. V. (KAS), basée à Yaoundé, au Cameroun, accepte actuellement les demandes de bourses.

Le Programme Régional Sécurité Énergétique et Changement Climatique en Afrique subsaharienne de Konrad Adenauer Stiftung e. V. (KAS), basée à Yaoundé, au Cameroun, accepte actuellement les demandes de bourses dans les domaines suivants : énergie, changement climatique, environnement et développement durable.