Policy briefs

 The global salience of climate change as a policy concern means that low income countries are likely to be pressured to adopt development strategies  that, where possible, conserve natural resources and minimize greenhouse gas  emissions. The African Green Industrialization Initiative (AGII) is an effort to this  end. This paper articulates a conceptual framework to guide the implementation  of green industrialization strategies in Africa. The main argument is that green  industrialization should not be viewed as “greening business-as-usual” but  as a techno-industrial step change that enables African countries to exploit  energy technologies of the future in pursuit of structural transformation of  their economies (i.e., developmentalist green industrialization). The paper then  discusses specific policy approaches that African countries can adopt at the  sectoral, national, regional, and global levels to advance a developmentalist green  industrialization agenda 

The paper was written by Professor Ken Opalo

October 2026

 The global transition to low-carbon development is reshaping international trade,  industrial competitiveness and investment patterns. Increasingly, market access  depends not only on cost and productivity, but also on carbon intensity, product  traceability, environmental performance and compliance with sustainability  standards. The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has applied  under its definitive regime since 1 January 2026, while the EU Deforestation  Regulation (EUDR) is due to apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium sized operators and from 30 June 2027 for most micro and small operators.  Although these measures were adopted unilaterally by the EU, they can reshape  conditions of access to the EU market and affect trade flows. This underscores the  importance of regulatory dialogue, capacity support and WTO reform aimed at  transparent, non-discriminatory and multilaterally coherent trade rules. 

The paper was authored by Moshe Kao and reviewed by Shimukunku Manchishi.

September 2026

As carbon border measures become more widespread, exporters are increasingly required to demonstrate the emissions embedded in their products to maintain access to key markets. This is particularly significant for South Africa’s aluminium industry, which exports a substantial share of its production to the  European Union. 

 The paper was authored by Seutame Maimele and reviewed by  Maria Ogbugo, Shimukunku Manchishi and Kasonde Chituta. 

August 2026

Methane has emerged as a critical focus in global climate governance, marking a new chapter in efforts to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives. 

Authors: Shimukunku Manchishi and Kasonde Chituta 

March 2026

 An agenda-setting brief by the  Centre for Science and Environment  and African Future Policies Hub 2026  

March 2026