AGP Executive Report

Nature-based climate action: Amazon is backing one of the world’s biggest nature-based carbon removal efforts, planning to plant 180 million spekboom shrubs on degraded land in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, with training for local SMEs and restoration work running to end-2028. Agriculture & land pressure: Zimbabwe’s tobacco growers are pushing back on stricter forestry rules, saying land crunch makes compliance harder, even as industry leaders urge afforestation, better curing, soil protection and climate-smart farming. Weather risks (SA): South Africa’s Weather Service issued warnings for damaging waves on the east coast and very cold conditions with morning frost in several provinces, urging caution for travel and coastal activities. Flood preparedness (Ghana): Accra’s recurring flooding is again in focus, with experts calling for stronger disaster planning, drainage upkeep and enforcement rather than treating floods as seasonal surprises. Energy affordability (SA): New electricity tariff hikes are deepening hardship for millions, pushing households back toward firewood and paraffin despite safety risks. Digital port upgrade (Mozambique): Maputo Port’s first Port Community System is set to streamline trade and logistics through a shared digital platform.

Climate Extremes & Disaster Risk: Floods and landslides in Ivory Coast have killed at least 59 people as torrential rains overwhelm cities, while Ghana also reported deadly flooding and road cut-offs. Ocean Heat: The world’s oceans logged their warmest June ever, with marine heatwaves affecting about 82% of the global ocean—raising stakes for fisheries and coastal communities. Public Health & Air Pollution: Doctors warn about pregnancy pollution risks as dirty air affects babies before birth, adding urgency to clean-air reforms. Energy Transition & Access: Zimbabwe is urged to fast-track renewable power to ease shortages, while South Africa’s affordability pressures continue as oil shocks ripple through food and transport costs. Governance & Rights: A court ruling highlights the importance of legal certainty in environmental decision-making, and new work assesses access to environmental rights and justice. Carbon Finance: Liberia moves to strengthen its carbon market drive with UNDP support, aiming to unlock climate finance for forest-dependent communities. Sahel Security & Trade: Insecurity in the Sahel is disrupting trade and free movement across West Africa, with knock-on effects for investment and regional cooperation.

Flood justice in Malawi: Villagers in Kanseche are suing ABF/Illovo, alleging embankments at the Nchalo sugar estate worsened Storm Ana flooding that killed seven people in 2022, leaving 500 households still in temporary shelter. Air pollution and pregnancy: UCT doctors warn that even in electrified peri-urban areas, household smoke and tobacco exposure can harm newborns—linking pollution to premature birth, low birth weight and breathing distress. Climate risk for food: Analysts warn a strengthening El Niño later in 2026 could disrupt rainfall and raise pressure on rice supplies, with knock-on effects for prices and food security. Ocean heat alarm: Reports say June ocean temperatures hit record highs, raising fears of further warming impacts. Environmental rights push in Nigeria: RDI and Pilex will assess communities’ access to environmental rights, information and justice across 20 countries, feeding into a continental report. SADC conservation capacity: Germany-backed ranger and manager training aims to strengthen transboundary wildlife protection and reduce human-wildlife conflict across Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Weather warnings (SA): The South African Weather Service issued alerts for severe thunderstorms, disruptive snow, and damaging winds/waves in parts of the country.

Climate Extremes: The world’s oceans logged their hottest June on record, with average sea surface temperatures hitting 20.98°C, and scientists warn El Niño could push more heat and weather extremes that can hit parts of Africa. Flood Risk & Water Security: Heavy downpours in Lagos have triggered flooding warnings, while Zimbabwe’s Mzinyathini Irrigation Scheme is set to restart in August after rehabilitation to boost climate-smart irrigation and drought resilience. Clean Energy & Food Systems: South Africa’s SARB says Q1 growth held up despite Middle East market shocks, helped by La Niña-linked rainfall boosting crops—though livestock is still squeezed by animal disease outbreaks. Pollution & Waste: South Africa’s landfill and recycling pressures keep driving new partnerships and local recycling models, as cities grapple with waste management and air quality reform. Governance & Rights: Burundi rights groups accuse authorities of tolerating torture with impunity, calling for independent investigations and reparations. Ocean/Blue Economy Diplomacy: India’s PM Modi visited Seychelles and highlighted shared environmental values and blue-economy cooperation, including climate-focused maritime ties.

Flooding & Extreme Weather: Ghana’s capital Accra saw deadly flooding after torrential rain, with at least 13 deaths reported and hundreds rescued as officials warned more storms. Climate Risk & Food: El Niño is forming, with Kenya and parts of East Africa facing higher-than-normal rainfall risks, while South Africa’s weather outlook points to El Niño-linked impacts on crops and prices. Water & Resilience Planning: South Africa’s Weather Service issued warnings for severe thunderstorms and localised flooding in the Eastern Cape, plus extreme fire danger in parts of the Northern Cape. Clean Energy for Fisheries: Tunisia trialled an artisanal fishing boat using solar-powered electric propulsion—an early step toward decarbonising coastal livelihoods. Climate Finance: Bank ABC said it mobilised $3bn in sustainable finance in 2025, while Fitch warns African banks face rising climate credit vulnerability from both transition and physical risks. Agriculture Strategy: Ethiopia launched a national coffee strategy to more than double production and boost export earnings by 2031. Electricity Reliability: Johannesburg secured a R3.8bn concessional loan to fix City Power after years of low maintenance spending and worsening service satisfaction.

El Niño and food security: Forecasters warn the current El Niño could strengthen later this year, disrupting rainfall and raising heat stress—especially threatening rice, a staple for billions and a driver of food-price stability. Ebola in DRC: Africa CDC reports DRC Ebola cases rising to 1,274 with 96 health workers infected, as authorities tighten restrictions in affected provinces. Heat and dust risks: A severe heat-and-Saharan-dust mix is expected to worsen conditions across parts of the region, with health impacts for vulnerable people. Energy pressure in Nigeria: NGX-listed firms spent N400.83bn on alternative power in Q1 2026, underscoring how unreliable electricity keeps pushing businesses toward costly self-generation. Clean-up and sanitation in Ethiopia: Addis Ababa’s summer cleanup mobilised 750,000+ residents to clear drainage and reduce flooding risks ahead of rains. Heritage for livelihoods in Zimbabwe/Zambia: AWHF-backed workshop in Victoria Falls links World Heritage protection with community entrepreneurship and jobs. Uranium legacy management in Namibia: Namibia will host an IAEA-linked workshop to improve coordinated remediation and long-term care for former uranium sites.

Flood Risk & Urban Resilience: Accra’s Adabraka and other districts in Ghana are again under water after relentless rain, with soldiers rescuing stranded families and reports of electrocution risk at Odawna market—another stark reminder that climate-driven flooding is also a household financial disaster. Renewables Expansion: Kenya’s KenGen has more than tripled its long-term renewable target to 5,500MW, backed by a sustainability push and a pipeline including nuclear, hydropower and geothermal. Waste & Circular Economy: Gauteng’s landfill crisis is driving new private recycling partnerships in Ekurhuleni as municipalities run out of landfill airspace and illegal dumping rises. Water Reuse Innovation: A “living laboratory” in Benoni, Gauteng will treat and reuse wastewater via separated grey and black water streams, aiming for closed-loop water cycles with minimal environmental impact. Digital Rights & Accountability: MTN ranks second globally in the 2026 Ranking Digital Rights Index, highlighting stronger governance and transparency around digital human rights. Clean Energy Finance: IFC invested $10m equity into CrossBoundary Access to scale mini-grids and battery-as-a-service across Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate-Linked Health & Heat: Europe’s deadly heatwave has killed over 1,300 people since June 21, with WHO warning that buildings and services aren’t built for sustained extreme temperatures. Air Quality & Dust Transport: A massive Saharan dust plume is moving across Texas, creating hazy skies and potentially suppressing storm formation. EV Uptake: Cote d’Ivoire’s ride-hailing sector is increasingly switching to Chinese electric vehicles to cut operating costs, though charging infrastructure remains a barrier. Environmental Controversy: Mozambique LNG faces renewed opposition over potential coral reef damage and climate impacts tied to gas extraction and export.

Energy & Climate Finance: The IEA says Africa’s energy investment is set to hit $110bn in 2026, but the continent still attracts only 3.3% of global energy capital, with spending concentrated in Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Egypt and Libya. Renewables & Food Security: ECOWAS’ EBID approved $268m for Taraba, backing a 50MW solar plant, irrigated rice (10,000 hectares) and an industrial park to cut import dependence and boost jobs. Conservation & Governance: AWF and Dev-Afrique partnered with African governments to strengthen conservation, biodiversity management and natural-capital planning. Agriculture Delivery Gap: A Kenya-focused piece argues Africa’s problem isn’t ideas, but execution—policy fails at costing, budgeting, tracking and connecting farmers to inputs and credit. Health & Systems: A Lancet Global Health study finds Kenya’s blood shortage is driven by system fragmentation beyond donor numbers. Clean Energy Access: A report warns Uganda must make electricity affordable as millions across Africa lack reliable power. Local Action: UBA mobilised staff across 20 countries for wellness and simultaneous environmental clean-ups.

Press Freedom Under Fire in Uganda: Armed soldiers surrounded Kampala offices of Daily Monitor, while NTV Uganda and Spark TV were taken off air after Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba ordered closures—raising alarms about political repression. Aviation Safety Watch: A light aircraft crash in South Africa killed both occupants; investigators are looking at mechanical failure, weather, and operational factors. Climate-Smart Farming in Nigeria: AATF is sensitising Kano maize farmers on TELA hybrid maize, pitching it as a climate-smart seed to boost yields and cut losses amid drought and insect pressure. Corporate Clean-Up Across Africa: UBA mobilised staff in 20 countries for “Jogging to Bond,” including coordinated environmental clean-ups in cities from Lagos to Accra and Nairobi. ESG Regulation Spotlight (Ghana): Ghana is being hailed as a West African ESG regulation leader, with progress linked to the Bank of Ghana’s sustainable banking principles and stronger risk management. Marine Conservation Pathways (South Africa): A new youth leadership programme is training aspiring conservationists to protect Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area through marine science and ocean advocacy.

Climate Mobility in Angola: Angola’s environment minister says climate change is already driving droughts, floods, soil degradation and livelihood loss, and calls for integrating human mobility into public policy, backed by better data, capacity and climate finance. Electricity Access Funding: Africa’s Mission 300 electricity push has secured about $1.4bn in co-financing since 2024, with major support from the EIB, AfDB and the Green Climate Fund. El Niño Food Security Moves (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe plans to reopen food imports using foreign currency to protect supplies ahead of an El Niño-linked drought risk, alongside more climate-proofing for farming. Urban Transit Upgrade (Harare): Harare gets approval for a US$3bn light rail project under a PPP to connect the CBD, suburbs, the airport and Mt Hampden. Invasive Species Alert (Cuba): Cuba’s Matanzas reports the African giant snail, raising crop and health risks and the need for urgent control. Carbon Pricing Fairness: A new cross-country household study finds carbon costs hit within-income groups very differently, challenging assumptions that poorer households always pay more. Nuclear Monitoring (Namibia): Namibia will host CTBTO’s Integrated Field Exercise in October 2026, with no nuclear materials or environmental harm planned.

Refugee Funding Crunch: UNHCR warns East Africa’s refugee operations face a severe funding gap as conflict and climate shocks keep driving displacement, with the region hosting about 6.3 million refugees. Water Security: Nairobi gets a nature-based boost as Haleon and the Upper Tana–Nairobi Water Fund plan to replenish 76,000m³ of water annually, aiming to protect the watershed that supplies most of the city’s water and Kenya’s hydropower. Waste & Environmental Crime: France and regional partners run a seminar to tackle waste trafficking, focusing on cross-border cooperation and enforcement practices. Health & Regulation: Kenya pushes to reach WHO pharmaceutical regulation Maturity Level 3 by December, aiming to strengthen oversight and expand safe local manufacturing. Climate & Food Risk: El Niño is forming and could disrupt rainfall and temperatures across Southern Africa, raising food and supply-chain risks. Air Pollution & Health: A UCT study links household air pollution to poorer pregnancy outcomes, including premature births and low birth weight. Local Adaptation & Safety: South Africa braces for heavy rain, cold and strong winds, while RTMC data shows pedestrian deaths fell 13% in early 2026.

Climate & Health: The UN’s weather agency says Europe’s late-June heatwave shattered records and is already hitting people, ecosystems and agriculture, with drought and wildfire risk in parts of France and temperatures expected to shift east. Clean Cooking: Nigeria’s Emir of Nasarawa backed a push to deploy 80 million clean cookstoves, aiming to cut smoke-linked illness and speed up access while warning against opportunists. Waste & Data: South Africa’s environment department urged small waste-sector businesses to register on the Waste Economy Enterprises Repository (WEERSA) to improve planning and support. Regional Trade & Integration: South Africa’s Ramaphosa told SACU leaders no country can prosper alone amid shifting trade and supply chains, as the bloc’s summit advanced a re-imagined agenda and reforms. Conservation vs Development: Namibia’s Kunene Region dispute pits a traditional authority and miners against a tourism operator and conservancies over potential mining impacts on critically endangered black rhino habitat. Aviation & Environment: Eastern and Southern African aviation experts met in Windhoek to advance safer, more interoperable and sustainable air navigation systems. Air Pollution: Reports highlight Ghana’s burning practices as a driver of worsening air pollution and environmental crises.

Agricultural Pollution Accountability: A UK report finds only nine farms have been prosecuted under river-pollution laws introduced eight years ago, despite over 10,000 breaches—campaigners warn fines can be as low as £137, effectively tolerating damage. Waste & Marine Protection: South Africa’s Sustainable Seas Trust is rolling out a school-based recycling push using a giant “Munch” fish sculpture, cutting litter counts by up to 75% in pilots and linking land waste to ocean pollution. Biodiversity Update: South Africa’s Boulders Beach penguin colony recorded 790 breeding pairs in 2026 (up from 698 in 2025), with SANParks stressing ongoing threats like prey decline, disease, and habitat change. Weather & Risk: South Africa faces dense fog warnings in Mpumalanga and cool, partly cloudy conditions with isolated rain, while the Western Cape braces for a cold-front system bringing disruptive rain, damaging winds, and waves. Climate Finance & Resilience: ECA urges Southern Africa to strengthen regional integration and resilience ahead of external shocks, including Middle East-driven energy and shipping disruptions.

Climate & Energy Security: Nigeria’s power system is bracing for El Niño-linked drought that could cut hydropower output and raise supply risks, with analysts warning the country may even turn into a net electricity importer in 2026. Methane & Trade: Nigeria is urged to treat the EU Methane Regulation as a chance to lead, not a threat—highlighting Nigeria LNG’s methane “gold standard” performance as a first-mover advantage for global market access. Illicit Finance: Nigeria’s ANEEJ and SecFin Africa are pushing journalists to intensify reporting on illicit financial flows, citing losses of up to $17.8bn a year and linking financial crime to weaker public services. Health & Neglected Disease: Experts are calling for ocular toxoplasmosis to be recognized as a neglected tropical disease, arguing the eye infection is a major but overlooked cause of vision loss. Conservation: South Africa’s Boulders Beach penguin colony recorded 790 breeding pairs in 2026—up from 698—signaling a rare uptick for critically endangered African penguins. Air Pollution Innovation: Kenyan teens are scaling affordable exhaust filters made from corn cobs and algae to tackle deadly urban air pollution. Migration Pressure: South Africa’s Beitbridge repatriations topped 8,000 in weeks ahead of the 30 June deadline, as foreign missions plead for more time amid violence fears.

Climate Accountability: A Paris court ordered TotalEnergies to report the climate impact of its oil and gas products and explain how it will cut emissions, in a case tied to Uganda’s Tilenga drilling and the heated EACOP pipeline. Food & Heat Risk: In Kenya’s Kilifi, extreme heat and deforestation are being linked to higher pregnancy complications, including miscarriage and anaemia-related risks, as health workers push for heat-aware care. Smallholder Finance: Farmers’ groups are urging climate finance to reach smallholders directly as El Niño threatens rainfall and raises input costs, warning that the most exposed communities are still the least funded. Regional Integration: South Africa’s transport minister urged SADC to speed up liberalised skies and AI-enabled climate-resilient infrastructure, stressing that Africa is highly vulnerable despite low emissions. E-Waste Jobs: Limpopo launched an ILO-backed project to tackle e-waste while creating youth employment, citing low formal recycling rates and toxic pollution from improper handling. Mining Investment Gap: PwC says South Africa’s critical-minerals plans are “well-meaning” but lag in execution, while S&P cut the growth outlook amid inflation and energy cost pressures. Security & Rights: Nigeria’s CISLAC condemned alleged court-premises assault of Omoyele Sowore, warning of shrinking civic space.

Climate Finance Push: The OPEC Fund approved new projects across Africa and beyond, backing transport, healthcare, water security and climate resilience, and says it has advanced $2.4bn since its last board meeting, including a $1.5bn E-STAR rapid-response financing plan. Air Quality & Accountability: South Africa’s Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts opened an Air Quality Priority Area summit in Rustenburg, while Ghana moved sanitation into the spotlight by making it a key performance indicator for local leaders. Water Pollution Alarm: Burundi faces mounting pressure on Lake Tanganyika as untreated wastewater and weak protections degrade water quality and threaten health and livelihoods. Mining Impacts on Land: In Burundi’s Muyinga, residents accuse artisanal gold mining of turning farms into open pits, destroying crops, and displacing families. Extreme Heat Watch: A record heatwave is peaking in Britain before an “African plume” brings more thunderstorms, underscoring how fast dangerous weather is shifting across regions. Energy Reliability in Cities: Johannesburg’s electricity struggles are tied to weak maintenance spending, with a R3.8bn loan deal aimed at stabilising City Power. Green Hydrogen Pilot: Cape Town’s tiny green hydrogen project is powering township clinics via fuel cells, offering a rare practical step beyond big hydrogen promises.