sustainability

leaders of the world’s largest emerging economies gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit and emerged with a unified message: it’s time to rewire the global governance system to reflect today’s multipolar reality—and the Global South is ready to lead. With Africa now directly represented through new BRICS members Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa, the continent’s stake in this political and financial realignment has never been more critical.

The European Union has announced a sweeping simplification of its sustainability taxonomy, a move aimed at easing the compliance burden for companies across Europe. While the changes are largely designed to benefit EU-based entities, the ripple effects will be felt well beyond its borders, including in Africa, where the EU remains a key trade partner, investor, and climate policy influencer.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a record USD 1.225 billion to support 17 climate adaptation and mitigation projects in developing countries, many of them in Africa. This decision, taken during the Fund’s 42nd Board Meeting in Papua New Guinea, marks the largest single-meeting disbursement in GCF’s history and affirms a growing recognition of Africa’s central role in the global climate response.

The European Commission recently approved a one-month extension for the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) to finalize its revised technical advice on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Originally due by October 31, the new deadline of November 30, 2025, reflects growing concerns around the complexity of the EU’s sustainability reporting framework and the need for a more practical approach.

As a marketing agency increasingly involved in environmental and social impact work, the firm’s latest campaign demonstrates how creative industries can contribute directly to sustainability goals. The project was part of One Day for Change, Dentsu’s global annual initiative encouraging employees to develop solutions to local challenges.

The recent United Nations Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain, marked a defining moment for global sustainability reporting—with notable implications for African economies. Held from June 30 to July 3, the summit concluded with a call for UN Member States to adopt the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards alongside those of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has recently released two draft standards designed to strengthen how companies report on labor practices, including discrimination, diversity, and the protection of worker rights. The move arrives amid broader efforts to revise eight labor-related standards, with final versions expected from mid‑2026.

Niger’s Prime Minister Mahamane Lamine Zeine is set to address African Energy Week 2025 in Cape Town from September 29 to October 3 (2025), unveiling plans to expand Niger’s oil and gas exports through strengthened upstream investments and regional partnerships. His appearance underscores Niger’s ambitions to become a significant oil exporter on the continent.

The United Kingdom has released exposure drafts of its new UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS). The proposed framework draws heavily from the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) global baseline, namely IFRS S1 and S2, and is intended to provide high-quality, decision-useful sustainability-related financial information to capital markets.

Tanzania’s top banking executives, capital market leaders, and climate finance experts gathered in Dar es Salaam this week for the Green Finance Forum, issuing a unified call to fast-track sustainable investment and close the funding gap threatening the country’s climate goals. The high-level meeting, convened by the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania (CEOrt), focused on mobilizing private capital to accelerate the country’s green transition—amid mounting evidence that climate inaction could cost the continent trillions in lost productivity and deepening poverty.