Unlocking Access to Global Policy Insight
In today’s fast-changing policy environment, reliable, relevant, and up-to-date research is essential for evidence-based decision-making. Sabinet is proud to connect South African and broader African researchers, policymakers, and organisations to a world of trusted policy knowledge through Policy Commons: Global Think Tanks.
Globally and locally, there is increasing pressure to respond to urgent challenges—climate change, energy security, inequality, and rapid technological change. The upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg (22–23 November 2025) focuses on Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability—a theme that underscores the importance of credible, evidence-based policy.
Offered in partnership with Coherent Digital, Policy Commons aggregates policy research, grey literature, and think-tank outputs from across the globe—preserving content that might otherwise be difficult to access. Available via Sabinet, this hard-to-access content is searchable and discoverable via the Coherent platform.
The Policy Commons 2025 Open Collection
This freely accessible, high-impact policy research collection showcases Coherent’s mission to rescue, preserve, and provide open access to government and publicly funded materials that are at risk of disappearing from the internet.
- 88 organisations — including USAID, CDC, EPA, US Department of Energy, Education, and Transportation.
- 599,121 publications — over 83% published in the past 25 years.
- 3,396 topics — covering environmental protection, public health, risk assessment, air pollution, water quality, and energy policy.
Recent Publications Highlighting the Value of the Open Collection
| Title and Date | What It’s About | Why It’s Valuable |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Policy in Africa: Achieving SDGs through Strategic Solutions March 2025 |
Examines how industrial development across Africa can align with the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on energy transitions, digitalisation, innovation, and job creation. | Offers actionable insights for policymakers on economic growth, trade, and industrial strategy. |
| Priority Medical Products and Roadmap for Regional Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Africa AUDA-NEPAD, February 2025 |
Outlines 24 priority medical products for local manufacturing, highlighting regulatory strengthening, partnerships, and reduced import dependency. | Supports health and industrial policy, helping build regional resilience and local production capacity. |
| Creating a Green Marine Fuel Market in South Africa September 2024 |
Explores how South Africa’s ports — especially Saldanha — can become hubs for low- and zero-carbon marine fuel supply, combining infrastructure, finance, and regulation. | Informs energy transition and green hydrogen strategy, linking climate policy with local economic development. |
| Urbanization without Structural Transformation in Lagos, Nigeria UNU-WIDER Working Paper 2024/69 |
Investigates rapid urban growth in Lagos without corresponding productivity gains, focusing on infrastructure, governance, and informal sectors. | Provides comparative insights relevant to South African cities facing similar urbanisation and inequality challenges. |
| Komati Power Station Solar PV Facility and BESS Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Eskom EJETP, December 2024 |
Evaluates environmental and social impacts of a 100 MW solar PV and 150 MW battery system at Komati Power Station, Mpumalanga. | Directly relevant to South Africa’s just energy transition, renewable infrastructure, and community impact planning. |
An Essential Tool for African Policy Researchers
- Bridging information gaps: Access valuable studies and reports not published in journals.
- Speed and relevance: Grey literature delivers timely policy responses and data.
- Local and regional voice: Includes African think tanks and government documents for contextual relevance.
- Tracking impact: Tools allow monitoring of themes, organisations, and outcomes over time.
What You Can Do Next
Dive in now: Explore the Open Collection via Sabinet — start with one of the sample reports above or pick a theme you’re working on.
Register your free trial and share with colleagues: Research units, policy divisions, and NGOs can benefit from integrating this into their resources.
Contact us for a demo: Experience the full service with premium content and advanced research tools.