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Anyone who violates another person’s fundamental rights by emitting greenhouse gases bears a double legal duty: First, to put a stop to this harm so that the (fundamental) rights of others are not undermined. Second, polluters have to account for the protection of those at risk as well as the damages that still occur. In order to enforce these legal obligations in Germany and internationally, Germanwatch supports three climate lawsuits.

India has a huge potential for solar energy. Accordingly, the Indian solar targets of 100 GW by 2022 are ambitious. The realization of these targets still require foreign investment in the Indian solar sector. The Multi-Actor-Project of Germanwatch and TERI and further partners seeks to gather stakeholders from civil society, financial institutions and government bodies as well as research organisations in order to identify de-risking instruments for foreign solar investments in India.

The Paris Agreement sets out the ambitious task of aligning all financial flows with its goals to avoid the worst impacts of warming. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have an important role to play in making this goal a reality.

The Paris Agreement sets out the ambitious task of aligning all financial flows with its goals to avoid the worst impacts of warming. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have an important role to play in making this goal a reality. Their development mandates, technical expertise, and track record on climate finance mean that MDBs can lead the way by helping developing countries avoid fossil fuel-intensive development pathways, by developing the necessary standards and investment criteria to assess the alignment of investments with the Paris Agreement’s goals, and by helping to mobilise increased volumes of climate finance.

Ab nächstem Jahr soll die Verordnung zur verantwortungsvollen Beschaffung von Zinn, Wolfram, Tantal und Gold (3TG) aus Konfliktregionen in der EU in Kraft treten. Die meisten EU-Staaten sind derzeit daher mit der Ausarbeitung entsprechender Umsetzungsgesetze beauftragt. Die ersten Entwürfe, darunter auch aus Deutschland, sorgen nun allerdings für massive Kritik seitens europäischer Entwicklungs- und Menschenrechtsorganisationen, darunter auch Germanwatch. Die vorliegende Stellungnahme wurde von Nichtregierungsorganisationen aus ganz Europa unterzeichnet.

The EU Regulation on the responsible supply of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRA) is a crucial first step towards supply chains free from human rights abuse. The EU Regulation on the responsible supply of 3TG from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRA) was approved in 2017 and will enter into force in 2021. Before this date, the EU member states need to adopt measures to ensure the implementation of the Regulation. However, the first implementation measures being discussed by member states risk diluting the efficacy of the Regulation by concealing the list of companies subjected to it.

Claudia Saller (ECCJ), Julia Otten & Johanna Kusch on why the German government should give the mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence agenda a real push, both at home and in Brussels.

Due to the global decarbonisation transition, Russia is likely to lose its coal, oil and maybe even natural gas export markets in the EU over the next 30 years. In this analysis, Oldag Caspar discusses the impact of the EU climate targets on the Russia-EU relations and the prospects of a Russia-EU decarbonisation cooperation that is beneficial for both sides.

Colombia is one of the countries categorised as a conflict region by the EU Regulation on Responsible Sourcing. This paper will take a closer look at gold extraction in Colombia in the context of the violent conflict and human rights abuses taking place there. From there, the paper will present recommendations directed towards the implementation of Accompanying Measures of the EU Regulation on Responsible Sourcing in Colombia, as well as additional measures needed to diminish the levels of conflict and human rights violations in this sector.

The outcome of the World Climate Conference (COP25) in Madrid, held 2 to 15 December 2019, clearly shows the strengths and weaknesses of the Paris Agreement. It shows that the days of cosmetic climate policy are over, but also that the coordinated resistance of the brakemen is growing as a result.