Germanwatch-Blog

The conflict between the US and China over leadership in the coming world order is becoming more intense - and forcing the EU to clarify its own relationship with China. Co-operation on climate policy can play a key strategic role in this process. It is therefore high on the agenda of the German EU Council Presidency in the second half of this year.

When EU and Western Balkan leaders met on May 5th for a virtual EU-Western Balkans summit, the main focus was on the response to the Corona crisis and the EU accession prospects for the countries of the region. However, one topic should not be forgotten: the development of the energy sector in the Western Balkans. Both sides could gain a great deal from Energy Transition Partnerships, especially in order to create future prospects for the economy after the corona crisis.

The poorest populations in the Global South are fighting against the yet unforeseeable consequences of the coronavirus and the impacts of climate change simultaneously. They urgently need support in building resilience to the health and climate crises and in dealing with unavoidable climate impacts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On Saturday 7th December, leaders of grassroots movements from across the Global South came together for the first time at COP25 to collectively discuss the growing international climate justice movement in response to the global climate crisis. The session was a powerful discussion about resilience, repression and accountability in using the law to address the highly disruptive and damaging consequences of climate change for communities.

With 2015 to 2019 as the hottest five-year period ever measured and climate impacts getting ever more severe and frequent, the immediate and determined implementation of the goals mutually agreed on in the Paris Agreement is more urgent than ever. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has therefore invited governments, the private sector, civil society and international organisations to the UN Climate Action Summit 2019 starting today in New York. Focussing on ambitious solutions and announcements of more ambitious climate targets, the summit is meant to be the starting signal for a “race to the top”.

On 22 and 23 May, 900 decision-makers from countries, regions and cities as well as stakeholders and experts from around the world convened for the International Conference on Climate Action (ICCA 2019) in Heidelberg. Their aim: strengthening mitigation and adaptation measures, especially in urban areas, by improving coordination and cooperation across all levels of government and with civil society and the private sector.