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Germanwatch Blog

From policy to impact, get the expert take on the issues shaping our world.

World bank headquarters

Climate finance Blog post | 12.04.2023

World Bank Group Paris Alignment Draft Methodology Needs Work

The World Bank Group (WBG) has published the first set of documents beginning to detail how they will align their investments with the Paris Agreement – the so-called “Paris Alignment Methodology”. The publication of these methodologies is a long overdue first step to deliver on the commitment to align the WBG operations with the goals of the Paris Agreement. They will need to be strengthened and clarified to fully align the WBG investments with the Paris Agreement.

EU flags

EU climate policy and carbon pricing Blog post | 05.04.2023

Priorities for the EU’s climate diplomacy in 2023

On Friday, 10 March 2023, the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) adopted its conclusions on climate and energy diplomacy for this year, entitled: ‘Bolstering EU climate and energy diplomacy in a critical decade’. In this blog post, we present the key priorities to which the Council agreed and highlight the areas where the EU needs to provide more clarity and increase its ambition.

Discussion teaser poster

International climate co-operation Blog post | 29.03.2023

The implementation of JETP in Indonesia from the perspective of civil society organisations

Indonesia's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) is one of the outcomes of the G20 Summit that Indonesia hosted in 2022. The partnership is an agreement between Indonesia and the countries of the International Partners Group (IPG). It aims to mobilise finance for Indonesia to decarbonise and phase out the construction and operation of coal-fired power plants. The Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonisation (IRID) and Germanwatch hosted a focus group discussion with CSOs including relevant research institutions on 18 January 2023 in Jakarta. The discussion was held to obtain feedback and input from CSOs working on topics related to the JETP.

Focus group discussion flyer

International climate co-operation Blog post | 29.03.2023

Fossil fuel subsidy reduction and redirection: Is Indonesia ready?

Fossil fuel subsidies have long been a subject of discussion for the G20. As one of the G20 countries, Indonesia needs to prepare for the removal and redirection of fossil fuel subsidies without creating long-term negative impacts, especially in socio-economic terms. The Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonisation (IRID) and Germanwatch confirm the need for G20 countries to reduce and shift fossil fuel subsidies. As this requires the readiness of G20 developing countries, on 19 January 2023, IRID and Germanwatch hosted a group discussion focused on Indonesia.

Focus group discussion flyer

International climate co-operation Blog post | 29.03.2023

Ensuring continuity of Indonesia’s core themes and interests in the G20

In 2022, Indonesia had the opportunity to host the annual G20 Summit, where the energy transition played a major role. The summit produced two key documents on energy, namely the Bali Roadmap and the Bali Compact. Both documents are expected to serve as a reference for G20 countries to achieve a just energy transition, even after Indonesia’s G20 presidency. The Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonization (IRID) and Germanwatch acknowledge that this is important in order to avoid that dialogues at the G20 Summit start from scratch. For this reason, a focus group discussion took place in Jakarta on 25 January 2023. The discussion was limited to invitees.

Focus group discussion flyer

International climate co-operation Blog post | 29.03.2023

Financing Loss and Damage: lessons learnt from various initiatives

Extreme weather events are increasing in intensity and frequency due to the impacts of climate change. Without appropriate intervention, Loss and Damage will be inevitable, despite efforts at adaptation, mitigation, and even disaster risk management. To understand how Loss and Damage financing will be discussed after the G20 Summit led by India and after COP27, the Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonisation (IRID) and Germanwatch hosted a focus group discussion on 11 January 2022. The event aimed to gather information on different initiatives on Loss and Damage financing, including access modalities, challenges, and coping strategies.

Fig. 1. Overview of global climate tipping points (Own Illustration, based on PIK 2017).

Dealing with the impacts of climate change Blog post | 16.02.2023

Tipping points and their impact on human security

Climate tipping points are thresholds in the Earth’s climate system. When passed, this system experiences abrupt and typically irreversible changes. In this blog series, we take a look at four of the most treacherous tipping points: the Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, Coral Reefs, and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. We also provide an overview of their physical nature and their impact on human security, including the important issue of loss and damage, a topic which became a major discussion point at COP27.

Fig. 4. Amazon drought: Big river boat trapped on a sand bank East of Barreirinha, during one of the worst droughts ever recorded in the Amazon in 2005 (Daniel Beltrá / Greenpeace).

Blog post | 16.02.2023

Human security impacts of crossing the Amazon rainforest tipping point

In the first blog post of our tipping points series, we take a look at the Amazon rainforest. It is considered a climate tipping point because it may shift to a savannah or savannah-like environment given enough tree death. We will discuss the effects of deforestation, climate change, and the potential threat that crossing this climate tipping point will have on the region—and indeed elsewhere—and take a deep dive into the human and socio-economic impacts.

Fig. 3. Greenland ice sheet with melting ice flow (magnetix / Shutterstock).

Dealing with the impacts of climate change Blog post | 16.02.2023

How the Atlantic Ocean circulation could reach its switch-off tipping point

In the second blog post of our tipping points series, we take a look at the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation; a phenomenon in the Atlantic Ocean which brings heat from the southern to the northern hemisphere. By discussing how the relative freshening of the waters in the North Atlantic in response to the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet will change this circulation, we will explain the potential threat that crossing this climate tipping point will have on the global distribution of heat and precipitation. Furthermore, we will take a look at the associated human and socio-economic impacts.

Fig. 1. Coral Bleaching at Magnetic Island in the Great Coral Reef (Victor Huertas / Greenpeace).

Dealing with the impacts of climate change Blog post | 16.02.2023

Coral Reefs could pass their point of no return this decade

In the third blog post of our tipping points series, we take a look at Coral Reefs. Often referred to as rainforests of the sea, coral reefs form some of Earth's most diverse ecosystems. The rapid demise of many of the world’s coral reefs this past decade is one of the clearest indicators that things are going very wrong. We will take a look at the nature of coral reefs, how and why they are now considered a climate tipping point, and consider many of the human and socio-economic impacts we can anticipate in the decades ahead.

Bloggers

Christoph Bals

Chief Policy Officer

Jan Burck

Senior Advisor – Low-Carbon Strategies & Energy, Project Lead Climate Indices (On leave until 31.08.2025)

Oldag Caspar

Head of Division – German and European Climate Policy

David Eckstein

Senior Advisor – Climate Finance and Investments

Dr. Anja Carolin Gebel

Policy Advisor – Development Banks and Climate

Julia Grimm

Senior Advisor – Climate Finance and Adaptation

Cornelia Heydenreich

Head of Division – Corporate Accountability

Klaus Milke

Honorary Chairman Germanwatch and Chair of the Foundation for Sustainability

Stefan Rostock

Head of Division – Education for Sustainable Development, Promoter for Climate & Development in North Rhine-Westphalia

Laura Schäfer

Head of Division – International Climate Policy

Rixa Schwarz

Senior Advisor – Climate and Development – India

Dr. Manfred Treber

Special Advisor - Climate Science and Transport

Lutz Weischer

On parental leave // Head of Policy Berlin