Sicherheit & Klima

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.

In the last blog post of our tipping points series, we take a look at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). It is a portion of the continental ice sheet on Antarctica and acts as a gigantic water storage, keeping sea levels static and coastlines intact. A collapse of the entire ice sheet would result in a global mean sea level rise of approximately 3.3 metres, and in the flooding of coastal areas and cities where hundreds of millions of people live. We will discuss the nature of the WAIS, and the effects its collapse will have on global sea level rise, and the socio-economic and human impacts.

Germany’s G7 presidency is coming to an end, and the next Leader’s Summit in Hiroshima on May 19-21 is approaching fast. This means that there is little time left for the G7 to make tangible progress on the climate and energy agenda. In our policy brief, we outline the key issues for the G7's climate and energy agenda in Hiroshima and make recommendations on how Japan can advance the agenda in 2023.

The current energy crisis clearly demonstrates how the world remains dependent on fossil fuels. However, there is a number of countries that have a better standing than others. They took ambitious steps in climate mitigation and rapidly developed energy efficiency and renewable energies. Today, Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN International published the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023, a ranking of the 59 largest emitters worldwide

At the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26), several multilateral initiatives were launched. In this fact sheet, we took a closer look at the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) and its potential to close the 2030 ambition gap and implement climate action more quickly.

At the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26), several multilateral initiatives were launched. In this fact sheet, we took a closer look at the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land-Use (GDFLU) and its potential to close the 2030 ambition gap and implement climate action more quickly.

At the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26), several multilateral initiatives were launched. In this fact sheet, we took a closer look at the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) and its potential to close the 2030 ambition gap and implement climate action more quickly.

Outstanding scientific research is exploring tipping points’ development and dynamics. Lacking, however, is a systematic approach that translates scientific research into concrete recommendations. Also lacking are targeted calls for action for political decision-makers in affected countries and regions, as well as the international community. An early warning system in the form of a regular report could fill this gap.

The G7 Leaders’ Summit under the German presidency will take place in Elmau at the end of June. In this blog, we outline three essential issues on the climate agenda that G7 leaders should prioritize if they are to make the summit a success.

One of the most prominent projects launched by Germany during its G7 presidency has been the initiation of an international “climate club”. The push for an international climate alliance has come at the right time: A properly designed climate alliance can make an important contribution to global emissions reduction and climate justice, accelerate industrial transformation around the world, and create conditions for fair competition. In the worst case, however, the existence of a climate alliance can have the opposite of its intended effect; for example, if it is seen as an exclusive project of the West.