Blogpost
Ein schlammiger Lastwagen liegt nach einem Unwetter auf einer Straße

Scorching heat, heavy rainfalls, raging wildfires, deadly floods, and devastating storms – the manifestations of extreme weather events have become a common phenomenon around the globe. In this blog post we give an overview of the extreme weather events occurring in 2023 and show why it is imperative that nations, communities, and individuals take concerted action to mitigate the root causes of climate change, adapt to its impacts, and work towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

Publication
Cover Publikation Adressing Loss and Damage from Slow-Onset Processes

Slow-onset processes like sea level rise or desertification substantially impact people’s lives, but is still often neglected in the climate change context. Three studies conducted by Germanwatch and ENDA in 2021 have responded to these challenges. This fact sheet summarises key findings of the studies, based on recent policy developments and scientific findings. We have included key facts and figures to answer important questions, such as: What are slow-onset processes? What losses and damages do slow-onset processes cause? What approaches and measures are there to address loss and damage due to slow-onset processes?

News
Kleinbauer Saúl Luciano Lliuya

Today, eight years ago, the Peruvian mountain guide and small farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya filed his civil lawsuit against RWE at the regional court in Essen in Germany. What began back then has now become one of the world's most recognised precedents for the question of whether individual major emitters must pay for protection against climate risks.

News
Saleemul Huq
In memory of Prof. Dr Saleemul Huq
We at Germanwatch are grateful to Saleemul for the initiatives and memories we shared, learning from each other and him, and his commitment to a more climate-friendly world. The memory of him will give us additional energy to stand up for the concerns of those particularly affected by climate change, even in times of multiple geopolitical crises, and to advocate for key building blocks of climate justice such as Loss and Damage and the 1.5°C limit. Thank you, Saleem!
News
Logo: VENRO e. V.

Global consumption of raw materials at this point is not sustainable for the Earth. Germany consumes an above-average of resources compared to other countries. If they were to consume as much as Germany, it would take three Earths to satisfy global demand. We therefore welcome the German government’s initiative of a National Circular Economy Strategy to reduce raw materials demand, but press for adverse effects for the Global South to be addressed.

Blogpost
Hafenkräne im Halbdunkeln
Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs has announced new climate related sector guidelines for export credit guarantees and investment guarantees that would prevent support for almost all new fossil fuel projects from 1 November onwards. A limited number of gas projects may still receive support if they fulfil national security requirements or prove they can aid short term supply shortages, which is unlikely to be the case. Third countries are concerned about the potential drop in investment; this should be addressed by investing the billions now saved from servicing fossil fuel projects in clean energy instead.
News

As an independent development, environmental, and human rights organisation engaged for sustainable global development, Germanwatch strongly condemns the recent series of arrests of climate, energy, and environmental activists and experts in Vietnam. The shrinking civil society space is concerning not only for the people involved in the organisations but also poses a threat our collective efforts towards a climate-resilient and sustainable future.

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Hydrogen has caught significant attention from a wide range of stakeholders in EU Member States. Its potential remains largely untapped as, to date, European national hydrogen strategies typically do not feature sound sectoral targets for the use of hydrogen. The EUKI project 'Greening H2' commissioned a study from Bruegel, a Brussels-based think tank, which investigates the potential for and implications of renewable hydrogen deployment in Germany, Portugal, and Poland. It explores their respective national strategies, summarises core elements, and critically evaluates and places them in the broader EU hydrogen plans.

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Enhancing climate resilience through a multi-actor partnership project

Climate change-related loss and damage (L&D) is already a lived reality for people around the world, threatening their fundamental human rights and trapping them in poverty. Comprehensive mechanisms are urgently needed to help them recover from extreme events, build new livelihoods, and proactively respond to slow-onset processes. Bangladesh is planning to establish such a comprehensive National Mechanism on Loss and Damage through a two-year pilot project. From 2023 to 2026, ADAMS, ICCCAD and Germanwatch are jointly implementing a multi-actor partnership project to "Support the establishment of the National Mechanism on Loss & Damage in Bangladesh". In this project flyer, you will find information on the project background, objectives, activities, and project partners.

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Key elements of the Ecodesign Regulation for transforming product design

Design plays a crucial role in determining the circularity of a product, including factors such as repairability, recyclability, or the potential for refurbishment and remanufacturing. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) establishes a new framework for setting ecodesign requirements for products and is therefore crucial to enable a circular economy. At present, the EU Commission, the Council and the European Parliament are negotiating the ESPR in the so-called trilogue. In this policy brief, we highlight five key issues that need to be considered to make the final version of the Regulation as effective as possible and to promote more durable and circular products.