Global Challenges
Climate Change
Stephan Vormann: Due to the finiteness of fossil fuels, the development of a low-carbon industry has become an economic necessity. A new approach to energy security that goes beyond NATO’s current “safeguard foreign energy supply” is in dire need. A focus on secure energy after “the age of oil” is therefore in. …More
Markus Fraundorfer: Brazil has turned into a crucial actor in several policy areas of global governance, surpassing fellow emerging powers like China and India to take important roles in health, hunger, and climate change policy. The EU can no longer afford to neglect Brazil as a decisive partner for the future. …More
Vijeta Rattani: A climate deal can be formalized only if the issues of equity and technology transfer acquire centre stage in climate talks. Further, the global community, specially the West has to well absorb the fact that climate disaster will affect everyone and not just the poor developing countries. …More
Vijeta Rattani: With the Kyoto framework nearing an end, the Durban climate summit that begins on November 28 is a crossroads for international climate agreements. It can only be successful if the EU shows bold leadership by, despite economic woes, adopting an action-oriented stance rather than repeating the same rhetoric. …More
“If we look at the history of peacekeeping operations mandated by the Security Council, we find that 10 operations costing a total of US$35 billion dollars have been deployed to countries where natural resources have played a key role …More
Vijeta Rattani: Climate change is a broad concept of which global warning is just one facet. NGOs should take the lead in informing the world about the complex reality of climate change and move away from focusing exclusively on carbon emissions. …More
Vijeta Rattani: The EU was weak at the Cancun Summit last year, but it cannot afford to lose its influence in the climate debate as it is the most credible player to take a lead on the issue. Climate change should be given precedence over other objectives in view of its global implications and greater emphasis should be put on assisting developing countries. …More
Merkel’s ambitious plan to shut down all German nuclear power plants urges the renewables to generate “an incredible 42.4 percent” of state’s electricity. ++ Drastic reductions in energy use will not save German …More
Roni Kay Marie O'Dell: NATO must be concerned with current and future adverse effects of climate change as a major unconventional security threat. In order to address the threat, NATO’s interests and identity must shift in three key areas: client focus, core mission, and strategies and activities. …More
Shubha Jaishankar: While deniers cite that climate change is only a rich man’s problem, however, the issue transcends class. Both the rich and the poor, and the believers and the skeptics, will benefit from the job creation and economic boosts of promoting green technology. …More
Vijeta Rattani and Trupti Sahu: Water is becoming an issue which will change the dynamics of international relations. This has been raised and asserted many times in the past, yet surprisingly, the response of the global community has been passive and vague. The current situation offers the EU and US a chance to work together formulating a multilateral global water policy. …More
Jean Pierre Schaeken Willemaers: The issue of climate change was politicized decades ago and has lost its purely scientific character in the service of ideological, political and economic aims. For the past 10 to 15 years, emotions and feelings appear to be progressively taking precedence over science. …More
Memo 29: The United States and the EU countries need to lead by example on climate change in order to reestablish moral authority. Environmental sustainability should be made part of the criteria for diplomatic relations. An online and democratic global patent pool will enhance technology transfers. …More
Editorial Team: Even though talks in Cancun had not been expected to result in much, a last-minute, surprise agreement now gives new hope to the fight against climate change. Enthusiastic about the agreement reached among the major global players, German policymakers are intent on picking up the baton and resuming the lead in the battle against global warming. However, it remains the subject of much debate whether the results of the Cancun summit truly herald a turning point in climate matters. While some politicians seem content, critics caution that, unless there is a legally binding agreement, little true progress will have been made. …More
Expectations for the Cancun summit are rather low. ++ The main objective pursued will be an extension of the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012. ++ While agreement on larger issues seems unlikely at Cancun, progress on concrete projects to …More
Philip Strothmann: Actions against climate change need to be global. However, the US and the EU have a historical responsibility to ensure that they lead by example. Accordingly, EU-US should realize that climate policy is energy policy and focus on renewable energy technology as a way forward. …More
Progress on curbing greenhouse gas emissions at this week’s climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, is vital. ++ Yet, after the debacle of Copenhagen last year, expectations are extremely low. ++ The core problem is that the opposing positions of the …More
Dominik Hübner: Diverse national interests have halted progress during previous climate negotiations. The EU and US can lead efforts in combating climate change by advocating smaller, regional cooperation forums with fewer actors. These would prepare the ground for a future workable global treaty. …More
Salvador Santino F Regilme: For the EU and US to tackle global climate change, they need to adopt a three pronged approach: Revive their identities as normative powers, incentivize companies toward cleaner technology and act upon their soft power to convince the developing world. …More
Sidra Tariq: The international media’s apathy in covering the 2010 Pakistan floods has been one of the most disappointing aspects of the crisis. With grossly exaggerated reports of Taliban involvement in the rescue efforts, it seems as if the international media and community have forgotten about the predicament of the innocent flood victims. …More
Jeremy Tamanini: A new report published by Dual Citizen Inc. shows that Northern European countries are widely perceived to be emerging as global green leaders. As climate and clean technology issues gain momentum, the survey also highlights the growing importance of levels of “green perception” for countries in securing influence on the world stage. …More
The “discrediting” of climate change science by elements of the Right in the US is leaving America at a disadvantage in what will be “the next great global industry”. ++ Conversely, America’s …More
Alexandra Dobra: Climate change is a global risk that affects far more than only the environment. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 75 percent of the people suffering from absolute poverty worldwide. This chronic crisis calls for a renewed discussion of food and water security. …More
Manfred Ringpfeil: Controversial opinions on climate change have precluded preventive measures. This hesitance results from a lack of knowledge and experience. Scientists have a responsibility to provide explanations that will convince politicians, industry, and the larger public that a restructuring of energy production is of paramount significance. …More
In the past, the Kremlin has discredited the idea of global warming as international media hype. ++ Russia’s ruling elite has regarded the climate debate as nothing more than “an invention of the West to bring Russia to its …More
Foreign policy, European integration and environmental policy are subjects of predilection for Sascha Müller-Kraenner and questions on which he has extensively published in the past. He previously …More
Editorial Team: It was perhaps the unprecedented heat wave in July that lent the ongoing debate on global warming a new note of urgency in Germany. A new study advocated that the ordinary German eat less meat and consume less dairy products. That alone could lead to a whopping 80 percent reduction of CO2 emissions related to agriculture by 2055. Even low-emissions energy producers like nuclear power came under fire in July. The German government announced that it intends to impose a new tax on nuclear fuel elements in 2011. The government wishes to use the additional income to reduce the deficit, while its critics would rather see the money benefit the development of clean energy. …More
The European Union should raise its emissions target from a 20 to a 30 percent reduction of the 1990 levels by the year 2020. ++ At the current set target, Europe puts itself at a competitive disadvantage behind China, Japan, and the US in …More
A new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research shows that a 80% reduction in the emissions caused by agriculture is possible by the year 2055. ++ Considerably less methane and nitrous oxide would be released into the atmosphere, if …More
Dirk Messner et al.: Germany needs to revitalise the multilateral climate process. Policy makers and civil society in Europe must take on a self-confident leading role in global alliances with selected ‘climate pioneer’ countries. Civil society initatives deserve greater support. …More
A exceptionally cold winter in the Northern Hemisphere revealed inaccuracies in climate data, and the Copenhagen Climate Summit debacle have combined to put the issue on the back burner. ++ If climate change negotiations are to be renewed this …More
Over 6 million travelers have been disrupted, and airlines are losing US$200 million a day from airports being closed as a result of Iceland’s volcanic eruption. ++ These losses have undermined airlines as they try to rebound from …More
The UN FAO’s last survey of the world’s forests reveals positive news on mother Earth’s health: deforestation, including human-related deforestation, is slowing. ++ However, massively replanted forests such as those in China, do not preserve …More
Shakti Prasad Srichandan: There is currently a race between the great transatlantic powers for North Pole resources. The Arctic’s future will be determined by collective action of the world community. The EU will play a key role not only in terms of security policy but also in terms of environmental protection and the fight against climate change. …More
Faced with the grim reality of global warming, one researcher or the other may have dreamed of coming up with a type of sun block for the planet. This dream may yet come to pass. Canadian scientists are confident that they …More
Tremors could literally be felt during Sebastian Pinera’s inauguration ceremony as Chile’s new President, just two weeks after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the nation. ++ “The earthquake and particularly the …More
Paal Sigurd Hilde: Norway is a bright example of how moderation can prevail even when the stakes seem high. Those dreaming of an Arctic El Dorado have been sorely disappointed. Will the other states rushing to the Arctic also come to their senses?
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Klaus Dodds: The Arctic is in a state of interregnum. The opening of new shipping routes and possible resource exploitation are points of contention. While it is overblown to suggest inevitable geopolitical disorder, tensions will run high. …More
Editorial Team: The Arctic region tops the agenda at atlantic-community.org for the next week. As the melting ice cap reveals unprecedented commercial and resource exploiting opportunities, we invite our members to reflect on and debate how to make the fight against climate change prevail over states’ interests and consider the need for transatlantic leadership in Arctic governance. …More
The EU, despite its historical role as the leader on climate negotiations, lacked any concrete influence at the failed Copenhagen conference. ++ “If the US and China don’t play ball, where does that leave Europe?” ++ A frigid …More
Interviews at DLD: Peter Berger of the website Suite101.com asserts that it is essential for governments to participate in social media. New media is making the spread of information across borders instantaneous. …More
Record snowfall in Washington has fueled American skepticism of climate change. ++ The scientific community must act tough and stop reacting defensively. ++ “The weather gets weird-the hots are expected to get hotter, the wets wetter, the dries …More
The high hopes placed in the multilateral decision-making process at the Copenhagen Climate Conference were sorely disappointing. The meeting brought 192 states and 110 heads of state and government together but failed to bring …More
There has been a sharp shift away from the urgency for a climate deal in the lead up to Copenhagen. ++ “Climategate,” the failure to reach a meaningful deal at Copenhagen, and the faulty evidence produced by the IPCC have all …More
Manfred Ringpfeil: Nothing could be better for the environment than using natural carbon cycles more effectively and imaginatively, especially considering Europe’s agricultural sector and highly sophisticated technology. In that way, bio fuels have the dual incentives of producing ‘cleaner’ power as well as increasing European energy security. …More
More and more countries in the world push towards the rationalization of environmentally friendly policies by putting a price on Mother Nature. ++ “Misallocation of resources” is central to preserving biodiversity and ecosystems in order to …More
After a short hopeful break, there is more room for “green-scepticism” than ever before. ++ First, Climategate undermined public confidence in the impartiality of academics. ++ Second, the hope put into the Copenhagen conference was shattered …More
In the aftermath of the sound failure of the Climate Conference, the first symptoms of a growing lack of interest from corporations for the Kyoto carbon dioxide scheme are becoming apparent. ++ The worldwide infatuation for climate change issues last December …More
According to the latest scientific research, the climate is warming more rapidly than previously anticipated, not least because the oceans are progressively losing their ability to absorb CO2. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research …More
Heinrich Bonnenberg: It is time to look past the close-minded approaches to climate protection, which are being promoted by self-interested groups. Free market competition is being stifled by ‘eco-despots’ to the detriment of our future. A new global ethic must be developed that takes into account the physical demand of the world’s population. …More
Russia is paving the way for a truly objective review of the causes and effects of climate change with its new doctrine. ++ It acknowledges that the human impact on climate change is still unclear, encouraging new independent studies. ++ …More
Lyle Brecht: The catastrophic consequences of global warming pose a far greater threat than any national defense initiative, yet military spending consistently trumps climate change legislation in American politics. Rational thought is absent from the decision making process and the public is simply going along for the ride. …More
Editorial Team: According to some, the resulting accord is an important first step, while others decry Copenhagen as a “climate crime scene.” As of now, the European Union has the only binding carbon deal in the world. What are the real lessons learned from COP15? …More
The fact that the Climate Accord was organized by the US, Brazil, South Africa, India and China is not a bad thing. ++ Since the US had never participated in UN climate talks before, and emerging economies had been left out of the process, Copenhagen was a …More
Global governance structures need to be revisited to ensure they work for people everywhere. ++ Multi-lateral engagement is necessary to address major international issues like climate change, which – aside from the environmental effects …More
The climate change meetings have been characterized by frustration, walk-outs, and demonstrations - but it is not entirely because of the negotiators. ++ Many representatives’ hands have been tied by their governments, who have spent the last two …More
Following a meeting in Brussels last week, EU leaders have come to an agreement on climate change assistance for developing countries and now expect Washington to follow suit. ++ A total of EUR2.4 billion annually from 2010-2012 was pledged for immediate …More
Less than half of the US public regards man-made global warming as a proven fact. ++ Although the US is an outlier, few electorates are sufficiently convinced to support the policies that many climate scientists are calling for. ++ The key problem is …More
The United States Senate stands in the way of a binding agreement in Copenhagen. ++ The US must take responsibility for its own emissions, which the Senate has manifestly failed to do. ++ The lower chamber passed legislation on both climate …More
Have Obama’s comments in China killed the chances that Copenhagen might deliver? ++ With the United States and China responsible for 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, there can be no effective agreement with out them. ++ The best case …More
The developing world will bear the brunt of climate change and we should take a moral approach to solving the problems it will produce. ++ The crisis bears with it large economic potential: “Building the low-carbon economy that we need will unleash a surge …More
With the Copenhagen UN climate summit coming up, the deadlock between the major developed and developing economic powers on how to divide up necessary greenhouse gas reductions, must be broken. ++ It is a common misconception that climate …More
James Miller: China has to consider its environmental future and must look to concepts of sustainability to do so. With the indigenous religion of Taoism Beijing has all the tools it needs to foster a culture of sustainability. …More
Jens F. Laurson & George A. Pieler: Banning the Edison bulb is an outrageous example of legislative overkill. Energy efficiency is an important issue, but governments have not the right to dictate their people what kind of light they have to use. Laws addressing such personal decisions are a gross violation of one’s right to privacy. …More
The world’s two largest CO2 emitters, the US and China, are working hard to find a solution to climate change. In addition to drastically reducing oil imports and improving environmental protection measures, the …More
In order to solve the biggest security risks globally a change in the use and distribution of energy resources is increasingly necessary. Most people now agree that energy needs to be produced with a low carbon emission …More
The so-called Arctic 5 of Russia, US, Canada, Norway and Denmark are set for conflict over ownership of land around the North Pole increasingly revealed due to climate change. ++ “Countries are…deeply aware that an ice-free Arctic Ocean would have all …More
The panic is over but “although the worst [of the financial crisis] was avoided, much pain remains.” ++ Unemployment still rises in the West, further dislocating the political economies. ++ The US stimulus plan failed to increase …More
American reserves of natural gas could easily substitute Saudi Arabian oil as an energy resource. ++ “Harnessing this large supply—plus developing wind, solar and biofuel energy sources—is essential to achieve …More
After recent promises, China and the US must find a way of reducing carbon emissions at the Copenhagen summit later this year. ++ It is time for compromise as China insists on “common but differentiated responsibilities” to …More
The fight against climate change proclaimed by European Members of Parliament will have little effect. ++ “Even a great new agreement in Copenhagen is insufficient… [yet] necessary.” ++ The climatic challenge demands a …More
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was wrong to apologize to India for contributing to “most significantly to the problems that we face with climate change.” ++ The United States can be proud of its contributions to mankind’s efforts of “inventing, …More
India is not responsible for the current levels of greenhouse gas emissions and cannot be asked to sacrifice its development goals for the sake of combating climate change. ++ “Everyone is now burdened by the omissions and commissions …More
Obama could not get developing countries to accept the idea of binding emissions cuts. ++ Poor countries are unwilling to act on climate change because it would require them to abandon plans to ever conquer poverty. ++ “The …More
Barack Obama’s
entrance into the White House awoke all manner of hope for a fundamental
turnaround in US energy policy. Yet this is not the first time that the world
has looked to Washington in hope that the US …More
When G8 leaders discuss climate change this week, they need the same spirit of doing “whatever is necessary” they brought to the economic crisis. ++ Major emissions reductions are possible, but developed countries must …More
Investment, not charity, is the key to ensuring food security. ++ Japan will make a new proposal to “promote responsible foreign investment in agriculture, in the face of so-called ‘land grabs’ - the growing trend for large-scale …More
In the face of uncertainty as to when the impacts of climate change will begin to hit harder, developed societies must improve their ability to adapt to the crisis. ++ Poor southern countries are expected to be the first struck, yet …More
The only way to deal with Iran’s theocratic dictatorship is investing in renewable energy. ++ US President Barack Obama should enhance his efforts to end America’s reliance from Iranian fuel. ++ It is “the one thing we could do …More
Editorial Team: The phenomenon of climate change has proven to be incontrovertible. However, recent studies claim that climatic worst-case scenarios are inevitable because global warming has already outstripped all temperature limits.
…More
Bjoern Lomborg: Some businesses see nothing but profits in the green movement. They are cozying up with politicians and scientists to demand swift, drastic action on global warming. This is a new twist on a very old practice: companies using public policy to line their own pockets. …More
The economic crisis affects Africa disproportionably - with climate change - it imperils hard-won progress. ++ Bold, focused leadership is the solution. ++ Africa’s leaders need to work with local farmers and international partners …More
The financial and economic crisis appears to be a blessing for the
environment. Due to marginal growth,
short-term emission reduction goals can be achieved more easily. However, the
energy sector continues to produce …More
The repercussions of climate change are far more fatal than expected, a new report says. ++ Millions of the world’s poor are the most directly affected. ++ “This number will likely more than double - making it the greatest …More
Florian Kuhne: The global financial crisis is just one of many issues the West is facing which could mean it has met the “limits of growth”. Capitalism is overstretched and finite resources are running out. Affluence will start to level out across the world and the west could face a decline in living standards.
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Supporting green policies as a result of climate change hysteria is misguided not only because of the uncertainty of the dangers that global warming might pose, but also because they will be damaging. ++ The economic downturn means it will be hard …More
Problems of water supply and security will be exacerbated if action is not taken. ++ Better water management and efficiency of use will go some way in dealing with the problem. ++ Both developed and developing countries will be affected, with different …More
Editorial Team: April 22nd marks the annual celebration of Earth Day. Founded in the US in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, the now global events sees people come together to call for a safe and sustainable environment through a range of different community activities. …More
Jakob von Weizsäcker: It is still possible to stop climate change in this current economic environment. Governments should “green the debt” from their fiscal stimulus packages by repaying it with proceeds from higher carbon taxes and cap and trade systems, improving both economic and environmental sustainability. …More
According to the WWF, the world is living beyond its environmental means. ++ Environmental organizations state that to offset carbon dioxide emissions, new forests are needed. ++ This oversimplifies the problem and does not take …More
To combat climate change, environmentalists should stop supporting carbon taxes and unworkable market-based cap and trade systems in favor of emphasizing investment in alternative energy. ++ This should be done by implementing “feed …More
Memo 14: The challenges faced in an increasingly globalized world demand a change in the approach required to tackle them. The current economic crisis has shown that no one country alone can solve the world’s problems. The “superpower” age is now at an end, and the world must adapt accordingly. …More
Both climate change and the increasingly perceptible scarcity of primary commodities are responsible for the current economic crisis. Endlessly rising energy and food prices have also played their role in destabilizing …More
“Brazil’s experience shows how developing countries can contribute to combating climate change globally.” ++ The country derives 46% of its energy from renewable sources against the global average of 13%. ++ Yet, it is developed …More
The debate on renewable energy sources produced many failed ideas and attempts. ++ Hence, the motto that viable fusion energy is “20 years away and always will be.” ++ But the government sponsored National Ignition Faculty with its promise …More
Noah Chutz: Structures of global governance are too clumsy to effectively respond to the challenges of climate change. The international community and the private sector will continue to operate in an uncoordinated and self-interested manner. Only science, a new fourth sector, can rescue the planet from its impending peril. …More
The key for increasing
prosperity in developing countries lies in higher energy efficiency. Sustainable
management of this costly good could reduce the growth of these countries
energy demands in the coming twelve years by …More
Marek Kubista: Obama’s attitude towards the environment creates hope that the US will be more supportive of the environment. The upcoming Copenhagen summit could end in great success. To this end, the US should first secure cooperation with Europe and then both should focus on consulting and including the BRICS. …More
All US presidents say they want to change our dependency on foreign energy, and yet US oil imports have doubled in 35 years. ++ In the future we should not be choosing between coastal oil drilling and energy conservation, but do both. ++ We …More
The recovery of the economy lies, justifiably, at the center of political attention. ++ But while states are busy coming up with stimulus plans they should not neglect the environment. ++ A three-step plan should be conceived. ++ …More
The attempt of the EU to cut Co2 emissions by setting up high emission targets has failed. ++ The US should draw conclusions from this example and consider alternative measures to fight climate change. ++ Yet, Sen. Boxer, who …More
If the international community acts carefully, the economy and the climate can be healed in tandem. ++ Incentives to cut greenhouse emissions could “kick-start private investment and refuel the economy.” ++ To coordinate …More
Obama’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and obtain 10% of US electricity from renewable sources is great news for companies that provide climate change solutions. ++ “Three well-established socially responsible fund …More
Will the massive clean energy investments made in the US over the last couple of years be able to make it through the financial storm? Current perspectives are very encouraging: President Barack Obama seems to be committed, as is …More
The collapse of one of Tennessee Valley Authority’s containment ponds poured toxic coal out in the open causing huge environmental damage. ++ However, there may be something to be gained from the catastrophe as the accident is ringing alarm bells and …More
From the Editorial Team: We are hosting a 5 day run-up to the WEF Conference (conference begins Jan 28) and focusing on two of the major issues: the Global Economy and Climate Change. We are asking you, our readers, to contribute. …More
Last week’s UN climate conference at Poznan made it clearer than ever that 2009 will be a crucial year in sealing the fate of the planet. ++ The participants showed an egoism and lack of generosity which is particularly …More
To achieve low carbon emissions and green growth, an “eco- efficient, information technology-based approach” is needed. ++ The US believes that a 7% increase in broadband services will “reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.45m …More
No solution is in sight at the COP 14 talks. ++ “The line of division runs between the developed countries and the developing ones.” ++ Saudi-Arabia wants no reduction of oil consumption, while Pacific islands are in threat of …More
Falling auto prices, bank crashes, mass layoffs: the economic crisis has taken full hold of the United States. Current prognoses predict that the crisis will persist for at least another year. In addition, climate change …More
Barack Obama should adopt Al Gore’s proposal for a carbon tax on a global scale. ++ In today’s hyper-globalized economy, cap-and-trade systems that only apply to certain countries are not a viable solution. ++ A harmonized tax would allow for …More
Markus Drake: The opportunity for structural change that the economic crisis offers cannot be overlooked. With climate change no longer a “left” question, but rather in the center of society, business is realizing that there is profit to be made. But is it European companies that will benefit from Obama’s policies? …More
The US elected a president to meet the challenge of climate change. ++ Obama has chosen energy experts and supporters of cap-and-trade programs for his cabinet. ++ By 2050 he intends to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80%. ++ He wants to create …More
Strobe Talbott: President-elect Obama faces a host of short term crises. Long-term issues, though, such as climate change and nuclear proliferation must be at the top of his agenda. To tackle these challenges he has to recognize these priorities and act quickly together with allies—above all Europe. …More
Washington’s handling of the Wall Street bailout is incompetent, maybe illegal. ++ The Democrat response is to either defend the Bush administration or refuse to intervene. ++ Bush is violating the conditions of the original …More
The disastrous effects of unfettered consumption have been known and understood for 40 years already. Back then, American environmental researchers Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren created the “Ehrlich equation,” a tool that can also be applied …More
From the Editorial Team: We are proud to announce our first opinion article competition for students (both undergraduate and graduate level), in cooperation with the Humboldt Viadrina School of Governance. The best entries will receive a monetary award and will be published in a memorandum for decision makers. …More
The biggest loser from the global recession will be the environment. ++ In the interest of business, Gordon Brown and his Labour Party look set to revive talks over an expansion of Heathrow and Standsted airports. ++ Although …More
High-carbon growth must be limited to avoid a climate disaster and prevent a dangerous global transformation - population movements and conflicts. ++ World emissions must be cut by 50% by 2050. ++ Investments in low-carbon …More
Climate change “is not a traditional problem of national security, but one related to our collective security in a fragile and increasingly interdependent world.” ++ The European Commission recently released a report saying that climate change is …More
It’s tempting to use the economic slowdown as an excuse to dodge ambitious declarations for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. ++ We mustn’t forget that our current economic problems are small compared to the possible …More
As the captains of industry continue to rake in profits with the help of bailouts from “government cronies” without a care for the environment, the ecosystem is facing disaster. ++ We live in a “culture of wastefulness,” where a …More
Given the Bush administration’s obstinacy in refusing to take action against climate change, many US states have stepped up to the challenge - none more so than California. ++ California has taken the bold step of becoming the nation’s first …More
Efforts to address carbon emissions must be undertaken with exigency. ++ Developing countries like China, India and Brazil are responsible for half of all carbon emissions worldwide; their output has doubled over the past two decades. ++ 8.47 …More
Producing biofuels will further drain “the world’s most valuable, irreplaceable and finite natural resource: fresh water.” ++ For example, 9,000 gal. of water are needed to make just one gal. of diesel fuel; 666 gal. are used daily to …More
Australians should replace eating beef and lamb with kangaroo meat in order to fight climate change. ++ Marsupials, such as Kangaroos, produce low-emission waste and have less biophysical impact on water scarcity. ++ Kangaroo had been the …More
Obama’s overall environmental record is shorter, but looks better than McCain’s. ++ Both want to use technology that is not ready and neither plan is as clear as it should be, but Obama wants to move the country away from oil …More
John Mathiason: The Copenhagen Conference will hopefully produce a successor to the Kyoto Protocol; but then the real work begins. Independent organizations will be necessary to tackle adaptation and mitigation requirements, while ensuring, through effective monitoring, that states comply. Self-policing is not an option. …More
Alexander Ochs is director of International Policy at the Center for Clean Air Policy. As such, he provides strategic guidance on all aspects of international climate policy at the center. He oversees CCAP’s international efforts and …More
Dale Medearis: Following the collapse of a cap-and-trade climate bill in the US, it is evident that any substantive policies will begin at the local and state levels. Fortunately, this also happens to be the level at which the US and Germany can pursue very solid and mutually beneficial cooperation. …More
In reality there are no means by which to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels before 2050. ++ Therefore, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) stations are needed to control the amount of carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere. ++ The Group of Eight …More
Alexander Ochs: This policy report examines the twin challenges of climate change and energy security for the US and Germany, focusing on the third industrial revolution – the revolution that has to occur to transform our current combustion engine-based societies into an energy-efficient and climate friendly world. …More
While geoengineering may tempt mankind with promises of correcting global warming, we must not fall prey to the vicious cycle of scientifically tinkering with our planet. ++ Instead, humanity must adapt to a changing and warming environment by …More
In many ways the US has always been ahead of Europe in creating tough environmental protection policies and is less lenient in its standards. ++ As for climate change, the US has fallen far behind. ++ However, it is unfair to accuse …More
Current “cap and trade” approach to the fight with global warming will not effectively solve the problem. ++ At its core, climate change is not a problem of technology or policy – the problem lies in our frame of mind. ++ …More
So far all global efforts to tackle climate change have lacked impact, legitimacy and transparency - the situation is dire and calls for more radical solutions. ++ It is crucial to create a global legal structure of control in the …More
The problem of modern capitalist markets in times of global warming is that we do not have to pay the true environmental costs of the products we buy. ++ There are two possible solutions: either we apply green taxes to reflect a …More
Michaele Schreyer and Ralf Fuecks: Current energy crisis poses a significant threat to international economic and political stability. The current make-up of the EU is ill-equipped to deal with this challenge. The Union urgently needs an institutional reform: a European Community for Renewable Energy which would transform its economy into an energy-efficient system. …More
We only have a few decades before world’s oil supplies start to run out and we have to use that time wisely to develop long-term solutions to the world’s energy needs. ++ To achieve that, the world needs a global energy institution …More
There are four main problems that deepen the world crisis: incoherence of American leadership, lack of global financing, lack of contact between scientific experts and politicians, and finally the fact that the G8 ignores the UN and …More
The tendency to use cleaner, lower carbon fuels is gathering speed without mandates or subsidies. ++ Indeed, the necessity to adapt infrastructure and emerging economies’ use of whatever their indigenous resources to industrialize means the process …More
Scientists who challenge the mainstream theory of global warming and claim that the increase in global temperatures is not caused by greenhouse gas emissions struggle to attain funding and publish their findings. ++ Mankind’s …More
Former Vice President Al Gore said that Americans must abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade. ++ Although his engagement against global warming is well known, Gore argued in this speech that the reasons for …More
Because of climate change and the oil crisis, political leaders are reinforcing nuclear power. ++ Gordon Brown called for “a renaissance of nuclear power” in a “post-oil economy.” ++ Nonetheless, even our language fails when we try to …More
The Clean Technology Fund - a multilateral initiative developed by the G8 and the World Bank -, would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by financing the use of clean technology in developing countries. ++ CO2 emissions of …More
Bush’s “cowboy diplomacy” is changing the way the world addresses climate change. ++ The new G8 document reflects the approach of the White House since 2002. ++ For the first time, the G8 acknowledged that progress will depend on …More
G8 group agreed to cut green house emission by 50 percent. ++ But the final agreement establishes no interim goals that would require prompt and meaningful investments in cleaner energy. ++ China and India made clear that it is the …More
Samuel Thernstrom: Currently, cutting emissions or adapting to a warmer planet are the only policies receiving serious consideration. Yet if implemented correctly, geo-engineering could be an inexpensive and timely solution to climate change woes. …More
Leaders who will gather in Hokkaido are ill-positioned to address the challenges of climate change and global economic slowdown. ++ G8 meetings will remain inadequate as long as China and India are not granted full membership. ++ …More
The G8 format is unwieldy, ineffective, and unable to deal with global challenges. ++ The G8 has proven bigger does not necessarily mean better; admitting new countries has turned the meetings into a “giant public relations exercise with little real …More
Climate change and economic “stagflation” threaten the very future of our planet. ++ The only way to solve these challenges is to act globally. ++ Essentially, to resolve the food crisis, export restrictions need to be lifted …More
Geoengineering as a solution to the problem of global warming deserves more attention from policymakers. ++ Solutions such as injecting ultra-fine sulfur particles into the stratosphere or spraying clouds with saltwater to increase …More
A recent Ipsos Mori poll suggests a gradual loss of interest in the issue of climate change. ++ The specter of recession intensifies political pressure to abandon green policies. ++ Governments try to save the economy and the planet at …More
A Scottish island was a trendsetter for second hand wind turbines in 2004, now covering almost all its annual demands. ++ Long waiting lists for new turbines, the EU CO2 reduction targets, and 40% price reduction makes used turbines attractive. …More
Markus Kaim: Climate change is causing a growth of possibilities for the use of the Arctic. Canada’s Arctic policy, dominated by claims to sovereignty and territory, conflicts with that of its direct competitors in the region (Denmark, Canada, USA, Russia, and Norway) and is at odds with German and European efforts to support multilateralism and uphold international legislation. …More
Reducing the West’s dependence on fossil fuels from Russia and the Middle East requires lowering reliance on this type of energy altogether. ++ Many governments are “doing their utmost to increase and subsidize supplies” but this is not …More
In the debate regarding climate change and the shortage of fossil fuels, biofuels were for a long time considered to be the ideal solution. However recently, they have increasingly come under fire. Critics denounce the fact …More
Until now, no one really seems to realise what kind of threat climate change represents for human beings living together on Earth. In his book “Climate Wars”, the social psychologist Harald Welzer therefore warns us against only …More
Rising demand for foodstuffs and the biofuel craze are causing an agricultural crisis requiring a significant increase in productivity. ++ Yet for this to succeed, the reasonable and efficient use of water needs to be urgently …More
XXX: This article has been removed from the website in accordance with the author’s request. …More
Frank-Walter Steinmeier & David Miliband: Germany and the UK want to develop an effective European and multilateral strategy to anticipate the new policy challenges of climate security. Indeed, an off-balance global climate will spawn ravaging crises, conflicts, and disasters that require an international response. …More
International tourism is undergoing very rapid changes. New travelling habits, an increased awareness of price, short notice and short term holidays - and the wish for more flexibility and individuality as well as rising energy prices …More
When “greenies” sing the praise of high oil prices, perhaps they are praying to a false god. ++ Science is yet to produce hard evidence for climate change. ++ Emissions reduction lobbyists are ridden with corruption, and left leaning …More
Since the late 70s, scientists have observed that the size of Polar South’s sea ice is expanding. ++ At a first glance, this could be mistaken for a positive development, however, other readings have shown that inland ice is …More
While the EU champions progressive environmental policies, further inspection reveals that the EU-15 only reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2% between 1990 and 1995, and that they will fail to meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments. …More
Axel Berg: After the elections in the US, Europeans are expecting to forge ahead with transatlantic cooperation on climate policy. Whoever is in the White House, expectations are high, especially among the Germans who want to set precedents and increase pressure on the international community. …More
The global food crisis is not a natural catastrophe, but a man-made one. ++ The nexus between high energy and food prices is unlikely to be broken, and will be exacerbated by climate change. ++ To ensure that the poor do not suffer, a …More
The climate change bill currently being debated in the US Senate is paramount for actual, sustainable improvement. ++ Not only for the sake of the environment, economies have recently experienced that innovation and emissions …More
Sparked by a recent Russian territory claim at the North Pole, a meeting has been called this week in Greenland over the future of the Arctic. ++ In the midst of a decade old rivalry, the US, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark have a huge …More
At this year’s G8 summit, the focus will be convincing big emitters (China, US) and developing countries to commit to the Kyoto protocol. ++ Making attractive proposals to encourage emission cuts and highlighting their benefits in …More
The reluctance of Burma’s military rulers to help their own people in the aftermath of cyclone Nargis is criminal. ++ The international community should use a measured approach in encouraging Burma to accept aid and de-prioritize the …More
Even without the food crisis, hundreds of millions do not have enough food. ++ We should demonstrate utmost concern and use this crisis as an opportunity to bring long overdue reforms and help vulnerable populations overcome …More
German researchers have reported that natural climate variability may offset the noticeable effects of human-induced global warming over the next decade, until 2020. ++ In the short term, policymakers should not ease efforts to …More
Since global warming – by causing “natural” disasters, disease, and conflict – is threatening the lives and livelihoods of ever more children in the third world, we need to increase our contribution to the cost of …More
Climate change, resource shortages, and crippling, high food prices caused by the increased consumption of advanced and developing economies has unleashed a tide of resentment in poorer regions. ++ If Western culture and influence gets the blame …More
While the most global threats like climate change or terrorism are at an impasse, the existing international institutions do not provide the needed framework for their solving. ++ They do not reflect the real distribution of economic and military power and ignore the needs and interests of developing countries. ++ To overcome mutual mistrust, G8 und G5 should be combined into one grouping.
The production of foodstuffs for biofuels was intended to reduce US energy dependency, mitigate climate change, and encourage crop-price stability. ++ Since they have proven highly inefficient, detrimental to the environment, and largely …More
Capitalism and luxury consumption are responsible for the world’s environmental problems, and the emphasis on biofuels has created the global food crisis. ++ The solution is to change economic models, give up excess consumption, …More
While it is undisputed that a new Democratic president would improve environmental policies, it might not be enough. ++ A call for the US to set an example in conservation for rising industrial economies must be heeded. ++ Restricted by domestic approval, each candidate proposes little in the way of emissions reduction, whereas studies show that a greener policy would hardly dampen the economy.
Googlers from around the world are exchanging ideas and intentions on how to combat climate change on the Earth Day-specific mashup map. ++ The “nifty map” is part of the initiative “go green with Google” which provides …More
Cereal stocks have not been this low since 1980, but the food crisis can be explained by human greed. ++ To avoid mass hunger, climate change and trade protectionism must be addressed. ++ If international cooperation is brokered …More
London’s goal to become the first city with streets illuminated by LED’s indicates a promising trend towards green lighting technology. ++ Indian cities should pay more attention to LED lighting. ++ Through LEDs India could “leapfrog the ‘dirty’ phase …More
Sascha Müller-Kraenner: The EU and the US have the responsibility as well as the financial and technological means to address the climate challenge. Yet their approach needs to be internationally orientated so that it also offers a platform to the new assertive voices of China, India, Russia and others. …More
The US and the EU should stop priding themselves for having slowed or reduced their CO2 output mainly thanks to the outsourcing of production to other parts of the world. ++ Environmentally sustainable consumption will require cutting living standards and massively restructuring major economies. ++ As consumption rather than production matters, biofuels and renewables are compounding the problem.
Despite progress on climate change, there is an imminent threat on food security. ++ Decreased rainfalls and the rush to grow biofuels in an unsustainable manner is causing food prices to soar and putting the world at risk of a food crisis. ++ …More
Apart from hosting international sporting events in the near future, Delhi and Beijing have a lot in common at the moment, according to Narayani Ganesh of the Times of India: both face increasingly serious environmental …More
Despite climate change being among the chief topics of this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, hundreds of participants have landed in private planes as large as Boeing 767s and traveled to the secluded winter …More
The geopolitical consequences of climate change are determined as much by political, social and economic factors as by the climatic shift itself. As a rule wealthier countries will be better prepared to cope with the effects of …More
James Cricks: The key to the future of the West is respect and cooperation. The US and Europe still have much to learn from one another. …More
One of the policy recommendations of the Shadow G-8 was to establish the framework for a more equitable system of dealing with climate change. Among the aspects of this suggested framework was the incorporation of the so-called polluter pays principle: …More
The world has taken an important step toward countering climate change by agreeing to the Bali Action Plan. The plan may not look like much, since it basically commits the world to more talking rather than specific actions, yet Jeffrey …More
Nanne Zwagerman: of the European Tribune is critical of a list recently published by the EC, highlighting their achievements in 2007. Being relatively low on the radar the EC does need to advertise itself, but hopefully they will have a little more to boast about next year. …More
From early 2007 a research team from McKinsey and Company worked to develop a consistent fact base to estimate the costs and potentials of different options in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG’s) in the US over a 25 year period.
Still …More
The recent index, published by Germanwatch, shows that even those countries, such as Sweden and Germany, with the highest scores still only have average grades, while seven of the world’s biggest CO2 emitters are on …More
Julianne Smith and Alexander T. J. Lennon: We contend that in the years to come climate change will further disrupt the stability of already volatile regions, which has the potential of producing multitudes of discontented individuals prone to radicalization. …More
Sub-national units — namely states or regions — are playing an increasing role in environmental policy-creation find R. Andreas Kraemer and Miranda A. Schreurs in “Federalism and Environmentalism in the United States and Germany”, …More
Casey S Butterfield: The German foreign minister’s recent visit to California illustrates an important trend: the Atlantic Community as we know it is expanding. Today’s global challenges call for more cooperation between cities, states, civil societies, and citizens. …More
Idean Salehyan, coauthor of “Climate Change and Conflict: The Migration Link,”argues in Foreign Policy that climate change cannot be the exclusive cause of future wars for water and resources. Corrupt and …More
Josh Busby: I offer solutions on how countries can get from concern about the security consequences of climate change to action on its effects. Expanded support for adaptation and disaster response is needed, with continuing focus on emissions reductions. …More
With hundreds of tons of CO2 pumped into the sandstone of Ketzin, Germany, project manager and professor for mineral and rock physics Frank Schilling believes he has found a way to store carbon dioxide for generations. As the …More
Jeffrey D. Sachs writes in the Scientific American that the coming decades may see the mass-migration of hundreds of millions of “environmental refugees” seeking better living …More
Is nuclear power the cheap energy and climate change holy grail? In their latest Oxford Research Group Briefing Paper, Frank Barnaby and James Kemp say no. Apart from the security problems a nuclear renaissance would bring, the …More
Joseph S. Nye: We cannot overlook Japan as a global powerhouse. How its people and government respond to emerging China will be “one of the great questions for this century.” …More
Katherina Reiche: I remind you that the G8 agreement on emission reductions means that all nations will have a part to play in reducing greenhouse gases. The transatlantic partners must work together now - on energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energies - to ensure market leadership in the future. …More
Ulf Gartzke: Bush’s last-minute climate change proposal threatens the historic consensus that was to be Merkel’s crowning achievement as G8 president. Is Bush serious about reducing greenhouse gases, or could this be an attempt to sabotage the Summit? …More
All regions can contribute to the mitigation of climate change, concludes the third part of the latest IPPC report, and there may be positive effects on some inter-related issues such as energy security. Efforts in only some …More
Anne Underwood of Newsweek reports on the campaign by American mayors to conserve energy and mitigate climate change. City leaders across the United States have joined together and drafted the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection …More
The Bush government still refuses to commit the United States to the multilateral climate change regime set up under the Kyoto Protocol. Although transatlantic action on climate change was discussed at the recent “(external)US-EU …More
The time is ripe for international action on global warming, argues Columbia Economist Jeffrey Sachs. Scientists have clearly identified the causes of the problem, as well as affordable solutions, and recommendations must be …More
The world’s richest countries and greatest contributors to global warming are investing billions of dollars to limit the worst consequences, reports journalist Andrew C. Revkin. These same countries are spending …More
Europeans should look to the United States as an emerging global leader in energy policy, says Claus Leggewie of Giessen University. The Director of the Center for Media and Interactivity describes a “greening” of the US political …More
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