Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

This study analyses a complex social-ecological system (SES), the case of competition for groundwater in Azraq, in the light of the 2030 Agenda. Building on the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (IAD) and the concept of Networks of Adjacent Action Situations (NAAS) it assess the complex governance system in a consistent and systematic manner. It includes aspects of power through the political economy concept of the social contract. It furthermore assesses the performance of the investigated SES against the 2030 Agenda’s core principles ‘leaving no one behind’, ‘interconnectedness and indivisibility’, ‘multi-stakeholder partnerships’, and ‘inclusiveness’.
The study finds that in Azraq, agricultural, domestic and environmental water users compete for shrinking groundwater resources. The core of the conflict lies between a heterogeneous group of farmers, who use groundwater for irrigation agriculture supported by a strong political lobby, and the water authorities, which rely on the aquifer for domestic water supply at national level. Water, agricultural, environmental, energy, and land governance, but also high-level decision-making and the monarchy’s underlying social contract and the informal concept of wasta influence the outcomes on the ground. As a result, groundwater governance in Jordan hardly does justice to the 2030 Agenda’s core principles. The study shows that no panacea exists, but that systems thinking may help identify a range of intervention points, some more sensitive than others, that could support a social-ecological transformation towards sustainability.

This study analyses a complex social-ecological system (SES), the case of competition for groundwater in Azraq, in the light of the 2030 Agenda. Building on the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (IAD) and the concept of Networks of Adjacent Action Situations (NAAS) it assess the complex governance system in a consistent and systematic manner. It includes aspects of power through the political economy concept of the social contract. It furthermore assesses the performance of the investigated SES against the 2030 Agenda’s core principles ‘leaving no one behind’, ‘interconnectedness and indivisibility’, ‘multi-stakeholder partnerships’, and ‘inclusiveness’.
The study finds that in Azraq, agricultural, domestic and environmental water users compete for shrinking groundwater resources. The core of the conflict lies between a heterogeneous group of farmers, who use groundwater for irrigation agriculture supported by a strong political lobby, and the water authorities, which rely on the aquifer for domestic water supply at national level. Water, agricultural, environmental, energy, and land governance, but also high-level decision-making and the monarchy’s underlying social contract and the informal concept of wasta influence the outcomes on the ground. As a result, groundwater governance in Jordan hardly does justice to the 2030 Agenda’s core principles. The study shows that no panacea exists, but that systems thinking may help identify a range of intervention points, some more sensitive than others, that could support a social-ecological transformation towards sustainability.

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After being adopted by 120 states, the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially became operational when its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, entered into force on July 1, 2002. Ahead of the Rome Statute’s 20th anniversary, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held an Aria-Formula meeting on June 24, 2022, where states convened to renew their commitment to the statute and consider ways in which the ICC can contribute to accountability and the fight against impunity. Participants were asked to reflect on the relationship between the ICC and the UNSC and how best to support existing Security Council referrals to the ICC. During this crucial meeting, IPI President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein presented a briefing to the Security Council.

In his briefing, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein highlighted the importance of demonstrating moral consistency among the UNSC and ICC, saying, “[T]o have any credibility with the millions of people out there, people who need desperately both of these institutions to function, and function properly, the Council and the Court must demonstrate – to the maximum extent possible, consistency. Moral consistency.” In addition, he referenced the historical significance of the Rome Statute and the heavy responsibility the ICC holds to serve justice and protect international peace and security.

UN peacekeeping missions tend to frame conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) narrowly both in terms of who its victims are and who is best placed to address it. The victims of CRSV are usually assumed to be women and girls, and there is often an expectation that women peacekeepers will be better able to address CRSV than men. These assumptions reflect the frequent conflation of CRSV with “violence against women and girls,” as well as with “sexual and gender-based violence.” They also reflect the broader conflation of “women” and “gender” throughout UN policy documents and training resources for military peacekeepers.

This issue brief explores how the UN system currently understands CRSV and SGBV, how this understanding affects the responsibilities, roles, and perceptions of military peacekeepers, and how UN policies—especially those focused on military women’s participation in peacekeeping—might be more inclusive. It draws on desk research as well as interviews with practitioners, UN personnel, and academic gender experts, as well as insights shared in several closed-door, expert-level workshops.

The paper concludes that the current narrow understanding of CRSV harms victims of sexual violence who are not women and girls, including men and boys as well as sexual and gender minorities. Beyond the victims, narrow understandings of CRSV also harm women peacekeepers. Those pushing to increase the number of uniformed women peacekeepers often emphasize their added value in preventing and responding to CRSV. This assumption can perpetuate the idea that women peacekeepers’ primary added value is their gender identity and saddles them with additional responsibilities, often without adequate training, resources, or authority.

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In Elmau werden viele verschiedene Krisen verhandelt. Was bedeutet das fürs Regierungshandeln? Anna-Katharina Hornidge ist Co-Leiterin von Think7 – dem Zusammenschluss von führenden Denkfabriken. Sie sieht im Gipfel auch die Chance für einen großen Wurf. Ein Interview von Journalist Jan Rübel.

In Elmau werden viele verschiedene Krisen verhandelt. Was bedeutet das fürs Regierungshandeln? Anna-Katharina Hornidge ist Co-Leiterin von Think7 – dem Zusammenschluss von führenden Denkfabriken. Sie sieht im Gipfel auch die Chance für einen großen Wurf. Ein Interview von Journalist Jan Rübel.

In Elmau werden viele verschiedene Krisen verhandelt. Was bedeutet das fürs Regierungshandeln? Anna-Katharina Hornidge ist Co-Leiterin von Think7 – dem Zusammenschluss von führenden Denkfabriken. Sie sieht im Gipfel auch die Chance für einen großen Wurf. Ein Interview von Journalist Jan Rübel.

Bundeswirtschaftsminister Robert Habeck hat die zweite Alarmstufe des Notfallplans Gas ausgerufen. Dazu eine Einschätzung von Claudia Kemfert, Energieökonomin und Leiterin der Abteilung Energie, Verkehr, Umwelt im Deutschen Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin):

Das Ausrufen des Gas-Notfallplans ist folgerichtig. Wir sind in einer ernsten Gas-Krise. Aktuell ist die Gasversorgung noch gesichert – aber jetzt müssen die Speicher gefüllt werden. Der Rückgang der russischen Lieferungen und die angespannte Angebotslage machen es erforderlich, dass wir uns endlich ordentlich vorbereiten. Die wichtigsten Hebel, um die Gaslücke zu stopfen, sind der beschleunigte Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien und das Energiesparen. 

Es wurde einiges getan, um von anderen Lieferländern mehr Gas zu bekommen, Gasspeicher zu füllen und die Transparenz über den Gasverbrauch zu erhöhen. Temporär werden wir mehr Kohle statt Gas zur Energieerzeugung nutzen müssen. Das ist richtig. Aber wir brauchen definitiv keine festen Flüssiggas-Terminals, die uns über 25 Jahre an fossile Gas-Lieferanten binden. Das ist kontraproduktiv: So schaffen wir uns die nächsten „Carbon Lock-ins“ und „Stranded Investments“. 

Versorgungssicherheit erreichen wir kurzfristig über die konsequente Anwendung der ASSA-Formel: ausweichen, speichern, sparen, ausbauen. Also: Gas aus verschiedenen anderen Ländern beziehen und die Speicher füllen. Kurzfristig Gas einsparen. Es ist absurd, dass wir immer noch Gas-Kraftwärmekopplung fördern. Stattdessen sollten Industrie und Haushalte Prämien fürs Sparen bekommen. Ab sofort sollten keine neuen Gasheizungen mehr eingebaut werden. Eine Abwrackprämie für alte Gasheizungen wäre ebenso sinnvoll wie ein Wärmepumpen-Sofortprogramm. Und vor allem: mit vereinten Kräften und größter Entschlossenheit endlich erneuerbare Energien in Deutschland ausbauen. Erneuerbare Energien müssen auch und gerade in der Industrie zum Einsatz kommen. Existierende Biogas-Anlagen sollten effektiver genutzt werden. Wir benötigen ein Ausbildungs- und Umschulungsprogramm für Installateure. Nur so beenden wir wirklich unsere Abhängigkeit vom Gas. 

Rationierungen sind das allerletzte Mittel. Das sollten und können wir vermeiden, indem wir endlich umfassend vorbeugen. Niemand sollte frieren müssen. Und Betriebe brauchen Unterstützung beim Sparen und beim Umstieg auf Erneuerbare.

The City of Bonn has experienced flooding on several occasions in the past. However, in the last two decades, it has seen increased precipitation leading to floods. The City had initiated several flood management measures in response. Those measures played a significant role in minimizing the impact of the heavy rainfall seen in July 2021. With this report, the Bonn Water Network (BWN) documents the successful efforts of the City of Bonn administration and the catchment authorities in responding to the floods. The report is also part of BWN’s effort to strengthen cross-learning, co-produce knowledge and build a true partnership with the City of Bonn. The report documents the authorities’ adaptive response and the challenges encountered by both civil society and the respective authorities in taking resilient action. It draws on secondary documents and online resources, which are supplemented with interviews with city authorities and experts. The report was presented to the city authorities with a request for their feedback, which subsequently flowed into its finalisation.
The report highlights the steps taken by the authorities towards flood mitigation, flood preparedness and flood response. Those measures are described at three levels – catchment, streams and sewers – as looked at from a social, technical and legislative perspective. To gain an insight into how these initiatives converge, the report uses the example of flood risk management at the level of local streams. Given the various institutions involved in the City’s flood management activities, it identifies the challenges faced by three key actors in implementing flood management measures. The report concludes with an outlook that shows a way forward by highlighting the need to strengthen the hybrid infrastructure approach in order to secure a sustainable strategy. It identifies opportunities for use in strengthening risk management and mitigation in respect of pluvial flooding, promoting hybrid governance and utilizing both science-policy dialogue and digitalization in strengthening flood risk management in Bonn.

The City of Bonn has experienced flooding on several occasions in the past. However, in the last two decades, it has seen increased precipitation leading to floods. The City had initiated several flood management measures in response. Those measures played a significant role in minimizing the impact of the heavy rainfall seen in July 2021. With this report, the Bonn Water Network (BWN) documents the successful efforts of the City of Bonn administration and the catchment authorities in responding to the floods. The report is also part of BWN’s effort to strengthen cross-learning, co-produce knowledge and build a true partnership with the City of Bonn. The report documents the authorities’ adaptive response and the challenges encountered by both civil society and the respective authorities in taking resilient action. It draws on secondary documents and online resources, which are supplemented with interviews with city authorities and experts. The report was presented to the city authorities with a request for their feedback, which subsequently flowed into its finalisation.
The report highlights the steps taken by the authorities towards flood mitigation, flood preparedness and flood response. Those measures are described at three levels – catchment, streams and sewers – as looked at from a social, technical and legislative perspective. To gain an insight into how these initiatives converge, the report uses the example of flood risk management at the level of local streams. Given the various institutions involved in the City’s flood management activities, it identifies the challenges faced by three key actors in implementing flood management measures. The report concludes with an outlook that shows a way forward by highlighting the need to strengthen the hybrid infrastructure approach in order to secure a sustainable strategy. It identifies opportunities for use in strengthening risk management and mitigation in respect of pluvial flooding, promoting hybrid governance and utilizing both science-policy dialogue and digitalization in strengthening flood risk management in Bonn.

The City of Bonn has experienced flooding on several occasions in the past. However, in the last two decades, it has seen increased precipitation leading to floods. The City had initiated several flood management measures in response. Those measures played a significant role in minimizing the impact of the heavy rainfall seen in July 2021. With this report, the Bonn Water Network (BWN) documents the successful efforts of the City of Bonn administration and the catchment authorities in responding to the floods. The report is also part of BWN’s effort to strengthen cross-learning, co-produce knowledge and build a true partnership with the City of Bonn. The report documents the authorities’ adaptive response and the challenges encountered by both civil society and the respective authorities in taking resilient action. It draws on secondary documents and online resources, which are supplemented with interviews with city authorities and experts. The report was presented to the city authorities with a request for their feedback, which subsequently flowed into its finalisation.
The report highlights the steps taken by the authorities towards flood mitigation, flood preparedness and flood response. Those measures are described at three levels – catchment, streams and sewers – as looked at from a social, technical and legislative perspective. To gain an insight into how these initiatives converge, the report uses the example of flood risk management at the level of local streams. Given the various institutions involved in the City’s flood management activities, it identifies the challenges faced by three key actors in implementing flood management measures. The report concludes with an outlook that shows a way forward by highlighting the need to strengthen the hybrid infrastructure approach in order to secure a sustainable strategy. It identifies opportunities for use in strengthening risk management and mitigation in respect of pluvial flooding, promoting hybrid governance and utilizing both science-policy dialogue and digitalization in strengthening flood risk management in Bonn.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.

Climate change, natural resource degradation and lack of inclusiveness challenge existing social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. This think piece looks at how environmental factors influence governments’ scope of action to deliver on their duties of protection, provision and participation within current social contracts and proposes an alternative solution that can work for both people and planet.