Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

In many African cities, privately operated mini-buses, motorbike taxis and auto-rickshaws are the main means of public transport. They are flexible, inexpensive, and also cater to the needs of within those vast parts of of the city neglected by official public transportation options. But these unregulated services often have drivers who go too fast and take lots of risks, thereby contributing to some of the highest traffic accident rates in the world. Over the years, several metropolitan areas have tried to solve the problem by introducing bus rapid transit systems-with little success, however, because of high costs and resistance from informal operators. But the problem could also be approached differently, for example by means of the "reverse product life cycle" concept. The idea behind this is to progressive improve existing informal transport services until a new regulated mass transport services is developed. But Africa`s mobility of the future will also be shaped by the rising demand for private cars. Until now, old used cars that failed to meet strict emission standards of the Global North were imported cheaply from Europe, Asia and North America. But some African countries have started introducing fines to prevent people from buying old used vehicles, although that`s not enough. We need to expand the nascent car industry in Africa and produce more locally manufactured, clean cars for the African market. In the future, even the rich car-producing countries, such as Germany and Japan, will have to dismantle and scrap their own used vehicles locally.

Zusammenfassung:

Die Erdgasversorgung der Europäischen Union stützte sich bisher zu einem großen Teil auf Lieferungen aus Russland. In Deutschland, Italien, Österreich und den meisten Ländern Ost- und Mitteleuropas war diese Abhängigkeit besonders hoch. Allerdings spielt Erdgas nicht in allen diesen Volkswirtschaften eine gleich große Rolle. Mit dem völkerrechtswidrigen Krieg Russlands in der Ukraine stellen sich die dringlichen Fragen, wie diese Abhängigkeit reduziert werden kann und was im Fall einer Lieferunterbrechung von russischen Erdgasexporten passieren würde. Dieser Bericht skizziert die Ausgangslage und diskutiert kurzfristige Anpassungsreaktionen. Modellrechnungen zeigen, dass die Europäische Union bei einem Komplettausfall russischer Erdgaslieferungen einen Großteil kompensieren kann. Kurzfristig stehen die effiziente Bewirtschaftung bestehender Infrastruktur, die Diversifizierung der Bezugsverträge sowie Maßnahmen zur Nachfrageanpassung im Mittelpunkt. Mittelfristig sollte der Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien im Kontext des EU Green Deal beschleunigt werden, inklusive eines zeitnahen Ausstiegs aus der Nutzung fossilen Erdgases, der die europäische Energiesicherheit weiter stärken würde.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the UN Security Council has developed two main streams of work related to counterterrorism: the sanctions regime established by Resolution 1267 and measures under Resolution 1373. However, these resolutions and related sanctions regimes have been criticized for failing to safeguard and facilitate impartial humanitarian action. In response, the council has progressively incorporated language that better considers international humanitarian law (IHL) and humanitarian principles. Despite these efforts, humanitarian organizations have continued to criticize counterterrorism resolutions and related sanctions regimes for inhibiting humanitarian activities.

This policy paper considers how the Security Council’s counterterrorism resolutions and related sanctions regimes can continue making progress to better protect humanitarian action. It begins by describing the council’s main streams of work on counterterrorism as well as their subsidiary organs. The second section discusses the impact of these counterterrorism measures on impartial humanitarian activities. The third section then reviews the incremental steps taken by the Security Council to incorporate language relevant to IHL and humanitarian affairs into these measures. The fourth section analyzes the four most recent counterterrorism-related resolutions adopted by the Security Council.

The paper concludes with policy recommendations for entities both within and outside of the UN to better safeguard humanitarian action within counterterrorism resolutions and related sanctions regimes:

For humanitarian organizations, relevant civil society groups and UN entities, and independent experts:

• Advocate to keep humanitarian action high on the Security Council agenda;
• Monitor the implementation of the humanitarian exception for Afghanistan; and
• Issue independent opinions on advisable forms of humanitarian carve-outs.

For the UN Security Council and other UN member states:

• Reinforce implementation and monitoring of provisions in Security Council resolutions pertaining to IHL and humanitarian action;
• Provide adequate resources to monitor the impact of UN counterterrorism measures and related sanctions on humanitarian action;
• Amend language in UN counterterrorism resolutions and related sanctions regimes to facilitate humanitarian action; and
• Empower elected members of the Security Council to be agents of change.

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The guiding question of the book chapter is what responsible action related to disruptive innovations in agriculture might look like and how responsible and irresponsible action can be assessed systematically. Three observations and assumptions guide the analyses. First, TA has been conceptualised in the global North in times where a critical approach to new technologies was mainstream thinking, and TA was mainly seen as an early warning system for risks and unintended side efects of new technologies. Under the conditions of eroding planetary boundaries, the focus might need to be shifted towards a more balanced assessment of opportunities and risks, considering innovation not so much as a driver of economic growth but rather a way of finding new ways to address global challenges. Second, TA has been implemented mainly on the national level; this is no longer adequate in a globalised and networked world, where technological developments in one part of the world may have impacts in any other. Third, from an ethical point of view, industrialised countries (including new science and technology hubs, such as China and India) have an obligation to support the development of technologies which may help developing countries in shaping their development under the conditions of environmental limits to conventional economic growth. Low and middle income countries are especially affected by global environmental changes but do not have full-fledged innovation systems and have fewer resources available to develop solutions on their own. International science, technology and innovation (STI) partnerships between the global North and the South should be given preference to traditional modes of technology transfer.

The guiding question of the book chapter is what responsible action related to disruptive innovations in agriculture might look like and how responsible and irresponsible action can be assessed systematically. Three observations and assumptions guide the analyses. First, TA has been conceptualised in the global North in times where a critical approach to new technologies was mainstream thinking, and TA was mainly seen as an early warning system for risks and unintended side efects of new technologies. Under the conditions of eroding planetary boundaries, the focus might need to be shifted towards a more balanced assessment of opportunities and risks, considering innovation not so much as a driver of economic growth but rather a way of finding new ways to address global challenges. Second, TA has been implemented mainly on the national level; this is no longer adequate in a globalised and networked world, where technological developments in one part of the world may have impacts in any other. Third, from an ethical point of view, industrialised countries (including new science and technology hubs, such as China and India) have an obligation to support the development of technologies which may help developing countries in shaping their development under the conditions of environmental limits to conventional economic growth. Low and middle income countries are especially affected by global environmental changes but do not have full-fledged innovation systems and have fewer resources available to develop solutions on their own. International science, technology and innovation (STI) partnerships between the global North and the South should be given preference to traditional modes of technology transfer.

The guiding question of the book chapter is what responsible action related to disruptive innovations in agriculture might look like and how responsible and irresponsible action can be assessed systematically. Three observations and assumptions guide the analyses. First, TA has been conceptualised in the global North in times where a critical approach to new technologies was mainstream thinking, and TA was mainly seen as an early warning system for risks and unintended side efects of new technologies. Under the conditions of eroding planetary boundaries, the focus might need to be shifted towards a more balanced assessment of opportunities and risks, considering innovation not so much as a driver of economic growth but rather a way of finding new ways to address global challenges. Second, TA has been implemented mainly on the national level; this is no longer adequate in a globalised and networked world, where technological developments in one part of the world may have impacts in any other. Third, from an ethical point of view, industrialised countries (including new science and technology hubs, such as China and India) have an obligation to support the development of technologies which may help developing countries in shaping their development under the conditions of environmental limits to conventional economic growth. Low and middle income countries are especially affected by global environmental changes but do not have full-fledged innovation systems and have fewer resources available to develop solutions on their own. International science, technology and innovation (STI) partnerships between the global North and the South should be given preference to traditional modes of technology transfer.

Waterfronts are attractive residential places for rich and poor people in coastal African cities, albeit for different reasons. While expensive waterfront residences follow the global estate logic, shores form spatial niches attracting people with very low incomes. When building plots are in short supply, land is reclaimed by various practices – with considerable ecological and socio-legal implications.

Waterfronts are attractive residential places for rich and poor people in coastal African cities, albeit for different reasons. While expensive waterfront residences follow the global estate logic, shores form spatial niches attracting people with very low incomes. When building plots are in short supply, land is reclaimed by various practices – with considerable ecological and socio-legal implications.

Waterfronts are attractive residential places for rich and poor people in coastal African cities, albeit for different reasons. While expensive waterfront residences follow the global estate logic, shores form spatial niches attracting people with very low incomes. When building plots are in short supply, land is reclaimed by various practices – with considerable ecological and socio-legal implications.

We are at a tipping point: the health of the world’s people and the health of the planet’s natural resources on which all life depends are facing unprecedented threats. The human led drivers of economic development, industry and globalisation are causing climate change, pollution of air, soil and water, and biodiversity loss year after year, and these in turn are destroying the animal and human health gains of the last century. In the Anthropocene where humankind have made the world an insecure and precarious place to live, planetary health provides a framework to take rapid, globally-connected action, setting a system in place which can steer the individual investments towards universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, climate neutrality, clean air, and the reduction of poverty and inequality. The common goal of healthy people flourishing on a healthy planet, which is the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals, is a necessary pursuit. To achieve this we suggest that the G7 utilises planetary health to create a global framework expanding on One Health initiatives. Such a framework can be supported by the G7 in the form of i) better coordination between health and environmental agencies, ii) the development of standards and indicators for planetary health, iii) the better alignment of new global health monitoring initiatives and iv) the prioritization of planetary health in the new pandemic treaty.

We are at a tipping point: the health of the world’s people and the health of the planet’s natural resources on which all life depends are facing unprecedented threats. The human led drivers of economic development, industry and globalisation are causing climate change, pollution of air, soil and water, and biodiversity loss year after year, and these in turn are destroying the animal and human health gains of the last century. In the Anthropocene where humankind have made the world an insecure and precarious place to live, planetary health provides a framework to take rapid, globally-connected action, setting a system in place which can steer the individual investments towards universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, climate neutrality, clean air, and the reduction of poverty and inequality. The common goal of healthy people flourishing on a healthy planet, which is the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals, is a necessary pursuit. To achieve this we suggest that the G7 utilises planetary health to create a global framework expanding on One Health initiatives. Such a framework can be supported by the G7 in the form of i) better coordination between health and environmental agencies, ii) the development of standards and indicators for planetary health, iii) the better alignment of new global health monitoring initiatives and iv) the prioritization of planetary health in the new pandemic treaty.

We are at a tipping point: the health of the world’s people and the health of the planet’s natural resources on which all life depends are facing unprecedented threats. The human led drivers of economic development, industry and globalisation are causing climate change, pollution of air, soil and water, and biodiversity loss year after year, and these in turn are destroying the animal and human health gains of the last century. In the Anthropocene where humankind have made the world an insecure and precarious place to live, planetary health provides a framework to take rapid, globally-connected action, setting a system in place which can steer the individual investments towards universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, climate neutrality, clean air, and the reduction of poverty and inequality. The common goal of healthy people flourishing on a healthy planet, which is the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals, is a necessary pursuit. To achieve this we suggest that the G7 utilises planetary health to create a global framework expanding on One Health initiatives. Such a framework can be supported by the G7 in the form of i) better coordination between health and environmental agencies, ii) the development of standards and indicators for planetary health, iii) the better alignment of new global health monitoring initiatives and iv) the prioritization of planetary health in the new pandemic treaty.

Zusammenfassung:

Studie auf Basis von SOEP-Daten – Generation der 68er bleibt häufiger auch nach dem Renteneintritt ehrenamtlich aktiv – Anstieg des Engagements geht aber auch auf junge Menschen zurück – Pflicht zum Engagement für bestimmte Altersgruppen wäre nicht zielführend, stattdessen sollten flexible und niedrigschwellige Angebote für alle geschaffen werden, die ehrenamtlich aktiv sein wollen

Fast jede dritte in Deutschland lebende Person ab 17 Jahren – insgesamt also rund 22 Millionen – engagiert sich ehrenamtlich. Der Anteil der ehrenamtlich Aktiven lag im Jahr 2017 bei rund 32 Prozent und damit um fünf Prozentpunkte höher als im Jahr 1990. Sowohl junge Erwachsene als auch Rentnerinnen und Rentner sind zunehmend bereit, beispielsweise in Vereinen, Initiativen oder der Flüchtlingshilfe freiwillig mit anzupacken. Das sind zentrale Ergebnisse einer Studie des Deutschen Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin), die auf repräsentativen Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) basiert.

Die Bundesregierung hat mit Blick auf mögliche Versorgungsengpässe die Frühwarnstufe Gas in Kraft gesetzt. Claudia Kemfert, Leiterin der Abteilung Energie, Verkehr, Umwelt am Deutschen Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin), kommentiert diesen Schritt:

Der Gaskrisen-Notfallplan sieht vor, im Rahmen einer Frühwarnstufe auf mögliche Gefahren hinzuweisen und die Prozeduren zu starten, um bei einem möglichen Versorgungsengpass die richtigen Schritte einleiten zu können. Gas ist derzeit nicht knapp, wir haben keine Notfallsituation. Wir bereiten uns aber auf mögliche Engpässe vor. Jetzt gilt es, schnell zu handeln, einen Krisenfahrplan zu erarbeiten, der vorsieht, dass wir kurzfristig aus vielen Ländern Gas beziehen. Zusätzlich muss sichergestellt werden, dass die Speicher im Sommer gefüllt werden, und ein Energiesparmaßnahmenpaket muss auf den Weg gebracht werden. Insbesondere die gasintensiven Industrien – allen voran die Chemieindustrie – müssen alternative Gasbezüge sowie Gas- Einsparmaßnahmen erarbeiten. Der Industrie muss geholfen werden. Ebenso sollte ein Energieeinsparprogramm für den Wohnungsbereich möglichst schnell auf dem Weg gebracht werden. Eine mögliche Gasrationierung ist nur der allerletzte Schritt bei der Situation eines ernsten Versorgungsengpasses. Diese können wir zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt abwenden.

In low- and middle-income countries, too many people lack any kind of public support when illness, unemployment or environmental disasters strike. This is especially true of those who work in the informal sector . It is high time to establish universal social-protection schemes everywhere.

In low- and middle-income countries, too many people lack any kind of public support when illness, unemployment or environmental disasters strike. This is especially true of those who work in the informal sector . It is high time to establish universal social-protection schemes everywhere.

In low- and middle-income countries, too many people lack any kind of public support when illness, unemployment or environmental disasters strike. This is especially true of those who work in the informal sector . It is high time to establish universal social-protection schemes everywhere.

In Ländern mit niedrigem oder mittlerem Pro-Kopf-Einkommen sind viele Menschen nicht gegen Krankheiten, Arbeitslosigkeit und Umweltkatastrophen abgesichert – vor allem, wenn sie informell beschäftigt sind. Es ist höchste Zeit, flächendeckend universelle Sozialsysteme aufzubauen.