Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

Humanity faces complex challenges across social, economic, and ecological dimensions. The window of opportunity for mitigating or reversing the most harmful effects of megatrends such as climate change is quickly closing. The coming decade could be a critical turning point. It will also likely be characterized by unprecedented technological innovation that could provide the tools humanity needs to tackle some of its most pressing challenges. This policy brief examines the policies and investments G7 countries may adopt and promote to help humanity harness the potential for applying digital technologies responsibly to build a more climate-resilient, prosperous, and democratic world.

To plant the seeds for circular economy to grow, cities must overcome three critical gaps. First, they must build the skills in city administrations to embed green tasks into planning and operational activities. They should be guided by dedicated planning offices and project preparation facilities like the City Climate Finance Gap Fund and the C40 Cities Finance Facility. Donors and multilateral development banks could kickstart the financing of such offices. They should make use of tools like City WORKS or tailor-made ones like Circle City Scan Tool and boost their engagement with public utility companies, which in many developing countries can absorb a variety of financial instruments that city governments alone often cannot. The Lagos State government announced a far-reaching plan to overhaul the entire waste management system and public utility to generate 6,000 green jobs and deal with the problems of air pollution and littering. Second, they must close the investment gap. The Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance estimates that the annual investment gap for sustainable urban infrastructure amounts to up to five trillion USD. To close this gap, cities must embed circular components into large infrastructure projects that are already ready for financing. The Indian government has made it mandatory to use waste plastics for road construction around large cities. While the possible consequences of spreading micro-plastics should be studied carefully, local governments can build a new income stream from selling waste plastics through this circular approach. They can also boost their engagement with the private sector and with global initiatives, for instance through the new G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. Third, cities must boost innovation. To do so, they can scale-up successful multi-stakeholder partnerships like the PREVENT Waste Alliance and create more university partnerships like the Circular Campus Programme for training, research and diffusion of green technologies. These should be coupled with complementary activities to support vocational education and training, and venture capital programmes to back the ecological innovation potential of start-ups. One example is Singapore-based Circulate Capital. This private equity fund focusses on waste management and circular solutions with a focus on Southeast Asia.

To plant the seeds for circular economy to grow, cities must overcome three critical gaps. First, they must build the skills in city administrations to embed green tasks into planning and operational activities. They should be guided by dedicated planning offices and project preparation facilities like the City Climate Finance Gap Fund and the C40 Cities Finance Facility. Donors and multilateral development banks could kickstart the financing of such offices. They should make use of tools like City WORKS or tailor-made ones like Circle City Scan Tool and boost their engagement with public utility companies, which in many developing countries can absorb a variety of financial instruments that city governments alone often cannot. The Lagos State government announced a far-reaching plan to overhaul the entire waste management system and public utility to generate 6,000 green jobs and deal with the problems of air pollution and littering. Second, they must close the investment gap. The Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance estimates that the annual investment gap for sustainable urban infrastructure amounts to up to five trillion USD. To close this gap, cities must embed circular components into large infrastructure projects that are already ready for financing. The Indian government has made it mandatory to use waste plastics for road construction around large cities. While the possible consequences of spreading micro-plastics should be studied carefully, local governments can build a new income stream from selling waste plastics through this circular approach. They can also boost their engagement with the private sector and with global initiatives, for instance through the new G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. Third, cities must boost innovation. To do so, they can scale-up successful multi-stakeholder partnerships like the PREVENT Waste Alliance and create more university partnerships like the Circular Campus Programme for training, research and diffusion of green technologies. These should be coupled with complementary activities to support vocational education and training, and venture capital programmes to back the ecological innovation potential of start-ups. One example is Singapore-based Circulate Capital. This private equity fund focusses on waste management and circular solutions with a focus on Southeast Asia.

To plant the seeds for circular economy to grow, cities must overcome three critical gaps. First, they must build the skills in city administrations to embed green tasks into planning and operational activities. They should be guided by dedicated planning offices and project preparation facilities like the City Climate Finance Gap Fund and the C40 Cities Finance Facility. Donors and multilateral development banks could kickstart the financing of such offices. They should make use of tools like City WORKS or tailor-made ones like Circle City Scan Tool and boost their engagement with public utility companies, which in many developing countries can absorb a variety of financial instruments that city governments alone often cannot. The Lagos State government announced a far-reaching plan to overhaul the entire waste management system and public utility to generate 6,000 green jobs and deal with the problems of air pollution and littering. Second, they must close the investment gap. The Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance estimates that the annual investment gap for sustainable urban infrastructure amounts to up to five trillion USD. To close this gap, cities must embed circular components into large infrastructure projects that are already ready for financing. The Indian government has made it mandatory to use waste plastics for road construction around large cities. While the possible consequences of spreading micro-plastics should be studied carefully, local governments can build a new income stream from selling waste plastics through this circular approach. They can also boost their engagement with the private sector and with global initiatives, for instance through the new G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. Third, cities must boost innovation. To do so, they can scale-up successful multi-stakeholder partnerships like the PREVENT Waste Alliance and create more university partnerships like the Circular Campus Programme for training, research and diffusion of green technologies. These should be coupled with complementary activities to support vocational education and training, and venture capital programmes to back the ecological innovation potential of start-ups. One example is Singapore-based Circulate Capital. This private equity fund focusses on waste management and circular solutions with a focus on Southeast Asia.

A net zero transition to climate-neutral development in Asia needs to systematically include the consumer perspective. Net-zero transition policies including consumers will need to differentiate both between and within Asian countries, reflecting inequality in emissions, consumption patterns, and capabilities. The growing  and aspiring middle classes present the key consumer group that will shape the next decade in Asia. Key opportunities include changing consumer norms and aspirations before lock-in, while reaping co-benefits on local problems, and new job and market opportunities from rising consumer incomes, e.g., in (a) low-carbon  technologies, (b) new services/sharing economy, (c) refurbed and remanufactured products/circular economy, and (d) low-carbon buildings and construction. Future policies could integrate and expand sustainable consumption and production policies more systematically to unleash a virtuous cycle, combining regulations,  financial incentives and behavioural insights tools. Regulations and financial incentives are particularly useful for costly investments, complex decision-making situations, infrastructure support and steering unpopular choices. Behavioural insights tools are helpful for concrete, individual-level programs, the adoption of low- carbon technologies and addressing individuals with high environmental concern and intrinsic motivation. Sequencing and targeting measures in policy packages to ensure a timely and just transition is required.

A net zero transition to climate-neutral development in Asia needs to systematically include the consumer perspective. Net-zero transition policies including consumers will need to differentiate both between and within Asian countries, reflecting inequality in emissions, consumption patterns, and capabilities. The growing  and aspiring middle classes present the key consumer group that will shape the next decade in Asia. Key opportunities include changing consumer norms and aspirations before lock-in, while reaping co-benefits on local problems, and new job and market opportunities from rising consumer incomes, e.g., in (a) low-carbon  technologies, (b) new services/sharing economy, (c) refurbed and remanufactured products/circular economy, and (d) low-carbon buildings and construction. Future policies could integrate and expand sustainable consumption and production policies more systematically to unleash a virtuous cycle, combining regulations,  financial incentives and behavioural insights tools. Regulations and financial incentives are particularly useful for costly investments, complex decision-making situations, infrastructure support and steering unpopular choices. Behavioural insights tools are helpful for concrete, individual-level programs, the adoption of low- carbon technologies and addressing individuals with high environmental concern and intrinsic motivation. Sequencing and targeting measures in policy packages to ensure a timely and just transition is required.

A net zero transition to climate-neutral development in Asia needs to systematically include the consumer perspective. Net-zero transition policies including consumers will need to differentiate both between and within Asian countries, reflecting inequality in emissions, consumption patterns, and capabilities. The growing  and aspiring middle classes present the key consumer group that will shape the next decade in Asia. Key opportunities include changing consumer norms and aspirations before lock-in, while reaping co-benefits on local problems, and new job and market opportunities from rising consumer incomes, e.g., in (a) low-carbon  technologies, (b) new services/sharing economy, (c) refurbed and remanufactured products/circular economy, and (d) low-carbon buildings and construction. Future policies could integrate and expand sustainable consumption and production policies more systematically to unleash a virtuous cycle, combining regulations,  financial incentives and behavioural insights tools. Regulations and financial incentives are particularly useful for costly investments, complex decision-making situations, infrastructure support and steering unpopular choices. Behavioural insights tools are helpful for concrete, individual-level programs, the adoption of low- carbon technologies and addressing individuals with high environmental concern and intrinsic motivation. Sequencing and targeting measures in policy packages to ensure a timely and just transition is required.

Die am DIW Berlin angesiedelte forschungsbasierte Infrastruktureinrichtung Sozio-oekonomisches Panel (SOEP) sucht zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt ein bis zwei studentische Hilfskraft (m/w/div) für 8 - 15 Wochenstunden.

Die am DIW Berlin angesiedelte forschungsbasierte Infrastruktureinrichtung Sozio-oekonomische Panel (SOEP) ist eine der größten und am längsten laufenden multidisziplinären Panelstudien weltweit, für die derzeit jährlich etwa 30.000 Menschen in knapp 15.000 Haushalten befragt werden. Das SOEP hat den Anspruch den gesellschaftlichen Wandel zu erfassen und steht somit immer neuen und vielfältigen Themen- und Aufgabenfelder gegenüber. Seine Datenerhebung und -generierung folgt dem Konzept des Survey bzw. Data Life Cycle.

 Zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt suchen wir eine*n Doktorand*in und wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in (w/m/div) (Teilzeit mit 65%).

This policy brief advocates for the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 for ethical reasons. The G20 or Group of Twenty is one of the most powerful multilateral platforms today. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global governance on all major international economic issues. Its key achievements include cooperation on tax transparency, increasing female participation in the workforce, enhancing food security, and reducing the debt burden on the world’s poorest countries. The G20 has one major limitation. Fortunately, this limitation – that it leaves out 96% of Africa’s population - can be easily remedied by including the African Union. There are many political, social, economic and governance reasons for adding the African Union to the G20. This values-driven policy brief argues that the African Union should be included in the G20 to promote the values of fairness, respect, care and honesty.

This policy brief advocates for the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 for ethical reasons. The G20 or Group of Twenty is one of the most powerful multilateral platforms today. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global governance on all major international economic issues. Its key achievements include cooperation on tax transparency, increasing female participation in the workforce, enhancing food security, and reducing the debt burden on the world’s poorest countries. The G20 has one major limitation. Fortunately, this limitation – that it leaves out 96% of Africa’s population - can be easily remedied by including the African Union. There are many political, social, economic and governance reasons for adding the African Union to the G20. This values-driven policy brief argues that the African Union should be included in the G20 to promote the values of fairness, respect, care and honesty.

This policy brief advocates for the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 for ethical reasons. The G20 or Group of Twenty is one of the most powerful multilateral platforms today. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global governance on all major international economic issues. Its key achievements include cooperation on tax transparency, increasing female participation in the workforce, enhancing food security, and reducing the debt burden on the world’s poorest countries. The G20 has one major limitation. Fortunately, this limitation – that it leaves out 96% of Africa’s population - can be easily remedied by including the African Union. There are many political, social, economic and governance reasons for adding the African Union to the G20. This values-driven policy brief argues that the African Union should be included in the G20 to promote the values of fairness, respect, care and honesty.