Articles

The rain forest is going up in smoke – this is the impression given by the images that have been circling the globe for years. But the digital age means that they now travel faster than ever. There are fires in the Arctic, forests burning in Canada, Siberia, South East Asia and now in Amazonia. It is a cause for concern and incomprehension, as most people are now aware of the importance of the largest tropical forest on earth in climate change and protecting biodiversity.  

Amazonia means many things to different people. Below is an overview of what Amazonia is, who lives here and why such large areas of it are being slashed and burned.

In Asia, the pandemic has accelerated efforts to keep citizens informed through prompt and extensive data sharing. However, this new openness has also led to concerns regarding transparency, data protection, and democratic participation.

Further arrests and acts of repression in Belarus: Lawyer Maxim Snak arrested; Nobel Prize for Literature winner Svetlana Alexievich harassed – Pressure on Minsk and Moscow must be raised and activists in danger allowed into Germany.

In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union faces major challenges. Considering that the conditions and circumstances will constantly change, and that the EU will face increasing uncertainty and unpredictability, we need to reflect on how it should respond to vital challenges in the long term.

How can the European Green Deal,  aimed at transforming the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, become a vehicle for gender equality and women’s empowerment?

This #TechCovid19 event explored the narratives of coronavirus disinformation around the world and debated very timely issues: Where do we draw the line between opinion and fabrication? Where do the fake stories come from, how do they spread and what is their purpose? Most importantly: what can we do about this?

The need for reliable information about Covid-19 is vital. Unfortunately, many false stories and myths are circulating about it. External state actors, domestic conspiracy theorists and hate groups as well as even some governments participate in spreading such disinformation. Numerous myths reach a huge audience on social networks because of the network’s recommendation algorithms. Where do we draw the line between opinion and fabrication? Where do the fake stories come from, how do they spread and what is their purpose? Most importantly: what can we do about this?

The toppling of the President of Mali by a group of officers demonstrates the failure of an anti-terrorism policy that disregards the population’s main issues. Charlotte Wiedemann, author of the study paper “Viel Militär, weniger Sicherheit” for the Heinrich Böll Foundation, on the chances of a new start after the putsch.

Green recovery. Social protection. Smart containment. Decarbonisation. Putting progress in climate action at par with measuring GDP. Creative capacity. These phrases have been running through conversations these days around changing Southeast Asia's template for development in the post-COVID era.