Silent Spring (2/3): Pesticide lobby in times of war Podcast episode Ddespite the scandals around glyphosate in the past – authorities are using studies that do not follow scientific standards and even contradict OECD guidelines. Is all the progress being nullified due to the war in Ukraine? By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Silent Spring (1/3): Glyphosate reloaded Podcast episode In this episode, we will learn about pesticide scandals in recent years and how millions of Europeans are raising their voices against toxic pesticides. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Civil society proposals to reconcile trade rules with the need for regulatory action Commentary When governments adopt new legislation, they need to check if their plan is in line with international agreements they signed up to. Consumer and digital rights organisations from the EU and the US are concerned that rules in trade agreements could deter domestic regulation that is in the public interest. To address this, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue organised a discussion between NGOs, public officials, parliamentarians, and academics. The NGOs aimed to raise awareness and find solutions to prevent trade rules from discouraging government action and ensure improved protection for citizens writes Léa Auffret. By Léa Auffret
Remaining on the right side of history – An interview with Gergely Karácsony, the Green Mayor of Budapest Interview Gergely Karácsony talks about the financial situation of Budapest, the consequences of Covid-19 and the energy crisis, the role of the EU in ensuring the self-governance of cities, future greening projects, and the impact on Hungary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. By Anna Frenyó
CAP strategic plans: More money, less liability Analysis EU Agriculture is in crisis mode. And so is the CAP. For two years in a row, the CAP crisis reserve has been spent to help farmers deal with the adverse consequences of the invasion of Ukraine and climate change. At the same time, EU Member States are asking for reduced environmental obligations in 2024. What happened during this week’s AgriFish EU Council meeting, CAP-wise? ARC2020's Mathieu Willard guides you through the updates. By Mathieu Willard
We still can safeguard our freedoms Commentary The catastrophic flooding in Italy shows how the climate crisis is already threatening our lives and quality of living here in Europe. We know what we need to do to slow it down. But the longer we wait, the greater the restrictions on our freedom will be in the future. By Jan Philipp Albrecht
Ukraine's reconstruction: "Continue to apply the sandwich effect!" Interview On 21 and 22 June 2023, the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference was held in London. It is about a lot of money, its distribution and the necessary control. If many actors work together, the mammoth task can succeed without much corruption. Johannes Voswinkel, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Kyiv office interviews Olena Halushka, Board Member of the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC). By Johannes Voswinkel and Olena Halushka
World Refugee Day 2023: accountability cannot be pushed over borders Commentary World Refugee Day obliges us to take stock of the brutal reality at our EU's external borders. We cannot shirk our responsibility for humanity or outsource responsibility. By Neda Noraie-Kia
More uncertainty ahead in Northern Ireland Commentary Although the Windsor Framework was broadly welcomed in Northern Ireland as a way of avoiding the alarming prospect of a hard border with the Republic or Ireland, the Stormont Assembly is still suspended. This means the devolved government is unable to take any significant decisions. Amanda Ferguson explains why and looks at what happens next. By Amanda Ferguson
CAP environmental derogations: What is the impact on food security? Analysis CAP 2022 & 2023 has seen multiple authorised derogations on environmental standards. These derogations, ostensibly for food security, are pushed hard by the agribusiness-lobby & criticised by many scientists. So who’s right? New data, including in particular a report from Abl, Birdlife, Global 2000 and Corporate Europe Observatory, helps us separate myth from reality. By Mathieu Willard