The climate crisis and the war in Ukraine's common denominator: fossil fuels dependence Published: 14 April 2022 Commentary The consequences of the war in Ukraine are palpable even in Bratislava, over a thousand kilometres from the border. Ukrainian is heard more often on the streets, cars with Ukrainian number plates are appearing on the roads, the windows of shops and apartments are festooned with Ukrainian flags, and the city is alive with marches and initiatives in support of Ukraine. The only thing that has remained unaffected is the flow of oil and gas from Russia to Slovakia, and our payments for it. By Dorota Osvaldová
Away from Russian gas: Germany and Europe must swap their dependencies on fossil fuels for green energy partnerships Published: 14 April 2022 Analysis As Germany moves away from Russian energy imports, new dependencies on fossil energies must be avoided. The potential alternative from energy-saving, renewables and European cooperation offers excellent opportunities in the short, medium and long terms. But this will require new, green energy partnerships built on a new foundation of values. By Sascha Müller-Kraenner and Constantin Zerger
Where are the Ukrainian women? Respecting female voices now and in post-war times Published: 13 April 2022 Commentary The Russian invasion of Ukraine tragically continues with brutal shelling of civilian targets, escalating into a humanitarian catastrophe. At the forefront of all this is the masculinity of war which caused these horrors in the first place, and which allows for ignoring the voices of Ukrainian women at all levels. By Dr. Míla O'Sullivan
Changes “required” to Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan – European Commission Published: 13 April 2022 Analysis Changes in the CAP strategic Plan submitted by Ireland are “required”, as pointed out in the Observation Letter sent by the European Commission to Ireland. The overall green architecture itself, including eco-schemes especially, needs work, if Ireland is to achieve its environmental targets. There is a distinct lack of ambition, scoring, and incentives for stronger environmental practices. Increasing dairy herd numbers is named directly as making the necessary changes more difficult. That the letter’s language is strident in places is noteworthy. So what is the Commission asking for? And what comes next? Oliver Moore reports. By Oliver Moore
CAP Strategic Plans: Observation Letters under scrutiny Published: 12 April 2022 Analysis On 31 March 2022, the 19 EU Member States that submitted their CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) by the 1 January 2022 deadline received their awaited Observation Letters. In this article we discuss the implications of the European Commission backtracking on a transparent process and explore the content of Observation Letters that have been partially released. By Mathieu Willard
How the war in Ukraine has driven the EU and Britain further apart Published: 12 April 2022 Commentary The UK government has used its response to the war in Ukraine as an opportunity to distance itself further from the EU, says Ros Taylor. By Ros Taylor
Statement on the ban of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in Russia Published: 11 April 2022 Press release By banning the work of German political foundations, the Russian leadership is purposefully trying to block an essential, independent channel of communication between our societies. We deeply regret this further escalation by the Russian authorities. We will maintain contact with all those who are working courageously, creatively, steadfastly and with conviction for a different, peaceful and democratic Russia. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Crypto on both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war Published: 8 April 2022 Analysis Some have labelled Russia’s war against Ukraine “the world’s first crypto war.” That might be overstating matters, but cryptocurrencies are certainly having an impact on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By Jennifer Baker
Smart sanctions and how to diminish Europe’s dependency on Russian gas Published: 7 April 2022 Commentary The ongoing suffering of the civilian population in Ukraine has led to calls for the EU, or individual Member States, to stop imports of Russian gas. The economic consequences of such a step would be very severe in the short run. But there is another way, more gradual, which would minimise economic disruptions. The EU should simply impose a special import tariff on Russian gas. Repost courtesy of EUIdeas. By Daniel Gros
The EU must do more to stop funding the Russian war in Ukraine! Published: 7 April 2022 Interview With the EU’s ongoing purchase of Russian energy resources, the regime that is responsible for the current barbaric war in Ukraine is guaranteed a constant cash flow. Proponents of an embargo want to maximise the economic and financial pressure on Putin and withdraw financing from the Russian war machine. By Robert Sperfeld