Climate

Soils are vital to our survival. They store greenhouse gases and water and are home to at least a quarter of all living creatures on earth. However, over 60 percent of soils in the EU are damaged and their sealing threatens biodiversity.

The outgoing European Commission has upscaled the use of unilateral trade instruments to achieve security, competitiveness and sustainability objectives. In times of environmental crises and rising geopolitical tensions, the incoming European Commission should implement the ambition to embed European trade within planetary boundaries and revive international cooperation around environmental trade goals.

In 2023, the European Commission published the first EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, highlighting the need for a shared understanding and approach to space threats, and promoting global partnerships for responsible space conduct. Space technology plays a crucial role beyond military concerns, affecting our daily life globally. Disruptions to satellite infrastructure can lead to severe consequences, ranging from military incapability to supply chain breakdowns. Space has become a global focal point and a stage for geopolitical manoeuvring. Niklas Nienaß, a former MEP (Greens/EFA, Germany), has been a strong advocate for a cohesive EU space policy. We asked him three questions about the future of EU space policy.

Three weeks ago, Brazilians stood by in astonishment as they witnessed yet another example of a climate emergency: the damage caused by the rains in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state, bordering Uruguay and Argentina. According to the authorities, in a statement released on May 20, 146 deaths and 131 missing people were recorded and more than 81,000 people are still in shelters. 2.3 million people were affected in 463 of the state’s 497 cities. Today, the day this article is being written, the rain has returned heavily to Porto Alegre, the state capital. In addition to these shocking figures, which cannot reflect the immeasurable suffering involved, the tragedy has also fostered another phenomenon of our times that is very devastating: disinformation.