Climate

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.

This analysis seeks to unravel the intricate web of factors influencing mobility in the wake of three transformative events - Covid-19, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the climate crisis. These events have had a profound impact on the way we move, and it is essential to understand the evolving patterns of travel, the resilience of transportation systems, the role of technology, and the policy responses that have emerged to address these challenges.

From 6 to 18 November 2022, the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This COP puts a focus on the support of the countries of the Global South by the richer industrialised countries, which are responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions. The poorer countries are demanding financial compensation for the massive losses and damage already caused by the climate crisis. Meeting the Paris 1.5 degree limit requires a rapid phase-out of coal, oil and gas, not empty "net zero" promises that rely on risky technologies or compensation mechanisms. Moreover, COP27 comes against the backdrop of the human rights crisis and the repression of civil society in Egypt.

Africa will host international climate talks on 6-18 November 2022 and the African Union has been busy trying to get the rest of the world’s attention on the continent's expectations in the lead up to COP27. Of course, COP27 expectations are matched only by their disappointments. However, Africans are not leaving the fate of its people to chance.

The Inflation Reduction Act is seen as an expression of climate pragmatism by some and a Faustian bargain with the fossil fuel industry by others. What exactly is it?

Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the German Federal government, talks to Christine Pütz about the results of the "Actually European?! 2022" study and what the citizens expect from Germany’s European policy at this “turning point in history”.

The conference “Stockholm+50: A healthy planet for the prosperity of all - our responsibility, our opportunity” takes place five decades after the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. In this dossier we do not only look back at 50 years of global environmental policy, but also forward: What can we do better now to ensure the necessary transformation still succeeds?