Smart, fair and flexible: lessons from the smart meter rollouts in Great Britain Published: 18 January 2024 Analysis Smart energy technologies can enable citizens to benefit from cheap renewable energy. They potentially optimise the use of our energy infrastructure, promising lower societal costs. However, one-size-fits-all solutions will not work when it comes to their daily use – with potentially significant risks to vulnerable households already struggling with fuel poverty. An inclusive smart energy transition should target the consumers most in need with more nuanced policies. By Nickhil Sharma
Our best wishes for 2024 Published: 10 January 2024 Greetings 2023 was a particularly challenging year. With the highest number of conflicts since 1945, we saw a world at war. It was the hottest year in recorded history, with “climate records tumbling like dominoes”. Challenges don’t disappear with a new year; we know that 2024 will be demanding. This year’s super election cycle is also testimony to the resilience of democracy and offers an opportunity for like-minded states to come together to solve shared challenges. By Roderick Kefferpütz
Böll EU Newsletter Published: 1 January 2024 Newsletter Newsletter of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union office.
Forests vs palm oil Published: 15 December 2023 Report Deforestation — the widespread clearing of forests for various purposes — has become a critical global issue with profound environmental, social, and economic consequences. Driven by factors like agriculture, logging, and urban expansion, this destructive practice exacerbates climate change, threatens biodiversity, and jeopardizes communities worldwide. In this report, we explore the multifaceted reasons why deforestation requires immediate attention and action. By Michael Anthony and Marcus Pfeil
COP 28: Climate Conference in Dubai Published: 30 November 2023 Dossier COP28 is being held under the banner of the urgently needed global energy transition: More and more governments and international civil society are calling for a global agreement on a rapid, comprehensive and just phase-out of all fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas. At the same time, there is a great risk that carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other risky technologies and carbon offsetting mechanisms will be promoted at COP28 in order to delay and water down the fossil fuel phase-out. This dossier contains analyses and comments on the most important negotiating points. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
‘Fire on fire’: how migrants got blamed for Greece’s devastating blazes Published: 24 November 2023 Feature In August, wildfires in Evros killed a group of people, including children, passing along a well-trodden migration route. Locals and politicians made the victims scapegoats for the disaster. First piece of our 2023 Climate Disinformation Fellowship by Giorgos Christides and Katy Fallon. Photos by Alexandros Avramidis. By Giorgos Christides and Katy Fallon
Laundering captured carbon: how CCS produces more oil Published: 21 November 2023 Analysis Though many authors write that captured CO2 can and is being safely buried deep underground in geologic formations or depleted oil and gas reservoirs, most articles fail to mention that the overwhelmingly single biggest use of all captured CO2 is to directly produce more oil. By L. Michael Buchsbaum
A sustainable food system law paving the way for an ambitious CAP reform Published: 2 November 2023 Analysis This article reflects on the potential links between the CAP and the proposal for a European Framework for Sustainable Food Systems (SFS). This integration is challenging, but possible. Constructive interdisciplinary dialogue and pro-active cooperation at multiple-level of governance should not be replaced by time wasting, biased strategic dialogues, as is now proposed. The upcoming European elections and future of food and farming cannot inherit this logic of postponing. By Matteo Metta and Mathieu Willard
Cursed Treasures: The global hunger for raw materials and its consequences for people and the environment Published: 2 November 2023 Böll.Thema In this edition of the Böll.Thema magazine, we aim to deliver insights into emerging trends in resource extraction, associated challenges, and, most importantly, the prospects for transformation. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Impact of CAP beyond the EU – A closer look on soya imports and milk product exports Published: 18 October 2023 Analysis Are subsidies provided to farmers in the EU generating deforestation in Brazil? Or the decline of pastoral communities in Sahel? In this article, we shed light on the CAP’s implications beyond the EU, focusing on its influence on the global trade of soya and milk products and examining its implications for local populations. By Laurent Levard