European Union

The chapter of the coalition agreement of the new German government on integration, migration and flight is highly ambitious. What changes does it set out at EU policy level?

Following the German federal election of 26 September 2021, the German Greens achieved the biggest, most female, younger and diverse parliamentary group in their history. Let’s explore some fact and figures about the Alliance 90/The Greens fraction in the 20th Bundestag!

Largely bypassing EU institutions and national governments, China has steadily expanded its ties at the subnational level. China uses the subnational level to increase its influence, advance its strategic economic and political interests. European subnational actors that hope to benefit from Chinese investments, R&D cooperation, and cultural exchanges also face risks with regard to growing economic dependency, industrial espionage, technology transfer, and increasing political pressure and disinformation. These risks are compounded by Europe’s several weak spots when it comes to subnational relations with China.

More than a year after the European Commission tabled the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, negotiations are at a standstill, while the number of asylum seekers arriving in the Union is sharply increasing. The Afghan crisis has made apparent the absence of uniform and coordinated responses by EU Member States.

Lisa Tostado interviewed Green MEP Jutta Paulus her about her expectations and initial assessment concerning this year’s COP26, as well as the on role of the EU and particularly Germany in international climate negotiations.

Methane is the second biggest contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for about 0.5°C of human-caused global heating so far. One of the main emitters of the powerful greenhouse gas is the oil and gas sector, where methane can leak across the whole supply chain – during extraction, transport, storage and use. The extent to which such leakages occur is only vaguely known, with companies often reporting emissions only on the basis of calculations as opposed to actual measurements. Where measurements are being done, they often show higher emission rates than previously anticipated.

The European Union has long sought to play a leadership role in the international climate change negotiations. For the time being, however, it is non-compliant with a procedural obligation under the Paris Agreement: to notify the UNFCCC secretariat of the individual emission levels allocated to each Member State.