Nature, Inc.? As old methods have lost credibility, some governments, economists and international institutions like the UN Environment Programme have adopted a new approach, based on the view that nature is an “ecosystem service” provider. In doing so, they have shifted the onus of addressing environmental risk onto the private sector and market-based mechanisms. By Barbara Unmüßig
The “doha climate gateway”: Will the camel go through the eye of the needle? Expectations for the climate summit in Doha were so low that it is quite remarkable that the meager results still managed to fall short of them. The UN climate talks appear to have a recurring theme: The process was saved, unfortunately the climate wasn't. Did Doha move us even the tiniest step forward ? By Lili Fuhr and Liane Schalatek
The german energy transition Germany has drawn a lot of attention for the Energiewende - the aim to switch to a renewable energy economy, phase out nuclear power and leave fossil fuels behind. But what exactly is the German energy transition: How does it works and what challenges lay ahead? Check out this new website. By Arne Jungjohann
Green sins – How the green economy became a subject of controversy Large-scale wind farms and solar power plants are springing up everywhere one looks. That’s good for the climate, but small-scale farmers and the poor are becoming the pawns of hard-nosed business interests around the world. By Barbara Unmüßig
"We need human rights-based, social development without depleting limited resources" Barbara Unmüßig, president of the Heinrich Böll Foundation argues that because of the limited nature of our planet and the ecological challenges facing us, the fundamentals of our economy have to be reconsidered. In that respect, she thinks, the existing blueprints for a green economy do not go far enough.
The Green Economy – The New Magic Bullet? In this essay, the president of the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Barbara Unmuessig, critically reflects on the opportunities for and the shortcomings of the concept of a "Green Economy" to influence economic policy making globally, its relationship to the paradigm of sustainable development and the need to rethink our understanding and focus on growth By Barbara Unmüßig
Pakistan - India Track II, (Climate) Change for Peace The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE - New Delhi) and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI - Islamabad), with the support of Heinrich Böll Stiftung India and Pakistan offices, organized a 3-days dialogue “Climate Change for Peace - Track II” in the Best Western Hotel, Islamabad, on 13th to 15th February 2012
NGOs and Climate Crisis: Fragmentation, Lines of Conflict and Strategic Approaches Climate policy active NGOs and movements are fragmented and characterized by heterogeneous interests. Cleavages exist in important issues and the choice of strategies. A discussion of complementary strategies and division of labor is an urgent need By Barbara Unmüßig
Where does international climate policy stand after Cancún? One year ago, the climate summit in Copenhagen failed, leaving the UN climate negotiations in tatters. The result of the following summit in Mexico – the Cancún Agreement – was a pleasant surprise for many observers, whose post-Copenhagen blues left them with little expectation of an agreement. An analysis By By Lili Fuhr and Ingrid Spiller
Climate Finance Fundamentals – Series of Short Issue Briefs In cooperation with ODI, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung is offering a new series of short introductory briefing on various aspects of climate financing. Called “Climate Finance Fundamentals” the short briefs, which include tables and graphs, are meant for those readers new to the debate on global climate change financing and its myriads of facets and needing a quick overview
