adelphi’s New Publications on Climate Diplomacy
adelphi has released two new publications in an endeavour to illustrate the rationale and results of the joint engagement by adelphi and the German Federal Foreign Office in climate diplomacy activities. The climate diplomacy initiative helps foster a response to climate change that is commensurate with its status as one of the key foreign policy challenges of the 21st century. Hundreds of decision-makers and experts as well as thousands of citizens have participated in regional roundtables from Bogotá to New Delhi, executive briefings and consultations from Wellington to Port of Spain, and events at climate conferences from Durban to Doha. The initiative’s new flagship publication “Climate Diplomacy: New Approaches for Foreign Policy” documents this ambitious political process. As part of the initiative, a touring exhibition “Environment, Conflict and Cooperation” visualises the impact of global environmental change. It is available in English, German, Chinese, and Portuguese. The booklet now published pictures the topics and regions covered in the exhibition.
In this interview, EcoPeace Directors Nada Majdalani (Palestine), Yana Abu-Taleb (Jordan) and Gidon Bromberg (Israel) explain why disengaging from a shared environment can aggravate the region’s security challenges.
At the conclusion of the 50th Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific leaders issued a Forum Communiqué and the ‘Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent Climate Change Action Now’ – the strongest collective statement the Forum has issued on climate change. Pacific leaders highlight the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, the SAMOA Pathway Review, and 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC as “global turning points to ensure meaningful, measurable and effective climate change action”.
If ratified, the Mercosur-EU trade deal may reinforce the parties’ commitment to climate action. Yet, its potential relevance is weakened by a language that often stops short of concrete commitments, as well as political resistance.
Climate Change Is Exacerbating Iraq’s Complicated Water Politics
Iraq is on the verge of an environmental breakdown, and climate change is not helping. The country's fragile environment and the increasing scarcity of natural resources — particularly water — are a result of poor environmental management, as well as several political and historical factors. However, as climate change impacts add to the existing pressures, the environmental collapse turns into a security issue.