.

Back to Overview
Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Europe
08 May, 2017

Dialogues: Drawbridges up, climate policy down - decarbonisation without leadership?

adelphi

adelphi will hold four roundtables in major European cities to better understand the future landscape of climate diplomacy in a time where populists agitate against the globalized world – be it migration, the free flow of goods, of information, or institutions of international cooperation.

Populists agitate against the globalized world – be it migration, the free flow of goods, of information, or institutions of international cooperation. Yet, climate change and sustainable development – among many other topics – are challenges that cannot be tackled by any single country alone. The Western world finds itself at a crossroads – with political drawbridges rising – and time is running short for the international community to develop a coherent strategy in the fight against climate change.

Berlin, Brussels, London, Paris - climate diplomacy in times of populism in focus

What are the implications for climate diplomacy resulting from the rise of populism in Europe? What will the consequences be of a new US president with an agenda that does not recognize the realities of a changing climate? How can climate and energy policy strengthen the vision for the EU? How will Brexit impact climate and energy policy and cooperation in Europe, and the EU’s leadership role in climate negotiations? What impact will the elections in Germany and France have on energy relations?

In order to find answers to these and other questions, adelphi will hold four roundtables in major European cities to better understand the future landscape of climate diplomacy and energy relations given changing international political circumstances. adelphi partners with the Institute for European Studies in Brussels, the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) in Paris, and the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College in London. The series Drawbridges up, climate policy down - decarbonization without leadership? is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. Each of the roundtables will address a specific theme, namely:

  • The Future of Decarbonization and EU Cooperation (Brussels)
  • Implications for Climate Policy and Ambitions (London)
  • Implications for International Climate Negotiations (Paris)
  • Implications for the Climate Science-Policy Interface (Berlin)

adelphi and our partner institutions will summarize the key findings from the four-part discussion series in a single policy brief that will be disseminated to policy-makers. A public discussion will take place during this year’s Climate Diplomacy Week (19-25 June) in Berlin.

Keep yourself updated by following us on Twitter: @ClimateDiplo.

Related Reading 
Stockholm conclusions on climate-fragility risks around Lake Chad

At the 2017 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development from 3 - 4 May, adelphi, in partnership with SIPRI and SEI, convened two sessions on climate change and fragility risks in the Lake Chad region, to discuss the different approaches and next steps for building resilience.

Read more
The Rise of Populism

After a change at the top, the U.S. stance on the environment is poised to take a drastic step back. In Europe, less liberal leaders are gaining momentum. Populist movements mushrooming all over the continent preach isolationism and reject hard facts as a pivot of the political agenda. Author Lou Del Bello argues that under this new, shifting political landscape, the climate movement needs to reconnect with the grassroots.

Read more
Climate Diplomacy
Global Issues
07 November, 2019

US Paris Agreement withdrawal prompts new thinking on how to exert pressure

Aline Robert, Euractiv

Even as the US officially pulled out of the Paris Agreement earlier this week, it might be too soon to lose hope on the country's long-term commitments to climate action. If a Democrat wins the upcoming presidential elections, which are set for November 2020, a reaccession process could begin shortly after the withdrawal is complete. In the meantime, however, the effect on trade policy could be significant.

Climate Change
Land & Food
Europe
Global Issues
24 October, 2019

Europe’s carbon-rich peatlands show ‘widespread’ and ‘concerning’ drying trends

Josh Gabbatiss, Carbon Brief

European peatlands could turn from carbon sinks to sources as a quarter have reached levels of dryness unsurpassed in a record stretching back 2,000 years, according to a new study. This trend of “widespread” and “substantial” drying corresponds to recent climate change, both natural and human-caused, but may also be exacerbated by the peatlands being used for agriculture and fuel.

Adaptation & Resilience
Capacity Building
Conflict Transformation
Development
Finance
Land & Food
Middle East & North Africa
11 October, 2019

Tackling Food Security and Protracted Crisis in Horn of Africa

Planetary Security Initiative

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has contributed $28 million to back FAO's work to boost the resilience of food systems in Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan - part of a new initiative to scale-up resilience-based development work in countries affected by protracted crises.

Climate Change
Climate Diplomacy
Global Issues
10 October, 2019

Small Countries Punching Above Their Weight: The New Initiative for an Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS)

Harro van Asselt, IISD

A group of five small countries have announced that they will launch negotiations on a new Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability, which, if successful, would constitute the first international trade agreement focused solely on climate change and sustainable development. The initiative also breaks new ground by aiming to simultaneously remove barriers for trade in environmental goods and services and crafting binding rules to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. Small countries can pioneer the development of new trade rules that can help achieve climate goals, but making credible commitments, attracting additional participants, and ensuring transparency will be essential ingredients for long-term success.