2015 ended on a very positive note in terms of climate diplomacy efforts. The adoption of the Paris Agreement is widely considered to be a great success. It hasn’t all been easy, but it’s been necessary for 2016 to keep the pace. Thankfully, numerous people, institutions and countries have stepped forward to ensure the debate hasn’t run dry.
The Climate Diplomacy platform has also been dedicated to monitoring and supporting this debate, by gathering and promoting stories, which touch on different aspects of climate diplomacy. Thus, to again end the year on a positive note and maintain the motivation for 2017, we’ve compiled our top ten climate diplomacy stories published on our platform over the past year:
By Benjamin Pohl
Why do some measures which address the causes of migration still ignore climate change? Do we need a policy revolution to achieve integrated, long-term solutions? Benjamin Pohl looked at recent action by the EU.
By Kaj Fischer
Most of the progressive policies and significant challenges with regard to climate change are found in cities. A study by adelphi looks at ways of integrating urban actors in international climate governance to find more effective climate solutions. Kaj Fischer summed up the results.
By Dhanasree Jayaram
In the run up to and during the COP21 negotiations, many eyes were on India, as it was perceived to be a potential “bridging” nation, but also as a “challenge”. Dhanasree Jayaram sheds some insight on what India’s aspirations might be after the Paris Summit.
By Johannes Ackva
Mission Innovation is an initiative by twenty leading countries to double their research and development (R&D) budgets for clean energy innovation in the next five years. In this opinion piece, Johannes Ackva lays out why this initiative is essential in order to complement carbon pricing and deployment policies, and, thus, should receive far more attention.
By Stephan Wolters and Dennis Tänzler
The success of the landmark Paris Agreement ultimately hinges on sustained efforts in the years to come. Stephan Wolters and Dennis Tänzler suggested five elements for EU Climate Diplomacy to keep up the positive momentum.
By Lukas Rüttinger
What are the links between climate change and extractive industries and why is this relevant for international politics? Lukas Rüttinger summed up the findings of a 2016 report and highlights four entry points for foreign policy.
By Sabine Blumstein
Climate change is expected to intensify droughts and other water-related challenges in many international river basins, making adaptive capacity building crucial. Sabine Blumstein summarised the findings of a report by adelphi that outlines different water policy tools used in many river basins to support climate change adaptation, but also explains a number of deficiencies.
By Stephan Wolters
The new EU Global Strategy “Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe” recognises the strategic importance of climate change. This is an important step to integrate climate diplomacy into the EU's overall foreign policy thinking, according to Stephan Wolters.
By Jonathan Rozen
The realization of the SDGs, and with them the conditions for peaceful societies, is directly threatened by worsening climatic conditions. Climate change directly impacts socio-economic development outcomes, such as food and livelihood security. Author Jonathan Rozen argues that efforts on sustaining peace and advancing sustainable development require bold climate action that looks beyond short-term political constraints.
By Stephan Wolters
How to deal with the impacts of climate change on peace and stability? What are the key climate-fragility risks to development in Africa and how can integrated policy responses be designed and implemented? Two side events at COP22 discussed entry points for addressing climate-security risks on the ground.
Access to water can be a critical resource for cooperation, but also a source of tension. Identifying risks before their onset is crucial for the efficiency and economic feasibility of intervention strategies, but how can these risks be measured? To address this conundrum, adelphi together with several partners convened a side-event at World Water Week, which connected experts developing analytical tools to policy makers in the water sector.
“It is time to do more than just talk about sustainability. It is time to act sustainably,” said Heiko Maas during his speech at the General Debate of the 74th United Nations General Assembly. Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs highlighted the need for multilateral cooperation to achieve worldwide sustainability, as well as Germany's focus on climate-security, women, and disarmament and arms control as part of its agenda in the UN Security Council.
Strengthening multilateralism is a prominent task of foreign policy and central to achieving sustainable development and securing a peaceful future. Here you can watch, hear and read innovative ideas on how diplomats can drive sustainable change by gearing-up international cooperation to shape a truly sustainable foreign policy.
Ahead of the most important climate action event of the year, the international expert community releases key reports with the latest scientific information on climate impacts, national targets and climate action progress over the last 25 years. Now climate diplomats have only one thing to focus on: stepping-up implementation.