Category: DIE

Pockets of effectiveness. What we can learn from and about africa in the corona crisis
Covid-19 / DIE

Pockets of effectiveness. What we can learn from and about africa in the corona crisis

Is Africa defenceless in the face of the corona pandemic? This would appear to be self-evident, as even health care systems far better equipped than those of many African countries are currently on the verge of collapse. Nonetheless, such a conclusion is premature. In part, some African countries are even better prepared for pandemics than Europe and the United States. Nigeria’s success in fighting its 2014 Ebola outbreak illustrates why that is the case and what lessons wealthier countries and the development cooperation community can learn from it.

Covid-19 / DIE

Curb your enthusiasm: Corona may slow down multilateral process, but must not derail global climate policy

This is not to downplay the urgency of addressing the immediate impacts of the Corona crisis, but to turn towards a sustainable way forward that avoids the dead ends of apparent quick-fix solutions. Short-term economic impacts, as a result of Corona containment policies, are unavoidable. Yet, the very reason why climate action was not pushed forward hitherto was due to concerns on short-term economic impacts, notwithstanding the prospect of substantial gains in the long-run. Hence, the current disruptions should help rather than hinder policy adjustments and investments that pursue emissions reductions and a responsible use of natural resources while at the same time creating decent jobs and stimulating economic growth.

Catalyst for global sustainability. Coronavirus as an opportunity for international cooperation.
Covid-19 / DIE

Catalyst for global sustainability. Coronavirus as an opportunity for international cooperation.

The novel coronavirus is keeping the world in suspense. Infection rates are rising exponentially in many countries. The isolated and lock-down measures taken by numerous states are having a massive impact on virtually all areas of economic and social life. They go hand in hand with a growing sense of uncertainty among the general public.

Covid-19 / DIE

From a health crisis to a migration crisis? How we will need to tackle climate migration post-coronavirus

Rising case numbers are highlighting how the coronavirus crisis is escalating, both globally and in Germany. Some people have already begun to ask themselves a delicate question: besides the medical and societal challenges brought on by the pandemic, could we also find new forms of cooperation? Might we also take a different approach to other global problems afterwards?

First the virus, then poverty? WHY SOCIAL PROTECTION IS CRUCIAL IN THE CORONA CRISIS
Covid-19 / DIE

First the virus, then poverty? Why social protection is crucial in the corona crisis

The Spanish flu was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, claiming up to 50 million lives worldwide between 1918 and 1919. It has many parallels with the current coronavirus and the international community would do well to learn from such past pandemics. For every flu death back then, four people survived, but became impoverished. In order to prevent such a scenario, we need to act now to utilise and adapt social protection systems to provide rapid, non-bureaucratic assistance to people.

Walking the talk: Leveraging the Green Deal to boost climate ambition through EU external action
DIE / Blogs / SDGs

Walking the talk: Leveraging the Green Deal to boost climate ambition through EU external action

As a follow up to the ETTG Policy Brief “Harnessing EU external cooperation to boost ambitious and coherent climate action” and one month before the ETTG roundtable event ’How to walk the Green Deal talk in EU external cooperation? Harnessing development cooperation to foster European climate leadership‘ (18th March in Brussels) the DIE researchers from Steffen Bauer and Gabriela Iacobuta are putting together the pieces of the “Green Deal” puzzle in our new ETTG blog.

DIE / Blogs / EU MFF

EU Budget negotiations: the ‘frugal five’ and development policy

In December 2018, the ETTG published a paper comparing emerging Member State positions for the financing of the EU’s external action under its next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), covering the period 2021-2027. Its first observation that negotiations are moving slowly unfortunately still holds today. 

European financial architecture for development
DIE / Blogs

The Wise Persons Group’s Verdict: Opportunities and challenges to restructuring the European Financial architecture

The Council of the European Union – on proposition of France and Germany – mandated a Wise Persons Group (WPG) to assess options for a more efficient and sustainable European financial architecture for development. The group published its final report this Tuesday, in which it presents three scenarios for a future European Climate and Sustainable Development Bank. Lennart Kaplan and Benedikt Erforth (DIE) are analyzing and giving a brief blog based on the Wise Persons Group report.