© Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
News
Press Release
Germanwatch welcomes initiative by France, Poland and Germany for a strong climate foreign policy / Further development now needed for more climate policy coordination between the three countries, including for the implementation of the European Green Deal
The environment and development organization Germanwatch welcomes the agreement reached by the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France and Poland to include trilateral cooperation in climate foreign policy as one of the three pillars of the Weimar Agenda. To this end, they launched the Green Weimar Triangle yesterday. "It is a good decision to give the Weimar Triangle an additional green pillar. Germany, Poland and France are sending an important signal shortly before the European elections: climate protection should be a high priority for the EU and is a central component of security policy in Europe and the world," says Lutz Weischer, Head of Germanwatch's Berlin office.
Publication
After the EU election in June 2024, the new Commission will hold the power to demonstrate global climate leadership and reshape its partnership offer. Given the strong historical ties and growing economic relations between Africa and Europe, partnerships with the African continent must remain a focus of the EU. Our policy brief provides five recommendations for reshaping the EU’s partnership offer on energy co-operation.
Publication
A Round-Table with Civil Society Organisations from Latin America
The German government has recently launched its Climate Foreign Policy Strategy. In this context, several questions arise from the Latin American perspective. Our policy brief reflects the results of a round-table with Civil Society Organisations from Latin America.
Blogpost
The current geopolitical context is pushing the Weimar Triangle of France, Germany, and Poland to prioritise defence and security. NGOs, think tanks, and businesses argue that a ‘Green Weimar Triangle’ could not only safeguard achieving the EU climate goals but also address critical issues of economic competitiveness and cohesion.
News
Open letter to the French, German and Polish Ministers of Climate and Environment and Ministers Foreign Affairs
The EU’s ability to enact ambitious climate policies relies on effective leadership and demonstrated commitment from influential Member States. Representatives from leading think tanks, environmental NGOs, businesses, and scientific institutions in France, Germany, and Poland, are calling for the establishment of a 'Green Weimar Triangle' to renew trilateral climate dialogue among the three countries.
News
European Court of Human Rights rules on climate cases
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) makes legal history with its landmark rulings on three climate litigation cases. The court made clear that climate change poses a major threat to human rights as protected by the Human Rights Convention. Every state is responsible for safeguarding the lives of its citizens from the climate crisis. A precedent that has an impact on all EU member states, including Germany. An analysis by Roda Verheyen and Gerd Winter.
Publication
A fossil fuel phase-out by 2040 would increase peace and democracy while ensuring achieve-ment of the Paris targets
On 6 February, the European Commission will propose climate targets for 2040. The current Commission can thereby frame the climate policy of the upcoming years ahead of the EU elections in June. The 2040 targets will be a guiding light for the new Commission and shape the EU's worldwide perception. In this policy brief, Germanwatch is therefore calling for 'An Ambitious EU Climate Target for 2040'.
Blogpost
First analysis of COP28 in Dubai
The UN climate summit in Dubai concluded on 13 December after a 24-hour extension. While this year’s COP28 sends a strong signal overall, this should not distract from the weaknesses contained in the final decision, which could jeopardise implementation.
The experts at Germanwatch have conducted an initial assessment of the negotiations, including the most important decisions and events. Their findings are presented here.
Publication
Implications of the 2023 Africa Climate Summit
The first Africa Climate Summit in September 2023 marked a milestone in global climate politics. African countries made clear that they want to actively shape the global climate debate to seize the opportunities of the green transformation and shake the perception of being mere victims of the climate crisis. In this briefing, we highlight the three main topics of the Summit – finance, renewable energy, and resilience – and offer recommendations for German climate foreign policy with regard to African countries in 2024 as the German government is revising its Africa Policy Guidelines.
Press Release
For the 19th time in a row, Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute, and CAN International publish the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI). Climate policies stagnated in many countries since last year / Denmark, Estonia and Philippines on top of the CCPI / Oil-producing countries, including COP host United Arab Emirates, rank at the bottom / Brazil and Vietnam among the best climbers – Italy and the UK falling behind / World’s biggest emitters: No change in ranking for China, US still at the bottom
Today, Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute, and CAN International published the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2024. It monitors the climate mitigation progress of 63 countries and the European Union, together responsible for more than 90% of global emissions. In recent years, governments around the world have increasingly placed climate action on their agenda, and renewable energy is booming in many countries. However, this still is not enough. The race against time continues: global emissions must nearly halve by 2030, and reducing the use of fossil fuels should account for most of that.
