India’s transition towards a low-carbon economy is central to achieving global climate goals. How can international cooperation support Indian efforts? In our policy brief, we argue that “True Partnerships” between India and the Global North should put the poeple, equity, and climate action at the core of cooperation, to achieve a transition that is green and just.
While green hydrogen will play a vital role in decarbonising our economy, it is not the primary solution for emissions reduction. Instead, energy efficiency and savings, renewable electricity expansion, and direct electrification are the top three approaches for reducing emissions. However, green hydrogen becomes essential in certain applications such as steelmaking and other industrial processes, as well as for long-distance aviation and shipping, and it can be beneficial in seasonal energy storage. This policy brief spells out principles that should guide the development of a regulatory framework to advance a green hydrogen economy in Europe.
As an independent development, environmental, and human rights organisation engaged for sustainable global development, Germanwatch strongly condemns the recent series of arrests of climate, energy, and environmental activists and experts in Vietnam. The shrinking civil society space is concerning not only for the people involved in the organisations but also poses a threat our collective efforts towards a climate-resilient and sustainable future.
Germanwatch welcomes the launch of the pilot phase of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) this Sunday as a major milestone in European climate policy. Christoph Bals, Policy Director of Germanwatch, says: "With the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the EU has achieved a coup: By levelling the international playing field for industrial companies, it enables high carbon prices in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme ETS and thus sends an important signal that it is serious about its industry’s transition to climate-neutrality. The CBAM also creates an incentive for EU's trading partner economies worldwide to speed up their transformation."
Lithium mining poses numerous environmental and human rights risks. As part of the Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry, Germanwatch therefore collaborated with stakeholders from industry and politics in the development of “cross-country recommendations for responsible lithium mining and recommended actions” in the “Lithium Project Group”. The paper identifies four risk areas and makes recommendations on how they can be addressed by the companies in the supply chain that mine and purchase lithium. Germanwatch supports the recommendations. However, we do see some key gaps in achieving a globally sustainable and equitable economy within planetary boundaries.
