Publications

COP26 decided on the Glasgow Dialogue for parties and non-party stakeholders to discuss existing arrangements for funding activities to avert, minimize and address loss and damage. The first dialogue took place during the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB 56) in June 2022. This briefing paper summarises its results in four key areas and makes recommendations concerning necessary next steps.

In May 2022, the G7 environment, climate, and energy ministers announced the launch of the G7 Hydrogen Action Pact (G7-HAP), which prioritises six areas for the G7 to support the development of a global low-carbon and green hydrogen market. Germany should use its remaining G7 presidency to specify these areas. Most importantly, the G7 should clearly focus their activities on green hydrogen and work on establishing sustainability standards right at the beginning of the market ramp-up.

The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), announced last year with South Africa, aims to reduce emissions in the energy sector and accelerate the coal phase-out process. The partnership, first announced in COP26 with the promised value of 8.5$ billion, was then followed by a G7 announcement for a similar partnership in India, Indonesia, Senegal, and Vietnam. As an important thread in the social fabric of many countries, it is crucial for CSOs to be involved in providing input and monitoring the partnership process, especially as Indonesia and India are preparing their own JETP.

The German government planned on making climate and sustainability the main topics of its G7 presidency. In this briefing, we outline what the G7 Leaders’ Summit was able to achieve, which gaps remained, and where to go from there.

The climate crisis’ impacts are rapidly growing along with the concurrent need for adaptation investments. Those most vulnerable to climate change’s impacts, however, lack the resources to adequately respond to adaptation needs. The study aims to close a research gap by examining international climate finance’s capacity in mobilising adaptation finance from the private sector in developing countries.

When the G7 leaders met at the end of June 2022 in Elmau, they called on Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to further strengthen ambitious climate action. This policy brief explains what the G7 asked the MDBs to do, why this is important, and what it means in terms of concrete steps that should be taken in the short and medium term (including until COP27) to halt the climate crisis and successfully support the global transformation towards green and resilient economies. In this critical decade of implementation, quick outcomes are more important than ever before and MDBs are called upon to increase their efforts. Especially the World Bank will be assessed in terms of its ability to step up its climate ambitions and to lead the MDBs’ engagement in those areas.

Voluntary standards and other industry initiatives for the extraction of raw materials have established themselves increasingly in recent years as an instrument with which companies can implement their due diligence obligations. Yet, the existing standards are marked by a series of systematic, content-related and methodological shortcomings. This paper provides a first assessment of the methodological robustness of the various standards in the raw materials sector.

Outstanding scientific research is exploring tipping points’ development and dynamics. Lacking, however, is a systematic approach that translates scientific research into concrete recommendations. Also lacking are targeted calls for action for political decision-makers in affected countries and regions, as well as the international community. An early warning system in the form of a regular report could fill this gap.

Where necessary for the implementation of our statutory goals, Germanwatch shall actively contribute to the debate on political framework conditions and strengthen the corresponding social debate. Therefore Germanwatch shall have a mediating function between politics and the public. The employees and the Board of Germanwatch as well as other persons acting on behalf of Germanwatch, shall commit ourselves to adhere to the following principles in the exercise of this activity.