Global Policy

Towards a nature-positive economy

“We need now to integrate private sector actors, take advantage of innovative technologies and AI, and train future generations.” Healthy and well-managed ecosystems provide a range of services that support climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The achievements and upcoming priorities when it comes to nature-based solutions in the words of Nathalie Doswald.

africa renewable energy

Can renewables put a spark in Africa’s clean energy future?

The African continent contributes less than 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and its growing population suffers from some of the lowest access rates to electricity in the world. Yet, it is also home to some of the fastest growing economies and incredible renewable energy potential. Linking future growth to renewables is key to both the continent’s successful development and achieving global climate goals.

green city

The cities of the future

Skyscrapers made of bamboo. Green roofs. Smart glass. Houses that are cool in summer and warm in winter without burning through loads of energy. All around the world, the future of cities and urbanization looks to bring smarter, more energy-efficient, healthier buildings to the urban environment. An unattainable utopia or simply a necessity in a rapidly urbanizing world that needs to find sustainable solutions to the cities of the future?

white flower blooming

Disclosure

Transparency from companies and governments about climate-related information, risks and opportunities is crucial for building a resilient economy, empowering communities and creating an equal and fair society. In the era of climate change, a standardized disclosure framework to understand climate risk is not only helpful to investors, it’s also critical to companies for strategic planning.

Copper

The Critical Raw Materials Act: digging in the dirt for a sustainable future

The European path to meet the goals for a clean, green, and renewable energy future leads to a growing demand of critical metals supply. A recent agreement proposes a response mechanism to the risks of critical raw materials supply shortage or disruption, working towards a more independent and resilient Europe, while negotiating with strict environmental regulations.

Who believes in green promises?

A team of scientists analyses the interaction between heterogeneous expectations, investment decisions and climate mitigation policymaking, examining how firms invest in low versus high carbon capital based on their beliefs about future carbon prices.

A survival guide for humanity: the IPCC’s latest synthesis report

From science to policy: a matter of urgency, action, and hope. The latest IPCC synthesis report lays out the harsh truth on the current state of the climate. But, it also shows us that we have the tools to invert our current trajectory and that the decisions and measures we take today will have a lasting effect on the world of tomorrow. A collection of media reactions.

Ocean waves (1878-1940) vintage Japanese woodcut prints by Uehara Konen

“A historic moment for the ocean” – international reactions to the new High Seas Treaty

Top ranking representatives of international institutions, opinion leaders, diplomats, scientists and civil society: from emotional reactions to pragmatic comments, the international community hails the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBJN) treaty. After almost two decades of negotiations, a two-week-long conference, more than 48 hours of talks, international efforts led to an agreement for the conservation and protection of ocean areas that fall beyond national borders.

Be prepared for the polycrisis era

Diverse crises spanning over three different timeframes. They are interconnected and put us in the middle of a shift in power. This is the time to adapt ourselves to a “new order”, but this is also a period of crucial opportunity for moving forward. Insights from the Global Risks Report 2023.

The lessons of yesterday, the tasks of tomorrow: 10 climate science insights

Are we going beyond the limit of adaptation and crossing irreversible tipping points? What do we know about the triple planetary crisis, the social costs of climate extremes, vulnerability and the myth of endless adaptation? A list of the ten new insights in climate science puts together advancements, challenges and solutions to shape future strategies and activities.

COP15_biodiversity

“Now the hard work begins”: Environmental leaders on the COP15 Biodiversity Framework

Global leaders agreed to halt biodiversity loss by protecting 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. Leaders from environmental organizations around the world react to the deal, highlighting its merits and the potential issues that come with it. From “a watershed moment” to “we don’t need people to tell us what to do”, the consensus is that governments need to treat the Kuming-Montreal Biodiversity framework “as a floor, not a ceiling”.

Success or failure? The Kyoto Protocol’s troubled legacy

Twenty-five years of hope and political negotiations, of science, data and denial campaigns to delay and even bury it. A look at the first iconic moment for global climate policy making: what remains of the Kyoto Protocol’s heritage and what lies ahead for international environmental agreements.