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They have all experienced how companies exploit their country’s resources without taking responsibility for the consequences; how people’s livelihoods are being destroyed and they are being driven out of their ancestral lands. Activists have decided not to take this lying down. They fight against powerful companies and the inaction of their own governments. Six examples from six countries.

The EU Commission is working towards sustainable solutions for the supply of critical raw materials, but the EU Critical Raw Material Act lacks specific proposals.

The Critical Raw Materials Act proposed by the European Commission provides – in addition to recycling – for the reactivation and expansion of mining in Europe. What does this mean for resource-rich European countries? How do their civil societies feel about the run on raw materials on their doorstep? Three views from Serbia, Sweden and Ukraine.

Smelters and refineries have enormous geopolitical importance. In order to reduce dependencies on countries such as China, the EU is planning to further expand its domestic capacities. In doing so, Europe must not ignore the industrial policy interests of resource-rich partner countries and regions, but make them attractive offers.

Destroyed salt flats, exploited glaciers, irreversible desertification: Resource extraction has brought Chile’s ecosystem to a dangerous tipping point in many areas, disenfranchising indigenous peoples and excluding the country and its population from value creation. We spoke with Sara Larraín of Chile Sustentable about the limits of our consumption, indispensable conditions for further extraction and an attitude characterized by respect and cooperation.

«For repairs to become the default choice again, they need to be easier and cheaper.» Why repairing should be at the forefront again and how a fair repair market and more repair knowledge can pave the way.

Our industrial production requires a secure supply of metals. Mining is a global business, subject to extensive EU legislation. It often goes hand in hand with human-rights violations, and its ecological costs are high. Yet concepts, strategies and technologies do exist that could reduce our consumption of metals – and lead to fairer ways of mining them. An overview.

On a new and intelligent use of resources, as metallic raw materials serve as the foundation for the energy transition, digitization, as well as the transport and construction sectors.

Global demand for critical and strategic raw materials is on the rise. These resources are indispensable, particularly for the transition to clean energy, but also within other industry sectors. In this issue of our Böll.Thema magazine, we provide insights into recent developments in resource extraction, the associated challenges, and, most importantly, opportunities for positive change.

The war between Ethiopia's government and the People's Liberation Front of Tigray has ended, but a stable peace has not yet been achieved.

The most common factors that increase inequality, violence and lack of opportunity for trans people in the region include barriers to accessing the health system and a lack of laws that recognise their identity in official documents, as well as police and military violence and an increase in hate speech and misinformation.

Our curated information hub provides well-researched publications, websites, and media on various aspects of the plastic crisis.

Regenerative aquaculture is emerging as a promising solution to address the sustainability challenges faced by the aquaculture industry. Integrating Gracilaria seaweed and brackish water tilapia in pond systems in Johor, Malaysia, has shown great potential.

In parallel to the newly-issued guidelines for Germany’s feminist foreign policy, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has also launched a new strategy on feminist development policy. Here’s a look back at key moments in international development institutions’ back-and-forth on gender policy.  

Weeks ahead of COP28, the pledging conference in Bonn for the replenishment of the Green Climate Fund sends some important signals - the wrong ones.

A climate-neutral world free of hunger and poverty is a distant proposition. Still, it is achievable. If, by means of redistribution and global cooperation, we manage to create prosperity for all, democracy will profit too.

Remy Zahiga, a young Congolese climate and social justice activist, explores the history of the uranium used for the production of nuclear weapons that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. He also analyses the ramifications for people living nearby Shinkolobwe mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Benetick Kabua Maddison explains the history of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. Connecting it with the colonial legacy, climate change and the Marshallese pathway of seeking compensation from the US Government.

Nuclear weapons have catastrophic long-term impacts on human life and our environment. Therefore, we have to listen to those most affected by the production, testing, and use of nuclear weapons.