Decarbonization, the Southeast Asian Way Background No Single Pathway. Southeast Asian countries’ targets and wish lists toward carbon neutrality are like individual recipes that use different ingredients in various ways, to produce the same dish (hopefully). By Johanna Son
The AIIB Fails on Public Access to Information Background Starting from October 2021, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will begin using a newly revised but still problematic environmental and social framework. This framework contains the right words and appears to tick all the boxes, but it includes too many loopholes and caveats that undermine early disclosure of environmental and social risks. By Korinna Horta and Wawa Wang
Zimbabwe: “You are the ones we have been waiting for” Interview In the face of political oppression and persecution, the digital space offers many people in Zimbabwe the only lasting opportunity to exchange ideas and organise. We spoke with Fungai Machirori about the potentials and shortcomings of the internet, feminist digital activism in Zimbabwe, and the hopes placed in each new generation. By Maria Kind
Food poverty: You might not choose the food you eat Analysis In a wealthy country like Germany, can everyone get enough healthy food? It’s not that simple. Income, education and employment are closely linked to health.
Merkel’s Balkan legacy? Time to move forward Comment Looking back at 16 years of Angela Merkel's Balkan policy, there were ups and downs, but the objective of eventually bringing Serbia closer to the EU has failed. It is now high time for a fresh, new start to Germany‘s relationship to the key enabler or blocker of a European future for the region - Serbia. By Simon Ilse
Foreword With this publication we want to make a contribution to a lively social debate. We want to present the causes of hunger and malnutrition and show that clear political rules and strategies are needed to counter these developments. We want to show that hunger and malnutrition are the consequences of injustice, instability and poverty – and that policies must therefore also address these underlying causes. By Barbara Unmüßig and Alexander Müller
“It’s a clear signal that the Asian Development Bank is finally, finally moving away from coal.” Interview Mr Rayyan Hassan, Executive Director of the NGO Forum, urged the ADB to take the coal moratorium ahead and move towards a full transition to renewable energy finance as soon as possible. In this interview, he shares what happened next and what still needs to be done. By Daniel Abunales and Lea Goelnitz
The Taliban are back in Control: What Next for Afghan Migration in and Outside of the Country? Background The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in recent days has brought new dimensions of human suffering and political crisis to what is arguably the most protracted refugee crisis of modern times. By Sanaa Alimia
In the name of the European Union: on the significance of words Commentary In recent days, there has been a lot of talk in the EU about an emerging “wave of refugees” or “migration disaster”. However, the real disaster is the failure of Western governments to rescue people from Afghanistan who deserve our protection, the Director of our office in Brussels, Eva van de Rakt, comments. By Eva van de Rakt
Friend or foe? Redefining Turkey's Afghanistan Policy Outside NATO Analysis Turkish President Erdogan, usually a friend of many and often harsh words, needed almost a week before he took a stand on the Taliban takeover in Kabul. By Kristian Brakel