On the occasion of the third UN-conference on "Finance for Development" in Addis Abbeba between 13-17 July the G20 Update discusses the predominant role of the G20 in relation to the UN-processes hold parallely. It also refers to a proposal of financial experts of SOMO: "Making financing for development more accountable? Proposals for strengthening corporate accountability in the Financing for Development ‘outcome document"

Armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — more commonly referred to as drones — have become a central pillar of the United States’ counterterrorism strategy. A number of European actors have expressed growing concern regarding the lack of transparency, accountability, and clarity surrounding the U.S. drone program. Read the joint conference report by hbs and the Stimson Center on this pressing issue here. 

"Green growth" may work well in creating new growth impulses with reduced environmental load and facilitating related technological and structural change. But can it also mitigate climate change at the required scale? About growth, technological, population-expansion, governance constraints and some key systemic issues

The Climate Justice Programme (CJP) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation are proposing a new and innovative source of finance: a fossil fuel extraction levy paid by those 90 entities responsible for two-thirds of global carbon emissions. The third and updated edition of the Carbon Majors report, now titled "Big Oil, Coal and Gas Producers paying for their Climate Damage".

Germany is world champion! In lignite mining. A quarter of Germany's greenhouse gas emissions come from the 30 largest coal-fired power plants. The result is dramatic damage to the climate, the environment, and human health. The Kohleatlas shows that a gradual phase-out of coal-fired power generation is technically possible and necessary.

Although the country is unlikely to face any revolution in the immediate future, with 68% of its total population under the age of 25, Afghanistan is currently witnessing a serious growth in its youth population, and it has resulted in socio-cultural and political consequences that have been previously unheard of in Afghan political culture and conventions.

The annual report 2014 informs about the activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation inland and overseas. It deals with democracy, human rights, European policy, the Great Transition, arts, culture, the work of the Gunda Werner Institute to mention but a few.

The five-yearly Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is taking place from April 27 to May 22, 2015. In order to increase pressure for nuclear disarmament and to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, nuclear weapons need to be banned under international law, as other weapons of mass destruction already are. A ban treaty would complement and strengthen the NPT. Germany should therefore stand up for a ban on nuclear weapons at the Review Conference.

The concept of "gender backlash" encompasses too activities pursued by a multitude of different local initiatives all over Central and Eastern Europe, which strongly promote tradition over equality. In many cases these groups appear to be backed and inspired both by influential US-American “pro life” organisations as well as the Kremlin’s "Gay-rope" propaganda, which aims to discredit the European Union as a place of moral decline.

Water resource allocation is a long-ignored issue in Afghanistan. While the water potential of Afghanistan is estimated to be 75billion m3/ year on average, Afghanistan ranks lowest in water storage capacity.