The positive economic and environmental arguments for a shift in paradigm to ‘smart growth' using efficient technology, smart energy policy and proactive innovation.

Publication Series on Ecology 31: A profound flaw of our civilisation, with its multiple crises, could lie in the fact that we deny the world’s deeply creative, poetic and expressive processes, all of them constantly unfolding and bringing forth a multitude of dynamic, interacting relationships. We might have forgotten what it means to be alive.

The EU debt crisis has clearly shown that the monetary union cannot be upheld without coordinated fiscal and economic policies. But many citizens are under the impression that their voices, and those of their national parliaments, are being sidelined in favour of ever-greater centralisation – and that, in the process, democracy is being eroded.

Publication Series on Democracy 31: The present study by Andrea Fleschenberg shows that in national and international debates about the transition process in Afghanistan women’s voices are seldom present, or taken into consideration.

In the wake of the Arab Revolts, the political landscape of the region is changing, fast. In the Arab Gulf Region, one political actor, in particular, is becoming more visible, seemingly more engaged in navigating these uncertainties and in filling the gaps in this political scene: The state of Qatar.

Big transnational corporations do what they can to stick to and increase their power in the natural resources sector and promote that as “Green Growth”. How can civil society react to that? In their paper Nancy Alexander and Lili Fuhr analyse the state of the development and formulate questions for a debate. 

In the Arab Gulf Region, one political actor, in particular, is becoming more visible, seemingly more engaged in navigating the uncertainties caused by the fast changes emerging in the region and in filling the gaps in this political scene: The state of Qatar. What is the role Qatar is trying to play in the region and is it being translated internally?

Gender-Responsive Multilateral Adaptation Investments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region  - Multilateral institutions must establish and implement gender safeguard policies consistent with existing international conventions and instruments on gender equality in all adaptation projects.

The concept of ‘green growth’ rests on the idea of an ‘efficiency revolution’ – climate-friendly technologies, sustainable industrial and transport sectors, and an efficient use of resources. But while vast productivity increases do indeed incentivize a more efficient use of energy, they raise demand at the same time. This paper explores the range of possible rebound effects, their quantitative extent and the difficulties encountered by political efforts to contain them.

Good news! counteracts the dominance of bad news in the media and provides numerous examples of positive change from all over the world. The focus is on people who are determined to put a stop to violence, oppression, gender inequality, poverty, and destruction of the environment.