The Urban Amazon: The De-structuring of communities by cities Published: 29 August 2025 Analysis The pre-colonial human presence in the Amazon proves that there is no contradiction between preserving the forest and human presence. However, regional arrangements of villages and communities have been threatened by the imposition of cities that also threaten the forest. Ana Cláudia Cardoso
“The Era of Voluntary Emissions Targets Is Over” Published: 5 August 2025 Interview Human rights expert Lotte Leicht explains how the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion reshapes the climate debate: states are legally bound to prevent climate harm. At COP30, states can no longer treat climate action as optional.
International Court of Justice Decision Turns Climate Justice into Law Published: 24 July 2025 Analysis The recent ICJ ruling is a landmark decision for the fight against climate change, addressing state responsibility for ambitious, scientifically supported climate action. It also clears the path for potential climate reparations in the future. Liane Schalatek
Brazil: Facts, data, and knowledge about the world's largest rainforest Published: 24 June 2025 Amazon Atlas Since its colonization, the Amazon region has served as a projection surface for foreign ideas and desires. With the Brazilian Amazon Atlas, we want to deconstruct common stereotypes about the region - and show it from the perspective of its diverse inhabitants. Imme Scholz, Marcelo Montenegro, Julia Dolce, Regine Schönenberg
Why the Youth is Angry at COP29’s Results Published: 12 December 2024 Commentary For 29 years, youth groups have been calling for immediate solutions to climate change yet wealthy nations are locked in golden towers counting coins as the world warms up! Hajar Al-Beltaji, Alab Ayroso
COP29 Exacerbates Climate Injustice Published: 29 November 2024 Analysis COP29 was expected to deliver a global goal for climate finance that meets the challenges of the future. It failed to do so. Instead, it launched international carbon markets that create new loopholes for fossil fuel emitters. Linda Schneider
COP29: Is the Loss and Damage Fund Becoming an Empty Promise? Published: 22 November 2024 Commentary When the Loss and Damage Fund was created last year, it was hailed as a triumph for climate justice. But it might turn out to be just the opposite, as it not only fails to deliver the support developing countries need to cope with loss and damage, but also provides an excuse not to include such support in new climate-finance goals. Liane Schalatek
Damage caused by climate change: Can the new climate fund deliver what it promises? Published: 14 October 2024 Analysis The new Loss and Damage Fund (FRLD) aims to support climate-vulnerable countries against escalating damages. Despite meeting setup milestones, key questions on funding scale, the operational model, and access policies remain unresolved. Can the FRLD truly deliver? Liane Schalatek
In this fateful year of public climate financing, a quantum leap must be made Published: 18 June 2024 Interview Climate finance is high on the agenda of this year's international climate negotiations. Climate finance expert Liane Schalatek explains the key sticking points and what civil society calls for.
CEDAW Committee: German climate policy is not gender just Published: 13 December 2023 Analysis A lack of climate protection in Germany violates the rights of women and vulnerable groups worldwide. This has been criticised by the CEDAW Review Committee. Birte Rodenberg
Compromise Transitional Committee Outcome Falls Short of Expectations and Climate Justice Published: 15 November 2023 Analysis With the specter of failure looming, the Transitional Committee adopted a last-minute package of recommendations for the new Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), which needs to be approved at COP28. Why is no one happy with it? Liane Schalatek
GCF Replenishment Sends Some Signals – Just Not the Right Ones Published: 12 October 2023 Analysis Weeks ahead of COP28, the pledging conference in Bonn for the replenishment of the Green Climate Fund sends some important signals - the wrong ones. Liane Schalatek
Broken Promises - Developed countries fail to keep their 100 billion dollar climate pledge Published: 26 October 2021 Commentary At the climate summit in Glasgow (COP 26), the issue of climate finance is inextricably linked to success or failure. In Glasgow, past failures and shortcomings in climate finance mobilization and delivery must be ruthlessly addressed by presenting an implementation plan for future improvements. Liane Schalatek
The right to belong and the protection of cultural property Published: 26 February 2021 Interview For centuries, resources have been extracted from the African continent without adequate payment or compensation. With colonialism, Khoikhoi and San, the first inhabitants of Southern Africa, lost their land and many lost their lives. During decades of Apartheid they were racially discriminated and still have to fight for political and economic inclusion in the post-Apartheid era. We spoke to the Khoikhoi lawyer Lesle Jansen about her fight for the community and for the legal acknowledgement of the cultural heritage of Indigenous people. Imeh Ituen
FAQs on Societal Transformation Scenario (STS) Published: 8 December 2020 FAQ The most important questions and answers on the Societal Transformation Scenario (STS)
New Perspectives on Civil Society Engagement with ASEAN Published: 2 August 2017 So far, the engagement of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People´s Forum has been disappointing. A new strategy for people-to-people regional integration is needed. Eduardo C. Tadem
The great transition - Alternative paths for a better and climate just future Published: 11 May 2017 The Paris Agreement has set an ambitious goal to prevent global warming from spiraling out of control. But it has also set the stage for what will form the subject of numerous heated debates in the coming years. This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy. Open external content on original site This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy.
Climate Justice - Can the courts solve the climate crisis? Published: 30 March 2017 Can governments and industry be put on trial in climate cases, to ensure the rights of the most vulnerable and future generations? The livelihoods of hundreds of millions could be threatened by unprecedented storms, droughts, floods, and sea-level rise. This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy. Open external content on original site This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy.
The Unthinkable in Climate Change: A View from Asia on Literature and Politics Published: 7 September 2016 Amitav Ghosh’s new book “The Great Derangement” examines climate change and climate policy from unusual perspectives. It is bound to get much international attention because it asks some fundamental new questions concerning the handling of climate change in literature and activist politics, and because it represents a well-known voice from Asia. Axel Harneit-Sievers
COP 21 and the Paris Agreement: A Force Awakened Published: 15 December 2015 Globally, political leaders are lauding the acceptance of the global and legally binding Paris Agreement on Climate Change at COP21 as a historical moment. It achieves a goal long believed unattainable. However, judged against the enormity of the challenge and the needs and pressure from people on the ground demanding a global deal anchored in climate justice, the Paris Agreement can only be called a disappointment. Lili Fuhr, Liane Schalatek, Maureen Santos, Hans Verolme, Dr. Radostina Primova, Damjan Bogunovic
