Heinrich Böll Foundation

The mining of rare earths is not just about international raw materials policy, as a new study from Myanmar shows. It is also about environmental justice, local governance and the future of the civil war-torn country.

The Kremlin denies sovereignty and territorial integrity not only to Ukraine but also to Georgia. But unlike Ukraine, the ruling Georgian Dream party follows the Russian playbook and uses the Russian threat to maintain authoritarian power. 

Under the hurdles of neoliberal policies, violent economic collapse, and for the past year and more, an extremely destructive war, where does agroecology fit in Lebanon’s landscape? The NGO JIBAL attempts to answer this question. 

A research project in the Greek mountains shows what open source technologies and agroecology have in common. And why combining the two approaches could mean a better future for isolated rural regions around the world.

The EU still has strong rules for the major digital platforms. However, under Donald Trump and his allies – above all powerful tech CEOs such as Musk and Zuckerberg – the USA is becoming an open opponent of these regulations. 

Climate and species protection is indispensable – and costs money. Germany must not shirk its responsibilities in these areas by invoking the debt brake. Sources of financing are available – the next federal government should use them.

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! 

Darya Afanasyeva is a Belarusian feminist activist, a blogger, lesbian, and a former political prisoner. To her the term “former” seems odd in this context. As she says, such an experience will stay with you for life. 

The 2025 Anne Klein Women’s Award goes to the Belarusian feminists and women’s rights activists Darya Afanasieva, Irina Alkhovka and Julia Mickiewicz. 

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.

Azerbaijan has strengthened its energy ties with the EU since 2022, ramping up gas deliveries and articulating ambitions to export renewable energy and green hydrogen to Europe in the future. However, the EU’s shrinking gas demand and Azerbaijan’s lack of a genuine decarbonization strategy cast uncertainty on the long-term prospects of this partnership.

Developing nations face debt burdens that make climate action unaffordable. Comprehensive reform and targeted debt relief are essential to unlock the climate investments these countries urgently need.

Recent developments at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and its accompanying Science Summit signal a growing political momentum toward restricting the development and potential deployment of solar geoengineering technologies.

Human intervention in the Ganga river is increasingly causing erosion, flooding, and landslides along the India-Bangladesh border. Local residents often lose their land, homes, and livelihoods, facing persecution and criminalization instead of support.

Presidents’ column: Pregnancy termination is still a criminal offence in Germany under section 218 of the Criminal Code, with serious consequences for access to abortion and women’s right to self-determination. There can only be one answer to this.

With fresh language and contagious good cheer, US presidential candidate Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are generating new enthusiasm for their policies. Could that also catch on here in Germany? One thing is clear: without a positive atmosphere, democratic politics in the country will face an uphill battle.