Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) has historically been overlooked in peace talks but must be integrated into every phase of the peace process. It emphasizes broadening the lens of victims to include men and boys, who face significant social stigma and service gaps. The briefing provides specific recommendations for early-stage agreements, ceasefire negotiations, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), Security Sector Reform (SSR), and transitional justice, highlighting the need for accountability, gender-sensitive security indicators, and recognition for children born of wartime sexual violence.

The report examines the tension between Ethiopian nationalists and ethno-nationalists, noting that while most agree on federalism, they disagree on its purpose. It analyzes three primary constitutional frameworks—consociationalism, centripetalism, and integration—and proposes five hybrid models to balance inclusion, moderation, and national cohesion. The author concludes that no single design is sufficient and recommends a negotiated blend of these mechanisms to ensure stability and protect individual and minority rights.

ClientEarth argues that EU State aid rules must be transformed into sustainability instruments that prohibit support for fossil fuels and harmful biomass, while prioritizing energy efficiency and renewable energy. The document calls for the strict application of the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, the exclusion of low-carbon (fossil gas-based) hydrogen from subsidies, and the removal of aid for high-efficiency combined heat and power (CHP) plants. It further recommends increasing support for energy communities, zero-emission vehicles, and energy efficiency in buildings, while introducing a 'greenwashing test' to ensure the environmental integrity of aid beneficiaries.

The analysis asserts that the current environmental acquis of the Energy Community Treaty is inadequate to prevent biodiversity loss and water deterioration caused by energy projects. It recommends the adoption of selected articles from the EU Birds, Habitats, and Water Framework Directives, arguing that such measures would not impose significant additional burdens since many Contracting Parties already have existing obligations under the Bern Convention or EU accession processes. The document details the specific risks posed by various energy sources—including coal, nuclear, wind, and hydropower—and provides a tailored legal framework for implementation within the Energy Community.

The BiH ESAP 2030+ is a strategic initiative supported by the Stockholm Environment Institute and funded by the Embassy of Sweden to align Bosnia and Herzegovina's environmental frameworks with European Union policies. The plan, developed between September 2019 and spring 2022, covers seven EU environmental policy areas and consists of four jurisdiction-specific strategies for the BiH level, the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska, and Brčko District. The process employs a participatory approach involving 28 thematic working groups and two rounds of public consultations to define goals, targets, and measures to improve the environment and public health by 2032.

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) analyzed 1,030 TikTok videos to assess the state of hate and extremism on the platform. The research found significant amounts of content promoting white supremacy, glorifying terrorists and fascists, and denying genocides. The report highlights a substantial 'enforcement gap,' noting that 81.5% of the sampled hateful videos remained live during the study. It further details how TikTok's creative tools—such as Duets, Stitches, and specific 'Sounds'—are repurposed to spread hate, and how users employ evasion tactics like 'respawned' accounts and alternative hashtag spellings to bypass bans.

The strategy outlines a comprehensive plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina to transition to a green economy by 2030 and achieve significant emission reductions by 2050. It identifies high vulnerability in agriculture, water management, and forestry due to increasing temperature extremes and erratic precipitation. The document proposes a low-carbon development path focusing on replacing inefficient coal-fired power plants with renewables, improving building energy efficiency, and modernising transport. A total investment of approximately BAM 16.7 billion is estimated for mitigation and BAM 170 million for adaptation by 2030.

The document defines transitional justice as a response to widespread human rights violations and argues that women's access and power in these processes are vital for sustained peace. It identifies core principles for gender justice, including gender equity and accountability for crimes against women and girls. Through case studies of Tunisia and Colombia, it demonstrates how women's participation can expand the definition of victimhood to include socio-economic harm and prohibit amnesty for sexual violence. The briefing also lists methods for active participation and identifies various barriers to women's engagement, such as cultural norms, physical distance from political centers, and the risk of re-victimization.

ClientEarth argues that EU competition policy must be reshaped to internalise environmental externalities and support the Green Deal. The organization calls for an end to state aid for fossil fuels, a more holistic 'consumer welfare' test in antitrust and merger assessments that includes future generations, and increased transparency in state aid decision-making. It specifically recommends prohibiting aid to forestry biomass and fossil-based hydrogen, while introducing a 'green bonus' to incentivize truly sustainable innovation.

A joint letter from various environmental and climate organizations calling on global insurance associations to ensure COVID-19 stimulus packages support a low-carbon transition rather than fossil fuel industries, while urging the insurance sector to end coverage for coal and oil and gas expansion.

The statement argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for governments to focus all resources on public health, specifically the procurement of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines. It calls for the immediate suspension of trade and investment negotiations at the WTO, bilateral, and regional levels, asserting that such activities divert critical resources and personnel. The authors highlight that intellectual property rules under the WTO's TRIPS agreement and free trade agreements may obstruct the affordability and accessibility of life-saving supplies. The document demands the removal of all trade barriers and unilateral sanctions that hinder medical procurement and urges a fundamental rethink of trade rules that encourage monopolies and limit healthcare access.

Friends of the Earth International and a broad coalition of global endorsers call for an immediate cessation of trade and investment treaty negotiations. They argue that governments, particularly in developing and least developed countries, lack the resources to engage in these negotiations while managing the COVID-19 health crisis. The statement demands that trade negotiators focus exclusively on removing obstacles, such as intellectual property rules and unilateral sanctions, that hinder access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.

The report finds that the EU ETS region is increasingly importing electricity from non-EU neighbors with high carbon intensities, effectively importing emissions and creating 'offshore carbon havens'. In 2019, the EU ETS region imported 26 million tonnes of CO2, with a net import of 20 million tonnes. The authors argue that the disparity in carbon pricing gives a competitive advantage to high-carbon generators in countries like Turkey, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans. To combat this, the report recommends a border carbon adjustment (BCA) on gross electricity imports to protect the integrity of EU climate policy and incentivize decarbonization in neighboring states. It also warns that planned increases in interconnection capacity (31% by 2030) and new coal power projects (up to 57GW) in connected non-EU countries will exacerbate the problem.

The author argues that EU enlargement in the Western Balkans has stalled due to a 'dull reality' where local leaders benefit from the status quo and the EU lacks the political will or understanding to enforce genuine rule of law. The Berlin Process is critiqued as a 'plan B' that prioritised technical compliance over substantive reform. The document highlights specific failures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania, while warning that an economic and strategic vacuum is being filled by China, Russia, Turkey, and the USA. It further expresses concern over Croatia's 2020 EU presidency given its nationalist tendencies and strained relations with neighbours.

The report analyzes how the AKP government has shifted Turkish foreign policy toward a more proactive, ideologically driven approach that leverages historical, cultural, and religious ties to expand regional influence. It examines the role of institutions like the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Diyanet in managing these relations. Through case studies in Bulgaria, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Cyprus, and Palestine, the document illustrates how this 'kin-state' politics often leads to the instrumentalization of religion, the exportation of domestic political conflicts, and tensions with host countries, while sometimes being perceived by the target communities as paternalistic or colonizing.

The document advises Energy Community Contracting Parties on integrating various climate and energy planning efforts, such as National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), NDCs, and sectoral strategies, to reduce resource burdens and ensure policy alignment.

The document advocates for the integration of communication rights into global development frameworks, specifically proposing a new UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 18) titled 'Communication for All'. It explores the philosophical basis of communication as an essential human need, examines how 'communication and information poverty' undermines existing SDGs—particularly regarding gender equality, ICT infrastructure, and peace and justice—and provides case studies on media restrictions and digital divides in Palestine, Gaza, and Ethiopia. Additionally, it discusses the role of community media for Indigenous Peoples and the use of communication to support memory and justice processes in Argentina.

The document outlines how Turkey, under the AKP, has shifted its foreign policy to emphasize historical, cultural, and religious links with 'kin communities' (akraba topluluklar) across Europe, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean. It defines the conceptual overlap between diaspora and kin-politics and describes the transition from a racial-ethnic national identity to an 'Islamic-Turkish synthesis' that views Turkey as a 'core country' for the global Muslim community (ummah). The text introduces case studies on Bulgaria, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Cyprus, and Palestine to analyze how this policy of 'spiritual boundaries' affects host countries and the communities themselves.

The research paper analyzes the shift in Turkey's diaspora policy from treating migrants as a liability to viewing them as strategic assets for 'nation-branding' and public diplomacy. It focuses on Germany as a primary hub for these interactions, detailing how the AKP government uses institutions like the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Diyanet to mobilize loyalists while monitoring and suppressing dissidents. The authors argue that these extraterritorial measures, including transnational election campaigns and surveillance, have strained Turkey's diplomatic relations with European host countries and exacerbated polarizations within the diaspora community.

The study finds that internal armed conflict generally leads to a net negative change in women's labour rights during and immediately after conflict. While some qualitative literature suggests conflicts can create opportunities for women's employment, this large-n analysis indicates that negative mechanisms—such as post-conflict insecurity, violence, and a return to traditional gender roles—outweigh potential gains.