by Kirsty Hughes on 30th July 2019 In our ‘Europe2025’ series, Kirsty Hughes argues that a Green New Deal can gel the domestic and neighbourhood policies of the union.
Category: Columns
Don’t fear the scooter
by Alon Tal Tel Aviv – Electric bicycles and scooters are taking a lot of heat. Concerns about traffic fatalities, terrorized pedestrians, and urban lawlessness have led a growing chorus of politicians and media commentators to conclude that the technology…
The precipitous barbarisation of our times
By Roberto Savio Rome, Jul 23 2019 (IPS) – When all is said and done, it appears that Thomas Hobbes, the 17th century English philosopher who had a dire vision of man, was not totally wrong.
Privatisation increases corruption
By Jomo Kwame Sundaram Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jul 23 2019 (IPS) – International financial institutions (IFIs) have typically imposed wide-ranging policy reforms – called ‘conditionalities’ – in exchange for country governments to secure access to financial assistance.
A new ‘mode of action’ for Europe – prioritising the polity
by Sophie Pornschlegel on 24th July 2019 In the latest contribution to our ‘Europe2025’ series, Sophie Pornschlegel argues the EU needs to rethink its mode of action, in addition to tackling the pressing policy challenges ahead.
Brexit and the left
by Neal Lawson on 23rd July 2019 The Labour Party has squandered three years in addressing the challenge posed by the Brexit referendum. The left is in a mess on Brexit—both in the UK and, despite lots of solidarity, in…
The IMF leadership is not a bargaining counter
by Adam Tooze on 22nd July 2019 Adam Tooze argues that Europe must get beyond seeing the head of the IMF as part of the spoils from Bretton Woods.
Regulate water filter industry to avert water crises
Sudhirendar Sharma It seems a back-of-envelope estimation that a good samaritan has tossed up on social media to shock us out of slumber. Unbelievable though it may read, Ludhiana city dwellers have been credited for wasting some 15 million litres…
The future of Europe: Rebalancing ecology, economics and ethics
by President Michael D. Higgins on 18th July 2019 Europe needs a new eco-social paradigm if it is to ward off the populist sirens and offer a positive vision for the continent. We have as a global community to respond…
The fork is mightier than the wall
by Danielle Nierenberg New Orleans – The word “migration” conjures images of war, natural disaster, and severe economic distress. All are important reasons why people seek refuge far from home. But the single most powerful driver of migration may well…
No excuse for violence against children
by Zoleka Mandela, Etienne Krug, Howard Taylor Geneva – At the World Health Assembly in May, we made the case for why governments and United Nations agencies need to spend more on measures to prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), injury, and…
The superiority of co-determination
by George Tyler on 16th July 2019 The United States should learn from the better performance of European companies which have worker representation on boards.
Pesticide salad, leaded fish with plastic, chemical fruit
By Baher Kamal Madrid, Jul 10 2019 (IPS) – In case you were not aware or just do not remember: all you eat, drink, breathe, wear, take as a medicine, the cosmetics you use, the walls of your house, among…
Let’s talk about sex – and why power matters
By Dr Natalia Kanem UN, Jul 11 2019 (IPS) – Every year on World Population Day (July 11), UNFPA receives queries from journalists about the total number of people around the world. Numbers are indeed important because they help governments…
Venezuela – A risk to Dollar hegemony
By Peter Koenig After the new coup attempt – or propaganda coup – Venezuela lives in a state of foreign imposed insecurity. The failed coup was executed on 30 April by Juan Guaidó, the self-proclaimed and Washington-trained and endorsed “interim…
Time for postcapitalism
by Paul Mason Paul Mason continues his sketch of a postcapitalist world by drawing out its implications for something in increasingly short supply—time. If we are lucky, the world stands on the brink of a rapid transition beyond carbon. We…
Europe must answer the climate call
By Christiana Figueres Brussels – In early 2015, the European Union became the first major economy to set a post-2020 target for limiting greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. By committing to reducing emissions to at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030,…
The world is running out of time
By Bertrand Badré Washington, DC – In 2015, the international community launched a renewed effort to tackle collective global challenges under the auspices of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). But after…
America’s bipartisan climate-policy failure
By Mark Paul and Connor Rupp Sarasota – US President Donald Trump’s anti-climate agenda is in full swing. His administration has already taken action 117 times to repeal or weaken climate regulations, and much more deregulation is in the works.…
Getting to net-zero emissions
By Johan Rockström Potsdam –The leaders of the G20 countries head to Osaka this week for their annual summit. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will address them before traveling to Abu Dhabi to finalize the arrangements for September’s UN Climate…
We can’t stop climate disaster if big emitters don’t step up
By Frank Bainimarama SUVA, Fiji, Jun 27, 2019 (IPS) — Are the most climate-vulnerable nations of the world right to demand that developed and major economies commit to carbon neutrality by 2050? Should the poorest nations of the world insist…
Japan’s government must exit coal
by Jan Erik Saugestad OSLO – Following the abdication of Emperor Akihito, Japan announced that its new imperial era would be called Reiwa (“beautiful harmony”). But if the Reiwa era is to live up to its name, Japan’s government must…
The world has lost its compass
By Roberto Savio Rome, Jun 3 2019 (IPS) – The terrible feeling I had on waking up and seeing the Italian voting results at the recent European elections was that my country was suddenly full of strangers. How could the…
Ecuador in frontline to address climate change
By Matilde Mordt QUITO, Ecuador, Jun 5 2019 (IPS) – As the UN commemorates World Environment Day, UNDP would like to take this opportunity to commend Ecuador’s efforts to address climate change and its commitment to raising its climate ambition.…
The Myth of Climate Wars?
by Alaa Murabit, Luca Bücken New York – In the years leading up to Syria’s civil war, the country endured three consecutive record-breaking droughts. By forcing internal displacement, the droughts arguably contributed to the social tensions that erupted in popular…
Unleash all creative potentials to achieve SDGs
Mostafa Kamal Majumder Recent official information and statistics affirm, Bangladesh is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With four years of the 15-year time span to achieve 17 goals already spent, a government report says, ‘Bangladesh is…
Within a parallel universe – monsters of the Dark Web
By Jan Lundius Stockholm / Rome, May 27 2019 (IPS) – Human existence includes dreams, thoughts, ideas, music, stories, religion, and other immaterial ”things”. They constitute an important part of our habitat, i.e. the dwelling place of any living organism,…
Class analyst: Global income inequality
By Chris Wellisz Washington DC, May 24 2019 (IPS) – As a child growing up in Communist Yugoslavia, Branko Milanovic witnessed the protests of 1968, when students occupied the campus of the University of Belgrade and hoisted banners reading “Down…
Industrial policy: Is there a paradigm shift in Germany?
by Peter Bofinger A paper from the German economy minister on a national industrial policy has gone down like a lead balloon. Peter Bofinger argues it needs to be reflated—and coloured green—at a European level. Industrial policy has a notoriously…
Identity and the politics of citizenship
By Tengku Ahmad Hazri Modern citizenship is in crisis. The resurgence of identity politics is just one manifestation of this. Identity politics is, in fact, a sign of the problem with citizenship even though it has rarely been presented or…