Climate change and biodiversity

This Paper was originally published on ettg.eu KEY MESSAGES1. Aligning climate and energy priorities for mutual benefit - North Africa’s solar and wind potential could help meet the EU’s decarbonisation and energy security goals. A longterm, equitable partnership integrating green industrialisation, energy market integration and climate resilience can deliver shared economic, environmental and geopolitical gains. 2. Transforming energy partnerships for a just transition - ...

This Blog was originally published on ettg.eu Europe and North Africa are intensifying cooperation, driven by shared interests in renewable energy deployment, trade and industrialisation. This renewed focus is opening doors for deeper energy partnerships, including on green hydrogen, and offers North African countries new opportunities to expand into European markets. At the same time, it raises concerns about the uneven distribution of benefits and insufficient international f ...

The impacts of climate change are increasingly manifesting through severe and multifaceted loss and damage, particularly across vulnerable regions such as the Mediterranean. These impacts extend beyond environmental degradation, contributing to forced displacement, food insecurity, political instability, and the erosion of human rights and dignity. Furthermore, they reinforce structural inequalities between the Global North and South, thereby challenging global principles of climate ...

The author of this opinion, David Michael Terungwa, is a 2017 alumnus of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program. As the world commemorates Earth Day 2025 under the theme "Planet vs. Plastics," it is a timely moment to turn our attention to one of the planet’s most overlooked heroes: the soil. Often hidden beneath our feet and largely absent from climate conversations, soil plays a vital role in sustaining life, supporting biodiversity, and buffering the impacts o ...

Fluctuating precipitation and extreme weather are long-standing features of life in West Africa, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin. Communities across the region have historically adapted to these unique climatic conditions in diverse ways. However, the growing impact of climate change, coupled with challenges to food security and ecological resilience, has elevated these issues on the agendas of  regional and international policy platforms. Despite this recognition, the regio ...

The second Trump administration’s reversal of federal climate policy is reshaping the U.S. energy and industrial landscape, with significant implications for macroeconomic performance, clean technology competitiveness, and global climate cooperation. While the deregulatory shift and emphasis on fossil-fuel production may generate short-term output gains in selected sectors, the long-term structural transformation necessary for sustained growth in an increasingly low-carbon global ec ...

Le lithium a vu ses prix s’effondrer au cours des deux dernières années, alors que sa demande devrait fortement croître pour alimenter l’essor programmé des véhicules électriques et des ‘’ clean techs ‘’. Paradoxe ou situation caractéristique des marchés mondiaux de matières où l’instabilité fait loi et où la géostratégie joue pleinement son rôle ? Une analyse des mécanismes à l’œuvre sur le marché de cette ressource stratégique est nécessaire, afin de comprendre la p ...

Lithium prices have plummeted over the past two years, while demand is set to rise sharply to fuel the planned boom in electric vehicles and "clean tech". Is this a paradox, or is it typical of global commodity markets where instability is the rule and geostrategy plays a key role? An analysis of the mechanisms at work in the market for this strategic resource is needed to understand the shape this market may take over the next few years. ...

This Opinion was originally published in Project Syndicate   As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, African countries have an opportunity to advocate for equitable carbon-pricing mechanisms that align climate action with sustainable development. While cutting emissions is important, so, too, is ensuring fairness and equity for the communities most vulnerable to climate change. ...

While the very reality of the energy transition is sometimes questioned, even challenged (Fressoz, 2023), the carryover effect it creates on mineral resources, highlighted by numerous forward-looking studies, appears indisputable. More copper, lithium, nickel, graphite or rare earths: these are the non-exhaustive conditions that will enable us to support the development of electromobility and renewable energies, and thus contribute to limiting global warming, in line with the commit ...

The global energy landscape in 2024 reflects a complex interplay of geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, and uneven progress in clean energy transitions. Despite record growth in renewable energy deployment and advancements in low-carbon technologies, the world continues to fall short of meeting its climate goals. Fragmented markets, entrenched fossil fuel dependencies, and supply chain vulnerabilities continue to challenge energy security and hinder global decarbonization eff ...

The Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel regions have faced multidimensional conflict since 2011. Violence, attributed mostly to violent extremist organizations (VEOs) affiliated to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, has put both regions on the global map of the deadliest armed conflicts and worst humanitarian crises. Since 2012, tens of thousands of people have been killed, while at least six million people have been displaced in the two regions combined. Simultaneously, floods since August ...

The agreement reached at COP 29 to provide $300 billion annually in climate financing to developing countries (excluding China) by 2035 marks a significant milestone, tripling the previous target. Yet, the response from developing countries has been overwhelmingly negative. A statement from the group of least developed countries labeled the agreement “a staggering betrayal of the world’s most vulnerable.” Similarly, representatives from major developing countries like India and Nige ...

This paper assesses the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, focusing on its achievements and shortcomings in advancing global climate governance. Key milestones included the adoption of the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), the tripling of climate finance commitments to $300 billion annually by 2035, and progress on Article 6 carbon markets to mobilize international cooperation and finance. However, finance remains insufficient to meet the needs of developing countries, and unresolved i ...

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is at a critical juncture, facing an intricate polycrisis defined by interlinked challenges including energy insecurity, water scarcity, migration, conflict, and socio-political fragmentation. These crises are not isolated; their interconnectedness amplifies their impact, creating a destabilizing feedback loop that hinders sustainable development and peacebuilding efforts. This paper explores the concept of polycrisis through the lens o ...

Communities around the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) rely on three major economic activities: farming, fishing, and livestock herding. The floods that began in August 2024 damaged and destroyed hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland, killed thousands of livestock, and rendered fishing unsafe for fishermen. This climate shock caused families dependent on these activities to lose their primary sources of income. Worse still, these economic activities also serve as the main source of da ...

At the COP29 climate summit that began on November 11, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, one of the main focuses is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Article 6, introduced at COP21 in 2015 and shaped through years of negotiation, enables countries to meet climate targets collaboratively, either through carbon markets or non-market strategies. This section of the Paris Agreement has the potential to unlock significant climate finance, cut the cost of reducing emissions, and foster cooperati ...

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Si la réalité même de la transition énergétique est parfois questionnée, voire remise en cause (Fressoz, 2023), l’effet de report qu’elle crée sur les ressources minérales, mis en évidence par de nombreuses études prospectives, apparaît indiscutable. Plus de cuivre, de lithium, de nickel, de graphite ou de terres rares : telles sont les conditions non exhaustives permettant de soutenir le développement de l’électromobilité et des énergies renouvelables et, ainsi, de contribuer ...

This paper examines the complex interplay between global climate ambitions and national interests within the New South—defined as a diverse group of emerging economies, each pursuing distinct geopolitical strategies, economic priorities, and development goals—seen through a realist lens at the COP29 climate summit. As the climate crisis deepens, the geopolitical stakes involved in climate governance become more pronounced. The New South, grappling with the dual challenges ...

This paper was originally published on t20brasil.org   In a global context marked by unprecedented economic and environmental challenges, Africa stands at a crossroads. The rapid rise in public debt, coupled with the climate emergency, imposes a dual constraint on the continent's countries, severely limiting their ability to pursue sustainable development and mitigate the effects of climate change. This critical situation calls for innovative and effective solutions capa ...

The earth’s average surface temperature in May 2024 was higher than any other May on record, marking the twelfth consecutive such record-breaking month. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, May’s temperature was 1.52 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, while temperatures over the past twelve months have averaged 1.63°C above (Figure 1). Global sea surface temperatures have also set records over the past fourteen months.   Consider ...

This paper was originally published in nature.com   Deforestation in the Brazilian Legal Amazon remains a challenge due to its detrimental effects on ecosystems and the associated increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Such deforestation can be driven by foreign demand in terms of international exports, as well as domestic demand. However, most efforts to quantify the associations between consumer markets and deforestation mainly consider international exports rather than dome ...

Carbon trading have long been touted as a silver bullet to channelise climate finance to African countries lacking the capital to support climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. The erstwhile ‘Kyoto Protocol’ and its successor ‘The Paris Agreement’, though much more comprehensive and wider in scope, both recognize the importance of carbon trading (a form of carbon pricing) in combatting climate change, and in the Paris Agreement the same is enshrined under Article 6 and its sub-c ...

It all began in 1924, when the World Energy Council (WEC) was established in order to harness the collective expertise of the global energy community and translate vision into tangible outcomes. In April 2024, the city of Rotterdam hosted the 26th Congress of the World Energy Council, whose theme was “Redesigning Energy for Better Lives and a Healthy Planet”.  It is not about a single energy transition, but rather many energy transitions. The concept of energy transition is ...

The issue of environmental degradation represents a significant global challenge. It manifests in various forms, including physical alterations such as air pollution, ozone depletion, climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity loss. These changes are proven to be linked to human activities, such as energy production and consumption, tourism and agriculture. Additionally, factors like population growth and health and safety concerns contribute to environmental decline. Is Gro ...

Par rapport aux intérêts des générations des années cinquante, soixante et soixante-dix (dont je fais partie), la question de l’environnement n’est venue se greffer dans les préoccupations des acteurs, leurs réflexions et programmes d’action, que tardivement. Il faudra encore quelque temps pour mûrir les éléments de cette problématique relativement nouvelle. Toutefois, dès le départ on est partagé entre deux visions : d’une part, une approche qui considère la protection de l’ ...

The energy landscape in 2024 is at a crossroads. Fossil fuels continue to dominate, with prices that are volatile due to geopolitical tensions and shifting demand patterns. However, renewable energy is on the rise thanks to cost declines, policy support, and growing consumer adoption. This Policy Brief examines five significant trends that will shape the energy landscape in 2024. Navigating the complex energy landscape requires careful risk monitoring and prudent policy responses. K ...

Le paysage énergétique mondial est actuellement en mutation, marqué par des progrès importants en termes de transition vers des sources d'énergie renouvelables et d’accélération de l'électrification. Cette évolution est cruciale pour faire face au changement climatique et assurer un avenir énergétique durable. Elle coexiste, néanmoins, avec l'utilisation persistante des énergies fossiles dans certains secteurs. Bien que les technologies renouvelables soient dorénavant compétitives e ...

In a world confronted with unprecedented challenges and growing geopolitical rifts, is it time for a reformed and more balanced international order? What are the new propositions by the "Global South"? Are they necessarily at odds with the ones of the 'West"? Guided by these questions, 2023 marked a milestone for the “Global South” as the BRICS group invited 6 other countries to join the club, and India presided over of the G20 just after Indonesia and before Brazil. ...