Kategorie: Future of Globalisation

Beyond vested interests: Reforming international co-operation post COVID-19

World with a FFP2 Mask

By cromaconceptovisual on pixabay

 

The world is now in the eighth month of the COVID-19 pandemic. When this was written, the highest daily infection rates were recorded in India, the US and Brazil, while the highest death rates (per 100,000 inhabitants) were registered in Europe and the Americas. Africa so far has not turned into a hotspot of the disease – good news that is attributed to effective public health workers and Africa’s young population. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare weaknesses and blind spots in societies, economies and policies worldwide. Notably that public services the world over take too long to understand their new responsibilities under changed circumstances and as a result act too slowly, at the expense of the most vulnerable. For example, infection and death rates are high in OECD countries despite good health care systems. And insufficient digital infrastructure and access in public administrations, schools and households, exacerbated by social inequalities, affect access to education in Germany or in Latin American countries alike.…

Europe in the world: How the European Green Deal could influence global climate action and sustainable development

Photo: Bamboo Plants from below

The European Union (EU) announced its European Green Deal (hereafter Green Deal) at the global Climate Conference in Madrid in 2019, stating its intention to make Europe carbon neutral by 2050. The EU has been a global leader on the international stages of climate and sustainability, constantly pushing for more action at home and in the international negotiations. In that sense, through the Green Deal, the EU recognizes that its domestic action alone will not set the world on track for the deep needed transition towards sustainability. Rather, it notes and takes seriously the role it could play globally by acting as a role model and by directly stimulating action beyond borders.

Multilateralism – the status quo is not enough

Header: Flags in Front of United Nations

Source: https://www.needpix.com/photo/786825/

These are difficult times for multilateral action. Many are looking full of hope to Germany, whose Alliance for Multilateralism provides a key counterpoint to the “My country first” maxim. As such, it is all the more important for the German Government to set out a clear and substantive position in its new white paper on multilateralism. It must communicate clearly to the German people and other states why working with other nations, while often difficult and requiring constant compromise, is just as much in Germany’s own interest as strong, independent international organisations and global, universally applicable norms and rules. The Federal Government also needs to outline the specific changes for which it intends to advocate.

2020 as the Anno Commotio (Year of Yearning) –Academia needs to change for diversity, too!

Photo: Graduates with academic hats from above

Source: https://www.needpix.com/photo/201350/graduates-graduation-cap-and-gown-free-pictures-free-photos-free-images-royalty-free-free-illustrations

Last year, international relations scholars labelled the year 2020 as anno horribilis, because of the prospect of difficult upcoming chairmanship of important multilateral “clubs” such as the G7 (United States), G20 (Saudi Arabia) and BRICS (Russia). These governments are perceived to undermine multilateralism. The year 2020, however, thus far has been shaped primarily by other major disruptions: the COVID19 pandemic, new negative records in climate change, and the racial tensions in the United States and in other parts of the world. Indeed, these disruptions are reversing advancement in human rights and good governance. Disruption, however, has the potential to enable paradigm shifts – also to the better, and somewhat closer to home.

Fair trade and covid-19: Resisting resilience?

Photo: Plant through a hole in a boat, By Kim Thomas on Pixabay

New buzzword – why so popular?

Resilience has become increasingly popular in all dimensions of our lives and also in different academic disciplines ranging from ecology to psychology and social sciences. The resilience turn has also reached the EU: first in EU development and humanitarian aid policy in 2012, then European neighbourhood policy in 2015, after which it became the centerpiece of the EU’s Global Strategy of 2016.