The Current Column

Every Monday, the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) comments on the latest issues and trends of international development policy by its Current Column. The column is intended for politically interested readers who want to get a brief overview on the state of German and international development policy.

Current and past issues can be downloaded for free from the IDOS website.

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  1. Addis Ababa: a one-time opportunity
    Addis Ababa: a one-time opportunity

    Berensmann, Kathrin (2015)
    The Current Column, 13 July 2015

    The UN Conference on Financing for Development begins in Addis Ababa today. It is the first of three world summits on key issues of global sustainable development taking place in the space of just six months.

  2. Connected, contested and complex – Why Europe needs a global strategy
    Connected, contested and complex – Why Europe needs a global strategy

    Messner, Dirk / Ewald Wermuth / Giovanni Grevi / Teresa Ribera / Kevin Watkins (2015)
    The Current Column, 03 July 2015

    Hidden in the small print of last week’s European Council conclusions was an important commitment leading to a "EU global strategy on foreign and security policy"

  3. Decarbonisation is no mean feat
    Decarbonisation is no mean feat

    Bauer, Steffen (2015)
    The Current Column, 29 June 2015

    25 June 2015. Less than three weeks have passed since the G7 leaders explicitly committed to the "decarbonisation of the global economy" at Schloss Elmau. Once again, Angela Merkel was lauded as the Climate Chancellor. Yet the word from Germany's Economics Ministry is that the envisaged climate levy for coal-fired power plants has been scrapped. If this is true, it would only underscore the fact that decarbonisation is no mean feat.

  4. The nuclear deal with Iran: adding fuel to the fire or ushering in peace in the Middle East?
    The nuclear deal with Iran: adding fuel to the fire or ushering in peace in the Middle East?

    Trautner, Bernhard (2015)
    The Current Column, 26 June 2015

    Only if a nuclear deal is achieved as planned by the end of June 2015 will sanctions against Iran be lifted. Such an agreement with Iran offers more opportunities than risks in the long term.

  5. G-7: a turning point in climate policy or empty words?
    G-7: a turning point in climate policy or empty words?

    Lütkenhorst, Wilfried / Anna Pegels (2015)
    The Current Column, 15 June 2015

    Climate policy was one of the agenda items at the G7 summit. What should we make of the decisions? How serious is the G7’s commitment to the long-term decarbonisation of the global economy?

  6. Migration to Europe – is North Africa Europe's boarder guard?
    Migration to Europe – is North Africa Europe's boarder guard?

    Schäfer, Isabel (2015)
    The Current Column, 08 June 2015

    The transit states in North Africa are facing pressure on several different fronts, whether socio-economic crises, political conflicts, transit migration from sub-Saharan Africa or the externalisation of EU migration control.

  7. Burundi – on the brink of escalation?
    Burundi – on the brink of escalation?

    Mroß, Karina (2015)
    The Current Column, 29 May 2015

    Bonn, 1 June 2015. Some 100,000 refugees, at least 20 people dead, a failed coup attempt and parliamentary elections postponed – as so often, it is not a good sign when a small, geopolitically insignificant country appears in German newspapers. So far hailed as a success story of post-conflict peacebuilding, the picture Burundi currently presents does not bode well.

  8. INDCs: A silver bullet for the climate negotiations, or empty talk?
    INDCs: A silver bullet for the climate negotiations, or empty talk?

    Pauw, Pieter / Kennedy Mbeva (2015)
    The Current Column, 26 May 2015

    Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) were born with a big bang at the UN climate negotiations in 2013. Friends and foes soon considered them instrumental to reach a global climate agreement in Paris in December 2015. The INDCs break new ground because they are universal: all countries will formulate contributions to address climate change, not just the industrialised countries. INDCs are the talk of the day at climate workshops and conferences, and expectations are huge. Yet, this might all prove to be empty talk and hope in vain, unless some critical issues are going to be solved in the coming months.

  9. It's all about the green stuff: finance gap threatening biodiversity
    It's all about the green stuff: finance gap threatening biodiversity

    Richerzhagen, Carmen (2015)
    The Current Column, 22 May 2015

    The year 2015 offers a unique opportunity to pool and reinvigorate global efforts to conserve biodiversity. This year sees the negotiation of new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the United Nations. One of the SDGs is expected to address the conservation of biodiversity, an issue which is currently discussed primarily in environmental forums, most notably in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Such limited discussion fails to do justice to the significance of biodiversity and to ensure that sufficient investment is made in its conservation.

  10. Why the European Union needs a new global strategy
    Why the European Union needs a new global strategy

    Messner, Dirk / Imme Scholz (2015)
    The Current Column, 20 May 2015

    The EU's Foreign and Defense Ministers have met in Brussels on Monday. One point on their long agenda was the strategic review of the EU's security environment and the challenges and opportunities arising for the EU.