Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

The rising importance of cities, states and regions, firms, investors, and other subnational and non-state actors in global and national responses to climate change raises a critical question: to what extent does this climate action deliver results? This article introduces a conceptual framework that researchers and practitioners can use as a template to assess the progress, implementation, and impact of climate action by sub- and non-state actors. This framework is used to review existing studies that track progress, implementation, and achievement of such climate action between 2014 and mid-2019. While researchers have made important advances in assessing the scope and future potential of sub- and non-state climate action, we find knowledge gaps around ex-post achievement of results, indirect impacts, and climate action beyond the realm of greenhouse gas reductions.
Key policy insights
• While we increasingly understand the scale, scope, and potential of climate action by sub- and non-state actors, we lack rigorous evidence regarding the results achieved and their broader impacts.
• More information on progress and impact is essential for the credibility of sub- and non-state climate action. Policymakers need to understand which approaches are working and which are not, promoting the diffusion of best practice and creating conditions for stronger action in the future.
• The proposed conceptual framework can be tailored and applied to a wide range of initiatives that target mitigation, adaptation, and other spheres of climate action. By providing a template to identify key elements of progress tracking and evaluation, the framework can help align both research and practitioner communities around the data and metrics required to understand the overall impact of climate action.

Based on a rigorous coding and mapping exercise, the report describes linkages between voluntary sustainability standards and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Based on a rigorous coding and mapping exercise, the report describes linkages between voluntary sustainability standards and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Based on a rigorous coding and mapping exercise, the report describes linkages between voluntary sustainability standards and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The erosion of global governance has accelerated in recent years in the face of rising global inequality. The current global governance system lacks legitimacy, popular accountability, and effectiveness, and struggles to deliver solutions to key global challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic may sharpen the already existing crisis of multilateralism, or it may contribute to enhanced global cooperation beyond global health. This study investigates the role that the Group of Twenty could play in facilitating a deeper international engagement of African and European actors, for instance through a series of informal dialogues, exploring options for a reform of multilateral institutions.

The erosion of global governance has accelerated in recent years in the face of rising global inequality. The current global governance system lacks legitimacy, popular accountability, and effectiveness, and struggles to deliver solutions to key global challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic may sharpen the already existing crisis of multilateralism, or it may contribute to enhanced global cooperation beyond global health. This study investigates the role that the Group of Twenty could play in facilitating a deeper international engagement of African and European actors, for instance through a series of informal dialogues, exploring options for a reform of multilateral institutions.

The erosion of global governance has accelerated in recent years in the face of rising global inequality. The current global governance system lacks legitimacy, popular accountability, and effectiveness, and struggles to deliver solutions to key global challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic may sharpen the already existing crisis of multilateralism, or it may contribute to enhanced global cooperation beyond global health. This study investigates the role that the Group of Twenty could play in facilitating a deeper international engagement of African and European actors, for instance through a series of informal dialogues, exploring options for a reform of multilateral institutions.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified existing conflicts, deepened social inequality, and threatened to set back peace processes, but it has also afforded an opportunity “to rethink and develop United Nations peacekeeping further,” said Pekka Haavisto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. “The Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which aims to make UN peacekeeping fit for purpose, remains in the midst of pandemic as timely as ever.”

He was speaking at an October 7th ministerial- level virtual meeting on “UN Peacekeeping in the Time of COVID-19: A High-Level Dialogue on Challenges, Responses, and Lessons,” co-sponsored by IPI and the governments of Finland, Indonesia, Uruguay, and Rwanda. The event was the eighth in a series of annual ministerial-level convenings on peace operations, organized on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly debate.

“Peacekeeping has to be an integral part of an inclusive peacebuilding process that creates ground for reconciliation, social cohesion, as well as sustainable peace and development,” the Finnish Foreign Minister said. “This means the peacekeeping political process, development cooperation, and humanitarian aid should be planned and implemented in tandem, requiring close cooperation between the UN peacekeeping operation, the country team, and other partners, civil society and NGOs, and we should not forget the role of the UN policing and other civilian experts.”

He singled out training, capacity building, and increased participation of women peacekeepers for special mention. “Comprehensive peacekeeping demands comprehensive training teams, and, for example, context-specific human rights training can provide the tools for peacekeeping missions to complete their duties in a more sensitive and effective manner.” The number of women peacekeepers must grow, he said, because “it’s clear that more female peacekeepers means more successful operations.”

Febrian A. Ruddyard, Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral Cooperation of Indonesia, acknowledged the increased challenges to peacekeeping posed by COVID-19 and outlined three main objectives in response to them:

• “Our collective commitment to support peacekeeping operations should be strengthened.” He said that there were currently more than 2,800 Indonesian peacekeepers, including 126 women, across eight missions, and those numbers would be maintained despite the pandemic. ”In this time of crisis, peacekeeping missions should continue to carry out their mandates while assisting host countries to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.”
• “Improving peacekeeping performance and ensuring the safety and security of peacekeepers must go hand in hand.” He said that Indonesia had been updating its training materials to meet the new demands and practicing “strict observance” of COVID-19 protocols, both pre-deployment and post-deployment.
• “Our effort to increase participation of women in peacekeeping operations should be redoubled.” He said their stepped- up presence would bring “more impact” to local communities and, in particular, to the protection of women and children.

Nshuti Manasseh, delegated Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda, said that COVID-19 had forced peacekeeping missions to adapt their activity to minimize risk to troops and police, but that troop-contributing countries faced logistic and financial constraints. “By one example, Rwanda has to test five times each individual before, during and after deployment in peacekeeping missions. However, none of these tests are reimbursed by the UN. To an extent, Rwanda is facing logistic challenges related to decontamination of all aircraft during operations as well as deployment of personal protective equipment which was initially provided for medical staff and which are now required for the majority of our peacekeepers.”

In light of this “division” of resources, he said, the international community had to be wary of armed groups exploiting the situation to strengthen their footholds and reestablish their presence. “In this context, resources are being divided to respond to a health crisis, but we must continue to use strategic partnerships and alliances to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations are adequately funded and resourced to overcome global peace and security challenges while contributing to creating an  environment towards delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Operational Support, reported that 11 UN uniformed personnel had died from COVID, and that overall the UN had recorded 1,450 cases of COVID across all its field missions, of which 1,173 had occurred among uniformed personnel, the police and soldiers.

He outlined steps that have been taken to keep the toll low. “When travel restrictions arose, we established virtual walkthroughs in 21 field mission hospitals to ensure that they met the requirements laid out on hospital preparedness to respond to COVID-19.  Comprehensive virtual walkthroughs of contingent level one clinics and camp settings by public health experts were also carried out and were completed in six missions. Their lessons were then shared across all missions, and this model is now being adopted for use in other areas beyond medical inspection, such as pre-deployment visits.”

He said that early on in the outbreak, rotations were paused to protect UN personnel and host countries from the spreading virus. “But as rotations have resumed, we have put in place stringent conditions for safety and security, including pre-deployment training on COVID-19, a 14-day quarantine period in the home country, adherence to the mission’s quarantine regulations upon deployment in theater, physical distancing, and the use of personal protective equipment.” He said the crisis had also spurred the UN to create testing facilities in mission, to increase capacities for electronic communication, and to modernize the UN’s medevac system, which he said had already been called into service in the current crisis 99 times.

Anticipating two upcoming needs connected to COVID-19, Mr. Khare said that the design of UN field encampments had to be adapted and UN peacekeepers had to assured of being among the first in line to receive any vaccine that was developed. “Our camps were designed to enhance, maximize the efficiency of land and building use, but this means that people are close together, and so we have to look at a different camp design altogether.” And on vaccines, he said, “Our peacekeepers are as much frontline workers as humanitarian workers or health workers so they’ll have to be prioritized for vaccines.”

Expanding on that point, Mr. Haavisto, the Finnish Foreign Minister, said he understood the funding pressures the UN was facing in the crisis but implored people to recognize the priority of holistic peace operations. “I think how we combine peacekeeping with all other development efforts, humanitarian efforts and so forth is becoming more and more important. And then maybe to the countries which are contributing the troops the message ought to be very loud and clear from the UN level that this is not the time to give up, this is not the time to reduce your budgeting on these needs. And I know from the domestic debate that when you see money in the budget for some international purposes, it’s easy to try to cut that out first, whether it’s development aid or funding for peacekeeping. But I think it must be made clear that the only way to live in a safe world is to keep on this and continue this very important contribution that we make for peace through the UN.”

Francisco Bustillo, Minister of Foreign Relations of Uruguay, was unable to attend, but Carlos Amorin, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the UN, made brief remarks in his place.  “Uruguay believes strongly in the power of collective agreements in order to overcome challenges and produce meaningful and profound change and improvement to UN peace operations,” Ambassador Amorin said.

Summarizing the discussion in closing remarks, IPI Senior Director of Programs Jake Sherman said it had highlighted “how the UN and its member states are adapting in order to manage risks and effectively deliver on their mandates, including procedures for training, deployment and troop rotation, patrolling, and community engagement.  It also underscored how COVID-19 has increased the importance of medical and technological capacities, as well as human rights and the participation of women peacekeepers in order to improve access to communities and respond to heightened risks, including gender-based violence. And finally, of a comprehensive approach that includes development and response to humanitarian needs.”

Looking to the future, Mr. Sherman noted that speakers had voiced the need to “strengthen the collective commitment to peacekeeping at a time of increased importance, from political attention and financial support, to capacity building and equipment, and to use the current crisis to better prepare for future ones.”

IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen made opening remarks.

IPI Senior Fellow and Head of Protection of Civilians Namie Di Razza moderated the discussion.

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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. Nevertheless, while the Green Deal is well-intentioned and will certainly provide multiple opportunities for partner countries, potential challenges and conflicting objectives should not be overlooked, in particular those affecting developing countries.

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. Nevertheless, while the Green Deal is well-intentioned and will certainly provide multiple opportunities for partner countries, potential challenges and conflicting objectives should not be overlooked, in particular those affecting developing countries.

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. Nevertheless, while the Green Deal is well-intentioned and will certainly provide multiple opportunities for partner countries, potential challenges and conflicting objectives should not be overlooked, in particular those affecting developing countries.

Diese Veröffentlichung stellt eine von sechs Analysen sektorenübergreifender Herausforderungen für Wasser-Governance dar, die als Teil des STEER-Forschungsprojekts durchgeführt wurden und deren Resultate in separaten Ana-lysen und Stellungnahmen vorliegen.
Im Rahmen des Emscher-Umbaus zeigen sich die vielfältigen Nutzungskonflikte bei einem langfristigen Umbau des Ge-wässersystems mit dem Ziel der ökologischen Entwicklung. Die Emscher wurde Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts als offener Abwasserkanal ausgebaut. Nach dem Auslaufen des Bergbaus war es im Ruhrgebiet möglich, das Abwasser unterirdisch über Abwasserkanäle abzuführen und die Fließgewässer wieder ökologisch zu verbessern. Dieser Umbauprozess ver-langt sektorenübergreifende und interkommunale Koordination vor allem zwischen Wasserwirtschaft, Freiraumentwick-lung und Naturschutz.
Die durchgeführte Governance-Analyse zeigt, dass Koordination im Emscher-Einzugsgebiet, sowohl vertikal zwischen Akteur*innen unterschiedlicher Ebenen (lokal, regional und national) als auch horizontal zwischen den unterschiedli-chen Sektoren, bereits gut funktioniert. Es bestehen z.B. kommunenübergreifende Austauschforen, freiwillige ökologi-sche Baubegleitung, Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten für grüne Infrastrukturprojekte oder ein durch geographische Informa-tionssysteme (GIS) gestütztes Tool zur Koordination städtischer Abteilungen. Die Emscher-genossenschaft als regiona-ler Wasserwirtschaftsverband initiiert viele Prozesse, welche die Gewässer-Umgestaltung mit der Stadt- und Landschafts-planung verbinden.
Verbesserungspotenzial besteht in einer frühzeitigen und umfangreichen Bürger*innenbeteiligung in allen Planungs- und Umsetzungsprozessen, wodurch die Akzeptanz bei den Akteur*innen erhöht werden kann. Planungsprozesse soll-ten zudem durch eine höhere Flexibilität geprägt sein. Folgende Empfehlungen ergeben sich aus der Analyse:
• Die Koordination auf regionaler Ebene hat sich als Erfolgsfaktor herausgestellt. Regionale Akteur*innen stehen dabei in regelmäßigem Austausch.
• Das Genossenschaftsprinzip, das die Städte und Unternehmen in der Region zu Träger*innen des Was-serwirtschaftsverbands macht, ist sehr förderlich für die regionale Koordination.
• Als hilfreiches Instrument haben sich zudem intersektorale und interkommunale Arbeitsgruppen erwiesen.
• Um Nutzungskonflikte frühzeitig zu erkennen und tragfähige Lösungen bzw. Kompromisse zu finden, kann das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen hilfreich sein.

Diese Veröffentlichung stellt eine von sechs Analysen sektorenübergreifender Herausforderungen für Wasser-Governance dar, die als Teil des STEER-Forschungsprojekts durchgeführt wurden und deren Resultate in separaten Ana-lysen und Stellungnahmen vorliegen.
Im Rahmen des Emscher-Umbaus zeigen sich die vielfältigen Nutzungskonflikte bei einem langfristigen Umbau des Ge-wässersystems mit dem Ziel der ökologischen Entwicklung. Die Emscher wurde Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts als offener Abwasserkanal ausgebaut. Nach dem Auslaufen des Bergbaus war es im Ruhrgebiet möglich, das Abwasser unterirdisch über Abwasserkanäle abzuführen und die Fließgewässer wieder ökologisch zu verbessern. Dieser Umbauprozess ver-langt sektorenübergreifende und interkommunale Koordination vor allem zwischen Wasserwirtschaft, Freiraumentwick-lung und Naturschutz.
Die durchgeführte Governance-Analyse zeigt, dass Koordination im Emscher-Einzugsgebiet, sowohl vertikal zwischen Akteur*innen unterschiedlicher Ebenen (lokal, regional und national) als auch horizontal zwischen den unterschiedli-chen Sektoren, bereits gut funktioniert. Es bestehen z.B. kommunenübergreifende Austauschforen, freiwillige ökologi-sche Baubegleitung, Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten für grüne Infrastrukturprojekte oder ein durch geographische Informa-tionssysteme (GIS) gestütztes Tool zur Koordination städtischer Abteilungen. Die Emscher-genossenschaft als regiona-ler Wasserwirtschaftsverband initiiert viele Prozesse, welche die Gewässer-Umgestaltung mit der Stadt- und Landschafts-planung verbinden.
Verbesserungspotenzial besteht in einer frühzeitigen und umfangreichen Bürger*innenbeteiligung in allen Planungs- und Umsetzungsprozessen, wodurch die Akzeptanz bei den Akteur*innen erhöht werden kann. Planungsprozesse soll-ten zudem durch eine höhere Flexibilität geprägt sein. Folgende Empfehlungen ergeben sich aus der Analyse:
• Die Koordination auf regionaler Ebene hat sich als Erfolgsfaktor herausgestellt. Regionale Akteur*innen stehen dabei in regelmäßigem Austausch.
• Das Genossenschaftsprinzip, das die Städte und Unternehmen in der Region zu Träger*innen des Was-serwirtschaftsverbands macht, ist sehr förderlich für die regionale Koordination.
• Als hilfreiches Instrument haben sich zudem intersektorale und interkommunale Arbeitsgruppen erwiesen.
• Um Nutzungskonflikte frühzeitig zu erkennen und tragfähige Lösungen bzw. Kompromisse zu finden, kann das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen hilfreich sein.

Diese Veröffentlichung stellt eine von sechs Analysen sektorenübergreifender Herausforderungen für Wasser-Governance dar, die als Teil des STEER-Forschungsprojekts durchgeführt wurden und deren Resultate in separaten Ana-lysen und Stellungnahmen vorliegen.
Im Rahmen des Emscher-Umbaus zeigen sich die vielfältigen Nutzungskonflikte bei einem langfristigen Umbau des Ge-wässersystems mit dem Ziel der ökologischen Entwicklung. Die Emscher wurde Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts als offener Abwasserkanal ausgebaut. Nach dem Auslaufen des Bergbaus war es im Ruhrgebiet möglich, das Abwasser unterirdisch über Abwasserkanäle abzuführen und die Fließgewässer wieder ökologisch zu verbessern. Dieser Umbauprozess ver-langt sektorenübergreifende und interkommunale Koordination vor allem zwischen Wasserwirtschaft, Freiraumentwick-lung und Naturschutz.
Die durchgeführte Governance-Analyse zeigt, dass Koordination im Emscher-Einzugsgebiet, sowohl vertikal zwischen Akteur*innen unterschiedlicher Ebenen (lokal, regional und national) als auch horizontal zwischen den unterschiedli-chen Sektoren, bereits gut funktioniert. Es bestehen z.B. kommunenübergreifende Austauschforen, freiwillige ökologi-sche Baubegleitung, Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten für grüne Infrastrukturprojekte oder ein durch geographische Informa-tionssysteme (GIS) gestütztes Tool zur Koordination städtischer Abteilungen. Die Emscher-genossenschaft als regiona-ler Wasserwirtschaftsverband initiiert viele Prozesse, welche die Gewässer-Umgestaltung mit der Stadt- und Landschafts-planung verbinden.
Verbesserungspotenzial besteht in einer frühzeitigen und umfangreichen Bürger*innenbeteiligung in allen Planungs- und Umsetzungsprozessen, wodurch die Akzeptanz bei den Akteur*innen erhöht werden kann. Planungsprozesse soll-ten zudem durch eine höhere Flexibilität geprägt sein. Folgende Empfehlungen ergeben sich aus der Analyse:
• Die Koordination auf regionaler Ebene hat sich als Erfolgsfaktor herausgestellt. Regionale Akteur*innen stehen dabei in regelmäßigem Austausch.
• Das Genossenschaftsprinzip, das die Städte und Unternehmen in der Region zu Träger*innen des Was-serwirtschaftsverbands macht, ist sehr förderlich für die regionale Koordination.
• Als hilfreiches Instrument haben sich zudem intersektorale und interkommunale Arbeitsgruppen erwiesen.
• Um Nutzungskonflikte frühzeitig zu erkennen und tragfähige Lösungen bzw. Kompromisse zu finden, kann das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen hilfreich sein.

Digital technologies provide new opportunities for development and humanitarian organizations in their support for displaced people. Development agencies in the Group of 20 (G20) countries that fund and support humanitarian response can improve digital humanitarian responses by addressing technology access issues in displaced communities. They can work with United Nations (UN) agencies to develop digital tools that meet displaced peoples’ specific needs and implement comprehensive privacy and data protection policies in the programs they support. This policy brief draws on policy-relevant empirical findings on displaced peoples’ digital behavior and inclusion to develop recommendations for the G20 Development Working Group.

Digital technologies provide new opportunities for development and humanitarian organizations in their support for displaced people. Development agencies in the Group of 20 (G20) countries that fund and support humanitarian response can improve digital humanitarian responses by addressing technology access issues in displaced communities. They can work with United Nations (UN) agencies to develop digital tools that meet displaced peoples’ specific needs and implement comprehensive privacy and data protection policies in the programs they support. This policy brief draws on policy-relevant empirical findings on displaced peoples’ digital behavior and inclusion to develop recommendations for the G20 Development Working Group.

Digital technologies provide new opportunities for development and humanitarian organizations in their support for displaced people. Development agencies in the Group of 20 (G20) countries that fund and support humanitarian response can improve digital humanitarian responses by addressing technology access issues in displaced communities. They can work with United Nations (UN) agencies to develop digital tools that meet displaced peoples’ specific needs and implement comprehensive privacy and data protection policies in the programs they support. This policy brief draws on policy-relevant empirical findings on displaced peoples’ digital behavior and inclusion to develop recommendations for the G20 Development Working Group.

A rich corpus of literature exists on traveling knowledges, their carriers, and connectivities. Yet there is less emphasis on how trajectories of mobility themselves, and the knowledges that circulate coevolve in the process of travel. In this article, we propose “epistemic mobilities” as a conceptual lens with which to empirically trace the transfer and translation of knowledges and practices as they come to be embedded in existing and new social realities. We draw inspiration from technological and policy interventions for living with sea-level change across two cases studies on Jakarta and Manila, and ask how these policies and practices constantly morph when being translated into specific sociopolitical and ecological contexts. We argue that the translocal transforming of adaptation practices and policies, within their contexts of arrival and negotiation, are key to conceptualizing “epistemic mobilities” via local systems and processes of socioinstitutional change.

A rich corpus of literature exists on traveling knowledges, their carriers, and connectivities. Yet there is less emphasis on how trajectories of mobility themselves, and the knowledges that circulate coevolve in the process of travel. In this article, we propose “epistemic mobilities” as a conceptual lens with which to empirically trace the transfer and translation of knowledges and practices as they come to be embedded in existing and new social realities. We draw inspiration from technological and policy interventions for living with sea-level change across two cases studies on Jakarta and Manila, and ask how these policies and practices constantly morph when being translated into specific sociopolitical and ecological contexts. We argue that the translocal transforming of adaptation practices and policies, within their contexts of arrival and negotiation, are key to conceptualizing “epistemic mobilities” via local systems and processes of socioinstitutional change.