Agrégateur de flux

If Democrats ride a “blue wave” to reclaim the House in November’s mid-term elections – a distinct possibility – U.S. China policy will become dangerously volatile.

It is no surprise that Beijing is now embracing this construct, hoping to shift the responsibility for stability and avoiding escalation onto Washington.

Today, Bhutan’s development model faces pressures that may overwhelm the deliberate gradualism that has long defined its approach.

Seuls deux ont survécu après avoir parcouru plus de 50 km à travers le désert pour alerter les autorités.

For the first time in seven years, Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit Pyongyang on June 8 – closely following his separate summits with the U.S. and Russian presidents.

Written by Piotr Bąkowski.

CONTEXT

In the European Union (EU), trade in drug precursors – substances that may have legitimate commercial or industrial applications but are also used to produce illicit drugs – is governed by two regulations, addressing intra-EU and external trade respectively. These laws seek to prevent the diversion of precursors without hindering the commercial interests of lawful operators. However, the mechanism put in place, based on listing individual substances and imposing strict conditions on their trade, has encountered challenges, particularly as a result of developments in drug markets.

To address the concerns confronting the EU framework, several EU policy instruments have announced a revision of the legislation in force. In December 2025, the European Commission presented a proposal that would merge the two regulations. The initiative reflects the European Commission’s intention to reduce the administrative burden for operators and national authorities while setting a regulatory framework more adaptable to drug market developments.

Legislative proposal

2025/0384(COD) – Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on monitoring and controlling drug precursors and repealing Regulations (EC) No 273/2004 and (EC) No 111/2005 – (2025) 747 final, 3 December 2025.

NEXT STEPS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

For the latest developments in this legislative procedure, see the Legislative Train Schedule.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Proposed EU regulation on drug precursors‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Kyrgyzstan, the second Central Asian country ever to be elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, was propelled to victory on the back of a wave of diplomatic support from its neighbors, Turkiye, and Muslim states.

In einer Welt, die von Konzernstrukturen und anonymen Online-Plattformen geprägt ist, setzen immer mehr Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher auf das Gegenteil: persönlichen Service, gewachsene Kompetenz und regionale Verwurzelung. Traditionsreiche Familienbetriebe stehen genau für diese Werte – besonders in der Umzugsbranche, wo Vertrauen und Sorgfalt entscheidend sind. Dieser Artikel beleuchtet, warum Erfahrung ein Qualitätsmerkmal ist, das sich nicht durch niedrige Preise ersetzen lässt.

Was Familienbetriebe von anderen Anbietern unterscheidet

Der deutsche Mittelstand gilt als Rückgrat der Wirtschaft, und Familienbetriebe nehmen darin eine besondere Stellung ein. In der Umzugsbranche zeigt sich dieser Unterschied besonders deutlich. Während Großunternehmen auf standardisierte Abläufe und maximale Effizienz setzen, zeichnen sich Familienbetriebe durch Flexibilität, persönliche Ansprechpartner und eine emotionale Bindung an ihre Arbeit aus.

Wer seit Jahrzehnten unter dem eigenen Namen arbeitet, kann es sich nicht leisten, schlechte Arbeit abzuliefern. Der Ruf des Unternehmens ist untrennbar mit dem Familiennamen verbunden – das schafft eine natürliche Qualitätsgarantie, die kein Zertifikat ersetzen kann. Die Inhaberinnen und Inhaber stehen selbst hinter jedem Auftrag und tragen die Verantwortung nicht nur geschäftlich, sondern persönlich.

Hinzu kommt die Weitergabe von Fachwissen über Generationen. Erfahrungswerte, die sich über Jahrzehnte ansammeln, fließen in jeden einzelnen Umzug ein – von der optimalen Verpackungstechnik für empfindliche Antiquitäten bis zur perfekten Routenplanung in schwierigen Innenstadtlagen.

Der Faktor Vertrauen: Warum Kundennähe im privaten Bereich entscheidend ist

Ein Umzug ist weit mehr als der bloße Transport von Möbeln von A nach B. Es ist ein emotionaler Einschnitt, bei dem fremde Menschen Einblick in die Privatsphäre erhalten und persönliche Besitztümer handhaben. Traditionsbetriebe setzen hier auf ein starkes Vertrauensverhältnis. Der direkte Kontakt zu den Inhabern sorgt dafür, dass individuelle Ängste und Wünsche ernst genommen werden. Probleme werden nicht anonym weggeschoben, sondern auf kurzem Dienstweg gelöst. Diese emotionale Sicherheit und das Gefühl, gut aufgehoben zu sein, sind wesentliche Faktoren, die Großkonzerne oder reine Vermittlungsportale aufgrund ihrer standardisierten und oft unpersönlichen Struktur nicht im gleichen Maße bieten können.

Nachhaltigkeit und langfristige Planung im inhabergeführten Unternehmen

Inhabergeführte Familienunternehmen planen nicht in Quartalszahlen, sondern in Generationen. Dieser langfristige Ansatz spiegelt sich in einer nachhaltigen Unternehmensführung wider. Dazu gehört die faire Bezahlung und langfristige Bindung von Fachkräften, was zu einer niedrigen Fluktuationsrate führt. Für Kunden bedeutet das, dass sie auf eingespielte Teams treffen, die Hand in Hand arbeiten. Zudem investieren viele dieser Betriebe kontinuierlich in moderne, umweltschonende Fuhrparks und wiederverwendbare Verpackungssysteme. So wird die Tradition des Handwerks mit zukunftsorientiertem, verantwortungsvollem Handeln verknüpft, was letztlich auch der Qualität der Dienstleistung zugutekommt.

Tradition vs. Billiganbieter: Ein Vergleich, der sich lohnt

Die Versuchung ist groß, beim Umzug einfach das günstigste Angebot zu wählen. Doch ein realistischer Vergleich zeigt schnell, warum der niedrigste Preis selten die beste Wahl ist:

KriteriumFamilienbetriebGroßunternehmenBilliganbieterPersönlicher AnsprechpartnerInhaber/Familie direktWechselnde SachbearbeiterOft nur per E-Mail erreichbarErfahrung und FachwissenJahrzehntelange ExpertiseStandardisierte SchulungenHäufig angelernte KräfteFlexibilität bei SonderwünschenHoch – individuelle LösungenEingeschränkt – feste PaketeKaum möglichVersicherungsschutzUmfassend und transparentStandardmäßig inklusiveOft minimal oder unklarRegionale OrtskenntnisSehr gut – fest verwurzeltUnterschiedlich je nach StandortGering bis nicht vorhandenPreistransparenzDetailliertes FestpreisangebotKlare PreislistenHäufig versteckte ZuschlägeReklamationsbearbeitungDirekt und schnellÜber KundenserviceSchwierig und langwierig

Der Vergleich verdeutlicht: Was auf den ersten Blick teurer erscheint, bietet in der Gesamtbetrachtung häufig das bessere Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis. Schäden, mangelnde Kommunikation und nachträgliche Kostensteigerungen fressen den vermeintlichen Preisvorteil schnell auf.

Besonders die Preistransparenz erweist sich in der Praxis oft als Stolperstein bei günstigen Angeboten. Während renommierte Familienbetriebe auf detaillierte Festpreisangebote setzen, die alle Eventualitäten abdecken, arbeiten Discount-Anbieter häufig mit unvollständigen Kostenvoranschlägen. Zuschläge für Etagen, lange Tragewege oder Wochenendarbeit werden dann erst am Umzugstag fällig. Dies führt zu erheblichem Stress und unvorhergesehenen finanziellen Belastungen in einer ohnehin anstrengenden Lebensphase.

Warum regionale Verwurzelung ein echtes Qualitätsmerkmal ist

Ein Familienbetrieb, der seit Generationen in einer Region tätig ist, kennt die örtlichen Gegebenheiten wie kein anderer. In der Umzugsbranche bedeutet das: Kenntnis der Straßenverhältnisse, Erfahrung mit den lokalen Behörden für Halteverbotsgenehmigungen und ein gewachsenes Netzwerk an zuverlässigen Partnern.

Diese regionale Expertise ist besonders wertvoll in Städten mit anspruchsvoller Infrastruktur. Ein Beispiel dafür ist Walter Braun Umzüge – ein traditionsreiches Familienunternehmen, das die Anforderungen seiner Region aus jahrzehntelanger Erfahrung kennt und diese Kompetenz in jeden Auftrag einfließen lässt.

Regionale Verwurzelung bringt darüber hinaus konkrete Vorteile, die sich in der Praxis bemerkbar machen:

1. Kurze Anfahrtswege: Ein lokaler Anbieter ist schnell vor Ort und kann auch kurzfristig reagieren – etwa bei Terminverschiebungen oder unerwartetem Bedarf an zusätzlichem Material.
2. Persönliche Besichtigung: Seriöse Familienbetriebe nehmen sich Zeit für eine Vor-Ort-Besichtigung, um den Umfang des Umzugs realistisch einzuschätzen und ein verbindliches Angebot zu erstellen.
3. Nachbetreuung: Sollte nach dem Umzug ein Problem auftreten – etwa ein übersehener Kratzer oder eine fehlende Schraube –, ist der Ansprechpartner nur einen Anruf entfernt und nicht in einer anonymen Telefonschleife.
4. Reputation in der Nachbarschaft: Ein Familienunternehmen lebt von Weiterempfehlungen. Jeder Auftrag ist eine Visitenkarte, und dieser Anspruch spiegelt sich in der Arbeitsqualität wider.
5. Verantwortung gegenüber der Region: Familienbetriebe schaffen Arbeitsplätze vor Ort, bilden aus und engagieren sich häufig auch ehrenamtlich in der Gemeinde.

Logistische Vorteile durch lokale Netzwerkstrukturen

Die tiefe Verwurzelung in einer bestimmten Region bringt auch logistische Synergieeffekte mit sich. Traditionsbetriebe verfügen über jahrzehntelang gewachsene Kontakte zu lokalen Behörden, anderen Gewerken und Servicepartnern. Muss beispielsweise kurzfristig ein Schreiner für eine komplizierte Küchenmontage organisiert oder ein spezieller Außenaufzug angefordert werden, können etablierte Betriebe auf ein verlässliches Netzwerk zurückgreifen. Diese kurzen Kommunikationswege und das gegenseitige Vertrauen der Partnerbetriebe sichern den reibungslosen Ablauf des Umzugs auch dann, wenn unvorhergesehene Herausforderungen auftreten. Ein überregionaler Dienstleister muss solche Services oft mühsam und teuer einkaufen.

Tradition und Qualität: Wie Sie den richtigen Familienbetrieb finden

Nicht jedes Unternehmen, das sich als Familienbetrieb bezeichnet, erfüllt die damit verbundenen Qualitätserwartungen. Achten Sie bei der Auswahl auf folgende Merkmale:

1. Nachweisbare Unternehmensgeschichte: Seriöse Familienbetriebe kommunizieren ihre Firmengeschichte offen – auf der Website, in Broschüren oder im persönlichen Gespräch.
2. Mitgliedschaft in Berufsverbänden: Eine Mitgliedschaft im Bundesverband Möbelspedition und Logistik (AMÖ) oder ähnlichen Fachverbänden ist ein starkes Qualitätssignal.
3. Transparente Kommunikation: Ein guter Familienbetrieb nimmt sich Zeit für Ihre Fragen und erklärt den gesamten Ablauf verständlich und ohne Fachjargon.
4. Festpreisangebot nach Besichtigung: Vorsicht vor Angeboten, die ohne Besichtigung oder nur per Telefon erstellt werden – ein seriöser Anbieter möchte den Umfang persönlich einschätzen.

Informationen über die Qualitätsstandards im Handwerk und in der Dienstleistungsbranche bietet auch der Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH). Dort finden Sie Wissenswertes zu Ausbildungsstandards, Meisterpflicht und branchenspezifischen Qualitätsmerkmalen, die Ihnen bei der Auswahl eines geeigneten Betriebs helfen können.

Tradition ist in der Dienstleistungsbranche kein Selbstzweck – sie ist das Ergebnis jahrzehntelanger Bewährung. Wer auf einen erfahrenen Familienbetrieb setzt, investiert nicht nur in eine Dienstleistung, sondern in die Sicherheit, dass der eigene Umzug mit Sorgfalt, Kompetenz und persönlichem Engagement begleitet wird.

Der Beitrag Wenn Erfahrung zählt: Warum traditionsreiche Familienbetriebe in der Umzugsbranche überzeugen erschien zuerst auf Neurope.eu - News aus Europa.

Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

La popularité croissante des diamants synthétiques accentue la pression sur ceux qui recherchent les pierres précieuses naturelles.

REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Leoluca Orlando

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on promoting transnational governance on water in the interests of conflict prevention and peace
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Leoluca Orlando

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Der Gastbeitrag von Stefan Bach und Marcel Fratzscher erschien am 5. Juni 2026 im SPIEGEL., Die derzeit wichtigste Frage für die Zukunft Deutschlands – und auch für das Überleben der Bundesregierung – lautet: Findet die Koalition Mut und Kraft, den Menschen in unserem Land moderate Einbußen ihres Wohlstands zuzumuten, um das Land zu reformieren? Es geht um das schnöde Geld: Wird die ...

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, learns how to pan for gold in a free-mercury mine in Baguio, the Philippines, in 2024. Credit: Minamata Convention on Mercury

By Kizito Makoye
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Jun 5 2026 (IPS)

Ask any woman miner in the Katoro goldfield in Tanzania’s northern Geita region, and she will tell you that she touches toxic mercury with her bare hands when extracting gold from crushed ore.

Many also say they carry the mercury-gold amalgam home and burn it in kitchens, exposing themselves and their families to toxic fumes that waft into the air.

For many women in Tanzania’s artisanal mining communities, the use of mercury is deeply embedded in their survival.

Globally, mercury used in artisanal gold mining contaminates rivers, enters fish and travels through Indigenous food systems – affecting distant communities.

Monika Stankiewicz, the United Nations’ Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, warned this week that mercury pollution linked to artisanal gold mining continues to wreak havoc globally, with some women so fearful of the toxic metal’s effects that they are delaying motherhood.

During visits to mining communities in different countries, Stankiewicz said she heard stories that exposed the hidden human cost behind the global gold rush – where poverty often leaves families choosing between earning a living and protecting their health.

“I’ve heard women saying they are afraid to get pregnant because they are afraid their children will be affected by mercury,” Stankiewicz tells IPS on the sidelines of the Eighth GEF Assembly. “So it was really heartbreaking.”

Her account paints a grim picture of women and children exposed to hazardous mercury in domestic settings as the human toll of the global gold rush continues to grow, from Geita to Brazil’s Amazon despite visible risks to human health and ecosystems.

For Stankiewicz, the challenge extends beyond environmental regulation to the harsh reality facing millions of low-income miners worldwide, whose families struggle to survive today while carrying health risks that may last for generations.

“It is always a different context,” Stankiewicz said, recalling her years of interactions with artisanal miners.

“In different countries where I met with miners, the situation was quite specific. So it’s difficult to have one story that represents the entire informal sector,” she said.

Mercury pollution linked to artisanal and small-scale gold mining remains one of the world’s largest sources of human-generated mercury emissions.

In Tanzania, where roughly 1.2 million artisanal miners depend on gold for income, mercury is still widely used because it is cheap, accessible and effective at recovering gold.

Mercury is a toxic substance that attacks the central nervous system. According to Stankiewicz, exposure to the liquid metal may cause neurological damage, including memory loss and tremors, respiratory illness from inhaling mercury vapour, reproductive health impacts and harm to children’s developing nervous systems.

Children are particularly vulnerable.

Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention on Mercury at the Eighth GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

“Even low levels can affect brain development, learning and memory, and motor skills,” she said.

The consequences can be lifelong.

“We know from past experiences, such as the Minamata disease in Japan, that high levels of mercury exposure, particularly during pregnancy, can lead to severe and permanent neurological damage in children.”

In many artisanal mining communities, women process ore, store mercury and supervise the burning of amalgam to prevent theft.

“If they are not processing directly, they are often most trusted to either store the mercury or watch over the amalgam as it gets burnt to ensure it is not stolen,” Stankiewicz explains.

“They also face compounded risks during pregnancy, as mercury can affect the developing foetus they carry.”

The unsafe disposal of mercury in Tanzania has created a toxic mix in the country’s river system, exposing people downstream to serious health risks due to water and fish contamination, she added.

Mercury enters rivers, fish and agricultural systems, exposing communities who may never set foot inside a mine.

“For families and communities relying on fishing or farming, the impact can mean reduced food safety and food security, loss of income from contaminated natural resources and long-term degradation of ecosystems they depend on,” Stankiewicz says.

She notes that Indigenous communities in the Arctic continue to experience mercury contamination, even though they do not engage in mercury-intensive artisanal mining, because mercury circulates globally through the atmosphere before accumulating in colder ecosystems.

In Brazil, the crisis carries another dimension.

“Despite their distance and very different contexts, both regions reflect a similar underlying reality: artisanal and small-scale gold mining exists at the intersection of livelihoods, informality, and, in some cases, illegality,” she says.

“In the Brazilian Amazon, we are seeing a growing presence of organised criminal networks linked to illegal gold mining, including money laundering, gold laundering, illegal mercury supply chains, and operations in protected and Indigenous areas.”

“In East Africa, including Tanzania, the situation is different in scale and structure, but the sector is still affected by widespread informality and illicit trade, such as smuggling and unregulated cross-border flows, which limit oversight and undermine efforts to control mercury use.”

For Stankiewicz, criminalising poverty does not solve the mercury problem.

She recalls meeting miners who had already stopped using mercury but remained trapped outside formal markets.

“They still struggled to formalise their activities and to have access to formal markets, to have a fair price for their gold and also to protect themselves from illegal activities.”

The lesson, she said, is that governments must avoid pushing miners deeper underground.

“It’s important to work directly with miners and not push them underground so that activity becomes fully illegal, because then it’s difficult to reach out with capacity building and awareness raising.”

Her message to a miner in Geita or the Brazilian Amazon is grounded in empathy rather than judgement.

“First of all, I would say that this is a very difficult choice for any family member or parent to either think of earning money or then also put at risk their own health.”

“So I do not wish anyone to be in a situation to make such a choice.”

Still, she urges immediate protective action.

“The most immediate and practical advice is really for miners to protect themselves from mercury exposure and to avoid certain practices that really may affect their health.”

“This is like burning amalgam in residential areas and also open burning.”

She believes the long-term answer lies elsewhere.

“Formalisation is the way to go.”

The Minamata Convention, which entered into force nearly a decade ago, has increasingly focused on helping countries move in that direction. Between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2025 the GEF committed USD 174.0 million for programming to support the implementation of the Convention under its eighth replenishment.

Earlier this week, the 71st Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) also acknowledged USD 200 million for smaller projects, including support for countries’ national implementation plans under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and work to address mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Under Article 7 and National Action Plans, governments are encouraged to eliminate the most dangerous practices, strengthen public health responses, formalise mining operations and introduce mercury-free technologies.

Progress, Stankiewicz says, is visible.

More countries have adopted action plans, more governments have recognised ASGM as a significant sector, and communities are becoming increasingly aware of mercury’s risks.

“On the ground, this is translating into concrete measures: the introduction of mercury-free technologies in some mining areas, stronger regulatory frameworks, efforts to formalise parts of the sector, and increasing integration of health considerations into national responses.”

But she warns against celebrating too early.

“The next phase, and the real test, is ensuring that these efforts are aligned with realities on the ground, sustained, scaled, and translated into lasting improvements in the lives of mining and downstream communities.”

For communities in Tanzania and Brazil that depend on gold, the challenge remains unresolved.

Gold still brings income.

Mercury still brings risk.

And between the two lies a difficult question millions of families continue to confront every day: how to survive today without sacrificing tomorrow.

Note: The Eighth Global Environment Facility Assembly is underway until June 6, 2026, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

This feature is published with the support of the GEF. IPS is solely responsible for the editorial content, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the GEF.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Credit: UN News

By Andrew Firmin
LONDON, Jun 5 2026 (IPS)

Ahead of World Environment Day, the UN General Assembly made a vital commitment to protect people from climate impacts, adopting a resolution on the climate change obligations of states. The resolution follows up on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion issued last year, which found that states have a legal duty to prevent activities that cause environmental harm. Most states voted for the resolution despite a concerted campaign by the Trump administration to block it.

From ruling to resolution

The ICJ ruling was a landmark moment. It made clear that climate change is a human rights issue, because the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is essential for human rights as a whole. Its ruling means that if states breach their climate obligations, it’s an intentionally wrongful act, opening them up to legal challenges.

The ICJ case was brought by the government of Vanuatu, but it was a victory for civil society, because the campaign to seek a ruling was started by law students who formed an organisation, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, to pressure their governments to go to the court.

ICJ advisory opinions aren’t legally binding, but their reasoning often plays a part in litigation efforts, strengthening the climate lawsuits civil society is increasingly bringing against states and corporations. It’s already being referenced in court hearings. Last year, a Brazilian judge cited it when he ordered a coalmine and thermoelectric plant to cease operations, although his ruling is currently on hold pending an appeal.

However, at the latest global climate summit, COP30, the Saudi Arabian government vetoed any reference to the ICJ ruling. Vanuatu therefore pushed for the General Assembly resolution to recognise the international legal standing of the judgment and encourage greater implementation.

Approval was far from unanimous. The Trump administration urged its allies to pressure Vanuatu to withdraw the resolution, part of its extensive campaign to defend the interests of fossil fuel corporations. It has also renounced the Paris Agreement and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, withdrawn from an array of international climate and environmental bodies and blocked an agreement on global shipping emissions. It was one of eight states that voted against, alongside Belarus, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, a roll call of petrostates, countries that routinely ignore international rules and their close allies. The Trump administration continues to dispute the resolution, having issued a statement questioning its legality.

Momentum and resistance

States that backed the resolution have made clear that action on the climate crisis isn’t a question of political convenience, but a matter of respecting international law.

The resolution further contributes to the growing momentum behind climate action, despite attempts by a handful of powerful states to drag the world backwards. Renewables now provide around 30 per cent of global electricity, and renewable energy investments in 2025 were more than double those in fossil fuels. The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, held in April, brought together 57 states to commit to developing national roadmaps to phase out fossil fuel production and consumption. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil supplies flow, has brought further recognition of the reality that fossil fuel dependence benefits only a handful of petrostates and leaves everyone else vulnerable.

These shifts are having an impact. In May, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change dropped its worst-case scenario for the possible effects of climate change, under which global temperatures could have risen to 4.5 degrees above preindustrial levels, because emissions cuts are making a difference.

Activists in the crosshairs

The ICJ case offers just one example of how civil society is making a crucial difference in pushing for climate action. Activists are urging ambition and resisting new fossil fuel projects. But they’re paying a heavy price. The Business and Human Rights Centre found that in 2025, three quarters of almost 800 attacks it documented against people who spoke out against businesses targeted those who mobilised on climate, environmental and land rights issues.

Ten activists from the Mother Nature Cambodia environmental group remain in jail, having been handed heavy sentences in 2024 in retaliation for their work to raise public awareness about the impacts of extractive and infrastructure projects. In Mexico, Kenia Hernandez, leader of the Zapata Vive peasant movement that protects land rights, is serving a ten-and-a-half year sentence on fabricated charges.

In Uganda, last year authorities arrested 11 activists for protesting against the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. In January, police raided the home of Harjeet Singh, one of India’s most prominent environmental activists and a vocal campaigner for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. In Chile, where the government has weakened environmental laws, Indigenous women activists are experiencing intimidation, judicial harassment and violent attacks for opposing large-scale projects.

Last year the German government launched an inquiry into public funding of environmental groups, the Dutch parliament adopted a motion declaring Extinction Rebellion an ‘unlawful, society-disrupting and vandalistic organisation’ and the Portuguese government listed environmental groups in a section on terrorism of its annual security report. Authorities in Australia and New Zealand have arrested numerous people at climate and environmental protests, including in opposition to coal mining.

The UN resolution makes clear that criminalisation and violence are incompatible with states’ obligations, and everyone has a part to play in climate action. It calls on states to ‘ensure the full, meaningful and equal participation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, people of African descent, women and girls, children and youth, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations in decision-making on climate action’.

States that backed the resolution are attacking the people it demands they work with. They can’t meet their climate obligations unless they stop repressing civil society. The resolution should give fresh impetus to civil society’s calls to replace repression with partnership.

Andrew Firmin is CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.

For interviews or more information, please contact research@civicus.org

 

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Hanoi is now the subject of three separate U.S. trade probes, which will likely introduce new areas of tension into ongoing trade talks.