Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

The climate crisis and the crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic must be tackled together. Many countries are working on strategies to implement the Paris Agreement. At the climate conference in Glasgow, therefore, it will be imperative to reconcile short- and long-term goals and measures. German legislators have been obliged by the Federal Constitutional Court to plan climate-change mitigation for the long term. It should also be made mandatory at the international level to formulate and communicate long-term strategies which aim beyond climate neutrality at climate stabilization and strive for multiple benefits with other sustainability dimensions. To this end they should first contain a rapid and complete phase-out of fossil-fuel use. Second, the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems should become a priority. Third, strategic preparations should be made for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. To generate a strong momentum, countries at COP 26 should commit to using their COVID-19 stimulus programmes in line with long-term strategies.

The climate crisis and the crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic must be tackled together. Many countries are working on strategies to implement the Paris Agreement. At the climate conference in Glasgow, therefore, it will be imperative to reconcile short- and long-term goals and measures. German legislators have been obliged by the Federal Constitutional Court to plan climate-change mitigation for the long term. It should also be made mandatory at the international level to formulate and communicate long-term strategies which aim beyond climate neutrality at climate stabilization and strive for multiple benefits with other sustainability dimensions. To this end they should first contain a rapid and complete phase-out of fossil-fuel use. Second, the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems should become a priority. Third, strategic preparations should be made for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. To generate a strong momentum, countries at COP 26 should commit to using their COVID-19 stimulus programmes in line with long-term strategies.

The climate crisis and the crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic must be tackled together. Many countries are working on strategies to implement the Paris Agreement. At the climate conference in Glasgow, therefore, it will be imperative to reconcile short- and long-term goals and measures. German legislators have been obliged by the Federal Constitutional Court to plan climate-change mitigation for the long term. It should also be made mandatory at the international level to formulate and communicate long-term strategies which aim beyond climate neutrality at climate stabilization and strive for multiple benefits with other sustainability dimensions. To this end they should first contain a rapid and complete phase-out of fossil-fuel use. Second, the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems should become a priority. Third, strategic preparations should be made for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. To generate a strong momentum, countries at COP 26 should commit to using their COVID-19 stimulus programmes in line with long-term strategies.

Zusammenfassung:

Inwieweit darf oder muss der Staat in die Wirtschaft eingreifen? Dies ist seit jeher die zentrale Frage in der Debatte um die richtige Industriepolitik. Dass die Industrie in Deutschland ein entscheidender Faktor für Wohlstand ist, bleibt unbestritten. Diverse Krisen der letzten Jahre wie die Finanz- und Schuldenkrise, der Klimawandel oder die Corona-Pandemie, aber auch der wirtschaftliche Strukturwandel wie die Digitalisierung haben gezeigt, dass es ohne staatliche Intervention nicht geht. Uneinigkeit besteht darin, wie der Staat zur Mobilisierung der dringend notwendigen Investitionen und Innovationen beitragen kann. In den aktuellen Parteiprogrammen zur Bundestagswahl spiegelt sich die ganze Bandbreite der industriepolitischen Debatte, jede Partei mit eigenen Vorstellungen und Prioritäten. Eine praktikable Möglichkeit, staatliche Investitionshilfen flexibel zu bündeln und transparent zu verwenden, wären Technologiefonds, die – richtig ausgestaltet – den Transformationsprozess der Industrie endscheidend voranbringen könnten. Dafür müsste die künftige Bundesregierung einen zweistelligen Milliardenbetrag aufbringen.

Die Klimakrise und die durch die Covid-19-Pandemie bedingten Krisen müssen gemeinsam bewältigt werden. Viele Staaten arbeiten an Strategien zur Umsetzung des Pariser Übereinkommens. Auf der Klimakonferenz in Glasgow gilt es daher, kurz- und langfristige Ziele und Maßnahmen in Einklang zu bringen. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat den deutschen Gesetzgeber verpflichtet, Klimaschutz langfristig zu planen. Die Erstellung von Langfriststrategien sollte auch international verpflichtend werden, über Klimaneutralität hinaus auf Klimastabilisierung abzielen und Mehrgewinne mit anderen Nachhaltigkeitsdimensionen anstreben. Dazu sollten sie erstens den schnellen und vollständigen Ausstieg aus der Nutzung fossiler Energieträger vorsehen. Zweitens sollten Schutz und Wiederherstellung von Ökosystemen sowie ihre nachhaltige Nutzung zum Schwerpunkt
werden. Drittens sollte die Entfernung von CO2 aus der Atmosphäre strategisch vorbereitet werden. Als starken Impuls sollten sich Staaten auf der COP 26 dazu bekennen, ihre COVID-19-Stimulusprogramme im Sinne der Langfriststrategien zu nutzen.

Die Klimakrise und die durch die Covid-19-Pandemie bedingten Krisen müssen gemeinsam bewältigt werden. Viele Staaten arbeiten an Strategien zur Umsetzung des Pariser Übereinkommens. Auf der Klimakonferenz in Glasgow gilt es daher, kurz- und langfristige Ziele und Maßnahmen in Einklang zu bringen. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat den deutschen Gesetzgeber verpflichtet, Klimaschutz langfristig zu planen. Die Erstellung von Langfriststrategien sollte auch international verpflichtend werden, über Klimaneutralität hinaus auf Klimastabilisierung abzielen und Mehrgewinne mit anderen Nachhaltigkeitsdimensionen anstreben. Dazu sollten sie erstens den schnellen und vollständigen Ausstieg aus der Nutzung fossiler Energieträger vorsehen. Zweitens sollten Schutz und Wiederherstellung von Ökosystemen sowie ihre nachhaltige Nutzung zum Schwerpunkt
werden. Drittens sollte die Entfernung von CO2 aus der Atmosphäre strategisch vorbereitet werden. Als starken Impuls sollten sich Staaten auf der COP 26 dazu bekennen, ihre COVID-19-Stimulusprogramme im Sinne der Langfriststrategien zu nutzen.

Die Klimakrise und die durch die Covid-19-Pandemie bedingten Krisen müssen gemeinsam bewältigt werden. Viele Staaten arbeiten an Strategien zur Umsetzung des Pariser Übereinkommens. Auf der Klimakonferenz in Glasgow gilt es daher, kurz- und langfristige Ziele und Maßnahmen in Einklang zu bringen. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat den deutschen Gesetzgeber verpflichtet, Klimaschutz langfristig zu planen. Die Erstellung von Langfriststrategien sollte auch international verpflichtend werden, über Klimaneutralität hinaus auf Klimastabilisierung abzielen und Mehrgewinne mit anderen Nachhaltigkeitsdimensionen anstreben. Dazu sollten sie erstens den schnellen und vollständigen Ausstieg aus der Nutzung fossiler Energieträger vorsehen. Zweitens sollten Schutz und Wiederherstellung von Ökosystemen sowie ihre nachhaltige Nutzung zum Schwerpunkt
werden. Drittens sollte die Entfernung von CO2 aus der Atmosphäre strategisch vorbereitet werden. Als starken Impuls sollten sich Staaten auf der COP 26 dazu bekennen, ihre COVID-19-Stimulusprogramme im Sinne der Langfriststrategien zu nutzen.

Die Ergebnisse der heutigen Sitzung des Rates der Europäischen Zentralbank (EZB) kommentiert Marcel Fratzscher, Präsident des Deutschen Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin), wie folgt:

Die EZB hat sehr klar signalisiert, dass sie für lange Zeit an ihrem Kurs der expansiven Geldpolitik festhalten wird – ihre neue Strategie lässt ihr auch keine andere Wahl. Die neue Strategie erhöht das Inflationsziel und würde daher eigentlich sofort weitere expansive Maßnahmen erfordern. Aber diesen Streit wollte der Zentralbankrat wohl vermeiden. Ich erwarte, dass die EZB im kommenden Jahr ihre Anleihekäufe verlängern wird und die Zinsen noch mindestens bis 2024 bei Null bleiben werden. Die EZB realisiert zurecht, dass der gegenwärtige Anstieg der Inflation lediglich eine temporäre Korrektur ist, die Preisentwicklung jedoch mittelfristig zu schwach ist, um ihr Preisstabilitätsziel zu erreichen.

Der wirtschaftliche Neustart nach der Pandemie ist kein Selbstläufer und der gegenwärtige Optimismus überzogen. Die Risiken für die Weltwirtschaft, und auch für die Wirtschaft des Euroraums und vor allem Deutschlands, sind nach wie vor enorm. Die Pandemie wird weltweit nicht in den kommenden zwei Jahren überwunden sein, zahlreiche Länder könnten Schuldenkrisen oder Finanzkrisen erfahren und auch Deutschland könnte durch den fehlenden Mut zur Transformation und einen Anstieg von Unternehmensinsolvenzen empfindliche Rückschläge erfahren.

Die EZB muss diese Risiken in ihrer Geldpolitik berücksichtigen. Das größte Problem für die EZB könnte jedoch die Finanzpolitik Deutschlands werden, wenn die nächste Bundesregierung durch Kürzungen von Wirtschaftshilfen und Investitionen die Wirtschaft Deutschlands und Europas schwächt und somit die EZB in eine noch schwierigere Lage bringt. Es ist die Finanzpolitik Deutschlands, die den größten Einfluss auf die EZB-Geldpolitik in den kommenden Jahren haben wird. Ein starkes Investitionsprogramm, das einen Wachstumsimpuls für Deutschland und Europa setzt, wäre die beste Hilfe für die EZB, damit diese ihre Nullzinspolitik beenden kann.

Recent years have witnessed renewed efforts to advance integration in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), including in the domain of military and civilian capability development. The adoption of a Civilian CSDP Compact (CCC) and the creation of a European Peace Facility (EPF) are prominent examples of recent steps taken towards further integration. Still, despite recent progress, CSDP reforms have often been slow to materialise, lag behind the reform ambitions of key EU foreign policy actors, and fail to address important shortcomings experienced by CSDP. This article addresses why this might be by exploring the evolution of CSDP crisis management through a failing forward approach, which charts the course of integration dynamics, identified by neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism, through time, revealing its cyclical nature. Our case studies of the EPF and the CCC demonstrate how the long-term integrative dynamics in EU military and civilian crisis management are marked by a cycle of crisis followed by incomplete institutional reforms, policy feedback, experiential learning and subsequent, yet again incomplete, efforts to remedy institutional shortcomings and policy failure.

Recent years have witnessed renewed efforts to advance integration in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), including in the domain of military and civilian capability development. The adoption of a Civilian CSDP Compact (CCC) and the creation of a European Peace Facility (EPF) are prominent examples of recent steps taken towards further integration. Still, despite recent progress, CSDP reforms have often been slow to materialise, lag behind the reform ambitions of key EU foreign policy actors, and fail to address important shortcomings experienced by CSDP. This article addresses why this might be by exploring the evolution of CSDP crisis management through a failing forward approach, which charts the course of integration dynamics, identified by neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism, through time, revealing its cyclical nature. Our case studies of the EPF and the CCC demonstrate how the long-term integrative dynamics in EU military and civilian crisis management are marked by a cycle of crisis followed by incomplete institutional reforms, policy feedback, experiential learning and subsequent, yet again incomplete, efforts to remedy institutional shortcomings and policy failure.

Recent years have witnessed renewed efforts to advance integration in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), including in the domain of military and civilian capability development. The adoption of a Civilian CSDP Compact (CCC) and the creation of a European Peace Facility (EPF) are prominent examples of recent steps taken towards further integration. Still, despite recent progress, CSDP reforms have often been slow to materialise, lag behind the reform ambitions of key EU foreign policy actors, and fail to address important shortcomings experienced by CSDP. This article addresses why this might be by exploring the evolution of CSDP crisis management through a failing forward approach, which charts the course of integration dynamics, identified by neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism, through time, revealing its cyclical nature. Our case studies of the EPF and the CCC demonstrate how the long-term integrative dynamics in EU military and civilian crisis management are marked by a cycle of crisis followed by incomplete institutional reforms, policy feedback, experiential learning and subsequent, yet again incomplete, efforts to remedy institutional shortcomings and policy failure.

Primary data collection in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is associated with a range of ethical complexities. Considerations on how to adequately ensure the well-being of research staff are largely neglected in contemporary ethics discourse. This systematic review aims to identify the ethical challenges that research staff across different hierarchical levels and scientific disciplines face when conducting research in LMICs.

We searched 13 electronic databases and handsearched publications in six selected journals as well as the reference lists of all included studies. No restrictions were applied with respect to the publication date, research design, and target population.

23 151 studies were retrieved, 183 of which met our inclusion criteria. We identified nine different types of ethical challenges that research staff may be exposed to during field research, including (1) role conflicts that can emerge from participants’ help requests and the high level of deprivation found in certain study settings, (2) feelings of guilt and (3) detrimental mental health impacts. Further challenges were (4) sexual harassment (5) safety risks and (6) political repression, particularly in postconflict, disaster-ridden or autocratic study contexts. Additionally, studies reported (7) inadequate working conditions and (8) power imbalances within research teams, while (9) ethics boards were found to be ill equipped to anticipate and address emerging risks, thus increasing the ethical liability of researchers.

This review revealed several complex ethical challenges that research staff may face during data collection. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 8.8 on ‘safe and secure working environments’ and to protect research staff from harm, amendments must urgently be made to current ethical standards.

Primary data collection in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is associated with a range of ethical complexities. Considerations on how to adequately ensure the well-being of research staff are largely neglected in contemporary ethics discourse. This systematic review aims to identify the ethical challenges that research staff across different hierarchical levels and scientific disciplines face when conducting research in LMICs.

We searched 13 electronic databases and handsearched publications in six selected journals as well as the reference lists of all included studies. No restrictions were applied with respect to the publication date, research design, and target population.

23 151 studies were retrieved, 183 of which met our inclusion criteria. We identified nine different types of ethical challenges that research staff may be exposed to during field research, including (1) role conflicts that can emerge from participants’ help requests and the high level of deprivation found in certain study settings, (2) feelings of guilt and (3) detrimental mental health impacts. Further challenges were (4) sexual harassment (5) safety risks and (6) political repression, particularly in postconflict, disaster-ridden or autocratic study contexts. Additionally, studies reported (7) inadequate working conditions and (8) power imbalances within research teams, while (9) ethics boards were found to be ill equipped to anticipate and address emerging risks, thus increasing the ethical liability of researchers.

This review revealed several complex ethical challenges that research staff may face during data collection. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 8.8 on ‘safe and secure working environments’ and to protect research staff from harm, amendments must urgently be made to current ethical standards.

Primary data collection in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is associated with a range of ethical complexities. Considerations on how to adequately ensure the well-being of research staff are largely neglected in contemporary ethics discourse. This systematic review aims to identify the ethical challenges that research staff across different hierarchical levels and scientific disciplines face when conducting research in LMICs.

We searched 13 electronic databases and handsearched publications in six selected journals as well as the reference lists of all included studies. No restrictions were applied with respect to the publication date, research design, and target population.

23 151 studies were retrieved, 183 of which met our inclusion criteria. We identified nine different types of ethical challenges that research staff may be exposed to during field research, including (1) role conflicts that can emerge from participants’ help requests and the high level of deprivation found in certain study settings, (2) feelings of guilt and (3) detrimental mental health impacts. Further challenges were (4) sexual harassment (5) safety risks and (6) political repression, particularly in postconflict, disaster-ridden or autocratic study contexts. Additionally, studies reported (7) inadequate working conditions and (8) power imbalances within research teams, while (9) ethics boards were found to be ill equipped to anticipate and address emerging risks, thus increasing the ethical liability of researchers.

This review revealed several complex ethical challenges that research staff may face during data collection. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 8.8 on ‘safe and secure working environments’ and to protect research staff from harm, amendments must urgently be made to current ethical standards.