Section: Heinrich Boell Foundation (Germany)
No right for digital participation in many regions of the world
In many regions of the world the freedom of the Internet is just an illusion. Especially in Arab countries, the neighbouring states of Russia and Subsahara-Africa the year 2015 marked the lowest point for democratic participation and civil liberties. Isn’t it incongruous? More than two billion people around the world use a mobile phone,...
Civil society in Russia – Where external support is vital
Russian NGOs are under pressure: They are hindered in their work with laws and checks by the authorities, paralyzed and driven to close down. External support is not only helpful, but vital. In the last four years, more than thirty new laws and legislative amendments have been passed in Russia that restrict personal freedoms, according to human...
Authoritarian repression under the pretext of sovereignty
The repression of civil societies activites in countries like Egypt and Russia are justified with the “protection of the states sovereignity” and the “principle of non-intervention”. When unwelcomed critique is silenced, activists need all our solidarity and support. Over the past years a number of states – democratic as...
Nord Stream II: Shaking Hands with the Devil
The gas pipeline Nord Stream II should double the existing natural gas transport capacity from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. Juraj Mesík explains why the Kremlin will be the biggest winner of this project. Nord Stream II, a project which aims to double existing natural gas transport capacity from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea from...
Germany: In Defense of Nuclear Weapons?
Negotiations on a treaty declaring nuclear weapons illegal are planned for 2017. So far, Germany and others have tried to block this process, even while officially supporting a nuclear-weapon-free world. These contradictions will soon end, however: states will have to pick sides. On the occasion of his historic visit to Hiroshima, US President...
Crimea: will a new conflict take place?
A situation around occupied Crimea remains unstable. Within the last days, Russia has accused Ukraine in “state terrorism” and started massive military drills along Ukrainian border. Fears of a new Russian invasion are rising among Ukrainians. Still, even without it, the current escalation may result in further oppressions against pro-Ukrainian...
Energy Reforms in Ukraine: On the Track to Climate Protection and Sustainability?
The energy sector in Ukraine is undergoing a fundamental transition. Yet, to overcome old structures and deep-rooted corruption, Ukraine needs a clear long-term strategy on the transition to green economy and sustainable energy. German and the EU technical support can play a key role in this process. Two years after the Euromaidan protests in...
Inside the Green Economy: Nature or natural capital?
Green Economy sets out to rectify the failure of classical economics witnessed with regard to climate change and biodiversity loss by assigning a monetary value to nature and by integrating ecosystem services into the market system. Quantifying (accounting), appropriating and offsetting are the key methods of this route out of the climate and...
Dare to Take Charge: The EU, Areas of Conflict in International Politics, and the Case for Assuming Greater Responsibility
We cannot quarantine ourselves from the instability that reigns south and east of Europe. Europe must strike a new balance between idealistic foreign policy and realism. The opening address of the 17th Annual Foreign Policy Conference. This is the 17th Annual Foreign Policy Conference of the Heinrich Böll Foundation – it has become a proud...
Europe’s Future – Rethinking Europe
All across Europe citizens are debating their living and working conditions against the background of local politics but also EU policy. At first glance, many are not able to discern the advantages a deepening of the EU may entail, a situation exacerbated by the financial and economic crises, youth unemployment, a loss of trust in EU policy,...
