Opinion • Table.Briefings

March 30th, 2026

Building the energy resilience ASEAN+3 needs

Climate change, rising energy demand, and geopolitical tensions are threatening energy security in ASEAN+3. A stable energy supply is becoming a macroeconomic necessity for the region.

By Yasuto Watanabe

Gollaleh Ahmadi, MdL Berlin, und Björn Stahlhut, Oberst d.R., 2025

Opinion | Civil protection

March 30th, 2026

How the government must treat the healthcare system as part of its security framework

The public health emergency response system still lacks many of the structures and guidelines needed to make it more resilient in times of crisis. Two civil protection experts argue that publicly funded hospitals should take the lead in this effort.

By Gollaleh Ahmadi and Björn Stahlhut

Opinion | European Union

March 30th, 2026

European Council: Constant trouble with the veto

National vetoes hamper the EU’s ability to act. Member states in the Council must address these issues openly and work toward abolishing vetoes, the political scientist argues.

By Manuel Müller

Opinion | Development cooperation

March 29th, 2026

Development financing is an investment in collective security

Development and security are not opposites, writes UN Deputy Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraj, but rather mutually reinforcing policy areas. Development aid must therefore be adequately funded.

By Kanni Wignaraja

Opinion | Climate protection program

March 26th, 2026

KSP: A missed opportunity to bridge the social divide

The German federal government had promised social equity in its climate protection program. But it is now clear that no progress has been made. Especially in the building and transportation sectors, key opportunities for a socially inclusive climate policy are being missed.

By Brigitte Knopf

Opinion

March 25th, 2026

IAA: A step in the right direction – but just one step

The Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is intended to strengthen Europe's industry in the face of China's economic policies: a step in the right direction, according to two researchers at the Kiel Institute. However, to have a real impact, it needs broader reach and a more focused sectoral strategy.

By Johannes Binder and Finn Ole Semrau

Opinion | Circular economy

March 25th, 2026

IAA: Why the law needs a ‘Recycled in Europe’ requirement

The EU Industrial Accelerator Act should provide incentives to ensure that European plastics waste is recycled in Europe. This would not only support the European plastics recycling industry but also make the transition to a toxic-free circular economy a reality.

By Lauriane Veillard

Opinion | Iran

March 25th, 2026

Egypt in the current war: Between diplomacy, economic crisis, and the fear of escalation

Egypt is attempting to act as a mediator in the Middle East conflict while simultaneously facing a worsening economic crisis. Europe should also become more involved, writes Almut Wieland-Karimi of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

By Almut Wieland-Karimi

Flora Witkowski, Koordinatorin für Gaspolitik beim Climate Action Network (CAN), Europa, und Tabea Pottiez, Senior Expert, Energie und Klima bei der Deutschen Umwelthilfe (DUH).

Opinion | Methane

March 24th, 2026

EU methane rules: An energy security shield under threat

The EU Methane Regulation is intended to strengthen the continent’s energy security. However, industry lobbying and inadequate implementation are jeopardizing this important tool in the fight against gas waste.

By Flora Witkowski and Tabea Pottiez

Opinion

March 24th, 2026

How global power politics, the World Trade Organization (WTO) crisis and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are shaping Africa’s economic future

To remain capable of acting in the current global political landscape, Africa’s economies must present a united front, according to economists Lukas Kornher and Frederik Stender of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). In their op-ed, they argue that this could be achieved by strengthening the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) along European lines.

By Lukas Kornher and Frederik Stender