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In eineinviertel Jahren hat Yann Sommer sein Palmarès drastisch erweitert. Seit Montagabend gehört auch der Gewinn der Serie A dazu.

Frauen, die von Ärztinnen behandelt werden, weisen beispielsweise bei Nervensystemerkrankungen eine niedrigere Sterblichkeitsrate auf. Das haben japanische Forscher jetzt herausgefunden.

Frauen, die von Ärztinnen behandelt werden, weisen beispielsweise bei Nervensystemerkrankungen eine niedrigere Sterblichkeitsrate auf. Das haben japanische Forscher jetzt herausgefunden.

Das Image von Prinz Harry und Herzogin Meghan leidet unter negativer Berichterstattung. Jetzt scheinen die beiden einen Schlussstrich unter die schlechte Presse ziehen zu wollen. Ihr PR-Team wurde komplett umgebaut und steht jetzt auf einem neuen Fundament.

Das Image von Prinz Harry und Herzogin Meghan leidet unter negativer Berichterstattung. Jetzt scheinen die beiden einen Schlussstrich unter die schlechte Presse ziehen zu wollen. Ihr PR-Team wurde komplett umgebaut und steht jetzt auf einem neuen Fundament.

By Julia Payne

BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) - The EU needs to rethink its policies to make a 2035 ban on new petrol car sales feasible as electric vehicles (EVs) remain unaffordable and alternative fuel options are not credible, the EU's external auditor said, jeopardising its 2050 climate goals.

The 27-member bloc wants to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, meaning it will emit no more than it can balance out with measures to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere such as reforestation programmes.

It hopes to meet its targets with the widespread use of electric vehicles as road transport accounts for nearly a quarter of its emissions.

The EU wants to have at least 30 million zero-emission cars on European roads by 2030, or about 12% of the current car fleet. However, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) cautioned the bloc may create new economic dependencies and hurt its own industry.

As it stands, high EV production costs in Europe means the bloc will have to rely on cheap imports, mainly from China, if it sticks to the 2035 goal. China accounts for 76% of EV battery output compared with the EU that represents less than 10% of production globally.

"The EU faces a conundrum, how to meet goals without harming industrial policy and hurting consumers," Annemie Turtelboom, an ECA member, told reporters. She added that 2026 will be a key year for a policy review.

Tesla is the leading EV maker in the United States and Europe but has come under pressure to slash prices due to competition from Chinese cars. Similarly, European carmakers like Stellantis that owns Peugeot and Fiat, and Renault are now racing to develop their own affordable EV models.

While EV purchases have been on the rise in the EU, the increase was largely due to subsidies. Further, charging infrastructure is lacking with 70% of charging points concentrated in just Germany, France and the Netherlands. The EU is falling short of its aim to set up 1 million charging stations across the bloc.

"(EV) prices would need to halve and subsidies do not seem to be a viable tool ... Batteries alone already costs 15,000 euros when produced in Europe," Turtleboom added when speaking to reporters.

Alternative fuels like biofuels, e-fuels or hydrogen remain uneconomic at commercial scale.

Adding to the difficulties in hitting its 2050 goal, the ECA said the EU has not cut real CO2 emissions from cars despite new testing standards and measures such as Euro 6.

In a January report, the ECA attributes this to the gap between laboratory tests and real world emission tests. The Commission was relying on lab tests, which created a skewed version. In reality, average emissions from diesel cars are the unchanged from 2010 at 170 grams of CO2 per kilometre while petrol cars are just down 4.6% at over 160 g CO2/km.

"Despite lofty ambitions and strict requirements, most conventional cars still emit as much CO2 as 12 years ago." Nikolaos Milionis, ECA member, said in a statement, attributing part of the failure to a rise in the average weight of cars. (Reporting by Julia Payne; editing by David Evans)

Tuesday, 23 April

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Tuesday, 23 April

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Tuesday, 23 April

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Tuesday, 23 April

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Die rechten Parteien des Europäischen Parlaments dürfte bei der EU-Wahl stark an Boden gewinnen. Insbesondere aus Polen und Ungarn werden daher die Forderungen nach einer Intensivierung der Zusammenarbeit im rechten Lager lauter.

Több mint 1600 szabálysértést regisztrált a rendőrség pénteken (4. 19.), a "Gyorsasági maraton" (Rýchlostný maratón) elnevezésű, 24 órás közlekedésbiztonsági akció során – tájékoztatta a TASR-t Denisa Bárdyová, az országos rendőr-főkapitányság szóvivője.

Das rumänische Parlament hat dem Vorschlag von Präsident Klaus Iohannis zugestimmt, sich an der türkischen Initiative zur Räumung von Minen im Schwarzen Meer zu beteiligen. Diese werden als Folge des russischen Angriffs auf die Ukraine zu einer wachsenden Gefahr.

Am Montagnachmittag hat der Lenker eines Volkswagens in Himmelried SO die Kontrolle über seinen Wagen verloren. Das Auto erlitt Totalschaden.

Am Montagnachmittag hat der Lenker eines Volkswagens in Himmelried SO die Kontrolle über seinen Wagen verloren. Das Auto erlitt Totalschaden.

Die konservative Europäische Volkspartei (EVP) ist am Montag (22. April) mit ihrem Versuch gescheitert, die Schaffung eines Ethikgremiums zur Überwachung der EU-Institutionen zu blockieren. Das Gremium schaffe einen "gefährlichen Präzedenzfall", fürchten die Konservativen.

Ungarns Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán und der polnische Ex-Ministerpräsident Mateusz Morawiecki planen, die rechtsnationalen Kräfte im EU-Parlament zu bündeln, um in der nächsten Legislaturperiode mehr Einfluss zu haben. Auch Marine Le Pen könnte eine Rolle spielen.

Aujourd’hui dans L’Expresso : la CDU vent debout contre les importations russes, la Pologne prête à accueillir l'arme nucléaire, TikTok Lite pourrait être banni, le parti démocrate italien sous le feu des critiques

View of the empty UN General Assembly hall from its main aisle. Credit: UN Photo
 
With current UN Secretary-General António Guterres set to step down in 2026, who is in the running to replace him? In this seven-part series, Felix Dodds and Chris Spence reveal who might be in the running and assess their chances.

By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence
APEX, North Carolina / DUBLIN, Ireland, Apr 23 2024 (IPS)

What makes an effective UN Secretary-General?

In our previous posts, we highlighted six possible candidates: Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica), Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador), Alicia Bárcena (Mexico), Mia Mottley (Barbados), and Amina J. Mohammed (Nigeria).

These are names that have come up in conversations with UN insiders and other experts. All six would offer skills and experiences we believe would be valuable in these fast-paced, uncertain times.

With two years to go until the selection process takes place, some might feel it is too early to start this conversation. We disagree. By raising the question of António Guterres’ successor sooner rather than later, we hope to place on record the qualities we believe are needed. Here are the key skills and attributes we hope the next Secretary-General will bring.

A Bridge Builder

First, we believe the UN will need someone who can bridge a fragmented and polarized international landscape. Political divides have become all too evident, not just in the tragedies playing out in Ukraine, Gaza, Syria and elsewhere, but in the wider geopolitical sense.

A multipolar world is emerging from the previous global order. Add to this the growth of political populism, the triple planetary threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and rapid technological change—including AI—and we are without doubt in unprecedented times.

A future Secretary-General will need to find ways to bring the fractured international community back to the table in a meaningful way. In this respect, one of the first tests for any prospective candidate will also be one of the hardest: persuading all five permanent members of the UN Security Council not to veto their candidacy while at the same time presenting a compelling vision that the General Assembly will find inspiring enough to support.

In fact, some are already wondering how the “Big Five” countries on the UN Security Council will find common ground on whom to nominate as their next UN leader when tensions remain so high between Russia and China on the one hand, and the US, UK and France on the other?

One question the Security Council will need to resolve in 2026 is whether it wants more of a “Secretary” than a “General”? Our sense is that they may prefer the former—that is, someone who is more pliable and less strident in their approach.

However, we believe a leader who can move seamlessly between the two roles—letting others lead when needed but stepping up when the time is right—would ultimately be better for the world at large.

In this respect, we may get more clarity on the perspectives of UN member states in the months to come. This year, 64 countries and the European Union are holding elections. This means around 50% of the world’s population is heading to the ballot boxes.

By the end of 2024, with many new leaders elected—or old leaders re-elected—we will have a better idea of how difficult it is going to be to build consensus and trust, both within the Security Council and in the General Assembly.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

When António Guterres was appointed Secretary-General, many commentators voiced disappointment that the glass ceiling had still not been broken and a first female UN leader had not emerged. We agree. In 2026, the UN will be more than 80 years’ old. It is high time a woman was running the organization.

If our earlier posts show anything at all, it is that there is an abundance of talent waiting to unleashed. If the UN is ever to fully deliver on its vision as a force for global good, it needs to lead the way and shatter its own glass ceiling.

A Leader from the South

As we have already noted, some insiders expect the UN to revert to a rotation system where different regions each have a “turn” at holding the Secretary-Generalship. This system was interrupted last time around, when a Portuguese national was appointed when most expected an Eastern European.

This time, some are saying it is Latin America and the Caribbean’s turn. While we would welcome this, we do not think this should be an absolute rule. Instead, we would like to see the strongest candidate appointed from the widest possible pool.

What we do believe, though, is that a leader from the Global South would be appropriate this time around. With three-quarters of the world’s population living in the South and the last two UN leaders coming from the Global North (Portugal and South Korea), we believe the time is ripe for this change. With six billion people to choose from in the developing world, there is a wealth of talent to choose from.

Other Possible Candidates

While our posts have profiled six candidates we believe could do the job well, there are likely to be many other names arise in the conversation over the next two years. Below are shorter profiles on a few we have already come across.

Kristalina Georgieva (Bulgaria): An economist and current head of the International Monetary Fund, Georgieva has also served as Chief Executive at the World Bank and Vice-President of the European Commission. Those who believe the next Secretary-General should come from Eastern Europe would point to her reputation as a highly competent and effective administrator at the highest international level.

Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand): One of the world’s youngest heads of government when she was elected Prime Minister, Ardern served from 2017 to 2023. Her government was noteworthy for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, which contained the virus more successfully than many other countries, with the result that relatively few lives were lost.

Ardern was also praised for her response to a terrorist attack early on in her tenure, which led to rapid reform of her country’s gun laws. Known for her focus on governing with compassion and with a focus on human wellbeing, Ardern left office in 2023.

Since then, she has taken on several projects with an international dimension, including fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School and Center for Public Leadership.

Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia): The former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner worked hard to end his country’s ongoing civil war. His “peace dividend” may appeal to those looking for a leader with a strong track record on peace and reconciliation. However, he would not be viewed as a change agent for those seeking to break the glass ceiling on women’s leadership (see above).

Achim Steiner (Brazil/Germany): The current head of UNDP can boast a long track record in the UN, the German government, non-profits and academia, although recent allegations of financial irregularities at UNDP may need to be resolved in order for his candidacy to gain traction.

Rafael Grossi (Argentina): The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and former Argentine diplomat has impressed many, although some wonder if his focus on nuclear issues and disarmament, which dates back more than two decades, may be too narrow in scope given the broad demands of the UN Secretary-General’s role?

Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence have participated in United Nations conferences and negotiations since the 1990s. They co-edited Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy: Profiles in Courage (Routledge, 2022), which examines the roles of individuals in inspiring change.

https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/next-un-leaderpart-1/
https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/next-un-leaderpart-2/
https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/next-un-leaderpart-3/
https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/next-un-leaderpart-4/
https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/lead-united-nationspart-5/
https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/04/next-un-leaderpart-6/

IPS UN Bureau

 

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MTI: Erősödött a forint árfolyama a nemzetközi devizakereskedelemben. Az euró jegyzése kedden, röviddel fél hét előtt 394,17 forintra gyengült a hétfő esti 394,31 forintról, a dolláré 370,34 forintról 369,83 forintra csökkent, a svájci franké pedig 406,03 forintról 405,50 forintra süllyedt.