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Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

Wollten die Saudis diesen Krieg?

SWP - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 15:00
Saudi-Arabiens Kalkül könnte ein anderes sein, als viele denken. Zwar fliegen Raketen und Drohnen auf Doha, Dubai und auch auf Riad. Doch einiges spricht dafür, dass sich das Königreich vom Irankrieg auch Vorteile erhofft.

Hong Kong Is Beijing’s New ‘Vanguard’ in the Contest for Financial Sovereignty

TheDiplomat - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 14:48
Beijing is formally repositioning Hong Kong from a neutral intermediary between Chinese and global capital into a “vanguard” of the state’s financial security architecture.

Lee Jae-myung Is a New Kind of President – and South Koreans Approve

TheDiplomat - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 14:24
Lee has redefined the South Korean executive by trading imperial secrecy for radical transparency and focusing on tangible results.

India and Canada Reset: Pragmatism Takes Precedence Over Recriminations

TheDiplomat - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 14:20
Carney has opted for energetic, pragmatic action – including repairing ties with India – in the face of U.S. instability.

Counterterrorism Expert Ajmal Sohail on Pakistan’s ISI Targeting the Chinese in Afghanistan

TheDiplomat - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 14:18
“By undermining Chinese projects [in Afghanistan], the ISI seeks to remind Beijing that Pakistan remains a critical gatekeeper for regional connectivity, especially through CPEC.”

„Eine Intervention in Südamerika ist eine Art Tabubruch“ – Claudia Zilla über Trumps Neoimperialismus

SWP - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 13:48
Die Lateinamerika-Expertin spricht im Podcast außerdem über radikale Rechte wie Argentiniens Präsident Milei und darüber, warum der globale Süden eine gerechtere internationale Ordnung braucht.

International democracy promotion across two waves: from support to protection

The Third Wave of Democratization's international dimension connects domestic democratization processes with the global spread of democracy after 1989. How has democracy promotion, a specific international source, contributed to the Wave of Democratization? And is scholarship well equipped to study the fundamental shifts in democracy promotion caused by the Third Wave of Autocratization? This article answers these questions from two perspectives. First, it assesses the relevance, patterns and effects of international democracy promotion between 1995 and 2024. Second, it takes a meta-perspective and identifies the main characteristics and blind spots of the study of international democracy promotion. Based on these insights, the article makes a conceptual contribution by distinguishing between democracy support and democracy protection. Furthermore, it defines the international scope conditions necessary for effectively promoting democracy during periods of autocratization. Finally, it proposes a new agenda for the study of international democracy promotion after the Third Wave of Democratization.

International democracy promotion across two waves: from support to protection

The Third Wave of Democratization's international dimension connects domestic democratization processes with the global spread of democracy after 1989. How has democracy promotion, a specific international source, contributed to the Wave of Democratization? And is scholarship well equipped to study the fundamental shifts in democracy promotion caused by the Third Wave of Autocratization? This article answers these questions from two perspectives. First, it assesses the relevance, patterns and effects of international democracy promotion between 1995 and 2024. Second, it takes a meta-perspective and identifies the main characteristics and blind spots of the study of international democracy promotion. Based on these insights, the article makes a conceptual contribution by distinguishing between democracy support and democracy protection. Furthermore, it defines the international scope conditions necessary for effectively promoting democracy during periods of autocratization. Finally, it proposes a new agenda for the study of international democracy promotion after the Third Wave of Democratization.

International democracy promotion across two waves: from support to protection

The Third Wave of Democratization's international dimension connects domestic democratization processes with the global spread of democracy after 1989. How has democracy promotion, a specific international source, contributed to the Wave of Democratization? And is scholarship well equipped to study the fundamental shifts in democracy promotion caused by the Third Wave of Autocratization? This article answers these questions from two perspectives. First, it assesses the relevance, patterns and effects of international democracy promotion between 1995 and 2024. Second, it takes a meta-perspective and identifies the main characteristics and blind spots of the study of international democracy promotion. Based on these insights, the article makes a conceptual contribution by distinguishing between democracy support and democracy protection. Furthermore, it defines the international scope conditions necessary for effectively promoting democracy during periods of autocratization. Finally, it proposes a new agenda for the study of international democracy promotion after the Third Wave of Democratization.

Die Tropical Forest Forever Facility

SWP - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 12:45

Als in Belém die 30. Vertragsstaatenkonferenz der Klimarahmenkonvention der Vereinten Nationen (COP30) zusammenkam, stand der umliegende Regenwald im Mittel­punkt des Interesses. Die Tagung wurde daher auch als »Wald-COP« bezeichnet. Als eines ihrer Schlüsselprojekte initiierte die brasilianische Regierung als Gastgeberin die Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). Es handelt sich dabei um einen Fonds für den Schutz und die Wiederherstellung bestehender Regenwälder, der auf inno­vative Weise multilaterale Zusammenarbeit durch Mischfinanzierung ermöglichen soll. Nach wie vor besteht eine Lücke zwischen der aktuellen Waldfinanzierung und dem, was erforderlich ist, um die Ziele der Rio-Konventionen von 1992 zu erreichen. Deutschland und weitere europäische Staaten haben Investitionen in den Fonds zuge­sagt und könnten dessen Umsetzung mitgestalten. Für die Waldrestaurierung bedarf es allerdings ergänzender Finanzierungsmechanismen, die ausgebaut werden sollten. Dennoch liegt nicht aller Erfolg darin, Gelder verfügbar zu machen. Mechanismen zur Waldfinanzierung müssen das Anliegen, die Kohlenstoffbindung und ‑speiche­rung in Wäldern zu erhöhen, mit Biodiversitäts- und Nachhaltigkeits­zielen in Ein­klang bringen und gleichzeitig die Rechte der lokalen Bevölkerung wahren.

Frappes sur l’Iran : un premier bilan géopolitique

IRIS - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 12:43

Les frappes menées par les États-Unis et Israël contre l’Iran ont profondément bouleversé l’équilibre géopolitique au Moyen-Orient et au-delà. Si l’opération apparaît, sur le plan militaire, comme un succès incontestable, la véritable question concerne désormais ses conséquences politiques et stratégiques.

Quel premier bilan géopolitique de la guerre déclenchée le 28 février 2026 peut-on dresser ? Quelles dynamiques cette intervention a-t-elle déclenchées et quelles pourraient être ses répercussions à plus long terme ? De multiples dynamiques sont simultanément à l’œuvre : Washington et Tel-Aviv, qui mènent la guerre de concert, pourraient en réalité avoir des objectifs divergents à moyen et long terme. Les pays du Golfe, ciblés par l’Iran, sont hostiles à une instabilité prolongé, quel rôle pourront-ils jouer ? Les Européens de leur côté font à nouveaux preuve de division à propos du conflit. Qu’en est-il pour les autres acteurs majeurs de la scène internationale, en particulier la Russie et la Chine, partenaires de l’Iran ?

Retrouvez mon premier bilan de la situation géopolitique en Iran dans cette vidéo.

L’article Frappes sur l’Iran : un premier bilan géopolitique est apparu en premier sur IRIS.

Podcast 'fossilfrei' - #40: Freiheit im Heizungskeller oder Kostenfalle für Mieter*innen?

Heute spricht 'fossilfrei' Host Wolf-Peter Schill mit Brigitte Knopf, Gründerin von Zukunft KlimaSozial, über die kürzlich vorgelegten Eckpunkte zum Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz (formerly known as Gebäudeenergiegesetz) und die vermeintliche neue Freiheit im Heizkeller. Müssen Eigenheimbesitzer*innen ...

As Tehran Burns, South Asia Trembles

TheDiplomat - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 12:01
The U.S.-Israel war on Iran is testing South Asia’s energy security, remittance economies, and sectarian equilibrium — all at once.

Sorge um Ölimporte aus Nahost: Ein Krieg, der China nicht recht ist

SWP - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 11:30
Die Blockade der Straße von Hormus bedroht auch Chinas Ölimporte aus dem Nahen Osten. Die Volksrepublik kritisiert den Iran-Krieg deshalb - und verweist in diesem Fall auf das Völkerrecht.

Kindern soziale Medien zu verbieten, ist zu einfach

Jugendliche vor Social-Media-Gefahren zu schützen, ist richtig. Doch sie auszusperren, ist Symbolpolitik. Europa muss endlich spürbare Plattformregulierung durchsetzen., Die Forderung nach einem Social-Media-Verbot für Kinder und Jugendliche bis zum Alter von 16 Jahren klingt erst einmal nach gesundem Menschenverstand. Wer würde nicht zustimmen, wenn es um Schutz vor Cybermobbing, sexualisierten Inhalten oder exzessiver Nutzung geht? Jedoch werden soziale Medien ...

Systemic acceleration capacity in net-zero transitions: electrifying transportation in California

Accelerating net-zero transitions requires deliberate governance. We examine the deliberate acceleration of net-zero transitions through a case study of California’s governance of private vehicle electrification. Our analysis integrates the literatures on policy mixes and political institutions to offer a novel explanation for how California has effectively expedited its net-zero transition to electric cars. We base our inductive analysis on evidence from 47 expert interviews conducted in 2022–23. We argue that California’s systemic acceleration capacity has two core components: first, an effective policy mix that harnesses the accelerating forces of creative destruction, and second, specific path-dependent political institutions that have enabled this respective policy mix. Together, these two components have contributed to California’s state capacity to accelerate its technology substitution pathway away from internal combustion engines. California’s climate technocracy offers critical lessons for other jurisdictions seeking to speed up similar net-zero transitions.

Systemic acceleration capacity in net-zero transitions: electrifying transportation in California

Accelerating net-zero transitions requires deliberate governance. We examine the deliberate acceleration of net-zero transitions through a case study of California’s governance of private vehicle electrification. Our analysis integrates the literatures on policy mixes and political institutions to offer a novel explanation for how California has effectively expedited its net-zero transition to electric cars. We base our inductive analysis on evidence from 47 expert interviews conducted in 2022–23. We argue that California’s systemic acceleration capacity has two core components: first, an effective policy mix that harnesses the accelerating forces of creative destruction, and second, specific path-dependent political institutions that have enabled this respective policy mix. Together, these two components have contributed to California’s state capacity to accelerate its technology substitution pathway away from internal combustion engines. California’s climate technocracy offers critical lessons for other jurisdictions seeking to speed up similar net-zero transitions.

Systemic acceleration capacity in net-zero transitions: electrifying transportation in California

Accelerating net-zero transitions requires deliberate governance. We examine the deliberate acceleration of net-zero transitions through a case study of California’s governance of private vehicle electrification. Our analysis integrates the literatures on policy mixes and political institutions to offer a novel explanation for how California has effectively expedited its net-zero transition to electric cars. We base our inductive analysis on evidence from 47 expert interviews conducted in 2022–23. We argue that California’s systemic acceleration capacity has two core components: first, an effective policy mix that harnesses the accelerating forces of creative destruction, and second, specific path-dependent political institutions that have enabled this respective policy mix. Together, these two components have contributed to California’s state capacity to accelerate its technology substitution pathway away from internal combustion engines. California’s climate technocracy offers critical lessons for other jurisdictions seeking to speed up similar net-zero transitions.

Des temps difficiles pour les producteurs de cacao face à l'effondrement du marché du chocolat

BBC Afrique - Fri, 06/03/2026 - 10:10
Le prix des barres chocolatées a beau avoir explosé, les producteurs de cacao d'Afrique de l'Ouest sont confrontés à la ruine économique.

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