Great hope amidst the cloudy days
Great hope amidst the cloudy days
Freedom of speech?
The challenge in operationalising the GCF is formidable- one that has never been set up before. The GCF will have to navigate with its own compass, its own course charted by the wisdom and guidance of its 24board members. Two Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) representatives are theoretically permitted to intervene in precious 5-minute slots, allowing us to express concerns during every agenda item. But in practice, the CSO’s do not get to intervene with each agenda point, since the Board Members are prioritised.
Where will the money come from?
The meeting in Songdo has interesting episodes of disagreements, leveling-off sessions or prolonged discussions. Many issues are being discussed: the business model framework like private sector facilities; access modalities in grants and loan concessions; the use of financial intermediaries; the organisational structure; performance indicators and independent evaluation; and country ownership and accreditation procedures. Meanwhile, the topic on resource mobilisation is set aside, giving a gnawing feeling of absence of financial resources rather than abundance. And calling the GCF a “fund”, like most global funding, already triggered high expectations, especially on the progress of realising its mandate.
Hope amidst the cloudy days
Running on a treadmill, the GCF Board works hard to finish its pioneering tasks while preparing to hand over the workload to Secretariat, now headed by the Board’s first executive director. Simultaneous with the period of waiting is the nagging reality of onslaught disasters, which are reaching catastrophic scale. Take for example the tsunamis coming in various forms: in the sea (that hit Aceh and India), in the highlands (the cloud burst creating great floods in the Himalayans and in the Philippines), and the air strikes (like the haze in Singapore from Indonesia). Still, there is great hope amidst the cloudy days.
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Instalink / 13 November 2024
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Instalink / 12 November 2024
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Press release / 12 November 2024
Ruling climate case Shell: "Shell has an obligation to protect human rights."
The Hague, 12 November 2024 - The court has ruled in Shell's appeal in the Climate Case that Milieudefensie won against Shell in 2021. The Court of Appeal has ruled that the oil and gas giant has a responsibility to reduce its emissions, but has not imposed a reduction obligation.
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Instalink / 12 November 2024
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Instalink / 11 November 2024
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Press release / 11 November 2024
Both ENDS's response to government letter on future cooperation with civil society organisations
DEN HAAG, 11 November 2024 - Today, the Dutch government published its policy on future cooperation with development organisations, both in the Netherlands and abroad. PVV minister Reinette Klever is putting the axe to this funding: she has decided to cut the budget for aid to international civil society by more than two-thirds: from roughly €1.4 billion to €0.4 billion in the period 2026 to 2030. This has major implications for critical voices at home and abroad, at a time when civic space for organisations around the world is already shrinking. Karin van Boxtel, director of environmental and human rights organisation Both ENDS: ‘This is an unprecedented step in exactly the wrong direction. Civil society organisations are essential for sustainable and social change worldwide. International movements fulfil multiple, indispensable roles: as a watchdog of the rule of law, as a driver of change, and as a counterforce against authoritarian tendencies. The weakening of support for these roles is a telling signal.’
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News / 11 November 2024
Kenya Terminates Bilateral Investment Treaty with the Netherlands
The government of Kenya has officially terminated its bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with the Netherlands, marking a significant win for economic justice and environmental protection. Kenya’s decision reflects a growing global trend of rethinking outdated treaties that often prioritize corporate interests over public welfare. The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development recently confirmed that Kenya unilaterally ended the treaty in December 2023, rendering it inoperative from 11 June 2024. Kenya now joins South Africa, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso as the fourth African country to terminate its BIT with the Netherlands.
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News / 9 November 2024
Why is the Dutch climate case against Shell important to our partners in the Global South?
On November 12th, a new ruling will be issued by the Court of Appeal in The Hague in the climate case against Shell, in which Both ENDS is a co-plaintiff. Ahead of this ruling, we asked our partners why this Dutch lawsuit is important for the Global South.
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Instalink / 3 November 2024
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News / 1 November 2024
Both ENDS at COP29: advocating for gender just climate finance
On November 11th, the 29th UN Climate Conference will start in Baku, Azerbaijan. Just like previous years, Both ENDS will be there to advocate for local access to climate finance, and to support our partner organisations in their advocacy work. How do we do that, and what are our hopes (and worries) about this 29th edition of the UNFCCC COP? We asked Marius Troost, who will be joining COP29 together with Daan Robben.
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Instalink / 31 October 2024
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Publication / 29 October 2024
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Instalink / 29 October 2024
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Instalink / 29 October 2024
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Instalink / 24 October 2024
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Publication / 21 October 2024
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News / 21 October 2024
Disappointment over failure to submit National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that the Dutch government has not submitted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for the CBD COP16 in Cali. This disregard for international agreements undermines the concerted global effort to address the urgent biodiversity crisis.
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Instalink / 18 October 2024
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Instalink / 18 October 2024
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Instalink / 17 October 2024