The EU's Global Gateway: smart new strategy or the Emperor's new clothes? A discussion about the new EU flagship project's risks and opportunities
#EUGlobalGateway #COP27 #ClimateFinance #TaxJustice #Vacancies
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The EU's Global Gateway: smart new strategy or the Emperor's new clothes? A discussion about the new EU flagship project's risks and opportunities
From the left: Nicolas Stoetzel (Deputy Head of Unit in DG INTPA, European Commission), Farwa Sial (Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer - Development Finance at Eurodad), Frank Vanaerschot (Director at Counter Balance), Erik Marquardt MEP (Greens–European Free Alliance), Wester Van Gaal (Journalist at EUobserver).
The EU Global Gateway was launched as the European Commission’s flagship strategy to invest in infrastructure across the globe. The Commission claims the Gateway will mobilise €300 billion to “connect Europe to the world”. Yet one year later, the Gateway appears to prioritise commercial interests behind a facade of development aspirations. It is shrouded in secrecy and lacks public scrutiny.
This week, MEPs, CSOs from the global south and north and academics joined a discussion in the European Parliament on these unresolved issues, and the opportunities which an effective strategy could create. The discussion examined the key role the Parliament can play in scrutinising the Commission, to make sure that the Gateway delivers on the EU’s development objectives.
Watch the recording of the session here.
News & analysis
The clarion call for climate finance at COP27
The UN Climate Conference (COP27) is about to conclude in Egypt. This blog, published by Eurodad's clinate finance expert during the first week of the COP, outlines the fact that key markers of success are whether countries agree to a Loss and Damage Finance Facility, and whether the post-2025 climate finance goal will cover loss and damage.
Read an edit of the article published by the New Statesman here.
Demystifying Bretton Woods Institutions’ Rhetoric on Public Services
This article, written by Eurodad's Chiara Mariotti and María José Romero, reviews the Bretton Woods Institutions’ approach to public services, including during the recent Covid-19 crisis. Drawing on the specific case of IMF and World Bank’s response to the multiple crises triggered by the pandemic, it shows that there is a discourse-practice disjuncture in the institutions' approach to public services as they continue to favour austerity and market-oriented solutions for the delivery of public services. The article seeks to demystify the Bretton Woods institutions' rhetoric and demands the adoption of a different way of understanding public services, and social policy more broadly.
Read more articles from the 'Development' journal by the Society of International Development here.
Reports
New briefing focuses on Debt, Climate Finance and Vulnerability for Countries in Africa
by African Sovereign Debt Justice Network (AfSDJN)
There is a correlation between climate change, climate finance, and unsustainable debt levels in Africa. In this brief, the African Sovereign Debt Justice Network (AfSDJN) highlights this connection focusing on eight countries in debt distress currently and one highly indebted country in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries are also some of the most climate-vulnerable, despite having some of the lowest carbon footprints.
Useful resources
PERTE: How public investment undermines ecofeminist change
by Debt Observatory in Globalisation (ODG)
The research focuses on five of the eleven Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) financed by the European Next Generation EU funds in health, energy, food, water and health care. The aim of the research is to contribute to the debate on current economic policies and the waste of huge amounts of public funding from a feminist point of view. The analysis concludes that in the transition promoted through the PERTEs prevails the techno-capitalist perspective.
The Imperative of Cooperation: Steps Toward an Equitable Response to the Climate Crisis
by Civil Society Equity Review
This year’s equity review builds on previous years' elaborations of what fair shares means in terms of both emission reductions and fossil fuel phase out, as well as adaptation and loss and damage. It focuses on international cooperation, discussing and surveying key areas where it is both possible and necessary. In so doing, it presents opportunities for international cooperation that very explicitly apply to all countries and continents, though it also recognises how the particular situation in Africa – the host of COP27 – crystalises some of the key inequities of the malfunctioning world order.
CPDE policy brief calls for effectiveness in climate finance
by CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness
The global civil society platform CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness is calling on development stakeholders to uphold effectiveness principles in the global climate finance architecture. The brief outlines an initial approach to examine key components of effective global climate finance architecture, with reference to the administration and governance and the disbursement and implementation of climate change funding.
Vacancies
Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer - Progressive Green Taxation
Eurodad | Brussels | Deadline: 24 November
Invitation to Tender: English-French Translation Services
Eurodad | Remotely | Deadline: 24 November
Invitation to Tender: English-Spanish Translation Services
Eurodad | Remotely | Deadline: 24 November
Vacancies in Policy Analysis, Communications and Administration
Afrodad | Zimbabwe
Events
29 November - 2 December | Our Future is Public - From global inequalities to social, economic and climate justice
Our Future is Public Conference (#OFiP2022) will bring together social movements and civil society organisations from all over the world in Santiago, Chile and online for a four-day conference.
Read more about the event and register here.
23 November - 7 December | Webinars on understanding and accessing debt information
Join Debt Justice UK for three free webinars on how to understand and access debt information. The webinars will provide an understanding of what kind of government debt data is important, and where to go to find it. For more information, contact Ilaria Crotti at [email protected].
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This newsletter has been produced with co-funding from the European Union, Bread for the World and Norad. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Eurodad and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the funders. |
