Global demand for specific mineral raw materials is increasing, driven largely by the energy and digital transition. Although the EU is making efforts to boost domestic supply, it will remain highly dependent on imports of those minerals from third countries to achieve strategic autonomy in...

Die Welt verändert sich und mit ihr die öffentliche Verwaltung. Polykrise, Instabilität, Multipolarität und geopolitische Spannungen sowie eine zunehmende Vielfalt an Normen und Institutionen kennzeichnen das komplexe Lagebild der Gegenwart. Dieses bringt herkömmliche Verwaltungs- und...

Attention to the issue of inequalities in education has risen considerably after the COVID-19 pandemic. Research points to school dropout rates and learning losses that have risen disproportionately among weak socio-economic groups. While patterns are similar in most countries, the rise in...

Der Übergang zu erneuerbaren Energien und die fortschreitende Digitalisierung führen zu einem erheblichen Anstieg der Nachfrage nach bestimmten mineralischen Rohstoffen. Diese Rohstoffe werden häufig nur in wenigen Ländern abgebaut bzw. verarbeitet, was zu Abhängigkeiten und einem...

This briefing paper provides an overview of t he global iron and steel sector. It describes the properties of iron ore and delineates the geographical distribution of deposits and trade flows. Further, it explains pricing mechanisms and addresses environmental impacts. Iron and steel are key...

To the extent that the federal procurement process features prominently in the Government’s plan to slow the pace of, and adapt to the effects of, climate change, this paper attempts to provide some basic building blocks for acquisition professionals to practice sustainable procurement. The...

This Briefing Paper examines the resilience of the medical product and pharmaceutical global value chains. Based on this assessment, policy recommendations are presented to increase supply security, including measures to improve the resilience of supply chains, and to expand stockpiling. We also...

The human capability to learn is widely regarded as one of the most important resources for achieving an environmentally and socially sustainable and equitable society. Yet, traditional institutions of learning are lagging behind in transmitting such kind of transformative skills. As for...

On the 1st of January 2021, African countries started the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It is a largely symbolic step toward the long-term goal of economic integration on the African continent. The integration process includes an extensive agenda that requires time and will...

The debate about the lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines for the countries of the Global South joins a long history of struggle for effective and affordable treatments for those several dozen diseases for which the World Health Organisation (WHO) uses the telling adjective "neglected". Empirical...