Economy and ecology | IPS Journal

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picture alliance / Wolfgang Maria Weber | Wolfgang Maria Weber

Economy and ecology

Traditionally strong — what went wrong?

As China floods Europe with EVs and the US dominates tech, Germany’s industrial base struggles. How did the old manufacturing giant fall behind?

By Peter Bofinger

picture alliance/Reuters/Agustin Marcarian

Economy and ecology

Strength in partnership

The EU–Mercosur deal is more than a trade agreement. It is a commitment to rules-based cooperation in an increasingly unstable world

By Bernd Lange

picture alliance / IPON | Stefan Boness

Economy and ecology

A moonshot in retreat

Once heralded as Europe’s man on the moon moment, the Green Deal now wavers under political compromise and legal uncertainty

By Daniel Harper

picture alliance / Anadolu | Ihsaan Haffejee

Economy and ecology

What makes a just transition just?

An answer from African workers

By Rhoda Boateng, John Mark Mwanika

picture alliance / Anadolu | Ozge Elif Kizil

Economy and ecology

Africa’s debt meets climate innovation

With COP30 around the corner, Africa’s debt crisis risks climate resilience — ‘debt-for-blue’ swaps could forge a new model of EU-Africa partnership

By Atunde Ahmed Olarewaju

picture alliance/MAXPPP/Deng Heping/VCG

Economy and ecology

Asia shows Europe the long game

The continent’s path proves that protecting the climate and securing prosperity are two sides of the same coin. Europe would do well to take note

By Franziska Schmidtke

picture alliance/AP Images | Yoshikazu Okunishi

Economy and ecology

The price of going cashless

As coins vanish and cards rule, the right to pay becomes a privilege. What we gain in speed, we risk losing in freedom

By Nicolas Agostini

Canva

Economy and ecology

Decline by design

Europe’s underinvestment isn’t just slowing growth — it’s fuelling inequality and aiding the far right gain ground. Changing course is still possible

By David Harrison

picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Reichwein

Economy and ecology

What will it take to beat the far right?

The far right feeds on economic despair and exclusion. Only policies that deliver security, dignity and belonging can starve it

By Adriana Abdenur

pa / dpa | Stefan Kiefer

Economy and ecology

Driving in circles

While Europe is hesitating over its 2035 combustion engine ban, others are setting the rules for the electric future

By Claudia Detsch