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Transformation at a Crossroads – What Is at Stake in the US Election and How It Affects Europe

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer their voters very different visions for the future of America’s industrial development. Under the slogan “foreign policy for the middle class,” the Biden administration expanded protective tariffs against China, thereby scoring points in the industrial heart of the country. With the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden made a U-turn on climate policy in the United States while continuing the protectionist economic policy of his predecessor. A second term for Trump would, however, have even more serious consequences for Germany and Europe.

Author/s
Dr. Kira Vinke
Friedrich Opitz
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Glossary

National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)

“National Adaptation Plans” (NAPs) are developed by parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Work on them began in 2010 at COP16 in Cancun as part of a diplomatic process known as the Cancun Adaptation Framework.

Negative Emissions

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines negative emissions as the “removal of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere by deliberate human activities, i.e., in addition to the removal that would occur via natural carbon cycle processes.”

Phase Down and Phase Out of Fossil Fuels

The term “Phase Down” refers to structured reduction in the use of fossil fuels, while “Phase Out” refers to its complete cessation. Fossil energy is produced by burning fossil fuels – primarily coal, oil, and natural gas – which releases greenhouse gases such as CO2.

Planetary Boundaries

The concept of planetary boundaries was first introduced in 2009. It describes the resilience of our planet and analyzes human influence on various parts of the Earth system.

Santiago Network

The Santiago Network for Loss and Damage is an association of various international organizations, networks, initiatives, and institutions aiming to address and combat losses and damages caused by climate change.

Subsidy Reduction

Here, the term “subsidy” refers to financial contributions or support provided to produce, process, sell, or consume fossil fuels.

Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM)

For years, small island states in the Pacific and other nations particularly affected by climate change had demanded support for addressing climate-related damages and losses. As a result, the “Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with the impacts of climate change” (WIM) was established as an institution under the UNFCCC in November 2013.

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