Sustainable Agriculture: What it means and why it matters Explainer The modern food production and distribution process demands a significant amount of resources and space, a reality that is often overlooked. By Johannes C. Zeller
Promoting Circular Economy in the Construction Sector: A view from the Netherlands Explainer The construction industry has a considerable environmental impact as it requires a vast amount of resources and materials, while generating a significant amount of waste. Accordingly, the recognition of the acute need to prioritize and accelerate the transition from a linear to a circular system in the construction sector is gaining momentum among policymakers and industry leaders across the world. By Anne Rademaker
Navigating Smart City Development: A view from Germany Explainer In recent years, the digital transformation of German society has accelerated, sustainable development, as well as concerns about data protection and usage, now drives the discourse surrounding smart cities in Germany. By Severin Beucker
Examining the reach of the EU's Digital Services Act: how will it affect non-EU jurisdiction? Explainer When online users in Tel Aviv, Mexico City, Delhi today go to their preferred global news website, they are likely to receive a request to approve the collection of personal data, rather than have such information collected by default. This relatively new data protection mechanism has little to do with regulations in these users’ jurisdictions. Rather, it is a result of the EU’s GDPR, whose overhaul of data-collection and online privacy practices has benefitted not only European consumers, but consumers worldwide. By Eyal Zilberman
Climate Change Solutions: an overview of innovative technologies Explainer The urgent threat of climate change requires swift and decisive action from all quarters. As called for in the global Paris Agreement, in order to minimize the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a livable planet, it is necessary to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 – and reach net zero by 2050. By Rachel England
Who’s to blame when artificial intelligence systems cause damage? Explainer In a growing number of fields, AI systems show better performance rates than humans and their potential in various applications is immense. AI systems however, inevitably cause and will continue to cause damage. This Explainer provides an overview of the debate on how society should treat damage caused by these systems. By Karni Chagal-Feferkorn
Solving the fashion industry’s waste problem via community-driven innovation Commentary The fashion industry’s status as one of the most polluting industries is no longer news. Nevertheless, it is still far from becoming sustainable, producing tons of textile waste every year on a global scale with less than 1% of clothing being recycled. By Nicole Stein and Vered Blass
What is the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and what does it mean for Israel? Explainer Taking a new approach to carbon leakage, the EU has announced it will implement a ‘carbon border adjustment mechanism’ (CBAM) as part of the EU Green Deal. This explainer provides an overview of the key design elements of the Commission’s proposal, and assesses its relevance for exporters from Israel. By Michael Jakob
Carbon Pricing and Just Transition Commentary Economically, carbon pricing is regarded as the most efficient climate change mitigation policy, as it provides the flexibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the lowest cost. A key question is whether carbon pricing yields socially equitable outcomes. As placing a price on carbon raises the price of fossil fuels, it affects social groups differently. By Michael Jakob
The Circular Valley Case-Study The Circular Valley is a regional initiative currently bringing together more than 50 companies and research organizations around Wuppertal, which aims to implement the idea of a circular economy into practice. By Henning Wilts