Newsletter No. 1/2009 - 1 - > Editorial > News from the German Development Institute > New Publications >>Briefing Paper >> Studies >> Discussion Paper >> External Publications >> Articles and other publications of DIE-staff members Events Dear Readers, For the first time the Hans Singer Memorial Lecture on Global Development will take place in Bonn on 18 May 2009. Herewith, the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) honours one of the most influential European development practitioner of the 20th century whose academic career started at the University of Bonn. Sir Hans Singer graduated from the Economics Department of the University of Bonn but being a Jew he had to fled the Nazi terror in 1933 before he could finish his dissertation. He continued his studies at the University of Cambridge where he also attended courses of John Maynard Keynes. After World War II, in 1947, he became an influential development scholar with the United Nations. His practice oriented contributions to development theories as well as his conceptual studies met with large-scale response. During his time at the UN Hans Singer was a significant driver of establishing important organisations like UNICEF, UNDP and the World Food Programme. From 1969 until his death he joined the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex. His publication list with hundreds of entries shows his productivity and the scope of his academic interests. Presumably due to his own background, Hans Singer always stood up for social justice and human development as prior objectives of analysis and policy making. Cooperation partners of the commemoration are the IDS and the Institute of Political Science and Sociology of the University of Bonn. The event will alternate between Bonn and Brighton on an annual basis. This year’s speaker will be Prof. Paul Collier of the University of Oxford. In his lecture he will be concerned with an early thesis of Singer, the Prebisch-Singer-Thesis which states, that the terms of trade for commodity exporting developing countries tend to deteriorate over time. Newsletter Nr. 1/2009 - 2 - News from the German Development UN-Commission of Experts on Reforms of the Inter- Institute national Monetary and Financial System in the fall of 2008. The Commission, which is chaired by Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, the 2001-winner of the Nobel Prize in Middle East expert accepts Chair at the Economic Sciences, is taking a broad-based, long-term University of Tübingen approach. Dr. Oliver Schlumberger, who has been at the German In the run-up to the second meeting of the Stiglitz- Development Institute since 2004, has been offered a Commission, the International Policy-Dialogue Chair for Political Sciences of the Middle East at the organised by InWEnt and the German Development University of Tübingen. Beside the regular duties and Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik responsibilities in research and teaching, Dr. (DIE) on “The Global financial crisis and international Schlumberger will also be tied to the Asien-Orient financial architecture: governance perspectives for Institut (Asia-Middle East Institute) where he will developing countries” in Berlin generated ideas on coordinate the planning and establishing of new development policy and involved a broader range of interdisciplinary Middle East degree programmes as experts in the current discussion process. At the same well as an interdisciplinary Middle East work unit. time, the event – commissioned by the Federal After his studies of political sciences and Islam sciences Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – in Tübingen, Geneva and Damascus Schlumberger contributed to achieving greater policy coherence. earned the reputation as Middle East and Central Asia In addition to high-level experts of the Stiglitz- expert. His substantial publications and his consulting Commission, leading representatives from developing activities for national and international institutions and emerging countries, the World Bank, the IMF, the makes him a respected interview partner. The DIE multinational development banks, international would like to thank Oliver Schlumberger for the financial institutions, think-tanks and civil society excellent cooperation during his time at the Institute attended the event. and wishes him all the best and good luck for his future responsibilities. New Chairs at WBGU – Climate protection DIE advises DAC donors on "Peacebuilding and development policy will be further linked and State Building" On 17 March 2009, representatives of OECD Develop- The members of the German Advisory Council on ment Assistance Committee (DAC) member states Global Change (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundes- discussed the role of development policy in situations regierung Globale Umweltveränderungen WBGU) elected of violent conflict and state fragility. In the past, within Prof. Dr. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber as the new Chair DAC as well as in many other development organisa- and Prof. Dr. Dirk Messner as new Vice Chair on 27 tions, issues of peacebuilding and state building have February 2009. Prof. Schellnhuber is director of the been dealt with separately. The DAC recently decided Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) to merge the two strands of the debate in a newly and has been a member of WBGU since 1992. His established "International Network on Conflict and research focus is on climate and earth system change. Fragility" (INCAF). In a Policy Brief commissioned by Prof. Messner is Director of the German Development the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik and Development, DIE researchers Dr. Jörn Grävingholt, (DIE) and has been a member of WBGU since 2004. His Dr. Stefan Gänzle and Sebastian Ziaja have analysed research foci are the impact of climate and environ- whether the often heard assumption that peace- mental change on developing countries, international building and state building have a difficult relationship politics and global governance structures. with one another holds true. In their paper, which the The election of Schellnhuber – a natural scientist – and BMZ fed into the ongoing DAC discussion process, they Messner – a political scientist – sends a clear signal to argue that at least on the basis of relevant DAC docu- policy-makers and the public that, particularly in face of ments a convincing case for severe tensions between the global financial and economic crisis, neither the the two concepts cannot be made. Tensions, they efforts of researching climate change nor the national conclude, do not arise between the concepts but rather and international measures for an effective environ- from the very nature of the rapid social change that mental and climate change policy must cease. Prof. typically comes with situations of violent conflict and Messner explained in that respect: “The next cycle of state fragility. growth in the world economy will be green. The global efforts to overcome the economic crisis show clearly Nobel Prize Winner Prof. Stiglitz spoke at the which countries are grasping the opportunity at pre- International Policy-Dialogue sent to secure the future of their political economies by investing in climate protection, renewable and energy As a consequence of the world financial crisis, the efficient technologies – the U.S. and South Korea are President of the UN General Assembly established the among the pioneer countries in that area, Italy is on the Newsletter Nr. 1/2009 - 3 - loosing side and Germany finds itself in a mid-range experts from around the world. The list ranks think position. It is clear that countries which push the tanks according to regions and categories e.g. The environmental and climate crisis off their political Leading Think Tanks In The World, Top 10 Interna- agenda because of the global economic crisis will lose tional Development Think Tanks or Top 10 Environ- their competitiveness in the medium to long term ment Think Tanks. perspective.” DIE-Director Messner appointed to PIK DIE Postgraduates start 3 month field study Scientific Advisory Board Since 1965 the German Development Institute / The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) trains (PIK) has appointed Prof. Dr. Dirk Messner for four German young professionals in its Postgraduate years to its Scientific Advisory Board. Training Programme for Development Cooperation. At the Potsdam’s Telegraphenberg campus – once the In February the present 22 members of the 44th Course work-place of Albert Einstein – PIK addresses crucial of the Postgraduate Training Programme took off for scientific questions in the fields of global change, their 11-week research trip to Laos, Namibia, South climate impacts and sustainable development. Re- Africa and Turkey. The four practice-oriented field searchers from the natural and social sciences work studies focus on (1) Laos’ accession to the WTO and together to generate interdisciplinary insights and to the implications for agricultural policy and agricultural provide society with sound information for decision exports, (2) biofuel production in Namibia, the oppor- making. PIK is one of the leading Institute’s examining tunities, threats and the institutional environment for the Earth system's capacity for withstanding human rural development and food security, (3) South Africa - interventions and devise strategies for a sustainable An emerging