Dams are still often seen as a source of 'clean energy', even though they have disastrous environmental and social consequences. Even the promise of climate-friendly energy production is not fulfilled, because in fact dams are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions - 'clean energy' turns out to be a driver of both climate change and social conflict. Nevertheless, mega-dams in particular have continued to advance globally in recent years. An interdisciplinary special issue of the journal Sustainable Development, now fully open access, is dedicated to dams as a social phenomenon. It vividly shows the profound social hopes and conflicts associated with large dams.

Mehr als eine halbe Million Menschen sind in Brasilien bereits mit oder an Covid-19 gestorben. In der weltweiten Statistik absoluter Todeszahlen liegt das Land auf Rang zwei hinter den USA. Bisher sind nur ca. 25% der Bevölkerung vollständig durch eine Impfung geschützt. Auch wenn die Impfkampagnen in Brasilien in den letzten Monaten Fortschritte machten, erreichte das Land Ende August 2021 den traurigen Höhepunkt von 20 Millionen Covid-19-Fällen.

Côte d‘Ivoire has completed another electoral cycle with the recent parliamentary elections. The polls followed the controversial presidential election on 31 October 2020, when incumbent President Alassane Ouattara was confirmed for a third term despite oppositional boycotts and civil society protests. The opposition leaders’ attempt to declare a transitional government the day after the election and their refusal to recognize the president’s legitimacy resulted in some of them being arrested. Their calls for popular resistance or even armed rebellion did not result in substantial mobilization, and by the end of the year, the boycott campaign came to an end. For the first time since 2010, all political parties signalled their willingness to participate in the parliamentary elections, including the supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo.