Entries by Stephanie Govaerts

New Snapshot | Bridge Over Troubled Water: Towards Effective EU Engagement in the Transboundary Politics of the Nile River Basin

/in , , /by

Since the project’s inception in 2011, tensions surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have heightening the risk of conflict and instability in regions of vital strategic importance for the European Union. However, the EU’s ability to ease transboundary tensions in the Nile River Basin remains limited. This snapshot by assistant analyst Michelle Reitano explores how the EU can become a more effective player in the GERD dispute and proposes three strategic outlooks.

New paper| Intersecting Futures: Global Trends Shaping and Shaped by Climate Change over the Next Century

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Climate change is reshaping global power, security, and economic stability. In Intersecting Futures, Thijs van Aken and Laura Birkman examine how climate impacts will interact with geopolitical, economic, and societal trends through 2100. The paper shows why adaptation capacity will determine future winners and losers – and why faster, coordinated action is essential. “Climate change will define not just environmental outcomes, but the balance of power in the 21st century,” Van Aken and Birkman warn. “Policymakers must treat adaptation as a strategic priority now, not a future concern.”

The HCSS Datalab launches: Critical Raw Materials Tracking Application (CARTA)

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Critical Raw Materials (CRM) are used across the vital sectors of the global economy and society including clean energy, digital technology, healthcare, defence and space. The CRM Tracking Application (CARTA) provides information about the geographical spread of resources, reserves, extraction and processing capabilities for a wide range of raw materials. The dashboard displays the materials included in the 2023 EU Critical Raw Materials list as well as other non-energy and non-animal raw materials that are important for the above-mentioned sectors.

New report | Building Europe’s alternative fuels industry for military resilience

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

A new HCSS report warns that Europe’s military fuel readiness is increasingly vulnerable to supply disruptions and underinvestment in alternative fuels. The study argues that SAF, HVO and synthetic fuels can strengthen resilience, but only if governments treat fuel production as a strategic defence capability and accelerate coordinated civil-military investment.

AI-Gigafabriek kan Nederland strategisch versterken – maar alleen onder strikte voorwaarden

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Wat is de strategische waarde van een AI-Gigafabriek (AIGF) voor Nederland? In deze nieuwe HCSS-paper analyseren Ron Stoop, Clarice van der Paardt, Jesse Kommandeur en Sofia Romansky hoe grootschalige AI-infrastructuur kan bijdragen aan digitale autonomie, economische groei en maatschappelijke doelen. De studie laat zien dat succes niet vanzelfsprekend is: alleen met scherpe keuzes in governance, energie en toegang kan een AIGF daadwerkelijk waarde creëren.

New Report | Catching Up: Europe’s Path to Strategic Autonomy in the Defence Industry

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

HCSS’s new joint report with Clingendael maps and explores the challenging issues of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). Authors Floor Stoelinga, Karen van Loon, Davis Ellison, Ron Stoop and Dick Zandee offer a menu for policymakers to use when considering pressing decisions on long-term investments and capabilities. The study also identifies necessary reforms—including ensuring transparency and preventing waste and fraud, grouping projects more efficiently, and managing demand signals.

New Report | Reshaping the international legal order: China’s strategic use of lawfare and lessons learned for Europe

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

A new HCSS report examines how China uses lawfare to reshape the international legal order from within. By reinterpreting norms, building parallel institutions, and leveraging legal asymmetries, Beijing is expanding its influence across trade, technology, and maritime governance. The report outlines what this means for Europe and how policymakers can strengthen resilience and maintain normative influence in an increasingly contested legal landscape.

HCSS Datalab Internship Deadline extended! (Open until 30 April)

/0 Comments/in /by

The Datalab of The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies offers an exciting internship to aspiring data scientists. Our clients include major corporations, key government ministries, development aid agencies, and security providers, both domestic and global. The HCSS data internship therefore offers invaluable experience working on some of the most significant global issues of our time. Candidates should either have a strong quantitative background or demonstrated affinity for all things quantitative. They should also demonstrate transferable programming skills, as well as a keen interest in the topics covered by HCSS policy research.

Irina Patrahau and Benedetta Girardi author chapter on Critical Raw Materials for Defense

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Strategic Analysts Irina Patrahau and Benedetta Girardi authored a chapter in the edited volume ‘Industrial Open Strategic Autonomy in the Indo-Pacific’. Their chapter examines the critical role of secure access to raw materials in defence preparedness. They argue that modern defence systems—ranging from missiles to AI and space technologies—depend heavily on a limited set of critical raw materials (CRMs). These materials are often geographically concentrated and exposed to geopolitical risks, creating vulnerabilities for resource-dependent countries like the Netherlands and South Korea.

New Report | Between the Berlaymont and the Glass Palace: The relative roles of the European Union and NATO in European defence

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

HCSS’s new report explores the complex relationship between the EU and NATO in European defence. Authors Davis Ellison and Daniel Fiott offer a roadmap for policymakers navigating this pivotal moment in European defence. Despite persistent tensions, both institutions remain central to European security. The study identifies practical reforms – ranging from Berlin Plus updates to closer political coordination – that can strengthen cooperation, enhance Europe’s self-sufficiency, and reduce reliance on the United States.