Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

I had the chance to do an interview with Bill Miller of Global Connections TV a few weeks ago looking a the outcome from COP28  (an article is available here ) and Chris Spence and my new book Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy .  The book explores that when the world is beset by environmental, social, healthcare and economic challenges, we need courage in our politics, both nationally and globally. This book tells the stories, some for the first time, of twelve individuals who made heroic contributions to protecting our planet through ground-breaking international treaties. It explores if individuals change the world? Today, when impersonal forces and new technologies seem to be directing our lives and even our entire planet in ways we cannot control, this question feels more relevant than ever before. This book argues that we can all make a difference. It tells inspiring stories of individuals who have had a global impact that is beyond dispute, as well as others who have ...

 Originally published here. 14 February 2024 - The United Nations Department of Global Communications today announced the selection of Carole Osero-Ageng’o, Global Initiatives Lead and Africa Regional Representative at HelpAge International, and Nudhara Yusuf, Executive Coordinator for Global Governance Innovation Network at The Stimson Center, as Co-Chairs of the 2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future.  The conference will take place on 9 and 10 May 2024, at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya. Carole Osero-Ageng’o  is a highly regarded human rights lawyer and gender expert, recognized for her impactful advocacy at national, regional, and global levels.  As the Global Initiatives Lead and Africa Regional Representative for HelpAge International, Ms. Osero-Ageng’o excels as a negotiator, people connector, mentor and policy influencer.  With extensive experience in aging, women’s rights, sexual reprod...

  Climate change has been a source of concern among the international community since the 1970s. The first UN Agreement that mentioned it was the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden. By Chris Spence and Felix Dodds Yet, over fifty years since the issue was first raised in international diplomatic circles by prominent scientists, the situation continues to deteriorate, with rises in temperatures and extreme weather causing ever-magnifying problems around the world. What has the global community done to date to deal with what many consider an existential threat to humanity’s future? In particular, what was achieved in Dubai at COP28 and what needs to happen in the lead-up to COP29, which will be held in Azerbaijan from November 11-24, 2024. This briefing provides a short history of global cooperation to date, then looks towards Azerbaijan and beyond for what needs to happen next. We argue that, although much more has been done to date than many give ...

Image: Great S-spiral frieze fresco (MET_DP247791) Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons The Circular Fashion Initiative Campaign On behalf of The Circular Fashion Initiative Campaign , Circular Research Foundation (Italy) and Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions at Arizona State University (USA) you are cordially invited to the United Nations Environment Assembly side event Beyond Fast Fashion Green Room – Room 14, UNON, Gigiri, Nairobi Wednesday, February 21st, 12:30-14:00 EAT (UTC+3) or via Zoom link here How will evolving sustainability standards and corporate reporting requirements address the Fast Fashion controversy and impact fashion communities in the global South? Programme I. Premier of the short film Beyond Fast Fashion produced by the Arizona State University Sustainable Earth project a film by Ritesh Deshaware & James Cobb II. Welcome remarks by Roberta Annan, Founder & Managing Partner at Impact Fund for African Creatives (IFFAC),...

Republished article by Jamil Ahad Director of intergovernmental affairs, the United Nations Environment Programme New York. Originally published in Dawn, January 25th, 2024 There is no doubt that climate change is one of humanity’s most complex challenges and needs to be urgently tackled. But is the world faltering in forging a cohesive response? The year 2023 was the hottest recorded, with the annual average global temperature climbing 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Intergovern­mental Panel on Climate Change reports indicate that world temperatures could tip over the 1.5°C threshold by 2030. Prospects of failing to realise the targets of the Paris Agreement are getting starker. Such a scenario could have irreversible catastrophic consequences. Climate change is already exacerbating existing crises and triggering new ones. The nexus between climate change and socioeconomic issues is increasing poverty, inequality, and hunger in the Global South. The inextricable link...