Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

This article was originally published on the IISD Knowledge Hub.  Authored by Felix Dodds and Chris Spence. The headlines these days seem to be filled with global catastrophes. From horrifying regional conflicts to cyber espionage, rampant inequality to online disinformation campaigns and societal polarization, the bad news seems never-ending. In light of this, we could be forgiven for dismissing environmental issues as something to be left for the future. In fact, the latest Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) seems, at first sight, to agree with this assessment. In its 2025 report, experts named only one environmental issue, extreme weather, among the top five threats to global stability over the next two years. But look further out and the analysis changes dramatically. When experts assessed global risks over the next decade, the top four global threats were all environmental: extreme weather; biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse; critical changes to Eart...

Based on Chapter 3, "The Emergence of Stakeholder Democracy," by Felix Dodds, this episode delves into the development of stakeholder democracy as a complement to representative democracy and a step toward participatory governance. We discuss how these ideas align with modern political thought and democratic practices. Listen to it here. We also highlight contemporary experiments in participatory democracy, including citizen panels and proposals for a global parliament, and consider the diverse forms of modern democratic governments. In the context of sustainable development, this book describes how we are moving from representative to participatory democracy and how we are now in a "stakeholder democracy," which is working to strengthen represented democracy in a time of fear. Since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the idea of stakeholder democracy has grown, with stakeholders engaged in helping governments and intergovernmental bodies make better decisions and in helpi...

Excellent job opportunity Global Head of International Affairs - UN Remote Campaigns Full time United States New York, New York, United States Apply here Description Help transform billions of lives. Including yours.  About Us Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) was founded in 1967 by a British farmer horrified by the development of intensive factory farming. Compassion in World Farming is a leading global organisation dedicated to ending factory farming and championing sustainable food systems that prioritise the welfare of animals, people, and the planet. In 2012, we established Compassion in World Farming, Inc. to focus on making positive change for farmed animals in the US, the epicentre of modern industrial agriculture.   With headquarters in the UK and offices in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium and the USA, we are the leading animal environmental organisation working towards a nature positive, compassionate and free of animal cruelty world.  Our campaigns...

In this episode, we trace the origins of democracy from ancient Athens to the present day, exploring how different models—from the Roman Republic to the Putney Debates—have shaped governance and representation.  Drawing from Chapter 2 of Stakeholder Democracy: Represented Democracy in a Time of Fear by Felix Dodds, we examine the expansion of democratic participation, the challenges posed by misinformation and right-wing populism, and the emergence of stakeholder democracy.  We also highlight contemporary experiments in participatory democracy, including citizen panels and proposals for a global parliament, and consider the diverse forms of modern democratic governments. In the context of sustainable development, this book describes how we are moving from representative to participatory democracy and how we are now in a "stakeholder democracy," which is working to strengthen represented democracy in a time of fear. Since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the idea of stakeholder dem...

Originally published on Inter Press Service here. With so much bad news about climate change lately, is it too late for the world to tackle the problem? Professor Felix Dodds and Chris Spence review the current state-of-play.   SAN FRANCISCO, California / APEX, North Carolina, February 1 2025 (IPS) - When it comes to climate change, the awful news has been coming thick and fast. We now know that in 2024, the Earth’s average temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. Extreme weather seems to be multiplying, with shocking fires in Los Angeles and storms striking Europe and America’s east coast since the start of the year. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has announced his country will turn its back on the ambitious Paris Agreement adopted in 2015. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ latest annual summit—COP29 in Azerbaijan—ended in November with complaints it had done too little to change the narrative. Some even questioned whether the UN’s ...