Is Environmental Lobbying a Waste of Time?

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 Earth’s physical systems; and natural resource shortages. These are now believed to constitute the four biggest risks to humanity in the decade ahead.

The nature of these challenges means there is no time to lose. But where to start? Whether it’s dealing with a changing climate and extreme weather or the collapse of entire ecosystems, these are not problems one actor can deal with alone. No matter how mighty, there is no country or company that can solve any of these incredibly complex, worldwide challenges by themselves. They clearly require international collaboration.

This is where the UN comes in. In spite of facing many challenges in recent years, the UN remains the one place with the convening power to bring the world together. What’s more, the UN has a legacy of leading multilateral efforts that make a material difference. The most obvious example is the campaign to protect our ozone layer. Without the UN-brokered Montreal Protocol and subsequent treaties, the world would already look very different today as increasing UV radiation peppered our planet. Skin cancers and cataracts would have multiplied. Plant life and crop production would have suffered.

There are other examples, too. Even the UN’s work on climate change, which many see as a failure, has started incrementally to change our future for the better. For instance, before the Paris Agreement on climate change was inked in 2015, experts predicted long-term average temperature rises of at least 4-6°C by the end of the century. This would be catastrophic. Now, estimates range from 2-2.8°C, assuming countries stick to their pledges. To be clear, this is still very bad for our planet and for humanity. But it is an undeniable sign of progress.

To be successful, the UN needs help. It needs people dedicated to the long-term goal of making multilateralism work, people who believe passionately in doing their part to make the world a better place.

It also needs people who know how to work within the system to get things done. The UN is a complicated beast. Its procedures can seem complex, even intimidating, to outsiders. It rules – both written and unwritten – can feel labyrinthine and opaque. Those hoping to influence future negotiations on the key environmental challenges of our time will need to understand how to navigate the system if they are to turn their ideas and goals into reality. With the right training and support, however, we believe this is eminently achievable.

In her foreword to our new book, ‘Environmental Lobbying at the United Nations: A Guide to Protecting Our Planet,’ Elizabeth Maruma Mrema points out that we have the talent to get the job done. As UN Assistant Secretary-General and the deputy head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Mrema is perfectly placed to make this observation. 

“There have always been talented and determined individuals willing to dedicate themselves to protecting our planet,” she writes.

Mrema continues: 

“The world needs heroes willing to step up and advocate for the needs of humanity and the planet. There is no role so honorable, or so important, as making the world a better place.”

Inspiring the next generation of talented individuals to step forward and play their part is a major challenge. Yet if we can convince a new generation to ask not what the world can do for them, but what they can do for the world, then there is still cause for optimism.

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Felix Dodds and Chris Spence’s new book, ‘Environmental Lobbying at the United Nations: A Guide to Protecting Our Planet,’ will be published by Routledge in June. The authors will be hosting a book launch at the UN Bookshop in New York, US, on 16 July 2025.It is available on pre-order.