Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

I had the pleasure of working with Maurice Strong and Michael Strauss on the 2012 book Only One Earth The Long Road via Rio+20 to Sustainable Development At the launch of the Only One Earth book 2012 2015 – ten years ago, we had one of the most significant positive years for sustainable development with the agreement on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals, and of course, the Paris Climate Agreement. Both are based on the huge work that Maurice Strong did in his life. Raising the issue of climate change in the 1972 Stockholm Environment Conference and with other members of the Brundtland Commission, giving the vision which underpinned the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, which he was the Secretary General of. Maurice Strong saw the limitations of the intergovernmental process. The nine chapters of Agenda 21 gave rights and responsibilities to key stakeholders, and to underpin this, he envisioned the Earth Charter as a real ethical basis f...

Guest blog from Yingyan LU  over 13 years of experience in project management, policy analysis, and international cooperation—specializing in ESG, sustainability, climate tech and the carbon market  —I provide transformative solutions for businesses and institutions navigating the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future.  As we edge closer to 2030, it’s clear that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not a finish line but a springboard for ongoing progress. Among these, Climate Action (SDG 13) stands out for both its urgency and its need for unprecedented innovation. The good news? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force poised to drive both mitigation and adaptation, long past any target year. Why AI Matters for Climate Action—and Our Future The climate crisis is daunting in its complexity: big data, unpredictable feedback loops, and the need for global coordination. AI is uniquely suited to cut through this complexity, offer...

Applications for who should replace Achim Steiner as the Administrator of UNDP closed on the 9th of June. So far, no white smoke from the UN Secretary General's office. Before looking at the potential candidates, let's look at some of what Achim achieved. Some of his key achievements and initiatives during his tenure: Championed South-South Cooperation: Steiner actively promoted the role of the  Global South  in driving development solutions and advocated for stronger partnerships between countries of the Global South, notably through the  BAPA+40 Conference  in 2019. Modernized UNDP's Approach: His first Medium Term Strategy showed that Steiner wanted to reinvent UNDP, shifting its focus from traditional development coordination to a more mission-driven, service-oriented approach, emphasizing its role in helping countries chart their development paths. This was a more networked approach to development bringing together teams from across the UN system ...

  The Thematic Days will unfold as follows: November 10–11  will highlight themes of Adaptation, Cities, Infrastructure, Water, Waste, Local Governments, Bioeconomy, Circular Economy, and Tourism, laying the foundation for climate readiness and resilience across systems, sectors, communities, and regions. November 12–13:  Health, Jobs, Education, Culture, Justice and human rights, Information integrity, and Workers. These days also introduce the Global Ethical Stocktake, reinforcing equity and moral responsibility in climate governance. November 14–15  zoom in on systems transformation across Energy, Industry, Transport, Trade, Finance, Carbon markets, and Non-CO₂ gases, supporting the global push to triple renewable energy, double energy efficiency, and transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and equitable manner. November 17–18  elevate both planetary and community stewardship — centering on Forests, Oceans, and Biodiversity, while spotlighting I...

Guest blog: Peter Murage who promotes regenerative agriculture among smallholder farmers, through the MOOF Kikapu Ecosystems and Social Restoration Initiative in Kenya. In the rolling slopes of Mt. Kenya with its sparling snow peaks and sunbaked plains of rural Kenya, a quiet regenerative agriculture revolution is taking place. It is not powered by noisy farm machines or towering skyscrapers, but by seeds, soil, and the steady hands of organized smallholder farmers in cooperatives. This is the story of the MOOF Kikapu Ecosystems and Social Restoration Initiative , a bold effort to transform the way communities interact with their land—and each other—through regenerative agriculture, ecological restoration, and social empowerment. For decades, smallholder farmers in Kenya have battled depleted soils due to overuse of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, unpredictable rainfall, and shrinking yields. The pressures of climate change and unsustainable farming practices have d...

Entertainment + Culture pavilion hosts first-ever Culture x Climate Forum in Bonn at SB62, soon to be the COP30 Mutirão in Belém Launched in the Blue Zone at COP28, the  Entertainment + Culture Pavilion , where Culture meets Climate,  celebrated its European premiere at SB62, the 62nd Meeting of Subsidiary Bodies from 16-25 June 2025 in Bonn, Germany. Bonn - already an international hub of history, art and culture and former West German political capital - became the place to be in June 2025 not only for SB62 delegates but also for locals, and international invited artists.   Over the course of 10 days in Bonn, the E+C Pavilion team together with its partners co-hosted over 20 events at SB62 including: side events, workshops, press conference, community town halls, poster presentations, negotiations, fi lm festival, forest walk and more. The diverse line-up of cultural events at UNFCCC negotiations has been unprecedented. Yet on the road to the 30th Conference of Parties...