Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien has today (Tuesday November 10th) secured government approval for the establishment of a UNDP Sustainable Finance Project Office in Dublin. (this was first published here ) The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations agency tasked with eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, and promoting sustainable growth. It works with governments and local partners to strengthen policies, build resilience against crises, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It operates in 170 countries. Sustainable finance is at the core of sustainable development and an integral part of tackling climate change. The role of the financial markets is critical – domestically and internationally – in providing transparent information on sustainability risks related to investment decisions, and in shifting financial flows towards decarbonisation and sustainable development. This would be the first formal presence...

Taken from the Climate and Clean Air Coaltion news here. The Global Methane Pledge Ministerial, Co-Convened by Canada and the European Commission, brought together international partners and private-sector representatives to assess progress and identify priorities for the next phase of action. While the Pledge has helped bring methane higher on the global climate agenda and strengthened commitments across sectors, participants highlighted a substantial gap between ambition and delivery. Current commitments are projected to achieve only around 10–11% of the reductions needed to meet the Pledge’s target of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. Ministers stressed that the solutions and technologies to cut emissions are already available, and called for stronger implementation, more effective policies, improved measurement and transparency, and greater mobilization of public and private finance. Country interventions emphasized action across the energ...

Guest blog: Lenni Montiel: Senior UN Development Leader (Ret.) | Former UN Assistant Secretary-General |UNDP Resident Representative | Governance, Public Policy & Multilateral Diplomacy | Leadership Advisor & Trainer | Chevening Scholar. Lenni writes on LinkedIn about the UN and international development. Originally published here : The United Nations has published The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, prepared by UNDESA, presenting the latest assessment of global progress towards the 2030 Agenda. I strongly encourage everyone interested in sustainable development to read the report and reflect on its findings. The report presents a mixed picture. Since 2015, important progress has been achieved in access to drinking water, sanitation, electricity, healthcare and digital connectivity. These achievements deserve recognition. The results show that the world is still far from achieving the SDGs by 2030. Only 36% of the targets assessed are on track or making moderate prog...

Guest blog: Lenni Montiel: Senior UN Development Leader (Ret.) | Former UN Assistant Secretary-General |UNDP Resident Representative | Governance, Public Policy & Multilateral Diplomacy | Leadership Advisor & Trainer | Chevening Scholar. Lenni writes on LinkedIn about the UN and international development. Originally published here An interesting development emerged from the Ibero-American Summit held in Madrid on 4–5 November 2026. Ibero-American countries agreed to establish an Ibero-American Artificial Intelligence Alliance, following the ministerial meeting on digital transformation and AI held on 3 November. What makes this initiative interesting is its focus on practical cooperation, going beyond discussions of AI principles and regulatory frameworks. The Alliance proposes cooperation in three areas: developing a federated regional data space, supporting AI models adapted to regional languages and needs, and facilitating access to computing infrastructure. The initiative ...

Taken from the excelent blog on LinkedIn by   Zainab Bie 🐝 Climate Justice | Policy Advocacy |Philan thropy to Global South | Narratives & Advocacy to Drive Systems Change | UN COPs(27-30) & G20 | UNGA| International Development |Campaign strategy| Coalitions & Community Building Attending COP31 Türkiye ? Here are the key links and things you need to know here Save these resources to stay informed, follow the negotiations, and navigate the conference. 📌 Official UNFCCC Side Events Find official side events, session details, and opportunities to engage: https://lnkd.in/gn-jzCUD 🏛️ COP31 Pavilions Programmes https://lnkd.in/ggMqvXbD 🌐 UNFCCC participant A–Z Venue health and safety, access rules and participant information: https://lnkd.in/g8aqzXzC 💪 Need help? Safety support for climate leaders/ activists at risk https://lnkd.in/gdt9PxVi 📰 Negotiations Newsletters to Follow • Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) - detailed, independent reporting on negotiat...