Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

       Opening of the 81st session : 8 September 2026 | A/INF/81/1   Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Moment : 18 September 2026 | A/RES/74/4 General debate : from 22 September to 26 September, and on 28 September 2026 High-level meeting to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development : 23 September 2026 | A/RES/80/207 High-level meeting on climate action and the just transition : 23 September 2026 High-level meeting to address the existential threats posed by sea level rise : 24 September 2026 | A/78/L.101 High-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response : 25 September 2026 | A/RES/79/333 High-level meeting to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action : 28 September 2026 | A/RES/80/193 and A/RES/80/299 High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons : 29 Septembe...

From the Togo Times   "It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we regret to announce the passing of our Executive Director, Dr. Sena Alouka," reads the statement signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of JVE. Mr. Alouka passed away in Créteil, France, on August 31, 2026. In its statement, the PCA says that "this sudden loss plunges our entire organization into immense sadness," and offers sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and colleagues. Felix Dodds: My memories of Sena go back to a workshop the Stakeholder Forum organized for West African stakeholders in Togo in 2001.  It was, I think, the only workshop in the region, and the Togo team, which included Sena, did an amazing job working with the government and stakeholders coming from the region to facilitate the workshop.  He and I attended many meetings in the 2000s leading up to Rio+20; he was always positive, trying to persuade not just his government, but others to make the extra ef...

This book, Environmental Lobbying at the United Nations  by Felix Dodds and Chris Spence,  provides a step-by-step insider’s guide to lobbying and engaging successfully at the United Nations. It reveals how the United Nations, which plays such a key role on issues from climate change to pollution of our air, land and sea, really works. In a world of rapid climate change, a flood of forever chemicals and plastic pollution, and the extinction of so much wildlife around the world, we need the convening power of the United Nations now more than ever. What’s more, we need individuals and organisations dedicated to making sure the United Nations has the most positive impact it can. And yet, global diplomacy can be dauntingly challenging and complex. Drawing on the authors' combined 60 years of professional experience with the United Nations system, this book contains essential information for individuals and organisations seeking to engage in this complex and confusing world.  ...

Capacity-Building Webinar for those attending the COP 31 Climate Conference   Oct 8, 2026 10:00 AM- 12:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Organized by: The Water Institute of the University of North Carolina and Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future   Presenters: Felix Dodds, Adjunct Prof Water Institute UNC’ Stakeholder Forum Fellow Jamie Cummings,  Environmental Policy Analyst at Woodwell Climate Research Center and Stakeholder Forum Associate Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L-Th3zJSSMiuB20tSg0vlA   It will help, particularly first-time attendees, to understand: History of climate change How the UNFCCC prepares COP30 Outcomes and Legacies Outcomes from the UNFCCC Bonn preparatory sessions 2026 Why attend – stakeholder engagement case study of a campaign and YOUNGO Negotiating Groups and key people COP 31 – What are the issues and the Türkiye and...

  Statements | António Guterres, Secretary-General Humanity is speeding past the limit to avoid climate catastrophe. Ten years ago in Paris, leaders pledged to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the threshold scientists say is critical to avoiding the worst climate devastation. The latest report from the UN Environment Programme delivers a stark warning: The world is failing to keep that promise. We are set to breach the 1.5-degree limit within the next few years. This summer’s scorching heat, raging wildfires and deadly floods are a warning of what lies ahead. Every fraction of a degree will cost lives, destroy livelihoods, deepen inequality, and push ecosystems closer to irreversible damage. But we can still bring warming back below 1.5 degrees by the end of the century. We must make the overshoot as small and short as possible – limiting how high temperatures rise and how long they remain above 1.5. That demands an overshoot of ambition: Accelerating the phaseout of...

COP31, hosted by Türkiye in Antalya in 2026, is positioned as an Implementation COP — shifting focus from negotiations to turning climate commitments into concrete actions  It builds on the first Global Stocktake and aims to bridge the gap between policy ambition and on-the-ground delivery. Core Principles No duplication but complementarity: aligning with existing initiatives. Prioritizing implementation gaps: focusing on areas where policy has not yet translated into measurable action. Inclusive ownership: reflecting priorities of countries at all development levels. 10 Priority Themes (Action Agenda)  iclei.org +2 Zero Waste – Scaling circular economy solutions, reducing methane from waste, preventing food loss and waste. Oceans and Seas – Enhancing marine ecosystem resilience, blue carbon, ocean observation, and regional cooperation. Food Safety – Transforming agriculture and food systems, addressing water and drought risks. Climate-Resilient Cities – Sustainable buildi...