Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

The following seven podcast episodes are adapted from the book  "Only One Earth" by Felix Dodds, Maurice Strong (the father of sustainable development), and Michael Straus e In this episode, we look at his episode traces the turbulent decade between the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and the lead-up to the Rio+20 Earth Summit.  Drawing from Only One Earth by Felix Dodds, Maurice Strong, and Michael Strauss, we explore how hopes for implementation gave way to bureaucratic drift, political fragmentation, and a shrinking role for stakeholders in global sustainable development processes.  From the creation—and unraveling—of the Commission on Sustainable Development's multi-year cycles to the emergence of a Green Economy agenda, this chapter details the strategic missteps and small wins that ultimately led to the call for a new summit in 2012. Featuring reflections on energy, agriculture, climate, and the MDGs, it captures a pivotal era of both di...

By  Felix Dodds  and  Chris Spence  | Originally published here on Inter Press Service While it may be difficult and painful, the UN Secretary-General is right to embrace change, believe Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence The world needs the UN, now more than ever. But we have also experienced firsthand how maddeningly inefficient and bureaucratic it can be. No wonder some critics want to defund it, the authors argue. Credit: United Nations SAN FRANCISCO, California / APEX, North Carolina, US, May 16 2025 (IPS)  - The United Nations has been called many things in its time: A champion of human rights. The world’s peacekeeper and provider of disaster relief. A leader on climate change, sustainable development, cutting poverty, and combating disease. The world’s single most important organization.  But also: Bureaucratic. Byzantine. Disorganized. Duplicative. Fragmented. Frustrating. Which is it? The correct answer is, probably...

Last week, the European Parliament adopted its recommendations for the forthcoming European Water Resilience Strategy. The full report can be downloaded here. The vote was overwhelming 470 in favour, 81 against, and 92 abstentions. The report called for the EU to have stronger action with more coordinated action when addressing the increased water-related challenges.  The strategy is expected to be presented by the European Commission before summer 2025. The members of the European Parliament underlined  that water is fundamental not only for health and daily life but also for the economy and its climate adaptation strategies. The ten key recommendatiosn were: Unlock Water-Smart Economy by creating a Water-Transition Funds in the next MFF to invest in water infrastructure. Strengthen EU Industrial Competitiveness with a Water-Smart Industrial Deal setting a Water-Efficiency first principle, untapping the potential of water reuse, and integrating comprehensive water manage...

The following seven podcast episodes are adapted from the book  "Only One Earth" by Felix Dodds, Maurice Strong (the father of sustainable development), and Michael Straus e In this episode, we look at the World Summit on Sustainable Development - the 2002 Johannesburg Summit which was meant to reinvigorate global commitment to sustainable development, and arrived at a turning point in world affairs. With over 40,000 participants, including 104 heads of state, the summit echoed the ambitions of the 1992 Earth Summit but collided with a shifting global landscape in the aftermath of 9/11. This episode traces the ambitions, negotiations, and ultimate disappointments of WSSD, from the promise of a “Global Deal” to the emergence of public-private partnerships, and the tensions between trade, governance, and sustainability. We examine how institutional fragmentation, political polarization, and unmet financing commitments left the summit's bold agenda largely unfulfille...

  Dear friends, Signs of human-induced climate change reached new heights since the issuance of my first letter to the international community in March. The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of the Global Climate report confirmed 2024 as the warmest year on record, and the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has reached its highest level in the last 800,000 years. We see clear signals of planetary distress, including increased ocean heat, decreased sea- ice extents and glacier mass, and sea level rise. With this second letter, the Brazilian incoming Presidency of the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)  moves from vision towards action , calling on the international community to mobilize in the face of climate urgency. download Second Letter from the Presidency PDF In this time of serious geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges, we must unite to (1) r...

Dear Friends This webinar is for those hoping or planning to participate in the UNFCCC preparatory conference in Bonn ( 16 th to 26 th June) and/or COP30 in Belém, Brazil, (Mon, Nov 10 th – Fri, Nov 21 st ) Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7zVNy9ckQRe7h28-6Jw4Jg The University of North Carolina Water Institute and the Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future   will host the webinar. The moderator will be Charles Nouhan from the Stakeholder Forum . The presenters are: Felix Dodds, UNC Water Institute and Stakeholder Forum Fellow Jamie Cummings , Woodwell Climate Research Center and Stakeholder Forum Associate The webinar will cover the following topics: History of climate change. How the UNFCCC prepares. COP29 Outcomes and Legacies. Why attend – stakeholder engagement case study of a campaign and YONGOUNFCCC. Bonn preparatory sessions. 2025 Negotiating Groups and key people COP 30. What are t...

     Background: The NGO Branch, at the Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development in UN DESA, is pleased to invite interested NGOs to a briefing session on applying for ECOSOC consultative status. The session will be conducted on 6 May 2025 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm (NYT). The session will provide information on the process of applying for consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.   Register here: https://events.te...

    If you have trouble reading this e-mail, please click here .    Your May Briefing   This edition covers preparations towards this year's World Environment Day, chemicals pollution talks and more. ...