The Good Council

The Global South is suffering the most from the effects of climate change. At the same time, as cities and regions are catching up with living standards, there is a great demand to expand (energy) infrastructure. Affordable and reliable energy is needed for hospitals and schools, for farmers to store their goods, for home cooking etc. This energy needs to come from renewable sources – a transition to clean energy is a no-brainer. It needs to be fair, it needs to be fast, and nobody should be left behind. So how can a just energy transition in the Global South look like? Lena Dente, Senior Programme Manager of the Energy and Just Development Team, talks to two inspiring Change Makers: Musa Ibrahim, a youth leader, passionate Environmentalist, Land Hero of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification from Nigeria. And Dipal Barua, a veteran renewable energy advocate from Bangladesh and Member of the World Future Council. They discuss actionable steps and share their perspective on a just energy transition in the Global South. Find out more about the work of the World Future Council: www.worldfuturecouncil.org

Our latest podcast episode with three experts on the protection of ecosystems & livelihoods Vandana Shiva, Marie-Claire Graf and Annette Mueller explores the multiple connections between biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. Discover the intersection of agriculture, food, health and environment, and gain a fresh perspective with solutions we identified from all around the world, including those working for seed diversity, scaling up agroecology and hazardous pesticides. Join us as we unravel insights from the recent Ecosystems and Livelihoods Commission Meeting at the enchanting Fattoria La Vialla. Tune in now for an inspiring conversation about how we can protect the delicate balance between ecosystems and the lives they sustain. 

In this exciting third episode, we delve into the fascinating world of policy-making and innovation as we explore the prestigious Future Policy Award 2023: For a toxic-free world, which takes a closer look at the use of hazardous chemicals in products, with a focus on children and their environment. They discuss the importance of effective policies for a toxic-free world for children and future generations, guide us through the different product categories and we learn about whether a toxic-free world is conceivable in the future. Enjoy listening! Join us as we journey through the groundbreaking policies and visionary leaders that are driving positive change on a global scale.

In light of the upcoming International Day of Peace which theme is Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals this year, we release our second podcast episode with three experts on peace and future generations! Alyn Ware, Marie-Claire Graf, and Vanda Proskova. They discuss the importance of a peaceful world for future generations and the role of young people in peace activism. We also get to know more about the exciting work of our Youth:Present partner organisation Youth Fusion! 

Today we are launching the 3rd season of our The Good Council podcast, which will all be about the rights of future generations! Right at the first episode, our member of the management board Marie Biermann talks to two experts in the field. Neshan Gunasekera and Ghurni Bhattacharya explain to us what it means to act in a future-just way, how to prevent crimes against future generations and why education plays such a big role in bringing present and future generations to the top of the political agenda. 

According to numerous scientists, 30 % of the oceans and, if possible, 30 % of the land area must be protected by 2030. This is the only way to preserve at least some of the biodiversity on this planet. Otherwise, the overexploitation will continue: most fishing grounds are already overfished, and many species are almost extinct. Around 64 % of the sea surface is in international waters. It is precisely in these areas where it is crucial to put large zones under protection. However, apart from the Antarctic, there are hardly any areas where this is legally possible. In our latest episode, we asked our Councillor Anna Oposa and our senior advisor Dr. Ralf Sonntag how we can push national governments to advance ocean protection and better educate young people in marine conservation. 

Luc Gnacadja has dedicated himself to mobilizing political will for the fight against desertification, land degradation and to mitigate the effects of drought. In our latest episode, the former UNCCD Executive Secretary explains the role of politics in advancing sustainable land development and his hopes for this year's COP. Further, we talk about the undiscovered potential of Africa's youth and what conditions young people need to become more involved in political and climate action. 

Andrea Reimer is a long-time community organizer on issues of social, economic and environmental justice. With the COP27 just around the corner, we are excited to hear in our latest episode from the former Deputy Mayor for the City of Vancouver what her hopes for this year's Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh are. In another intergenerational dialogue, Andrea and Tatenda discuss what is needed for systemic change in politics and society and what potential the young generation has to achieve sustainable change.

Dipal Barua dreamed about turning Bangladesh into a solar nation many years ago. In our latest episode, he will tell us how close Bangladesh is to achieving this vision and how his initiatives Bright Green Energy Foundation and Grameen Shakti have contributed to this. Further, Dipal takes us on a journey to the Energy and Just Development team of the World Future Council and explains the role of politics in achieving 100% renewable energy in Bangladesh and beyond. 

Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel ist eine der renommiertesten Transformationsforscherinnen unserer Zeit. Wie kann eine Veränderung hin zu einer nachhaltigen Zukunft aussehen? Welche Hebel müssen wir dafür in Bewegung setzen? In unserer aktuellen Folge erzählt sie unserer Youth:Present Repräsentantin Marie-Claire Graf  außerdem, wieso ihr das Recht zukünftiger Generationen so am Herzen liegt, und wieso wir langfristige politische Rahmenbedingungen brauchen, um einen echten Wandel zu erreichen.