by Andrea Westall | Oct 21, 2009
Lorenzo Cotula argues that ‘land grabbing’ – where large-scale land acquisitions for agrifood and biofuel investments which have been made in Africa, Asia and Latin America – goes straight to the heart of democracy and sustainable development. Land...
by Andrea Westall | Oct 21, 2009
Halina Ward believes that the UK’s Sustainable Communities Act, 2007 takes a conservative approach to sustainable development, seeing economic, social and environmental issues separately, rather than creating an “integrated approach to decision-making”. Halina Ward...
by Andrea Westall | Oct 21, 2009
Leaders from UK NGOs met to explore insights into the relationship between democracy and sustainable development, ways forward, and whether and how NGOs should work together to get democracy working for environmental justice and sustainable development. The group, a...
by Andrea Westall | Sep 21, 2009
FDSD urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to include, as part of any future International Day of Democracy, reflection on the democratic challenge of climate change, since it is one of the most significant failures of democracy to date. The letter argues that...
by Andrea Westall | Aug 21, 2009
Halina Ward argues that online voting illustrates some of the problems with simple direct democracy, including an absence of informed and accountable processes. Her comments also draw on a talk by Liam Taylor of Climate Camp at a Compass conference session –...
by Andrea Westall | Aug 21, 2009
Halina Ward uses the example of eco-town proposals by the UK central government to illustrate the tensions between top-down sustainability planning and local needs. She argues for the development of processes that marry the two successfully, rather than allowing only...
by Andrea Westall | Jun 21, 2009
Halina Ward believes that if we take the concept of ‘one world’ thinking, developed by Peter Singer in One World: The ethics of globalisation, our democracies have not responded to the challenges of interconnectedness. While the tools of one world thinking are well...
by Andrea Westall | Feb 21, 2009
The event called for a new set of global ethical principles to underpin climate negotiations and real international democracy. There was also a strong theme around the gap between organic decision-making at the local level and official decision-making. Kalyan Paul...
by Andrea Westall | Mar 21, 2008
Responding to Provocations by Ian Christie and Sara Parkin, Tim O’Riordan argues that we need to increase ‘virtue’ – civic responsibility and political accountability, as well as debate and awareness – and sets out desired futures for a more ‘ecological...
by Andrea Westall | Mar 21, 2008
This event was organised by The Environment Foundation (precursor to FDSD), 21st Century Trust and the Dana Centre on Democracy and Sustainability at the Science Museum, London, 18th March 2008 Chaired by Lord Patten, people and organisations from business, civil...
by Andrea Westall | Feb 21, 2008
Sara Parkin asks: Are political parties still relevant? She answers that they are: “at best, a diversion from the main business of democracy—to provide a system which enables us to do things together in a way that we are proud of and happy to be involved with”. Sara...
by Andrea Westall | Jul 21, 2007
Ian Christie sets out four conflicting propositions: democracy is crucial for humane and just development; democracy poses huge problems for sustainable development; sustainability NGOs have been a massive success; sustainability NGOs are also a massive failure by...
