Global Action Plan International

An opinion poll in 11 countries has produced what organisers term a "global mandate" for action on climate change.

About half of the respondents wanted governments to play a major role in curbing emissions, but only a quarter said their leaders were doing enough, reports BBC News on 26 November – five days before this year's UN climate conference opens in the Polish city of Poznan. Nicholas Stern, who led the 2006 Stern Review into the economics of climate change, said this amounted to a global mandate for stronger action.

Read the full article here.

Once, innovation was widely believed to be about competition. Now, it's a life-and-death matter of global cooperation. In an article (PDF) commissioned by Indian magazine ManagementNext, we take a look at the world's needs for innovation - technical, social, educational, and not least economic.

In France, glass and other waste is now collected in nearly 80 muncipalities by horse-drawn vehicles. This form of transportation is currently being evaluated by those involved, including the multinational waste disposal corporation SITA.

Brief article here.

How can education contribute to creating a sustainable, neohumanist society?

This was the theme of an international conference in Ydrefors, Sweden, jointly hosted by the College for Neohumanist Studies (CNS) and GAP 12-14 July 2008. 40 participants from 26 countries had plenty of ideas, and a number of projects crystallized out of the meetings.

A summary report listing all papers and sessions is available on request, as well as the papers, and notes from sessions. Video clips will soon also be available.

On July 7, the Ecuador Constitutional Assembly voted to approve articles that recognize rights for nature and ecosystems. If they are adopted, Ecuador will become the first country in the world to codify a system of environmental protection based on rights.

Why is it that the transition to a more sustainable society is taking so long?
Not for lack of knowledge, nor for lack of capital. Nor, it appears, for lack of motivation: in every sector of society, surveys show that a majority wish they could live and work more sustainably. A major element is leadership. How can the creativity of many be liberated, how can opportunities for breakthroughs to sustainable business and a sustainable society be identified and acted upon?