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. 

Dr Ashok Khosla made a name for himself through establishing his social enterprise "Development Alternatives" 40 years ago being one of the first who was combining doing good with making money. He is one of the world's leading experts on the Environment and Sustainable Development. In conversation with our Youth:Present representative Marie-Claire Graf, he tells us how the concept of sustainability and Sustainable Development differs in the world and why we urgently need institutional frameworks that can identify and deal with the problems we are facing. 

What does it take to change a system sustainably? What new ways of connecting do exist? In conversation with our working student Gesa Dolkemeyer, Dr C. Otto Scharmer explains how the Theory U updates the operating code in our societal systems through a shift in consciousness and how the World Future Council can move change forward and change structures and systems through connecting people. 

Nowadays we are facing water crisis: millions of people lack access to fresh water, yet we continue to extract rivers and lakes and pump out groundwater excessively. Is it a matter of individual actions? Or of government action? What are the solutions to water crisis and how can young people help? In the new episode of our podcast “The Good Council” we are discussing these and other questions with the Councillor of the World Future Council and author of the book „Blue Future – How to Protect Water for People and the Planet Forever“ Dr h.c. Maude Barlow.

A pioneer in organic and biodynamic farming, an oasis in the middle of a hostile environment, and a changemaker for so many farmers not only in Egypt but around the globe: Our Councillor Helmy Abouleish. We want to learn more about how he turns deserts into fertile soils and why his father is still his greatest role model. He gives us interesting insights into the sustainable community in Egypt, Sekem, and what the economy of love actually means. 

We often forget the immense importance of healthy soil, clean water, and rich biodiversity and how the different elements are interconnected. We have lost the awareness that our lives are intimately connected to the miracle of nature. In the first episode of the second season, Thais Corral tells us why she cares so much about healthy ecosystems, the role of women and young people in environmental protection, and why she founded a place that brings together the different facets of sustainable living - Sinal do Vale.

With around 4 billion people living in cities, more people live in urban than in rural areas. But did you know that cities are some of the most unsustainable parts of the planet, which require and exploit resources from areas far larger than themselves? Rethinking how we build and structure the cities we live in is urgently required. Co-founder of the World Future Council and expert on regenerative cities, Herbert Girardet, explains the way forward.

Human, woman, African, Kenyan, sister of Barack Obama, and a bridge between cultures. Dr Auma Obama is one of the leading advocates for children's and girls' rights of our time. She brings generations together, initiates dialogues and enables platforms to give young people a voice. In conversation with our Youth:Present representative Raina Ivanova, she tells us how she started off her life in Germany fighting the fight for her convictions and how she has kept up that fight till today.

A trailblazer for women across the world, Maria Fernanda Espinosa held positions in government in Ecuador and at the higher echelons of global diplomacy for sustainable and peaceful development, women’s rights and gender equality, and universal health coverage. She’s an example of someone with determination and strength who never lost her personal convictions and empathy for others. In this episode, we’re looking back at where she came from, where she’s been, and where she’s going…

Hafsat Abiola made a name for herself through standing up for women’s rights and empowering democracy and development on the African continent. She is the founder and board president of the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy that envisions an Africa where women are full participants in the continent’s social, economic and political development.

Our Youth:Present representative Akinyi Obama Manners (24) interviews Hafsat Abiola and takes a deep-dive into how Hafsat’s own experiences have shaped her work and the spaces that African women should be occupying.

A Maori elder and leading figure for indigenous communities, she is a daughter, mother, and grandmother, not only to her family but to many people around the world. Because she fights tirelessly for the rights of nature, for peace and disarmament, and for intergenerational dialogues: Our Honorary Councillor Pauline Tangiora. We want to get to know her as a person. Why does she do what she does? We want to learn more about her views on life, her work, and her community, as well as her message to current and future generations.

Ex-MdB, Präs. Club of Rome, Prof. Dr.; Als Ehrenratsmitglied stärkt Prof. Dr. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker dem World Future Council mit seiner vollen Expertise den Rücken. Er schrieb Bücher wie “Faktor Fünf” und klärt in den Medien u.A. auf zur Klimakrise, Globalisierung und Energie. Seine Ideen zur Umverteilung der CO2-Emissionen sind zukunftsweisend. Was sagt der Pionier und einer der einflussreichsten Denker der Welt über die weltweite Klimabewegung, die Klimapolitik in Deutschland, und Ideen für ein besseres Morgen? Unsere Youth:Present Repräsentantin Raina Ivanova (17) fragt nach...

A household name for future-proof journalism, Angelina Davydova has more than 20 years of experience in Russian and international media, think tanks and academia, and is an expert in Russian environmental policy. She’s a facilitator and people connector. In this episode, we’re unfolding her journey from a city in a country that no longer exists, to the present-day adventures of a Russian journalist abroad.

Filmmaker, poet, ecologist, author, co-founder of the World Future Council. What causes a person to dedicate their life to creating a sustainable future for future generations? Stories from the man who dug a tunnel under the Berlin Wall, organised the Notting Hill Carnival, and lectures expertly on regenerative cities—enter stage left, Prof. Herbert Girardet...

Er ist einer der erfolgreichsten deutschen Unternehmerpersönlichkeiten der Gegenwart, Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender der Otto-Group, Mitbegründer und Initiator zahlreicher visionärer Initiativen und Stiftungen, und Träger des Großen Bundesverdienstkreuzes mit Stern: Prof. Dr. Michael Otto. Hören Sie ein inspirierendes Gespräch über seinen Einstieg in das Familienunternehmen, die Verantwortung der Wirtschaft, bis hin zu seinem gesellschaftlichen Engagement und seiner Unterstützung als Mitgründer des World Future Council.

Was sind die besten Praktiken und nachhaltigen Lösungen für unsere gemeinsame Zukunft? Wie können wir den Planeten in einem besseren Zustand für künftige Generationen hinterlassen?

Herzlich willkommen zum ersten Podcast des World Future Council! Entdecken Sie unsere Arbeit und die Antworten auf diese Fragen, indem Sie den generationenübergreifenden Dialogen zwischen unseren Gründern, einigen unserer erfahrensten Ratsmitglieder und jungen Unternehmer:innen und Aktivist:innen aus aller Welt lauschen.

Diese Podcast-Reihe gibt einen Einblick hinter die Kulissen, wie eine revolutionäre Idee Wirklichkeit wurde, von den Anfängen des World Future Councils bis hin zu seiner aktuellen Agenda - und bietet Inspiration, Lacher, bewährte Verfahren und Denkanstöße.

In jeder Folge werden unsere Ratsmitglieder mit jungen Aktivist:innen und Changemakern aus der ganzen Welt zusammenkommen, die auch Teil unseres Jugendforums Youth:Present sind. Neue Episoden werden ab dem 6. September 2021 jeden zweiten Montag veröffentlicht.

For the first episode of The Good Council, we’re hearing from a man with a revolutionary idea: Jakob von Uexküll, founder of the World Future Council. Why did he set out to create an organisation with a focus on policies? What did he learn from his time on the international stage? And what are his hopes and fears for the future? A personal retrospective with inspiration and lessons for us all...

Changing the world, one policy at a time...

What are best practices and sustainable solutions for our common future? How can we leave the planet in better shape for future generations?

Welcome to the season 1 Trailer for the first podcast of the World Future Council. Discover our work and the answers to those questions by listening to intergenerational dialogues between our founders, some of our most senior Councillors and young entrepreneurs and activists from around the globe.

This podcast series provides a behind-the-scenes insight into how a revolutionary idea became reality, from the very beginnings of the World Future Council to its current agenda—providing inspiration, laughter, best practices, and food for thought.

Each episode will see our Councillors get together with young activists and changemakers from around the globe, who are also part of our youth forum Youth:Present. New episodes will be released every other Monday, starting 6 September 2021.