The THRIVE Project is incredibly grateful to Dr. Richard Denton, Shubhi Goel, and Alyn Ware for their captivating and inspirational presentations during the December 2024 Thrivability Matters Webinar. This webinar focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) SDG16 & SDG17 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions & Partnerships for the Goals // Sustainable Policies. With their extensive knowledge, our presenters captivated us by highlighting the significance of solving global conflicts through diplomacy, the total prohibition of nuclear weapons with education towards a world beyond war, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and effective governance for peace and sustainability.
Here are the highlights from our webinar!
About the December 2024 Speakers
Dr. Richard Denton has been a dedicated advocate for peace and nuclear disarmament since joining Rotary and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in 1983. As the former North American co-chair of IPPNW, he continues to work tirelessly to promote global security and the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Shubhi Goel is a climate policy and carbon markets expert with over five years of experience in climate finance and consulting. She holds a degree in Climate Science and Policy from TERI. Her professional interests include international and climate policy, carbon markets, CBAM, and Climate Finance.
Alyn Ware is an international advocate for peace, nuclear disarmament, environmental protection, human rights, and international law. He serves as the Program Director for the World Federalist Movement, Director of the Basel Peace Office, and the Peace & Disarmament Spokesperson for the World Future Council.
Summary of the December 2024 Webinar
As an organisation, the THRIVE Project endeavours to guide humanity towards a more sustainable future. We had the privilege of hosting these three speakers as guest presenters for our webinar.
Dr. Richard Denton – “Solving Global Conflicts Through Diplomacy”
In a compelling presentation, Dr. Richard Denton shared his ongoing advocacy for Peace Education and the Total Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. “The world is coming to an end”, Dr. Denton stated, either through climate change or nuclear war. He highlighted that nuclear weapons are insanely suicidal, illogical, inhumane, immoral, ineffective, and illegal. Dr. Denton urged that we, the people, continue to educate ourselves toward Ending War and actively pursue peace by 2030.
Dr. Denton ended his presentation by advising the listeners not to bank on the bomb, in other words, not to invest in the production of nuclear weapons. He also reminded everyone to “follow the money” to ensure governments remain honest and accountable in their use of taxes. For a more local and practical approach, Dr. Denton encourages cities to campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons in alignment with ICAN.
Shubhi Goel – “Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperations”
The second speaker, Shubhi Goel, focused on how bilateral and multilateral cooperation can contribute to emission reduction and provide financial support. She emphasised the importance of fostering global partnerships to achieve sustainable development. “Through collaborative efforts, nations can share resources, knowledge, and technologies, fostering innovative solutions to combat climate change,” Goel remarked.
Shubi Goel further emphasised that bilateral and multilateral cooperation are instrumental in mobilising financial resources and implementing effective climate actions. These partnerships allow countries to combine their strengths and tackle the complexities of emission reduction, thereby enhancing their collective capacity to achieve global climate targets.
Linking her discussion to Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, Shubhi Goel provided a framework for cooperative approaches and envisioned a clear path for countries to engage in voluntary cooperation in implementing their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). She explained that Article 6.2 promotes the use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs), allowing nations to collaborate on emission reductions while ensuring environmental integrity and transparency. She ended her presentation stating that “leveraging the mechanisms outlined in Article 6.2, countries can achieve greater emission reductions at lower costs, supported by robust financial and technical cooperation. This integrated approach underscores the vital role of partnerships in driving global climate action and achieving the goals set forth in the Paris Agreement.”
Alyn Ware – “UN Summit of the Future, MEGA, and LAW not War”
Following our first two compelling speakers, Alyn Ware rounded off the webinar by addressing four critical issues humanity faces today: armed conflicts, the threat of nuclear war, climate change, and the environmental crisis, specifically the approaching planetary boundaries. Alyn presented three possible solutions: legal alternatives to war (LAW not WAR), achieving nuclear disarmament through Common Security, and ‘Mobilising an Earth Governance Alliance’ (MEGA).
It was both engaging and enlightening to hear Ware discuss specific case studies and share his insights on them – for example, the success story from the International Court of Justice regarding the dispute between Libya and Chad. He also spoke about the 2024 World Future Policy Awards, and gave a particular mention to ‘Kauswagan’s From Arms to Farms’, an initiative that aims to reintegrate ex-combatants by forming a dynamic and organic farming community.
About The December 2024 Speakers
The December 2024 Thrivability Matters Webinar showcased insights from Dr. Richard Denton, Shubhi Goel, and Alyn Ware. If you missed the live event or the Q&A session, you can watch the recording on our YouTube channel or download PDFs of the speakers’ Q&A responses.
If you’re interested in joining us after the December 2024 Thrivability Matters Webinar, there are plenty of ways to get involved. You can follow us on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, you could subscribe to our YouTube, listen to our podcasts, sign up for our newsletter, stay up to date with our blogs, attend our free webinars, or even join us as a volunteer to make an even greater impact on the world.
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