Diplomacy and Sustainability Actors Forging New Alliances | Umweltbundesamt

The TES Academy, in collaboration with the Global Diplomacy Lab (GDL) and the Centre for International Postgraduate Studies of Environmental Management (CIPSEM), has come together to explore barriers, challenges, and incentives for international collaboration in sustainability discourse, working on real-world cases.

Divergence among global actors, compounded by numerous crises and conflicts, increasingly undermines efforts in environmental protection, sustainability, and prosperity. We believe that actors at the intersection of sustainability and diplomacy—originating from various world regions and bringing diverse perspectives—can foster new dialogue patterns and alliances. These efforts aim to rebuild trust and cooperation, ultimately supporting a robust global sustainability policy. In October 2024, twenty sustainability and diplomacy experts from the GDL and CIPSEM networks, representing Africa, Asia, and Latin America, presented their recommendations at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) and discussed them with additional participants with conference participants during an Accelerator Group Session.

A multi-month dialogue process led up to the HSC. This collaborative effort relied on the collective intelligence and experiences of participants, centering on mutual transformative learning methods that surpassed the traditional "presentation and discussion" format. The approach recognized differences in understanding, perspectives, and needs, fostering a deeper awareness of local realities across regions and their global interconnections. Participants addressed real sustainability cases of local significance, each highlighting the challenges of an uncertain world. Previously overlooked stakeholders, interests, "blind spots," and nexuses were identified, offering new entry points for concrete follow-up actions.

The next step is the joint development of a workbook to facilitate shared learning and knowledge production. The primary audience includes challenge holders or self-organized communities of practice, who seek rapid guidance toward sustainable solutions. This workbook is not a rigid blueprint but rather provides adaptable guidance and tools, allowing users to tailor their processes as needed. It addresses key questions such as: “Where are we now? Where do we aim to go? What are the entry points for interventions, and what is a feasible process?”

For further information, please contact us at tes-academy [at] uba [dot] de.