Opinion

Student Opinion

Indonesia’s forest fires: A wake-up call for climate governance

Indonesia arrives ‘hot’ to COP31 this week, bringing the theme ‘Delivering Climate Solutions at Scale’ to the forum. Yet the reality at home indicates otherwise. While presenting climate solutions on the global stage at COP, the government has failed to protect Indonesians at home from...

Ardi Muhammad Rifqi

MSc Climate Change, Development & Policy (class of 2025/26)

11 November 2026

Opinion

Why climate action at COP31 and beyond must be built on reliability

The global climate conversation returns for COP31, with the familiar challenge of translating ambitious commitments into meaningful action on the ground. The priorities matter enormously, with this year’s focus on strengthening the infrastructure, finance, and resilience of vulnerable regions...

Shibaji Bose

Shilpi Srivastava

10 November 2026

Opinion

Coping with extreme heat requires more than technical solutions

As COP31 opens, and after a record-breaking summer of heat and in anticipation of a major El Niño, extreme heat has become an increasingly live issue. It is clearly no longer a future climate risk, with heat-related deaths forming one part of a global health emergency caused by the climate...

Annie Wilkinson

10 November 2026

Opinion

COP31 in Antalya: where are the pastoralists?

As world leaders gather in Antalya, Türkiye for yet another COP (conference of the parties) on climate change, we must ask where are those who live on the frontlines of climate change? Pastoralists’ experience can be vital Only a few kilometres away from the flash halls of the...

Ian Scoones

M. Fatih Tatari

9 November 2026

Opinion

Beyond elections and protests: the everyday work of democracy

Amidst a turbulent time for democracies globally, a lot of media attention is paid to the big expressions of popular will and potentially pivotal political moments. For example, elections in Brazil, Serbia, the United States and elsewhere in the world have been closely watched as the bellwethers...

Colin Anderson

Poorvi Chitalkar

5 November 2026

Opinion

Why international cooperation is vital to avoid conflict over critical minerals

The global economy is pivoting from a century of dependence on oil to an era shaped by lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths. These are the material base of solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and increasingly, artificial intelligence infrastructure and national defence systems....

Wei Shen & 2 others

29 October 2026

Student Opinion

The language of care: How words frame disability, dignity & dependence

As we mark the International Day of Care and Support, Misturah Owolabi-Adeyemi – MA Gender & Development student (class of 2027) and Commonwealth Shared Scholar - reflects on how we talk about care and how this shapes understandings of care, disability and independence. Misturah calls for us...

Misturah Owolabi-Adeyemi

MA Gender & Development (class of 2026-27)

29 October 2026

Opinion

Lula’s victory helps win breathing space for democracy in Brazil and beyond

Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured a fourth term as the President of Brazil on the back of an extraordinary last-minute surge of support. Lula’s new term will face domestic and global headwinds, but if he can build on the mobilisation that won him the election and keep his promise to...

Alex Shankland

27 October 2026

Opinion

Reflecting on 30 years at IDS: holding true to development values amid challenging times

John Gaventa, who has been a valued colleague at IDS for the past 30 years, including as a previous Director of Research, reflects on his time at the Institute as he moves on to retirement. Looking back at key milestones in his research areas of power, participation and citizenship, he also...

John Gaventa

27 October 2026

Opinion

‘Farmer First’ after 35 years: Why farmer participation must move from projects to policy

Long-running initiatives in Honduras, Mali and eastern Africa show that farmers can reshape agricultural research and seed systems. But unless participation is embedded in policy, institutions and professional education, progress remains vulnerable – and a central question persists: Who gets...

John Thompson & 10 others

22 October 2026

Opinion

The “Equitable partnerships” conundrum: Reflecting on how aspirations for equity in large research consortia can lead to action

For many years, I have had the opportunity to work in large grant funded initiatives in different forms – projects, programmes and centres – as well as in many smaller collaborations. Often I have been a partner within an initiative, and at times I’ve had the privilege to lead large...

Peter Taylor

21 October 2026

Opinion

In memory of Professor Osvaldo Sunkel

It is with great sadness that we remember Osvaldo Sunkel, an influential economist and intellectual whose work helped shape development thinking in Latin America and beyond. A pioneer in the study of the environmental dimensions of development, he was also a kind and generous person. As IDS...

Stephany Griffith-Jones

20 October 2026

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Showing 1–12 of 2532 results

Indonesia’s forest fires: A wake-up call for climate governance

Ardi Muhammad Rifqi

Why climate action at COP31 and beyond must be built on reliability

Coping with extreme heat requires more than technical solutions

COP31 in Antalya: where are the pastoralists?

Beyond elections and protests: the everyday work of democracy

Why international cooperation is vital to avoid conflict over critical minerals

The language of care: How words frame disability, dignity & dependence

Misturah Owolabi-Adeyemi

Lula’s victory helps win breathing space for democracy in Brazil and beyond

Reflecting on 30 years at IDS: holding true to development values amid challenging times

‘Farmer First’ after 35 years: Why farmer participation must move from projects to policy

The “Equitable partnerships” conundrum: Reflecting on how aspirations for equity in large research consortia can lead to action

In memory of Professor Osvaldo Sunkel

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