ONE Annual Lecture and Briefing Event

4pm - Welcome by Prof Sir Charles Godfray

Update on the ESS and the ETC hub - Bill Finnegan

ONE annual lecture: Power to the people: Civic freedoms, climate justice and the century of the citizen - Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive, New Economics Foundation

Panel discussion: Rights of the environment and people. Panellists:
Enamul Khan Siddique (LSE), Dr Alice Evatt (ONZ), Dr David Cooper (LCNR)
Chaired by Dr Connie McDermott

6pm - Close and drinks reception

Lecture abstract: Civic freedoms and human rights are under attack in many parts of the world. At the same time, commitment to climate action feels frail, democracy seems weak, and the multilateral system is being dismantled. Drawing on his new book, Power to the People, Dr Sriskandarajah will argue why protecting and nurturing citizen action is key to sustaining climate action and protecting democracy. When citizens have the freedom to express their views, assemble peacefully, and access information, they can organise and mobilize on the things that matter to communities, including environmental action. This active participation ensures that diverse voices are heard and protecting civic freedoms strengthens democratic institutions and global decision-making, all of which are crucial for addressing complex global challenges like climate change. He will set out the reasons why and how this can be the century of the citizen.

Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah has been Chief Executive of NEF since January 2024. His previous roles include CEO of Oxfam GB, Secretary General of CIVICUS, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Interim Director of the Commonwealth Foundation and various posts at the Institute for Public Policy Research. He is a Trustee of the Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation and serves on Quadrature Climate Foundation’s Advisory Board. Danny holds a Masters and Doctorate from Oxford University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Sydney, and is the author of ​“Power to the People” (Headline Press, 2024).