Podcasts about un committee

In this episode of Two Lawyers Walk Into A Bar, Lee Bergstein sits down with Pradnya Desh, attorney and the CEO of Advocat AI. Pradnya and Advocat AI are making waves in the legal industry by utilizing AI to transform how businesses tackle the contract cycle.During the course of the conversation, Pradnya shares her journey from serving as U.S. Diplomat at the World Trade Organization and the UN Committee on Trade and Development in Geneva, to transitioning into private practice focusing on international trade, to founding and running Advocat AI. Beyond that, she is a Vice Chairperson on the Board of Trustees at Bellevue College and has served as an adjunct professor of business law at Seattle University.You can learn more about Advocat AI at https://www.advocat.ai/. And for more from Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina, check out our website at https://www.bfkplaw.com/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the relation between performance and ritual. Where do those two separate?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.“I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We look at creative work as though the very creative process itself is something good. These are tools of expression, and like any tool, you can use them to damage something or to make something. They can be turned to very malign purposes, for instance, in the operas of Wagner. So I wanted to do this set of books, I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We look at creative work as though the very creative process itself is something good. These are tools of expression, and like any tool, you can use them to damage something or to make something. They can be turned to very malign purposes, for instance, in the operas of Wagner. So I wanted to do this set of books, I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We look at creative work as though the very creative process itself is something good. These are tools of expression, and like any tool, you can use them to damage something or to make something. They can be turned to very malign purposes, for instance, in the operas of Wagner. So I wanted to do this set of books, I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We look at creative work as though the very creative process itself is something good. These are tools of expression, and like any tool, you can use them to damage something or to make something. They can be turned to very malign purposes, for instance, in the operas of Wagner. So I wanted to do this set of books, I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We look at creative work as though the very creative process itself is something good. These are tools of expression, and like any tool, you can use them to damage something or to make something. They can be turned to very malign purposes, for instance, in the operas of Wagner. So I wanted to do this set of books, I want to show what is kind of the basic DNA that people use for good or for ill. What are the tools they use, if you like, of expression that they use in the creative process?”Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Juilliard School in New York, and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour, and social theory. His books include The Performer: Art, Life, Politics, The Hidden Injuries of Class, The Fall of Public Man, The Corrosion of Character, The Culture of the New Capitalism, The Craftsman, and Building and Dwelling. Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and former University Professor of the Humanities at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Robert Misik in conversation with Richard SennettTHE ART OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PERFORMANCE: ACTORS, DEMAGOGUES, SELF-PROMOTERS In his new book, world-famous sociologist and author Richard Sennett dissects the performer – in the German edition called „Der darstellende Mensch“. Sennett, who was a musician and artist before his extraordinary academic career, focuses on theatre and the emancipatory potential of art. But isn't today's dominant social character is also the performing human in a broader sense, curating his or her life, whether in social media or in the roles that he or she has to play? And doesn't the show character of politics give rise to a certain type of politician? Sennett's latest study also provides an opportunity to talk about the big picture of half a century of research. It has been 53 years since Sennett's first legendary work, ‘The Hidden Injuries of Class', was published, which reads as relevant today as ever – followed by ‘The Fall of the Public Man', ‘The Corrosion of Character', ‘On Craftsmanship' and many other works, that deal with the interactions between individuals, identity and society. Taken together, they describe the transformation of the subjects through socialisation, as well as the alienation in neoliberalism, but at the same time they always open windows onto the utopian, onto a non-reified, communal existence.Richard Sennett grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago, attended the Julliard School in New York and then studied social relations at Harvard. Over the last five decades, he has written about social life in cities, changes in labour and social theory. His books include The Hidden Injuries of Class , The Fall of Public Man , The Corrosion of Character , The Culture of the New Capitalism , The Craftsman and Building and Dwelling . Sennett has advised the United Nations on urban issues for the past thirty years and currently serves as member of the UN Committee on Urban Initiatives. He is Visiting Professor of Urban Studies at Harvard. Among other awards, he has received the Hegel Prize, the Spinoza Prize and the Centennial Medal from Harvard University.Robert Misik, Author and Journalist

How big is too big? When it comes to corporate concentration many observers raise concerns about the tech industry. However, in the new book, Titans of Industrial Agriculture: how a few giant corporations came to dominate the farm sector and why it matters, political economist Jennifer Clapp draws attention to the overwhelming shadow a small handful of transnational corporations cast over the global agricultural sector. Professor Clapp argues that these corporations hold concentrated power over the agricultural sector that keep industrial agricultural practices entrenched in patterns of production, despite the concerns of the social, ecological and health impacts to society. She explains how we got to this point and what it might take to make changes. Jennifer's work at the intersection of the global economy, food security, and food systems, and the natural environment, looks specifically at issues of global governance. She is currently a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub.  Interview Summary Norbert - Jennifer, let's just jump right in and I'd love for you to help our listeners understand a little bit more about your book. You write about corporate concentration in the agricultural input sector. Can you explain what this involves and what products are we really talking about?    Yes. The book is about what we call the agricultural inputs industry. And that's really four different product types typically, and maybe a fifth that we can talk about. So, one of them is farm machinery, and that's really referring to things like plows and tractors, harvesters, etc. That kind of machinery on the farm. The second industry is the fertilizer industry, which is all about, you know, the nutrients that we bring to the soil through fertilizer products like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. And the seed industry. That's another industry that is a key input for farmers. And then also pesticides. And when we talk about pesticides, we're referring to things like insecticides, chemicals that kill insects, but also chemicals that kill weeds and fungus. And so those are the four sort of big inputs that I talk about in the book. But also, the book covers a fifth input, an emerging input, which is data. And this is, especially as we're seeing the datafication and digitalization of farming. Increasingly data has now become a commodity that is bought and sold as an input into farming. Norbert - Great. I have to ask, what drew you to the input industry? I mean, let's be honest, that's not the thing that most people get excited about. Why should we be concerned? Yeah, that's a great question. I've actually had a very long interest in the seed in chemical industry. That goes way back to the start of my career because I did studies in agriculture for my PhD dissertation. But then I got quite interested in toxic waste and then that sort of drew me to this question of the global pesticide trade. And when I learned that, you know, oftentimes, like in the US there might be a banning of a pesticide that's no longer in use. But it was still being traded globally. And this, I found this very fascinating and how that industry worked. And that kind of drew me into understanding the connections between seeds and chemicals. And then when the digitalization of farming came along and in recent decades it became really clear that it wasn't just chemical and seed industry involved in that digitalization. It was also the fertilizer and the farm machinery sector. It made me want to understand the interconnections between these industries. I know it's like, maybe a bit specific, but they have huge consequences in terms of the way our food systems look like. And so that really drew me to understand where did these inputs come from? And why are they controlled by just a few large companies? Erika - Jennifer, I want to ask you a question about why this sector, especially related to the inputs, is so important when we're talking about food systems. And especially their social and ecological dimensions. And specifically in the book, you tease out many of the social and ecological costs of inputs such as pesticides. Also the social and ecological consequences of even farm machinery. So it would be great if you could elaborate on their importance.  Thanks, Erika. That's a great question and that's part of the reason why I was really drawn to study these inputs. Because I'm in a school of environmental studies, I'm very interested in these interconnections between food systems and environmental outcomes. I was really interested in learning more about where these industries came from, and as I was teasing out where they came from. And how they became dominated by such large companies, I also learned in much more depth about the ecological consequences of these inputs. I can just say a little bit about some of them because these consequences are so big that we almost forget to talk about them. They become embedded in the product itself. And so, one example is farm machinery. Farm machinery was originally seen as quite revolutionary and that it allowed farmers to harvest their fields much more quickly than they used to be able to before. But that also meant then that to make the equipment efficient and pay for them they might as well extend the size of their farm. And as farmers extended the size of their farm, in the US anyway, they moved west and displaced its indigenous people from the land, in terms of taking that land for farm production. But also, as farms began to consolidate and get larger, as mechanization continued, it also displaced others from the land. Poor farmers, black farmers, those who were renting land and didn't have access to their own. And so, people who were marginalized and we still considered marginalized in society today, were really being displaced from the land as a direct consequence of farm machinery. It's not that farm machinery is like necessarily something that we want to do away with today, but I think we need to recognize those historical connections. And really understand that when, you know, you see a book for a small child about farming and there might be a picture of a farmer and it's usually a white guy sitting on a tractor. We can forget that image has a lot of baggage associated with it in terms of displacement and inequality. And I think we need to recognize that. But it does not just stop there. There's also plowing disturbs the soil, heavy machinery compacts the soil so it can harm fertility of the soil as well. And the machinery part of the equation has long been a source of inequality in terms of being very expensive for farmers. It's been one of the main reasons farmers have often been driven into debt. Farm machinery might have been liberating in one sense to allow increased production, but it did come with costs that we should acknowledge. We also need to recognize the ecological and social costs associated with the fertilizer industry. And this industry goes way back to the 1840s and we saw the rise of the guano trade. And we can think immediately of the working conditions of the workers who were digging the guano in the Chincha islands of Peru. And often they were coming from Asia and facing really harsh working conditions. But then when we saw the rise of synthetic nitrogen in the early 20th Century, the cost shifted in a way towards the cost of fossil fuels. The huge amount of natural gas used in the synthesis of nitrogen. And also, the climate consequences of the nitrous oxides that come from the application of synthetic nitrogen into the soil. So again, there's like enormous ecological and social impacts from that particular input. Similarly, when we talk about seeds, the hybridization of seeds in the 1920s and 1930s also raise huge concerns about plant genetic diversity. And we know that in the last century or so we've lost around 75% of plant genetic diversity for crop genetic diversity. And this is because of the way in which we started to see the uniformity of the genetic makeup of seeds. The monocultural planting of seeds really reduced that kind of diversity. And then intellectual property protection on seeds that came with the hybridization of seeds also led to a decreased ability of farmers to save their own seed and exchange their own seed with their neighbors. So again, social ecological costs. And finally, when we talk about pesticides, we have seen enormous issues with respect to pollution runoff. This kind of bioaccumulation of these toxic chemicals that have enormous health consequences. So, all of these inputs have very large impacts in terms of their social and ecological costs. And we can even extend that to the issue of data today. There's a lot of concern about data platforms for digital farming where farmers are signing away the rights to the data that are coming from their own farms. And they don't have the kind of interoperability with other data sharing systems. And there's also a lack of clarity about who owns that data. So again, there's big issues with respect to these inputs and how they are affecting both social and ecological dynamics within the food system.  Erika - Thank you for helping us understand the social and ecological impacts of these inputs into the farming industry. Norbert - This is a really rich conversation and I want to understand a little bit more. There's a big part of your text that's about the concentration in the input sector. What does it look like today and was it always this way? That's a great question because it's almost a trick question because we tend to assume that this high level of concentration that we see today is something that's new. But what I found in my research is that the high degree of concentration actually has a long history that goes back about a century or more in some cases. And when we're looking at each of these sectors, the farm machinery, for example, is controlled. Most of the market is controlled by about just four firms. And they control around 50% of the global market. But when you look specifically at national markets in the US, for example, John Deere, you know, the largest company that makes farm machinery, it controls over 50% of the tractor market. So that's just one firm alone. It's similar dynamics when we look at fertilizer, seeds and pesticides and fertilizer, for example. Just two firms control a hundred percent of North American potash production. The four key companies control a large amount of the global fertilizer trade. In seeds, it's also very similar and in pesticides. In the seeds and pesticides that's especially interesting because since the 1980s and 1990s, the seed and pesticide companies actually merged with each other. We can't even say there's a set of seed companies and a set of chemical companies. It's actually seed and chemical companies. That's one set. And they control around 60% of the global seed market and around 70% of the global pesticide market. And that's really what prompted me to want to work on this book is that after 2015, there was a set of mergers in the seed and chemical sector that concentrated those firms even further. They used to be dominated by six firms. We used to call them the Big Six, and then they had major mergers where Bayer bought Monsanto, Dow and DuPont merged and formed Corteva. Syngenta group was bought by Chem China, and then bought by Sino Chem, a big Chinese chemical company. And then BASF bought up all the bits that the other companies were forced to sell to pass regulatory hurdles. And so, we ended up with a Big Four. And these companies produce both seeds and chemicals and have a quite an enormous impact in terms of their market dominance. Norbert - Wow. This is really important and I think it's a topic that many of us who look at the food industry aren't paying attention to. And I'm really appreciative of you laying out this concentration that's taking place. Jennifer, when reading the book, I was really struck by the fact that this is not just a book about the farmers themselves and the farming industry and the companies that provide the inputs. But you also touch upon the role of universities and university science and scientists; and also the role of government in helping to fuel or seed innovation in this sector. And, you know, here I was hoping you could talk about this important role for universities and also the government given that we're in a current moment where we're seeing a retrenchment from investments by government, and also the ability of universities to continue to seed innovation. So I was hoping you could share some of your insights.  Yes, it's certainly an interesting time on the landscape of spending on innovation and with a retrenchment of state pulling back away from supporting technological innovation and other innovations. And that's certainly true in the farm sector, and that's very different from the situation if we go back to the 1800s and see, as you mentioned, the role that the state played in terms of really trying to support innovation in these sectors. And what I argue in the book is that these firms, they got big in the first place, and they were able to consolidate in the first place, through a series of what I call market technology and policy factors. And it's kind of messy. I put them in these three big categories. But in terms of these market factors, that's what most people tend to think about when they think, 'oh, a firm got big. Maybe it's just more efficient. It's able to produce products more cheaply and therefore it just grew to be big.' And that's much more complicated than that of course. And that's because, as you said this role of technological change in which universities have played a really important role. And government support and throughout history in the US, a lot of the book focuses on the US because we have good information and data there. And the US set up the land grant college system really to support development in the agricultural sector. And that gave us, you know, a lot of the innovations that led to, for example, the hybridization of seeds. And the corporations that took up that innovation that the state supported through university research, those firms also work directly with universities in many instances, to have these kinds of collaborative relationships, to develop, herbicides, to develop seeds, to develop further farm machinery, etc. So that role of technological innovation is really important, and that innovation doesn't just come from nowhere. It doesn't just pop up. It doesn't just show up one day. Right? It comes from investment. Investment in universities and research and development. And so that has been a really important strand to develop this kind of industrial agriculture. And now we know from university research, etc., that there are some problems associated with it. Yet it's proving hard to get that kind of funding to spur a new transformation towards a more sustainable agriculture because we're not giving that kind of state support, and support to universities to do that research and innovative work to lead us towards more sustainable agriculture. So, I think there's a lot there that we need to work on. And that's some of the recommendations that I make at the end of the book. Is that we need to shore up that kind of public investment in innovation, in alternative systems to address some of the problems. So just let me tag on another question from that. Just what are the consequences then for having just a small number of firms dominating this sector and no longer having these investments in innovation? Yeah, so what we're seeing increasingly as the state has pulled away from supporting agricultural research, is that most of that agricultural research now is being done by private corporations. And the big concern there is that as you have a smaller and smaller number of very large firms dominating in the sector, their incentive to innovate actually weakens. It weakens because if there's not a lot of players in the marketplace that are doing innovative work, there's just not a lot of competition. And so why would you innovate if you don't have to? If you're already a monopoly and you're able to sell your product, there's not a lot of incentive to innovate in a way that might then decrease the sales of your old products. And so, what we're seeing is a shift in innovation from the private sector, away from these kinds of transformative innovations and much more towards what we call defensive innovations. They're innovating in ways that actually enable them to sell existing products. And many would say that the rise of agricultural biotechnology was actually that kind of a defensive innovation. It was modifying seeds to make them resistant to the application of existing herbicides. And so there was innovation, but it was actually spurring further sales in an existing product. And part of the reason for that was that it became very expensive for these companies. The regulatory hurdles became quite expensive for them to develop new herbicides. And so, they were like, 'oh, it's cheaper and faster to work with seeds. Why don't we do it this way and then we'll continue to sell the herbicides.' Which by the way, got them a lot more profit than selling the seeds. So that's why they bought up a lot of the seed companies and really consolidated in that period. And there's a longstanding concern among competition regulators, the regulators that try to prevent a huge concentration in the economy, about this question of innovation. And it's very relevant in the agricultural sector. There's this sense that if you allow too much concentration to happen, it can dampen that innovation and that takes away that dynamic, innovative spirit within the sector. It's definitely a big concern. Norbert - Jennifer, I really appreciate this. Earlier in my career I was a part of some research related to biotechnology and innovation that happens there. And one of the things that I learned about is this idea of building thickets. These sort of patent thickets where you create a series of patents that actually make it difficult for others to be able to innovate in that same way. There are these real challenges of this kind of defensive innovation. And that's just one of the challenges that you bring up in the book. And I am interested in understanding, as sort a last question, what are some of the recommendations? You mentioned public sector funding of agricultural research and many of my colleagues in my discipline have said we need more research for agriculture. Are there other areas of recommendation to address some of the concerns you raised in the book? Thanks, Norbert. Yes, definitely. And I definitely do call for greater public support for agricultural research. And that's something within the agricultural sector. And I think there we really need to focus efforts on alternative agricultural production methods. For example, agroecology, which tries to reduce the amount of external inputs, not to increase them, by using nature's own processes to achieve the same functions of diversity and pest control, etc. And what's troubling is that when the firms don't have that incentive to innovate, you know, they're definitely not going to innovate in ways that would reduce their profits. They're not going to do that. The public sector has to step in if we want to see that kind of research done. But we also need measures outside of that food and agriculture system that will benefit food and agriculture. One area is stronger antitrust policies. Policies that would prevent further mergers and acquisitions that would allow those firms to continue to get bigger and bigger. Those antitrust policies are used largely, we've got merger guidelines, for example, in North America. And in Europe, when two firms want to merge, they have to get regulatory approval to do so. And those merger guidelines really walk the regulators through what would be a merger that might dampen competition, that might weaken innovation, you know, that kind of thing. It's important that we make those rules stronger. They had become progressively weaker after the 1980s. There was this move in the regulatory space that was this kind of idea that maybe it's okay if firms get really, really big because they can benefit from economies of scale. Maybe they can bring down consumer prices and maybe we shouldn't worry so much about these other areas of control. And there's been a bit of a shift in view around this in recent years where we've seen the rise of concern about these very big companies, especially with what we see with the big tech companies taking control over all these aspects of our lives. And people are saying, wait a minute, maybe we don't want to have this just a few companies controlling so much of our lives. And so, you know, we need to think about other ways to enforce antitrust policies to make them stronger so that we foster more competition and not just focus on whether something's more expensive or not. And that's, I mean, it's a bit of a hard thing to explain to some people. Obviously, people want to see lower prices. But the idea that we have to get across is that when competition dies, when it's not there, that's when the monopoly can really raise prices. And so, we need to have that competitive marketplace in order to spur innovation and also to bring prices down. That's really important and that's a kind of agenda item that's involves food and agriculture, but it's outside of the food and agriculture sector. It encompasses more. And another area where I think we can do more is to reign in the kind of undue corporate influence on the policy process. And that's arising out of a concern that as we're seeing fewer and fewer dominant companies in the food sector, and in other sectors as well, they tend to gain more political power to influence the policy and governance process. And so, what we're seeing is heightened lobby activity. Sponsoring of scientific studies and yes, coming back to the question about universities. But as corporations get bigger, they can shape science in ways that can help them win regulatory approval for their products. We need broader policies on conflict of interest to prevent large companies from taking over the policy process. And I know that's a really salient topic in the US right now, given what's going on in the broader politics. And I think it is a broader politics issue that needs to be seriously addressed if we want to support a more transformative form of food and agriculture. These kinds of policies like stronger antitrust, better conflict of interest policies, and also support for public agricultural research are all really important steps. I don't think any one of them on their own is going to do the trick in terms of spurring this desperately needed transformation in our food systems. But together, I think, they can bring us closer to that goal. Bio Jennifer Clapp is a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and Sustainability and Professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Dr. Clapp is currently a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) and a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. From 2019-2023, she was a member of the Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the UN Committee on World Food Security, and served as Vice-Chair of that body from 2021-2023. Dr. Clapp has published widely on the global governance of problems that arise at the intersection of the global economy, food security and food systems, and the natural environment. Her most recent research projects have examined the political economy of financial actors in the global food system, the politics of trade and food security, and corporate concentration in the global food system. She has also written on policy and governance responses to the global food crisis, the political economy of food assistance, and global environmental policy and governance. Her most recent books include Food, 3rd Edition (Polity, 2020), Speculative Harvests: Financialization, Food, and Agriculture (with S. Ryan Isakson, Fernwood Press, 2018), Hunger in the Balance: The New Politics of International Food Aid (Cornell University Press, 2012), Paths to a Green World: The Political Economy of the Global Environment, 2nd Edition (with Peter Dauvergne, MIT Press, 2011), and Corporate Power in Global Agrifood Governance (co-edited with Doris Fuchs, MIT Press, 2009). Her forthcoming book, published with MIT Press (2025), is titled Titans of Industrial Agriculture: How a Few Giant Corporations Came to Dominate the Farm Sector and Why It Matters.

Is there any such thing as a completely fair tax system? Surely the most you can hope for is a least unfair tax system. I ask this because a UN report is calling for countries to check taxes are being applied proportionally to the wealthiest individuals, and questioning the fairness of GST. The UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights said a tax policy that maintains a low personal and corporate income taxes without adequately addressing high income inequalities is an example of a regressive and ineffective policy, and consumption taxes —of which GST is one— can have adverse impacts on disadvantaged groups, such as low-income families and single parent households, because they typically spend a higher percentage of their income on everyday goods and services. They don't have the option of withholding spending; they have to buy the basics. In New Zealand, personal income tax rates went to a high of 69 cents in the dollar in the late 70s/early 80s until the Fourth Labour government came crashing in with a hiss and a roar and made changes that are reverberating to this very day. One of them being the major changes to our tax system. They standardised indirect tax and introduced an across-the-board tax on goods and services that is GST. It started at 10% and went up to 12% and is now 15%. Tax incentives were removed, personal income tax rates were simplified. At the time, there were just two personal income tax rates, 24 percent on income, up to $30,000, 33% above that. The introduction of GST was sold as a tax that would get those who didn't pay it. It would collect those in the black economy, those who took part in cashier's drug sales, that sort of thing. You know, they might not pay tax, they might not declare income, but they had to buy stuff. And once they bought food and once they bought cars, that sort of thing, then they had to pay GST on it. But even then, when it was introduced, it was slammed as a regressive tax, hitting those who had to buy the basics the hardest. It was interesting that David Lange, towards the end of his life, had a great deal of regret about how New Zealand had changed with the introduction of his government. It wasn't him leading the charge so much —he was the public face of the changes— it was Roger Douglas and Rogernomics that caused the greatest change. He said for those who wanted little personal involvement with government, those who did not want government in their lives, it was a fantastic thing. But for the uneducated, disabled, the disadvantaged, it was an absolute tragedy. And there was, I think, much regret towards the end of his life as to the changes that he had been a part of. New Zealand's tax system is widely regarded as a sensible one, in as much as you have to have taxes —that's how governments raise revenue and that's how they pay for the roads and the schools and the hospitals and the police and the like— it's straightforward, there's little room and little need for tax avoidance. The international tax competitive index rates 38 OECD countries on the best tax environment for investment, as well as for workers and for businesses and New Zealand ranks third in that because it is so straightforward. But again, it comes down to the least unfair tax system. I think there are always going to be people who feel that they are hard done by when it comes to the taxes they pay. They feel that they pay too much. They pay a disproportionate amount of their income towards tax, while others aren't pulling their weight. And then you also look at the way governments use your money. That was one thing that really ripped my nightie during the Labour Government's last six years. We're getting up early, we're going to work, we're doing our bit, and they were squandering tax money, just burning it at a rate of knots with very little to show for it. You're always going to get people who say no, the government is spending money on projects I don't agree with it, I don't want my tax going to that. But I think the last government, the last Labour government, really took it to the nth degree and that's when you start resenting paying taxes. You don't want that in a society. Can you tax your way to a fairer society? I really don't think you can. You can certainly create an environment where those who cannot work, who need assistance get it. You can create an environment where it's easier for people to do business, to get work, for businesses to do well. I think the more you make it complicated and try and right inequities, the more room there is to evade tax to avoid paying it altogether. GST, most countries have it because it is a way of addressing the black economy – is that enough justification to maintain it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fredrik and Leilani sit down with Sam Freeman (Head of Research and Advocacy at The Shift) and Dominika Leitane (Legal Officer at Opportunity Green) who reveal how they took the UK government to the United Nations—and won!Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the UN review process as Sam and Dominika break down exactly how they navigated this powerful accountability tool to tackle the twin crises of housing injustice and climate emergency. They share their journey from initial submission to celebration when the UN Committee adopted their recommendations.This eye-opening conversation pulls back the curtain on international law in action, showing how everyday people armed with determination and strategy can use these tools to hold governments accountable. Sam and Dominika offer practical insights into how these seemingly complex international mechanisms can become game-changing tools for creating a more just and sustainable world.Support the show

The EU's Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 sets a transformative agenda for accessibility, equality, and inclusion. In her address to the IIEA, Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission, explores the strategy's achievements, challenges, and alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Drawing on her pivotal role in the creation of the European Accessibility Act and recent election to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Inmaculada reflects on Europe's leadership in disability policy and its implications for innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and the advancement of these rights globally. About the Speaker: Inmaculada Placencia Porrero is a Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at Directorate-General (DG) Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission. Her unit is responsible for the coordination of European policies for persons with disabilities. She works on European disability policies including the European Disability Strategy and the EU implementation of the UNCRPD. Inmaculada has worked on research programmes addressing accessibility as well as assistive technologies and has been Deputy Head of Unit for various disability-related units in the Commission. Her work in the "e-Inclusion" unit of the DG for Information Society and Media addressed accessibility policy. While at the DG for Justice and Consumers, she contributed to disability-related antidiscrimination legislation. She was responsible for the task force for the preparation of the European Accessibility Act and remains responsible for it since the Act's adoption in 2015. Currently, under the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, she leads the team working on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. In June 2024, she was elected as a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Intellectuals and activists have long demanded reparations for the horrors of slavery and other colonial abuses. For Small Island Developing States, these demands appear particularly urgent as intensifying climate-related shocks compound existing injustices. In this episode, Emily and Matt ask whether questions of repair and recompense can no longer be avoided by powerful actors. If so, what could such a dialogue look like, how might it shape political and policy agendas, and can it be harnessed to support greater climate justice? We hear from Gabrielle Hemmings, a Jamaican reparations activist in “Island Voices”. We then move on to an extended panel discussion in “The Big Picture” with three eminent experts: Verene Shepherd, Professor Emerita at the University of the West Indies and erstwhile Director of its Centre for Reparation Research, outgoing Chair (and current Vice Chair) of the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Vice-Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission; Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University and author of Reconsidering Reparations; and Emma Christopher, Associate Professor of History at the University of New South Wales, and author of Slave Ship Sailors and Their Cargoes and Many Middle Passages. Resources:Programme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)CHOGM Samoa 2024 Communiqué | Leaders' Statement and Declarations on 'One Resilient Common Future'CARICOM Reparations Commission | Ten Point PlanVerene's UWI Profile listing many of her books | Verene A. ShepherdVerene and Gabrielle's recent book | Introduction to Reparation for Secondary SchoolsVerene's recent UNESCO piece | The Caribbean Calls for Restorative JusticeVerene's 2019 Keynote Address | Capitalism and Slavery as a Handbook for ReparationsFemi's website with links to his writing | Olúfẹ́mi O. TáíwòA virtual public lecture by Femi | Reconsidering ReparationsEmma's UNSW profile with links to her writing | Emma ChristopherEmma's Documentary | They Are We Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 marks 100 years since the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In the aftermath of World War I, this declaration called for universal attention to the needs of children, including their health. A century later, we've made progress, but children still face vast challenges here in the United States and around the world. How can we advance the global cause of children's health? In this episode we talk to one of the world's foremost ambassadors for this work about the struggles and opportunities facing children's healthcare. Professor Ann Skelton is a renowned children's rights expert and Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. She is a professor of law at the University of Pretoria and Leiden University, as well as a visiting professor at the University of Oxford and the University of Strathclyde. Some highlights from this episode include: A look into Ann Skelton's work  The current state of children's rights in the U.S. and around the world  The challenges facing children's healthcare and how health advocacy can help change that  Tangible opportunities to engage in to ensure all children have access to the healthcare they need For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org. 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antiwarcom/Phone bank for Defend the Guard: https://defendtheguard.us/phonebankChapters00:00 - Intro00:21 - UN Committee: Israel Is Committing Genocide04:20 - Israeli Forces Kill 24 More Palestinians in Gaza in 24 Hours07:37 - Blood Mixed With Flour as Israeli Kills Palestinians Receiving Food09:15 - At Least 20 Killed as Israel Strikes Damascus10:58 - Israeli Attacks on Lebanon's Baalbek Kill at Least 2112:05 - Netanyahu Aide Discussed Lebanon With Trump and Kushner16:14 - Report: Elon Musk Met With Iran's UN Ambassador21:25 - Israeli Minister: No Voting Rights for Palestinians23:26 - Investigators Assess if Netanyahu Aides Forged Oct. 7 Phone Records27:17 - US Opens Provocative Missile Base in Poland28:48 - Sudan War Deaths Are Likely Much Higher Than Recorded31:20 - Viewpoints/Outro

This week we take a deep dive into the issues around the rights and privacy of the global disability community in the digital age. We're joined by Rosemary Kayess - Vice Chair of the UN Committee on the Convention of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities, and the Disability Discrimination commissioner of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Marc Workman - CEO of the World Blind Union (WBU), and Heba Hagrass - UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. Links World Blind Union: https://worldblindunion.org/ Learn more about Heba's work: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-disability/heba-hagrass Report from the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilies that Rosemary Kayess worked on: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRPD%2FC%2FGBR%2FFUIR%2F1&Lang=en PI's work so far on this: Submission to the UN CRPD Committee on their inquiry into the UK social protection and rights of persons with disabilities: https://privacyinternational.org/advocacy/5321/un-committee-rights-persons-disabilities-calls-uk-act-ai-human-rights-risks OHCHR Submission and HRC oral statement on the rights of persons with disabilities and digitised social protection schemes: https://privacyinternational.org/advocacy/5107/submission-ohchr-rights-persons-disabilities Long read on the rights of persons with disabilities and digitised social protection schemes: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/5170/protecting-persons-disabilities-digitised-world Robodebt Royal Commission report: https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/report An update: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/16/zero-repercussions-victims-of-robodebt-embarrassed-to-have-believed-justice-would-be-done

Australia's Northern Territory is reintroducing a controversial device in its efforts to get tough on crime. Police Commissioner Michael Murphy says that spit hoods will once again be used to restrain children. Murphy says that over the last three months 68 police officers were assaulted, with 20 counts of spitting. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge that it's in opposition to the UN Committee against torture recommending last year that Australia take all necessary measures to end their use. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this enlightening episode of The Long Way Back Podcast, we have the privilege of speaking with Jane Mulcahey, a renowned Research, Policy, Advocacy, and Legal Consultant. Jane, who completed her PhD in Law at UCC, explores the profound impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on individuals and society.Jane's pioneering research, "Connected Corrections and Corrected Connections," sheds light on how ACEs shape life trajectories, including involvement in criminal justice systems. We delve into her extensive work in raising awareness about the interconnectedness of trauma, health, and social issues.Jane's insights extend beyond academic research; she has been a key voice in policy development, having made substantial contributions to discussions on trauma and its effects on brain function, health, and behavior. Her advocacy includes organizing events to highlight how ACEs influence various aspects of life, from addiction to criminality.In this episode, Jane shares her experiences speaking before international bodies, including the UN Committee against Torture, and her impactful work on her podcast, "Law and Justice." We also discuss her YouTube series, "How to Talk Policy and Influence People," which addresses the importance of understanding and addressing trauma for societal well-being.Tune in to hear how Jane's work is shaping conversations about trauma and policy reform, and how understanding ACEs can transform approaches to justice and support.

A review of this week's major US international tax-related news. In this edition:  IRS issues new proposed regulations that limit / modify taxpayers' FX elections – UN Committee advances Terms of Reference for convention on international tax cooperation.

Commercialized psychiatric and psychological knowledge encourages us to think of ourselves primarily as consumers and promotes a set of values that suggest some of us have minds or brains that should be ‘fixed' with particular products or services. These neoliberal values have led to a great deal of institutional corruption and also has been exported beyond the western world across the globe. Many researchers, clinicians and activists have rallied together to fight against medicalized global mental health initiatives which promote a narrow westernized notion of wellness and defined how treatment should look, often at the expense of local healing practices and without the participation of people with lived experience. Justin Karter, couseling psychologist, and research news editor at Mad In America, has spent a long time advocating for epistemic justice in the psy disciplines and helping to expose practices and policies that undermine people's human rights and agency. In this episode we discuss: how the political and psychological meet within and outside of therapy commercialization of psychopharmaceuticals and institutional corruption how neoliberalism and capitalist values are embedded in psychiatry the global mental health movement and psychiatric export as a neocolonial practice the ways in which global advocates with lived experience uniting and fighting back the need for epistemic justice, humility, and polyphony legal updates from the UN Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities psychological humanities, mad studies, and other exciting emerging disciples of study Bio: Justin M. Karter, PhD, is a Counseling Psychologist in private practice in Boston and an instructor for the Center for Psychological Humanities & Ethics at Boston College. He is also the long-time research news editor of the Mad in America webzine. He completed his doctorate at the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2021. Justin does research in critical psychology, critical psychiatry, and philosophy of psychology. He is currently working on a book on the activism of psychosocial disability advocates in the context of the movement for global mental health. Links: Exploring the Fault Lines in Mental Health Discourse - Mad In America - https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/10/interview-psychologist-justin-karter/ Can Psychosocial Disability Transform Global Mental Health? - https://www.madinamerica.com/2023/08/can-psychosocial-disability-decolonize-mental-health-a-conversation-with-luis-arroyo-and-justin-karter/ Boston College Psychological Humanities - https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/sites/Psychological-Humanities-Ethics/About.html#tab-mission_and_history Justin's Research Gate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin-Karter Resources Mentioned Psychiatry Under The Influence by Robert Whitaker and Lisa Cosgrove - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137516022 Vikram Patel lancet article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02241-9/abstract UN CRPD: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-Disabilities.html Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

Bronwyn Williams & Mark Oppenheimer | The Small Print In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with advocate Mark Oppenheimer about South Africa's hate speech legislation and several notable cases: Jon Qwelane, Penny Sparrow, Vicki Momberg, Afriforum versus Julius Malema, and the controversy surrounding the old South African flag. They explore the definition of hate speech under South African law, the apparent leniency of South African courts towards political leaders, the motivations behind some Constitutional Court judgments, blasphemy laws, the distinction between hate speech and hurtful speech, and how the law can — and has been — exploited to suppress free speech and punish political enemies. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter Flux Trends Website Mark Oppenheimer is a practicing advocate and member of the Johannesburg Bar. He has appeared in the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court in a series of cases that seek to determine the boundary between freedom of expression and genuine hate speech. Mark has authored submissions to Parliament on the Hate Speech Bill and to the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on escalating racial tensions. He has also presented an oral submission to parliament on expropriation without compensation. Mark is also the host of the popular philosophy series Brain in a Vat and the co-author of the Conversations about Philosophy Book Series. Website Brain in a Vat Publications Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

As I continue to make connections and find people in my local area who are working on regenerative projects and supporting progress in Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, I've been amazed at the talented, courageous, and inspiring people that I've come into contact with. I've already interviewed a few in recent episodes such as Sara Garcia, and Aline Moerbeke, and I'm pleased to add another local badass to that list in today's conversation. For frequent listeners of this show, you'll remember that I've been through the trainings from the Savory Institute and have integrated Holistic Management as a core practice both in the development of my own farm, and the support and services that I offer to clients. I've also been working to connect with the larger holistic management network in Spain. There are now two Savory Hubs on the Peninsula. There's AleJab who operate mostly in the southwest and Portugal, and two years ago, Hub del Norte opened up based at Curly Creek Ranch in Navarra, the home base and farm of its founder Meghan Sapp. Meghan is the co-Hub leader for the Savory Network and an accredited Field Professional serving the northern Iberian Peninsula. She has practiced holistic management, together with her husband Iñigo, for more than six years on their farm, which recently became EOV verified. Meghan is also a founding farmer of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture, a former negotiator for the UN Committee on Food Security and is part of many local farming and food sovereignty organizations. Meghan has spent more than 2 decades dedicated to the energy and food systems transition as a journalist, policy advocate, entrepreneur, community organizer and project developer as well. For this episode, I had the rare pleasure of hosting Meghan at my own farm, even though we're in the middle of construction and the place is a disaster. She was passing through in between training events in my area of Catalunya, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show her what my partner Alba and I are working on. In this fun and literal fireside chat, Meghan tells her unique story about her journey from running multiple newspapers in California, all the way to farming in the Basque region of northern Spain and teaching holistic land management. We talk about the broad uses and case studies of holistic planning and decision making beyond livestock and farming, the journey of starting Hub del Norte and the work they've been doing in the region, the challenges of lobbying for regenerative farm policy at the European Union level, and generally getting an insight into the life and work of someone dedicated to creating a transformation of the agrifood system.

This week on The Core Report: Weekend Edition, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, founder-CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. They talk about  the need to enhance climate resilience in Indian agriculture through a more data-driven approach, the importance of leveraging better data and predictive analytics to help farmers make informed decisions, addressing climate risks by connecting the dots between early warning systems, physical risk assessments, insurance, and policy changes, and much more.About Dr Arunabha GhoshDr Arunabha Ghosh is an internationally recognised public policy expert, author, columnist, and institution builder. He is the founder-CEO, since 2010, of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. With experience in 48 countries, he previously worked at Princeton, Oxford, UNDP (New York), and WTO (Geneva). He currently serves on Government of India's G20 Finance Track Advisory Group and advises the Sherpa Track for India's G20 Presidency in 2022-23. In 2022, the UN Secretary-General appointed him to the High-level Expert Group on the Credibility and Accountability of Net-Zero Announcements by Non-State Actors. Dr Ghosh is currently Vice-Chair of the UN Committee for Development Policy, having been first nominated to the UNCDP by the UN Secretary-General in 2018. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Clean Air, having previously been a member of the Global Future Council on Energy. He is also the co-author/editor of four books and dozens of research papers and reports. For more of our coverage check out thecore.in--Support the Core Report--Join and Interact anonymously on our whatsapp channelSubscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin | Youtube

Discover the incredible journey of Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum AO, the first Blind person to be appointed full Professor. Ron discusses how computer-based technology has transformed his life; a life that has included being on The UN Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, assisting the Chair during the Disability Royal Commission, and educating many of our top politicians who now guide and lead Australia. Connect with Peta: Instagram: @petahooke Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com Episode Transcript: https://www.icantstandpodcast.com/post/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this fortnight's episode, Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Marion Bethel, an esteemed Bahamian poet and attorney. Bethel, renowned for her award-winning poetry collections like "Guanahani, My Love" and "Bougainvillea Ringplay," shares insights into her life, inspirations, and the vibrant cultural landscape of the Bahamas. As she delves into her poetic journey, listeners gain a deeper understanding of her contributions to gender and development in the Caribbean, highlighted by her documentary "Womanish Ways," and her role in international advocacy, serving on the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Poems this episode include: Tobacco Dove; Bougainvillaea Ringplay; and We Were Terrestrial Once, Maybe, all by Marion Bethel

This is Part 5 of our series "Designing the Perfect International Taxation System". In this episode ⁠⁠Harriet⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Grahame⁠⁠⁠ discuss "Global Tax and Developing Nations" with Carlos Protto who is a member of the UN Committee of Experts on Tax Cooperation and is a leading adviser to the Argentine Government on matters of taxation. Carlos, Harriet and Grahame discuss the role of developing nations in the international tax community and the impact of recent developments on them. The discussion touches on not only the impact of international taxation reform but also the capacity of developing nations to participate fully and whether or not the OECD or the UN is the better arena for such discussions. We are very pleased to welcome such a world leader in tax policy, if you enjoy this episode and are new to our mini-series "Designing the Perfect International Tax System" you may well enjoy our Introductory episode and earlier episodes with Dan Neidle, Sam Mitha, Daniel Bunn and Thornton Matheson. You will also find more than 57 full length stand alone episodes of International Tax Bites.

Child abuse is 'not the Pacific way' - delegates to UN committee.

“I knew right away that sexual violence was part of the events of October 7, but obviously, I could not have known the extent of the cruelty that Hamas engaged in,” says Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, who served for 12 years on the UN Committee on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. Halperin-Kaddari now feels “completely betrayed” by the international women's rights organizations with whom she's worked for years, for their failure to condemn - or even recognize - the rape, kidnapping and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens on October 7. In conversation with Haaretz Weekly host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Halperin-Kaddari, a member of the newly-formed Civil Commission on Hamas's Oct. 7th Crimes Against Women and director of the Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University, explains that “unlike any previous incidents of 'conflict related sexual violence,' as the UN calls it, the Hamas terrorists had body camera and they filmed their actions. They broadcasted it both to the families of the victims and on social media, so the horrific footage emerged right away.” Also on the podcast, domestic violence advocate Lili Ben Ami, founder of the Michal Sela Forum, expresses her deep concern over the dramatic expansion of the ability of Israelis to obtain personal weapons in a campaign initiated by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Her organization, she says, “is now receiving calls every day from worried women and domestic violence survivors” that their abusers will now get access to a firearm. When her group looked into the matter, she tells Haaretz Weekly, they found that the distribution plan did not contain a screening mechanism that would prevent men with a criminal record related to domestic violence from obtaining a gun.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Rajeswari (Raji) Pillai Rajagopalan is the Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology (CSST) at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) in Canberra. In 2020, she was Co-chair for a thematic group on “Strategic Technologies” for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020) work, attached to the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India and Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Dr. Rajagopalan was the Technical Advisor to the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) (July 2018-July 2019). She was also a Non-Resident Indo-Pacific Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre from April-December 2020. As a senior Asia defense writer for The Diplomat, she writes a weekly column on Asian strategic issues. Dr. Rajagopalan joined ORF after a five-year stint at the National Security Council Secretariat (2003-2007), Government of India, where she was an Assistant Director. Prior to joining the NSCS, she was Research Officer at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. She was also a Visiting Professor at the Graduate Institute of International Politics, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan in 2012.Dr. Rajagopalan has authored/ co-authored or edited more than ten books including ORF-Global Policy Journal Special Issue, Future Warfare and Technology: Issues and Strategies (2022), Military Ambitions and Competition in Space: The Role of Alliances (2021), Global Nuclear Security: Moving Beyond the NSS (2018), Space Policy 2.0 (2017), Nuclear Security in India (2015), Clashing Titans: Military Strategy and Insecurity among Asian Great Powers (2012), The Dragon's Fire: Chinese Military Strategy and Its Implications for Asia (2009). She has published research essays in edited volumes, and in peer reviewed journals such as India Review, Strategic Studies Quarterly, Air and Space Power Journal, International Journal of Nuclear Law and Strategic Analysis. She has also contributed essays to newspapers such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Times of India, and The Economic Times. She has been invited to speak at international fora including the United Nations Disarmament Forum (New York), the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) (Vienna), Conference on Disarmament (Geneva), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the European Union.EPISODE NOTES:Follow NucleCast on Twitter at @NucleCastEmail comments and story suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.orgSubscribe to NucleCast podcastRate the show

A report submitted to the UN Committee against Torture this week said, torture in Egypt has been used as a political tool to curtail dissent and that it was so widespread it amounted to crimes against humanity. We hear a testimony from an Egyptian female in exile in the United States, who alleges she was tortured in prison, under the current regime. The Egyptian government denies all allegations of torture in facilities, including prisons. Also quelea birds are a pest across many countries on the continent. Recently, Tanzania culled over a million of them but the chemical used to kill them in Africa, is either banned or restricted in other countries. I speak to my colleague Dorcas Wangira who has covered this story extensively in Kenya. And we meet Rwanda's first female Barista.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports on UNESCO Israel Palestinians.

Our Social Affairs Correspondent Ailbhe Conneely speaks to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Professor Philip Jaffé.

The UN Children's Committee Vice Chair recently expressed alarm at Ireland's Mental Health Services. Professor Philip Jaffe is visiting Ireland and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Michał Balcerzak - The Law and Practice of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Hour 1 * Guest: Dr. Scott Bradley, Founder and Chairman of the Constitution Commemoration Foundation and the author of the book and DVD/CD lecture series “To Preserve the Nation.” In the Tradition of the Founding Fathers – FreedomsRisingSun.com * Guest: Suzanne Mann, Programs Director of Latter-day Saints for Life- a pro-life coalition that began November of 2022 – LatterDaySaintsForLife.org * Latter-day Saints for Life Mission Statement: Latter-day Saints for Life is a worldwide coalition of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints protecting preborn babies and promoting a pro-life culture in our Church and our communities, in support of and alignment with the doctrinal position of the Church. * Membership, T-shirts, Doctrinal Library, Going forward. Hour 2 * Is The US In An Undeclared, Hot War With China? * Spying is surveillance without due authorization! * Key electronics have been recovered from China's surveillance balloon that was shot down off the east coast by the U.S. military on Feb. 4, including sensors that are believed to have been used to gather intelligence, US officials have said. * It was likely a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle conducting surveillance over sensitive US military sights, including nuclear bases in Montana, the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), and a base that hosts nuclear bombers in Missouri. * According to a statement from a senior State Department official, the balloon was furnished with high-tech equipment and “multiple antennas” as well as other equipment that was “clearly for intelligence surveillance” and was “likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications.” * China's ruling communist party has been developing balloons for various military purposes in recent years and US officials, citing an official procurement portal for China's military, have said that they are confident that the downed balloon has a direct relationship with China's military and is an approved vendor of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). * China claimed that 10 US high-altitude balloons have flown into its territory without its permission – That claim has been called “false” by US officials. * We Have The Best Enomies Money Can Buy! * The Idaho House of Representatives passed a memorial on Wednesday calling for talks between Idaho and Oregon about making rural Oregon counties part of Idaho. Expanding Idaho's borders to encompass parts of Oregon would allow rural conservative counties to become part of a Republican-controlled state, instead of a state dominated by urban progressives. * 11 counties in southern and eastern Oregon have voted to join Idaho as part of the Greater Idaho movement to extend the state's border. * Pro-Life Groups Called Terrorists by UN Committee. * America's border crisis is not organic. Behind the nearly 4.9 million illegal immigrants who entered the United States since President Joe Biden took office are criminal cartels, orchestration from the United Nations, and financing from the U.S. government. And while taxpayers are being told that local law enforcement and the National Guard are working to resolve the crisis, in reality, they're being used to funnel migrants to networks of non-governmental organizations, who then traffic them for resettlement throughout the country. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

* Is The US In An Undeclared, Hot War With China? * Spying is surveillance without due authorization! * Key electronics have been recovered from China's surveillance balloon that was shot down off the east coast by the U.S. military on Feb. 4, including sensors that are believed to have been used to gather intelligence, US officials have said. * It was likely a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle conducting surveillance over sensitive US military sights, including nuclear bases in Montana, the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), and a base that hosts nuclear bombers in Missouri. * According to a statement from a senior State Department official, the balloon was furnished with high-tech equipment and “multiple antennas” as well as other equipment that was “clearly for intelligence surveillance” and was “likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications.” * China's ruling communist party has been developing balloons for various military purposes in recent years and US officials, citing an official procurement portal for China's military, have said that they are confident that the downed balloon has a direct relationship with China's military and is an approved vendor of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). * China claimed that 10 US high-altitude balloons have flown into its territory without its permission - That claim has been called “false” by US officials. * We Have The Best Enomies Money Can Buy! * The Idaho House of Representatives passed a memorial on Wednesday calling for talks between Idaho and Oregon about making rural Oregon counties part of Idaho. Expanding Idaho's borders to encompass parts of Oregon would allow rural conservative counties to become part of a Republican-controlled state, instead of a state dominated by urban progressives. * 11 counties in southern and eastern Oregon have voted to join Idaho as part of the Greater Idaho movement to extend the state's border. * Pro-Life Groups Called Terrorists by UN Committee. * America's border crisis is not organic. Behind the nearly 4.9 million illegal immigrants who entered the United States since President Joe Biden took office are criminal cartels, orchestration from the United Nations, and financing from the U.S. government. And while taxpayers are being told that local law enforcement and the National Guard are working to resolve the crisis, in reality, they're being used to funnel migrants to networks of non-governmental organizations, who then traffic them for resettlement throughout the country.

Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, discusses the UN's review of children's rights in Ireland.

This episode is a dual-podcast with Matt Bailey from the Endless Coffee Cup Podcast. We discuss the innovations and inspiration of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dubai as they take the stage in space and marketing. Space Marketing Podcast and Matt's podcast are both members of the Marketing Podcast Network. ABOUT MATT BAILEY Matt Bailey CEO & Founder of SiteLogic Host for the Endless Coffee Cup Podcast Sitelogic Matt teaches people how to turn marketing data into action. He shows how to find the story in the data and effectively communicate that story through persuasion, influence, and presentation skills. Digital marketing Instructor and trainer. He is currently working with New Media Academy. https://www.sitelogicmarketing.com Endless Coffee Cup Podcasts Endless Coffee Cup is a discussion of marketing news, culture, and media for our complex digital lifestyle. With a wide range of marketing topics, we bring insights beyond the headlines, and a challenge to “ask why.” https://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/category/podcast/ Marketing Podcast Network https://marketingpodcasts.net New Media Academy https://nma.ae/en/ 72ND INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTICAL CONGRESS October 2021, Dubai, United Arab Emirateshttps://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/ The Abu Dhabi Space Debate ABU DHABI SPACE DEBATE on DECEMBER 5-6, 2022 https://www.abudhabispacedebate.com  Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE A global debate defining the future of space. an important new global forum for the space industry, nations, business leaders and policy makers to come together and forge real consensus and address the issues facing growth and innovation in space. Abu Dhabi Space Debate hosted representatives of the world's fast-growing space industry together with the President of Israel and under the Patronage of the President of the UAE at the inaugural event 17th International Conference On Space Operations March 6-10, 2023 https://spaceops2023.org   The UAE sent the Hope spacecraft to Mars February 2021, had its first astronaut to space in 2019, and has plans for the Arab world's first longest-duration space mission next spring.    UAE was elected to chair the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Omran Sharaf, the Emirati engineer who led the Mars mission, was chosen to lead the committee for the UAE.   As of today, more than 3,100 people are employed across 80 government and private organisations in the space sector in the UAE, double the figure from 2019.   Blue Origin has its eye on UAE desert for spaceport Virgin Galactic signed an agreement with the UAE in 2019 for a spaceport.  Museum of the Future https://museumofthefuture.ae/en dearMoon https://dearmoon.earth Artemis Program https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram ABOUT IZZY Izzy's website - https://izzy.house Author of Space Marketing: Competing in the new commercial space industry on Amazon and Audible - https://bit.ly/Space-Marketing Podcast host for Space Marketing Podcast - https://spacemarketingpodcast.com Organizer for Space for Kentucky Roundtable - https://spaceforkentucky.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's program, Fellowship President and CEO Yael Eckstein speaks with Israel's former Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, about his many achievements while serving at the UN.

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on United Nations Crimes Against Humanity.

Nearly four decades on from the adoption of the UN Convention against Torture, there is evidence that it is still taking place in all regions of the world, even though it's a recognized international crime.On this week's episode of The lid Is On, Conor Lennon met Claude Heller and Suzanne Jabour – the chairpersons of the UN Committee against Torture, and the Sub-committee on the Prevention of Torture – two independent human rights experts who attempt to convince countries to end the practice.They explain that, in some countries and regions, torture is still seen thought to be a useful or acceptable part of interrogations, even though it has been shown to be ineffective.Music: Within the Earth, Ketsa

Today on Sojourner Truth: Guest host Nana Gyamfi, attorney and Black Alliance for Just Immigration Executive Director discusses the polluted water crisis occurring in Jackson Mississippi with her first guest Rukia Lumumba, attorney and Executive Director of Peoples' Advocacy Institute, who has been on the ground since the crisis began. You will also hear excerpts from the recent UN Committee on Eliminating Racial Discrimination and their findings and recommendations. The UN committee cite abortion rights, reparations and policy brutality as three of the most pressing issues that require follow up from the US. Maraky Alemreged with BAJI, joins Nana to discuss surveillance and the forthcoming abolition week. Lastly, Matyos Kidane, organizer with Stop LAPD Spying joins Nana to contextualize mass policing at the local level in Los Angeles as well as the national level, keeping in mind Biden's recent plan to hire thousands more police making it clear he stands behind addressing national safety issues by funding the police.

Today on Sojourner Truth: Guest host Nana Gyamfi, attorney and Black Alliance for Just Immigration Executive Director discusses the polluted water crisis occurring in Jackson Mississippi with her first guest Rukia Lumumba, attorney and Executive Director of Peoples' Advocacy Institute, who has been on the ground since the crisis began. You will also hear excerpts from the recent UN Committee on Eliminating Racial Discrimination and their findings and recommendations. The UN committee cite abortion rights, reparations and policy brutality as three of the most pressing issues that require follow up from the US. Maraky Alemreged with BAJI, joins Nana to discuss surveillance and the forthcoming abolition week. Lastly, Matyos Kidane, organizer with Stop LAPD Spying joins Nana to contextualize mass policing at the local level in Los Angeles as well as the national level, keeping in mind Biden's recent plan to hire thousands more police making it clear he stands behind addressing national safety issues by funding the police.

On this week's Lid Is On, Conor Lennon speaks to two experts on racism against people of African Descent, on the insidious nature of everyday racism, the importance of reparations, and why an acceptance that the wealth of developed countries is built on the back of oppressed, Black people, is liberating for people of all races. Dominique Day is a human rights lawyer, and the chairperson of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. Verene Shepherd is a social historian, and the chairperson of the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). This episode was recorded ahead of International Day for People of African Descent, which is marked on 31 August, with support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Music: Ketsa, Within the Earth

This year, Azerbaijan, along with seven other countries, is under review by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva. Tamara Voskanian is the co-founder of the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) and lawyer Talin Hitik is heading up the CFTJ's delegation in Geneva, presenting the organization's report based on primary evidence on Azerbaijan's ongoing violations during the CERD hearing. They spoke to EVN Report about their ongoing efforts to bring to the world's attention the crimes committed by Azerbaijan and the impact this will have on the Armenia v. Azerbaijan case at the International Court of Justice.