Felix Dodds is a writer, activist, and futurist with over 30 years of experience in global water and sustainability policy. He is an Adjunct Professor at the UNC Water Institute, where he leads a project on disaster risk and resilience, and was the UK nominee to head the UN Environment Programme in 2019.
He co-directed the UNC Nexus Conferences on climate, energy, food, and water, and previously led the Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future (1993–2012) and the Water and Climate Coalition. Dodds has advised numerous international sustainability conferences and was instrumental in introducing stakeholder dialogues to the UN.
He has authored or edited 25 books, including his two most recent, Environmental Lobbying at the United Nations (2025) and Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy (2024), both with Chris Spence. Other key books include Tomorrow’s People and New Technology (2021), Stakeholder Democracy (2019), and Negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals (2017). His earlier book Human and Environmental Security was nominated for the ISA Sprout Award. In 2010, he was named one of “25 Environmentalists Ahead of Their Time.”
Latest News
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New Report Out for UN80 and MEA Clustering
The report is UN80: Reform of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Around the Triple Planetary Crisis of Pollution, Biodiversity, and Climate Change edited by Felix Dodds and Chris Spence UN 80 and Clustering the Multilateral Environmental Agreements . The fifth in the series recognises that the world is in one of its most difficult periods and…
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My contribution to a panel at the Rio Climate Action Week
Can be watched here. I had the pleasure of working with Maurice Strong and Michael Strauss on the 2012 book Only One Earth The Long Road via Rio+20 to Sustainable Development I had the pleasure of working with Maurice Strong and Michael Strauss on the 2012 book Only One Earth The Long Road via Rio+20…
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Podcast with Felix Dodds Insights on the evolving process of global environmental governance
In this episode, Felix Dodds discusses his latest book, Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy, which highlights the pivotal role of environmental leaders, such as Maurice Strong, in shaping strong environmental policy and opening space for stakeholder participation alongside governments—an approach Dodds himself has long advocated for. He reflects on the current state of the UN 2030 Agenda…
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Belem City Limits: How to Host a Successful Climate COP
By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence SAN FRANCISCO, California / APEX, North Carolina, US, Aug 4 2025 (IPS) – There is no question that most climate activists and governments were delighted when Brazil offered to host the 2025 UN Climate Conference taking place this November. Brazil has played such a crucial role in shaping the sustainable development agenda. It…
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Who Should Lead the UN Development Programme
By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence UNDP is looking for its next leader. Who should it be? Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence look at the candidates and identify the qualities and characteristics a new leader should possess. Development & Aid, Global, Global Governance, Headlines Opinion Who Should Lead the UN Development Programme? By Felix Dodds and Chris SpenceReprint | | Print | Send by email…
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Launching the Environmental Lobbying book at the United Nations
You can watch the book launch on the UN Publications Facebook page here. Felix Dodds – comments at the book launch. (copies still available at the UN Bookshop) I have had the pleasure of working with member states, UN staff and stakeholders on many of the critical issues that have challenged us since the Earth Summit…
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UN Reform: Is it Time to Renew the Idea of Clustering the Major Environmental Agreements?
By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence AN FRANCISCO, California / APEX, North Carolina, US, Jul 14 2025 (IPS) – “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Winston Churchill’s famous maxim feels very relevant today, when multilateralism and many environmental causes seem to be in retreat. We now face a triple planetary crisis of climate change,…
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How Should the United Nations Respond to Its Funding Crisis?
By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence | Originally published here on Inter Press Service While it may be difficult and painful, the UN Secretary-General is right to embrace change, believe Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence The world needs the UN, now more than ever. But we have also experienced firsthand how maddeningly inefficient and bureaucratic it can be. No…
