Skills, Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development
Helping people think, talk, act and lead on Sustainable Development
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was agreed by world leaders in September 2015. The Agenda offers a clear vision for the future for the world’s people, for the places where they live and for the planet.
4SD helps people working on sustainable development to have strategic influence within challenging situations. 4SD equips them with the skills they need to make a lasting difference. 4SD accompanies them as they nurture their skills in their professional practice.
4SD encourages Living Systems Leadership. This enables more effective engagement across sectors and among multiple stakeholders.
4SD fosters integrated people-centred action in ways that are inclusive, always connecting more stakeholders and offering the promise of generative futures for all.
4SD is also involved in applied interdisciplinary learning within universities and staff colleges internationally.
4SD offers the following
We would be delighted to explore how we can best support you.
Living Systems Leadership
At 4SD, we explore what systems leadership means, what working with living systems really looks like and how that plays out for real when you have a central role within loosely-organised human systems that are trying to address complex issues.
Comfort in Complexity
One step at a time with the direction in mind! Find out more about the characteristics of #systems #leadership
During a 4SD Webinar on Comfort in Complexity, participants explored how working in this way can be valuable and what it really feels like. This process was captured in a Learning Review (PDF).
Feeling Systems
All human systems are #LivingSystems; when we engage with them, we recognise how generative they are. Ideas & capacities grow, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly, sometimes predictably, often not.
Seeing into Systems
The ability to see into multiple systems creates opportunities for leading change that is substantial and significant.
Encouraging Systems Change
The major challenges facing our world cannot be solved for everyone everywhere through discrete solutions.
Systems Leadership for Sustainable Development
Taking action on complex challenges such as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda requires a departure from traditional top-down, hierarchical and linear approaches. through systems change. A report, co-authored by Lisa Dreier, David Nabarro and Jane Nelson suggests using innovative and adaptive approaches to engage broad networks of diverse stakeholders.
Download the Executive Summary (PDF)
Download the full report (PDF)
Commencement 2019 at CUNY SPH
On 4 June 2019, during Commencement 2019, David Nabarro, Strategic Director of 4SD, received an Honorary Doctorate from The City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.
During his keynote address (starting in minute 36), Dr Nabarro spoke about his motivation to become an International Civil Servant and the lessons he learned throughout his career.
Inter-disciplinary science for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
At the launch of the Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK’IT) on 7 March 2019, David Nabarro and Louise Fresco, President of Wageningen University & Research, spoke on how to work across disciplines to shift systems so they work better for people and the planet.
Trondheim Conferences on Biodiversity
On 2 July 2019, David Nabarro, Strategic Director of 4SD spoke about Securing environmentally safe and socially just spaces for living with nature (speech starts at 6h 22m).
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: What it means for all of us
On 20 November 2018, David Nabarro, Strategic Director of 4SD and Professor of Global Health at Imperial College, London, held the 2018 Annual Lecture of the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI).
News
- World Economic Forum: Systems leadership can change the world – but what exactly is it?Article by Lisa Dreier, David Nabarro and Jane Nelson
- United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019: The Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Manifesto (PDF)Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are a fundamental part of action for climate and biodiversity.
- United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019: Nature-based solutions Compendium of Contributions (PDF)Compiled by the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Facilitation Team with the entrustment of China and New Zealand, the co-lead countries of the nature-based solutions coalition of the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit.
- UNESCO Youth for Nature Based Solutions – Press ConferenceDr. David Nabarro, Nature Based Solution Facilitator of the Climate Action Summit; Ms. Marina Melianis, Youth leader and Co-director, Youth for Nature; Dr. Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant Director-General, UNESCO.
- foodtank: David Nabarro Aims to Equip Leaders to Meet U.N. Sustainability Goals
- Climate Home News: It is high time to reboot our relationship with nature (Op-ed)Op-ed by Susan Gardner and David Nabarro, co-facilitators of the nature-based solutions work stream for the UN secretary general’s Climate Action Summit September 2019.
- Podcast: David Nabarro on Climate Change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Natural Intelligence Media)David has one word to describe HOW we to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: That word is Love.
- Work-life balance: Care, Connection, Compassion for a ChangeGuest article by David Nabarro in a special issue on "Work-life balance" in The Leader, the official newsletter of the African Nutrition Leadership Programme.
4SD on Twitter
For Nguyen Dang Huu, a coffee farmer in Vietnam, climate is not some far-off future risk but a constant reality impacting the price and availability of the food he produces. How can consumers and farmers transform #FoodSystems together? Find out @forbes: https://forbes.com/sites/worldeconomicforum/2020/01/22/how-consumers-can-transform-food-systems/#7a258a4a73beA
As we enter the #DecadeofAction, we have 10 years to deliver on the #SDGs. What do we need to do?
✅ Mobilize everyone, everywhere to take action
✅ Demand urgency and ambition
✅ Supercharge ideas to solutions
Read more 🔗 http://bit.ly/SDG-Decade
#wef20 #ForPeopleForPlanet
Stay tuned for our next #FoodSystemsDialogues event in Edinburgh on 30 January, which will be co-organized by the University of Edinburgh and @FoodDialogues: http://foodsystemsdialogues.org More info following soon!
🌡️ Treat #climatechange as a real risk
☀️ Invest in a carbon neutral future
🌲 Nurture nature
📣 Prepare to be held accountable
These are 4 ways to take #climateaction now: http://bit.ly/2RFUQKq
