Less than 1000 days to go...

… until the Millennium Development Goals expire and a new agenda will take their place. The negotiation process to set the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is now well underway. IIED is supporting the Least Developed Countries Independent Expert Group to ensure that UN-led processes to set these goals take account of the perspectives and priorities of the LDCs. We are also part of the Independent Research Forum — an alliance of sustainable development think tanks that aims to influence thinking and provide expert analysis on the post-2015 agenda.

‘Post-2015’ international development goals: Who wants what and why

Can the ‘post 2015 agenda’ simultaneously support action on poverty reduction, environmental health and economic growth? How can the next set of goals replicate the simplicity of the MDGs, yet be more flexible to national conditions and to emerging issues? This paper identifies some of the players, their propositions and the emerging ‘fault lines’.

More publications from IIED this month:

• Meeting small-scale farmers in their markets

• Making communities count: maximising local benefit potential in South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RE IPPPP)

Making the right to water a reality: tackling barriers to access and equity

Water is receiving much attention in ‘post-2015’ development goal processes and debates. However, some important issues related to water rights are not getting sufficient attention, given that they are central to achieving human wellbeing based on foundations of economic progress, equality, healthy natural systems and participatory governance. This briefing looks at two aspects of water rights at opposite ends of the water use spectrum: access to clean drinking water and rights to water for agricultural irrigation.

More briefings from IIED:

• Taking a lead on the post-2015 agenda: priorities for least developed countries

• Landscapes for public goods: multifunctional mosaics are fairer by far

• Ensuring devolution supports adaptation and climate resilient growth in Kenya

• Inclusive agricultural investment: sharing lessons from experience

The great African land grab?

We are pleased to invite you to join us for launch of ‘The great African land grab? Agricultural investments and the global food system’ by IIED’s Lorenzo Cotula in partnership with Zed Books and Centre of African Studies:

When: Monday 15 July, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Where:  Brunei Suite, SOAS, London

The book aims to debunk many of the myths surrounding land acquisitions in Africa and analyse their internal implications for African stakeholders and the external consequences for global food security.