Our Week in DC / Taylor Swift's Carbon Offsetting / Food Security G20 Event in Rome / NYC Impact Roadshow

We had a big week in Washington DC last week, plus if you're in New York or Rome this coming week be sure to check out our events and come along if you're free.

Feb 12, 2024

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We had an eventful last few days in Washington, D.C., holding meetings with key partners across the policy world. On Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, to discuss how to increase contributions from the world’s wealthiest economies towards its concessional arm for low-income countries, IDA. This can sound like jargon but IDA has helped hundreds of millions of people escape poverty—through the creation of jobs, access to clean water, schools, roads, nutrition, electricity, and more. I encourage you to check it out.

And on Friday Global Citizen hosted 45 scholars & Next Gen Leaders with our partners at the Embassy of Australia to the United States of America and Ambassador Kevin Rudd. Strong discussions about the key global challenges of our times & how they, as future leaders, can rise to meet them. One key theme that came up concerned how to turn talk and passion into impact. I shared insights to this end from my upcoming book, From Ideas to Impact, which you can pre-order here. As you know, my goal is to get 1000 pre-ordered before April 9th so don’t forget to get your copy!

Our event in Washington was capped off by keynote remarks from Dr. Rajiv J. Shah of the Rockefeller Foundation in front of an audience of more than 300 people. Incidentally, this also proved to be Miki’s first diplomatic reception! My thanks to students for sharing their insights from Georgetown University, Howard University, American University, John Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Harvard University, Columbia University, and Flinders University.

All in all, a great week. Now for some updates from our team!

Please join us for an NYC Impact Roadshow on February 15!

Final call - we would be honored to have you join this year’s iteration of the New York Global Citizen Impact Event at Global Citizen HQ, 740 Broadway, NY 10003 on Thursday, February 15th, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 pm ET.

If you’d like to attend, RSVP to newyork@globalcitizen.org with your name and the subject line “RSVP: New York Impact Event” ASAP, and we will share additional details with you. We look forward to seeing you.

Unifying Global Voices: Making Food Security a Priority in 2024

Global Citizen and the Permanent Representation of Brazil to the FAO, WFP and IFAD, in partnership with the Embassy of Brazil in Rome, and the support of ECCO - The Italian Climate Change Think Tank and the Hungry for Action Campaign will be hosting a High-Level Panel and Reception - ‘Unifying Global Voices: Making Food Security a Priority in 2024’ on the 15th of February, 2024 (19:00-20:30) in Rome.

The event will create an inclusive space for dialogue among diverse stakeholders, delving into how both the G7 and G20 presidencies aim to prioritize food security and agricultural adaptation, with a particular focus on the G20 Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as well as the G7 Initiative on Food Security.

If you are in Rome next week and would like to RSVP to rsvprome@globalcitizen.org.

3 Ways Taylor Swift’s Carbon Offsetting Could Make A Difference

Taylor Swift's flight from Tokyo to Las Vegas for the Superbowl has intensified scrutiny of her carbon footprint. Private jets, after all, emit at least ten times more pollutants per passenger than commercial airplanes.

In response, Swift made a notable move by purchasing double the required carbon credits to offset emissions from her record-breaking tour. Purchasing carbon credits alone won't silence critics amid a climate crisis. But Swift's approach, if done right, could drive efforts against deforestation, support indigenous communities, and scale carbon removal technologies. Read my latest article here.

Recommendations for change

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique peer-review mechanism of the Human Rights Council in Geneva that provides UN Member States with the opportunity to regularly receive recommendations for continuous improvement. We are excited to partner with the Saudi London-based organization Alqst to call on the Government of Saudi Arabia to accept recommendations it just received in January. Despite recent efforts to portray a modernizing image, Saudi Arabia's human rights reality remains harsh. Human rights defenders, women, migrant workers, and anyone voicing critical views face unjust treatment, while the death penalty is used to stifle freedoms. We believe that the UPR, combined with the timing of Saudi Arabia’s intention to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034 creates excellent momentum to push for measurable change with the support of our Global Citizens! Make sure you join the Petition and Tweet at Saudi authorities and help us amplify them to increase the call!

An insightful new podcast from Development Initiatives

Our friends at Development Initiatives have a new podcast discussing vital issues in development and humanitarian response that risk being forgotten as the world focuses on other issues. In the first episode, Adrian, the host, speaks with Jan Egeland and Hala Al-Karib about the crisis in Sudan. Hala and Jan tell us what we are missing in Sudan, and why it matters, not only to the Sudanese people but to all of us.

You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you go for your podcasts!

All Things Beans

Beans are an amazing, affordable protein, fiber, and nutrient source. By eating more of them you can elevate your nutrition, support sustainable eating, and unlock so much versatility in the kitchen.

The Chefs’ Manifesto podcast’s new series explores beans with host Chef Tom Hunt. Episodes are released weekly, with a total of 10 to look forward to! Make sure to check them out here: https://on.soundcloud.com/As6HK and on Apple Podcasts.

Proudly brought to you by the US Dry Beans Council and the Chefs’ Manifesto in support of Beans is How!

#BeansisHow #ChefsManifesto @chefsmanifesto @beansishow @usdrybeans @cheftomhunt

My Weekend Reading List

As always, if you’re enjoying the weekly newsletter format, and want even more, you can subscribe to my Substack here where I publish reviews, lists, and articles regularly.

Til next week,

Mick