Think Change

Online misogyny is becoming a defining feature of digital life, amplified by algorithms and enabled by platforms that fail to protect users. As violence against women intensifies across online spaces, the stakes for gender equality and for democracy itself have never been higher. Violence online is surging at a moment when digital spaces should be becoming more inclusive. Algorithms reward outrage...

World leaders are heading to the Amazonian city of Belém this month for COP30, as Brazil aims to deliver the most consequential climate summit in years. This year’s negotiations come at a difficult moment. Concerns around trade relations and national security are dominating the political landscape, whilst a resurgence of disinformation has also pushed climate to take a back seat.  But every five y...

This episode examines the shifting landscape of Palestenian statehood as recognition spreads and new peace initiatives test the future of governance and diplomacy. Momentum around Palestinian self-determination is building. Following a landmark summit chaired by Saudi Arabia and France on the margins of last month's UN general Assembly, the UK formally recognised Palestine, with nine other co...

This episode examines the evolving role of philanthropy in shaping global development cooperation at a time when official aid is under strain. According to the European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad), global official development assistance (ODA) hit a record $223.7 billion in 2023. But many governments are cutting back under pressure from debt, Covid recovery, and domestic priorities. A...

From the suffragette movement and the fight against apartheid to today’s campaigns for climate justice and Palestine, what defines legitimate protest? And who gets to decide? This episode explores the contested politics of protest through history. We examine what happens when legal and political channels for change are blocked, and how states respond when protest challenges entrenched power. As po...

The 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) is under way at a time when the UN faces existential challenges. Established 80 years ago to safeguard peace, foster cooperation and uphold the rights and dignity of all people, today the very foundations of the UN’s mission are being tested by various global trends: intensifying geopolitical rivalries, the climate crisis, record levels of forced displacement...

The soaring cost of capital for many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, is one of the most urgent and overlooked development challenges. High borrowing costs are hindering vital investments in energy, infrastructure, food security and public services – threatening development progress and deepening global inequality. But this decisive year for Africa could present opportunit...

Despite fractured politics in the US (and elsewhere) around foreign aid, Congress recently reauthorised plans to fund PEPFAR – the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – even though the programme itself has not been formally reauthorised. Since being established in 2003, PEPFAR funding for prevention, care and treatment programmes is estimated to have saved over 26 million lives . It&apos...

The humanitarian system and its principles are being destroyed. Over 1,000 people have been killed seeking aid in the past weeks in Gaza, caught between famine and bullets. With humanitarian actors systematically prevented from reaching people affected by crisis in many contexts, governments are turning to the private sector – security firms, consultants, and ex-military operatives. From Gaza to S...

This episode examines a challenge at the heart of development finance. Much energy is focused on mobilising more capital in low-income countries and emerging economies, but funding alone isn't enough. A deeper issue persists: there simply aren’t enough bankable projects – ventures that are ready to absorb investments at scale. Traditionally, development finance has been demand-led – waiting f...

Climate disasters are intensifying globally, with vulnerable nations facing disproportionate impacts despite minimal contributions to global emissions. From prolonged droughts in East Africa to intensifying cyclones in the Pacific, these events reveal a troubling paradox:  As the Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate demonstrates, countries must borrow to recover from disasters, yet face finan...

Climate impacts are continuing to intensify. More severe storms, droughts, floods and heatwaves are inflicting devastation on the most vulnerable communities – those who also bear the least responsibility for the climate crisis. But as the need for climate action becomes ever more urgent, international aid is retreating. USAID has been dismantled, whilst wealthy countries across Europe have slashe...

At a time of major geopolitical turbulence, Europe finds itself at a crossroads. Long regarded as a pillar of stability and multilateralism, the continent's role in today's increasingly divided world is being tested in numerous ways – as are its key institutions. There is a new fragility to Europe's external relationships – underscored by Trump's threats to impose tariffs on EU...

Since 2011, Syria has been ravaged by conflict, foreign interventions and political fragmentation – leaving millions displaced and communities in crisis. But amidst the devastation, a new conversation is taking shape. Just months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a new interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has formed. A recent poll shows 70% of Syrians feel hopeful, but that hope is...

Minerals like lithium, cobalt and rare earth are not just commodities. They are strategic assets which are shaping global power and the future of the energy transition. As US-China trade tensions escalate, countries across Africa (and elsewhere) where these minerals are found are now renegotiating their role in an increasingly fragmented global economy. This episode asks how Africa’s mineral wealt...

With economic uncertainty, rising debt burdens, and a growing share of the world’s poorest people living in fragile contexts, the stakes for the upcoming 4th Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) in Seville have never been higher. According to a recent OECD report , the gap between development financing needs and available resources could reach $6.4 trillion by 2030 if the global financing s...

Development finance is no longer just about aid. It’s about power, priorities, and who gets to decide. For decades, institutions like the World Bank and IMF have set the agenda, with high-income countries holding the reins. But a shift is underway. Southern-led multilateral development banks (MDBs) – where borrowing nations are also the majority shareholders – are rewriting the rules. These banks,...

Trade policies are more than economic levers. Today they are instruments of influence, competition and – at times – conflict.  We have seen how Trump’s recent tariff hikes on Mexico, Canada and China have heightened geopolitical tensions. The global trade system is also undergoing a deeper transformation. Countries are diversifying supply chains and rethinking alliances. Regional trade agreements...

As the world shifts toward a more regionally driven order, where power and security are dictated by strength rather than law, multilateralism faces an existential crisis. This has been made strikingly clear by recent events in the US. Oscillating between retreat and selective engagement, the US now sees global cooperation in transactional terms – as a business not a shared responsibility. This shi...

Ukraine stands at a pivotal point as its war with Russia enters its third year. With high-stakes talks between the US and Russia taking place in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine finds itself excluded from crucial discussions, which raises alarms in Kyiv and Europe. As Western unity begins to fracture, the debate intensifies over whether to prioritise negotiations or continue military support.  With NATO unde...

For decades, US foreign aid has played a vital role in humanitarian assistance, development and global security. But last month, the US government – the world’s biggest aid donor – announced a sudden 90-day freeze on foreign aid. This will have a devastating impact on communities globally who depend on it to survive. It has triggered widespread uncertainty across the global development sector. In...

Nearly a decade ago, nations worldwide committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the first goal focused on ending poverty in all its forms by 2030. Whilst some progress has been made, we remain well off track to reach this ambitious target.   Poverty reduction has stalled, whilst a new report by Oxfam – launched during the recent World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos – hig...

The term ‘fragility’ is used to describe various complex challenges including protracted conflicts, weak state capacity, and vulnerability to climate-related shocks. Development progress has been the hardest in these contexts. But the landscape is changing, with new development players emerging – notably in the private sector. Private capital is reaching frontier economies (those in low- and middl...

Fast fashion has transformed how we consume clothing. A staggering 11.3 million tonnes of textile waste ends up in US landfills alone every year.  This global fashion waste crisis has far-reaching consequences for the environment, economy and local communities. Sites which often appear like dumping grounds for unused goods can transform themselves into major sources of creativity and livelihoods....

2024 was a year of significant transitions – characterised by rapid technological progress, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and ongoing crises and conflicts. In this final episode of the year, we reflect on its defining moments and look ahead to the key trends likely to shape 2025. As the world becomes increasingly multipolar, the shift towards a more balanced global power structure brings both...