Leaves 28 (6) - June 2026

        Newsletter of the
         INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM
         Volume 28, Number 6 --- 15 June 2026   

Website: iefworld.org
Article submission: newsletter@iefworld.org Deadline next issue 10 July 2026
Secretariat Email: ief@iefworld.org Christine Muller General Secretary 
Postal address: 12B Chemin de Maisonneuve, CH-1219 Chatelaine, Geneva, Switzerland
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From the Editor, Request for information for upcoming newsletters

This newsletter is an opportunity for IEF members to share their experiences, activities, and  initiatives that are taking place at the community level on environment, climate change  and sustainability. All members are welcome to contribute information about related  activities, upcoming conferences, news from like-minded organizations, recommended  websites, book reviews, etc. Please send information to newsletter@iefworld.org.

Please share the Leaves newsletter and IEF membership  information with family, friends and associates, and encourage interested persons to consider  becoming a member of the IEF.

Newsletter Overview

The world is changing rapidly. This is reflected in decisions by the International Environment Forum and by exciting initiatives around the world.

The newsletter begins with IEF News. Especially encouraging is the creation of two videos that introduce the IEF. 

Artificial Intelligence has been capturing the minds of people everywhere. You can read about the new AI guidelines for posting blogs on the IEF website.

This is followed by two articles written by IEF Board members. The first one is a profound and concise discussion about The Real Danger of AI.

The second one – AI and the Cultivation of Meaning – provides brief reflections about AI in higher education. 

The next couple of articles are on the topic of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that outlines the responsibilities of nations in safeguarding their peoples and communities against climate change and climate-related disasters.

We will begin with Vanuatu calls for UN Action on Climate Change by introducing a UN General Assembly resolution to endorse and operationalise the ICJ decision.

This is followed by a note regarding the decision of the IEF Board to support this resolution.

Related in topic is the Global Justice Report launched at the World Inequality Conference on 4 June 2026.

The article The Iceland Reforestation by the International Tree Foundation reports about an amazing long-term project that gives hope and sets an example of what can be done. 

Spiritual Exploration of Possible Pathways for Providing Energy Security for All was discussed at a webinar that connected spiritual principles to down to Earth actions. The brief article provides the link.

Counting What Counts introduces the new report by the UN High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP. It provides a compass of progress for people and planet.

The newsletter ends with information about new scientific discoveries about the Arctic Ocean Tipping Point and about a new podcast series on Climate, Crisis, and Courage.

IEF News

The overall topic of the IEF conference, planned for 14 – 18 October 2026, will be "Ethics in Pursuit of Social Change".

The IEF welcomes Sanjay Tripathi (India) as a new IEF associate.

New Videos introducing the IEF

Several months ago, IEF member Sue Blythe read in this newsletter that the IEF Board was interested in creating a video that introduces the IEF. Sue then took the initiative and embarked on this project! It is so wonderful that IEF members are taking action! Sue invited some IEF members and associates – young and old – and asked them questions about the IEF. Her interviewees were Christine Muller, Laurent Mesbah, Ian Hamilton, Nava Ahmad, Valarie Atwood, and Arthur Dahl. Sue then spliced the answers together in a creative way.
A couple of sections include excerpts of presentations by others that provide examples of their work at the local and global levels.

Her initiative resulted in two videos of different lengths:
Introduction to the International Environment Forum (5 min)
Introduction to the International Environment Forum (16 min)

We hope that IEF members and associates will find these videos useful for introducing the IEF to their friends and networks.

Thank you to Aaron Kelly!

The IEF warmly thanks IEF member Aaron Kelly for his assistance with producing and uploading these and other videos on the IEF YouTube page!

Guidelines for writing blogs on the IEF website and articles for the IEF newsletter

On 25 May 2026, the IEF Board adopted the following guidelines for posting articles and blogs on the IEF website and the newsletter.

Limited Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Using AI for proofreading a text or for improving language is fine, but this should be indicated as “edited by AI” for truthfulness and transparency. All AI contributions must be labeled as such. 
   
• The IEF does not welcome AI generated content on its website for the following reasons: 
  1. Environmental Impact: AI uses enormous amounts of electricity and water at its data centres. 
  2. The IEF supports the importance of developing the human mind, the creation of new knowledge, and the original thinking of people. 
  3. AI general language models are developed from existing text on the web, reflecting the biases in that text. 
  4. The IEF recognises the complementarity of science and religion and the higher human potential inspired by the recent Bahá’í revelation which is underrepresented in existing knowledge but has the capacity to generate future creativity beyond the reach of AI. 
   
• AI generated images are also not acceptable. They are especially harmful to the environment. 

Recommended Length of Articles and Blogs

• Blogs should not be longer than two pages. 
• If you use an image, please, reduce its size/quality so that it does not burden the website’s capacity. 
• Articles for the newsletter are preferred to be one page or shorter.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in all its forms is attracting major attention for all the ways that it can provide services and resolve problems, managing data and information at a scale that is beyond imagination. It is hyped for all its potential and attacked for all the threats that this may represent to society, perhaps leading in the vision of some leading advocates to a technological world where humans are marginalised as passive consumers if not eliminated.

At the moment AI is not profitable, requiring major investments in innovation and digital infrastructure, but monopoly corporations and venture capitalists are not stupid. When profit is the ultimate goal and the end justifies any means, there is a long-standing model in the economy that has been followed again and again. Create a dependence, if not an addiction, sometimes referred to as a market, and then manipulate this to extract maximum wealth.

Think of all the existing examples: the arms industry, narcotic drugs, fossil fuels, gambling, the consumer culture, industrial agriculture, the medical industry and pharmaceuticals, fast fashion, nicotine, alcohol, smart phones, social media, the list is endless. Social media is a good example, where after a period of free use, an industry leader is requiring either you pay a monthly subscription or you agree to surrender all your personal data to their algorithms so that your attention and emotions can be made totally dependent as you are bombarded with irresistible advertising and entrapped in their content designed to make you passive consumers.

Just imagine the power of the AI monopolies when the world is totally dependent on AI warfare, AI commerce, an AI economy, AI politics, AI entertainment, AI governance and administration, AI creativity and invention, AI exploitation of resources, AI colonisation of space, and everything in between. We shall have lost all independence and control, and our wealth will be sucked out of us for the benefit of the few. The human nightmare will be realised.

What is the alternative? AI tools can be really useful in moderation to search and process data at a scale beyond our human capacities. We can see this in environmental monitoring, medical applications and drug creation, for example. This should be developed as a common good and a public service, not just for private profit or political control. Where AI can take over routine or boring work, it should reduce working hours while maintaining employment, so that everyone can benefit, not just industry owners, investors and shareholders. With the rapid pace of AI innovation, AI governance at the global level is urgently required despite the objections of the industry, before it is too late.

Beyond that, a human civilisation must prioritise the fulfilment of the human potential of each of us to refine our characters with justice and dignity while serving others as we contribute to an ever-advancing civilisation. A future economy in moderation should meet basic material needs of all humanity while growing in science, culture, art, values and spirituality. Technology has finally enabled the unity of the human race in all its diversity as we learn to live within the capacity of our planet and its resources.

AI and the Cultivation of Meaning

Reflections by Victoria W. Thoresen on the article: “Beyond skills: Why story will define survival in the AI age” by James Yoonil Auh

In a recent commentary*, James Yoonil Auh focused on a key challenge related to the increased use of artificial intelligence systems. He pointed out that “AI exposes the limitations of human value based on the accumulation of knowledge and skills.”

Auh continues to explain that "We are not merely entering a more advanced knowledge economy. We are entering a state of cognitive abundance. When knowledge becomes abundant, information loses its scarcity value, technical execution becomes increasingly automatable, and competence alone no longer differentiates. In such an environment, the critical question is no longer ‘What can you do?’ but rather ‘What does your work mean, and why does it matter?’"

It is in this context that “an interpretive agency—the ability to assign meaning to events rather than merely processing information about them” becomes essential. Auh states that: “AI systems can simulate the appearance of thought, but they do not inhabit the conditions in which thought acquires consequence. They do not carry stakes, nor do they experience continuity. Human narrative, therefore, becomes the site where meaning is constructed, contested and sustained.” 

While Auh looks primarily at the use of AI in university environments, he also reflects upon the possible impact of AI systems on the world at large. “At the global level, this raises a deeper concern: systems that fail to cultivate meaning may not simply fall behind – they may produce generations equipped to operate systems but not to question or reshape them”… “The individuals who will lead are not those who know the most but those who can situate knowledge within a coherent and compelling narrative of purpose and experience.”

In conclusion, the author reminds us that: “There will always remain a margin that cannot be automated: the space where experience exceeds data, where judgement exceeds calculation, and where meaning exceeds output.”

* James Yoonil Auh is a professor at Kyung Hee Cyber University in South Korea, where he teaches and conducts research on artificial intelligence and global learning systems in higher education. His article entitled: “Beyond skills: Why story will define survival in the AI age” is a commentary that appeared in the University World News on May 6, 2026.

Moving forward together on climate

Six months ago, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion that clearly outlines the responsibilities of nations in safeguarding their peoples and communities against climate change and climate‐related disasters. In March 2026, Vanuatu introduced a UN General Assembly resolution to endorse and operationalise the ICJ decision. This was expected to be more contentious than the previous resolution. The resolution not only welcomes and endorses the ruling but also includes some implementation measures.

The resolution gave the global community an opportunity to stand together in translating that guidance into concrete action. Vanuatu and its partners are fostering an inclusive, collaborative process that welcomes all voices, aiming to turn the Court’s vision into reality and build a resilient future for everyone. The resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 May 2026.

From legal clarity to real-world action

The ICJ has provided clear guidance; the next step is for governments to work together to translate those words into concrete measures. The resolution called on all states to engage in good‐faith cooperation with Vanuatu and the Core Group to craft and adopt the strongest possible action for the planet and for humanity. The Core Group’s diverse membership, including the Pacific, Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe, underscores that this is a truly global concern.

We cannot delay any longer

Climate impacts are accelerating faster than political responses, and no one is spared. The past three years have been the hottest on record, and projections show that the critical 1.5°C threshold has already been exceeded. We can no longer afford to let action stall.

The ICJ advisory opinion offers one of the most pragmatic pathways for the world to cooperate on the climate crisis. It sets out shared rules and responsibilities that can restore confidence in international law and underscores that every nation has a duty to protect the communities already feeling — and continuing to feel — the adverse effects of climate change, wherever they are located.

Backing this resolution strengthens multilateralism at a moment when it is urgently needed. It is more than a symbol of hope; it is a decisive affirmation of our collective commitment to climate justice.

Global cooperation to solve a shared climate crisis

The resolution was presented in the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration. Climate change affects every nation and demands coordinated global action. From Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, the Pacific, and the Europe, the resolution invites all countries to help operationalise the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion.

Three years ago, governments, youth, civil‐society organisations, and frontline communities came together, leading to the historic Climate‐Change Advisory Opinion. Today, we renew that call, urging governments to listen to the voices of their peoples, unite once more, and lead the way forward. The informal sessions currently underway at the UN General Assembly provide a concrete opportunity for the international community to move from rhetoric to real, measurable action.

A time for the world to come together

The resolution testifies to continued cooperation among states even in uncertain moments. It builds on the inclusive collaboration that defined the ICJ Advisory Opinion campaign, a historic effort that achieved unprecedented consensus, broad participation, and genuine solidarity across nations.

SOURCE: Vanuatu Advocacy Package: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sr5ATZsuVGHPkGohAEJJSW7kkXub18K6/view 

IEF supports UN Resolution on Implementing ICJ Advisory Opinion

Following the call of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, the IEF Board voted unanimously to support the United Nations resolution on implementing the ICJ advisory opinion. 
More information about the resolution: https://www.pisfcc.org/icjao-1 

The Global Justice Report has just been released at the World Inequality Conference in Paris 4-6 June 2026. It explores what a just distribution of socioeconomic and environmental resources could look like at the global level from 2026 to 2100 – both between and within countries – in a way that is compatible with planetary boundaries. It provides an alternative to climate breakdown, political extremism and economic tensions.

The report shows how humanity can raise living standards, reduce inequality and keep global heating within a 2°C rise, with a sweeping vision for planetary survival. It offers a set of bold policy proposals, including hefty wealth taxes on billionaires, sharp reductions in working hours, a change in diets away from red meat, and a shift of investment from materially intense sectors, such as industry and mining, to education and health. If these and other measures are taken, the incomes of 89% of the world’s population would double by 2100 and global heating would be restrained. This vision provides a positive alternative to the grim projections from far-right techno extractivists, nationalists and billionaires who claim the future will inevitably bring more fossil fuels, climate disruption and inequality. The broad scope of the report incorporates inequality studies, climate science and proposals for creating a political coalition capable of reforming the world’s financial architecture.

It was prepared by the Global Justice Project (GJP) that aims to provide a platform to stimulate research, policymaking, and citizen engagement to shape a fairer, more democratic and sustainable 21st century. It is a collective research initiative developed by the World Inequality Lab.

Continue reading this article here: https://iefworld.org/index.php/GlobalJusticeReport2026 

SOURCES: https://inequalitylab.world/en/global-justice-project/ 
https://wid.world/document/global-justice-report/ 
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/04/world-inequality-lab-equality-academics-planetary-survival 

In Iceland, a reforestation group is restoring a parcel of land called “Skógar” (or “forests”). It is both an historic and treasured site in Iceland. It was the location where, in the 9th century and beyond, tribal chiefs of the early settlers met to resolve disputes and discuss other issues. It is also the site where Matthias Jochumsson, the Poet-Laureate of Iceland, was born.

A nephew of Matthias Jochumsson, Jochum Eggertsson, famous in his own right, was known as a writer, poet, translator, amateur archaeologist and more. Jochum, too, had a great interest in Skógar, and in 1950 was able to purchase the land. He wanted to develop the land through reforestation. The area Jochum chose, because of its historic background and his family ties to it, was at that time isolated and the weather conditions were formidable. He worked alone, living in a small hut on the land, in the isolated northwest corner of Iceland, starting the replanting process as the first step in the effort to regrow the depleted forests. At that time only a handful of people in the country saw any meaning in what he was doing. This is reminiscent of the Man of the Trees, Richard St. Barbe Baker, who himself did not tread the common road.

The hut at Skógar

Jochum was one of the early members of the Baha’i Community in Iceland. Prior to his passing in 1966, he endowed the property at Skogar to the Baha’i Community with the stipulation that his reforestation efforts would be continued.

Continue reading this article and seeing more pictures here: https://iefworld.org/Iceland_reforestation 

Spiritual Exploration of Possible Pathways for Providing Energy Security for All

The G20 Interfaith Forum Environment Working Group, in which IEF participates actively, co-organised an excellent webinar on "Spiritual Exploration of Possible Pathways for Providing Energy Security for All" on 4 June 2026.

The recording of the livestream is available on YouTube: https://bit.ly/pathways-energy-security-youtube 

For decades, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its growth have been treated as the closest thing the world has to a measure of progress. Yet GDP growth has coexisted with persistent inequality, environmental degradation, and declining trust in public institutions. GDP is an indispensable measure of economic activity, but it was never designed to capture the full range of outcomes that shape people’s lives. We have come to expect answers from it that it was never designed to give.

This report is a response to that gap. In May 2025, the Secretary-General appointed an independent High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP to develop recommendations for a limited set of country-owned, universally applicable indicators of sustainable development that complement and go beyond GDP. This represents the first time the United Nations has developed a proposal of this nature explicitly in response to a request from Member States. The Group’s response draws on decades of research and on national and international efforts to measure progress, including work undertaken in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting convergence of past and ongoing initiatives. It proposes global norms for measuring progress beyond GDP, and a clear, practical implementation agenda: a conceptual framework, a dashboard of indicators, avenues for future headline indicators, and priorities for statistical development, research, and national uptake.

At the heart of the framework lies the well-being of people and planet under one organizing principle: that progress means equitable, inclusive, and sustainable well-being. It is multidimensional and intergenerational in scope, recognizing that well-being depends on economic, social, institutional, and environmental conditions — and on how sustainable those conditions are over time.

Continue reading the report here: https://iefworld.org/beyondGDP2026 

The loss of sea ice over the last two decades has triggered an irreversible chemical shift in the Arctic Ocean. By exposing shallow coastal waters to intense sunlight, the melting ice has accelerated a process that destroys nitrate, the foundational fertiliser required for marine life to survive.

This suggests the Arctic passed a critical ecological tipping point in 2009. The resulting nutrient famine is already affecting the whole Arctic food chain, threatening everything from microscopic plankton to commercial fish stocks, seabirds, and marine mammals.

20 years of oceanographic data collected from the Fram Strait where Arctic waters drain into the North Atlantic show that the extensive loss of sea ice has increased a process known as benthic denitrification on the shallow continental shelves that underlie nearly half of the Arctic Ocean. When ice disappears, increased sunlight triggers temporary algae blooms. As this organic matter dies and sinks to the shallow seafloor, it depletes oxygen in the sediment. In these oxygen-poor environments, marine microbes consume nitrate and convert it into inert nitrogen gas, removing it from the marine ecosystem entirely.

This shift to nitrate-limited conditions suggests the Arctic Ocean may only be able to support smaller, less nutritious species of plankton in the future, starving the upper tiers of the food chain. Because this shift is tied to systemic, ongoing ice loss, it is highly unlikely the Arctic Ocean will ever revert to its previous state.

Further research will need to explore the possible wider effects that changes in Arctic waters could have on marine populations in other parts of the world’s oceans, including commercial fishing in the North Atlantic.

SOURCE: based on Eva Cahill, https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/arctic-ocean-passes-irreversible-chemical-tipping-point/

Climate, Crisis, and Courage – a Podcast Series

The Climate Security Mechanism at the United Nations and the UN System Staff College, with the support of Berghof Foundation, are launching Climate, Crisis, and Courage, a limited podcast series that brings the realities of climate-related security risks to life.

Climate, Crisis, and Courage is designed as a high-impact, human-centred product that brings out real-world stories from the affected context, highlights connections across climate and peace, and showcases practitioner and community voices.

At its heart, this podcast tells the stories of climate, peace and security from the perspective of those living and working where the impacts are felt every day. Listeners will hear directly from advisors, practitioners, local partners and community voices, about how climate stressors disrupt livelihoods, fuel tensions, or drive migration – and how communities are finding ways to adapt, prevent conflict, and build peace.

These are the topics of the first three episodes:
South Sudan: Floods, Conflict, and Finding Higher Ground
From Islands to Highlands : Climate, Identity, and Security in the Pacific 
Haiti: Resilience Amid Gang Violence and Climate Shocks

For more information, go here: https://www.un.org/climatesecuritymechanism/en/climate-crisis-and-courage-un-podcast