VIDEOS
A collection of useful video clips and webinars
Many messages are better communicated through videos rather than through text. The IEF has even used them as virtual contributions to its events, saving the environmental impacts of travel. The IEF is collecting video clips that may be useful to its members and others. If you have videos to propose on IEF topics, please send them to info@iefworld.org.
IEF WEBINAR SERIES
Recordings of Past Webinars:
IEF play list: https://tinyurl.com/7p09o73q
Deforestation â interconnected Causes and Solutions
Michael Richards presented the 5th IEF Lecture on 24 April 2021. This talk presents a personal view of the causes of, and solutions to, tropical deforestation. Following a brief review of the environmental, social and economic importance of forests, I look at the main causes of deforestation and forest degradation, both the direct or immediate drivers and the underlying causes. Most of these are values or consumer education-related. But some, like those associated with poverty drivers, are more nuanced. I will then look at some of the main international strategies that have been promoted to counteract deforestation. The presentation particularly explores the âwin-winâ potential of a ârights-basedâ approach that involves supporting the land rights and forest management practices of forest-dependent communities, especially indigenous peoples. Ultimately, any effective and durable solution comes back to global governance and the values that underpin it.
Dr. Michael Richardsâ article âDeforestation â What is Causing it and How can we Prevent it?â was published in the September 2014 issues of IEF Leaves https://iefworld.org/newslt63 and is also available here: https://everlastingearth.box.com/v/Richards-Deforestation
Discourse: A Bahaâi Perspective
The fourth lecture on 27 March 2021 was presented by Dr. Stephen Friberg. The Universal House of Justice has asked the Baha'i community to engage in the discourses of society. Discourse, along with social action, is one of the ways that we can apply good and transformative ideas to change and improve society. It is the action component of our activities and where the rubber hits the road for learning and being involved in our communities, towns, places of work, and our professional spaces. What is discourse, why are we being asked to participate in it, and how do we do it? This presentation and discussion addressed these questions, with a focus on discourse applied to environmental issues.
Building Capacity in Undergraduate Engineering Students to Deal with Climate Change
Prof. Rafael Shayani of Brazil presented the third IEF Lecture 20 February 2021. The fact that the energy system has been practically the same since its inception is partly related to the traditional training that engineering students receive at universities. In order for the energy sector to be able to align itself with the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, students graduating from universities need to have studied these issues - but in most cases they have not. Even though engineering is a traditional and important profession for ensuring the growth of infrastructure within a country, there is a need to modernize university programs so as to train professionals with new capabilities required by current demands. Students often choose engineering programs because they want to help society progress. By understanding environmental and social issues that predominate in our world, students will be properly prepared to address the challenges most important today. Dr. Shayaniâs wrote an article on this topic for IEF, it can be found here.
Exploring Barriers to Justice and Sustainability in Economic Systems:
Discussion on Root Causes and Potential Remedies
Dr. Joachim Monkelbaan presented the second lecture in the IEF Lecture series on Saturday 23 January 2021. We are at a critical juncture a s we face a growing number of global challenges that we can remedy if we act boldly and in unity. Many of those challenges, including climate change and inequality, have economic root causes. On this basis, the questions at the heart of this piece are the following:
Which challenges is the world facing?
What are the root causes of those challenges?
What could be some remedies for addressing the root causes (including concepts such as circular economy, doughnut economics, green deals, and indicators of success that go beyond GDP)?
What opportunities does the pandemic and its aftermath offer for making the economic systems more just, sustainable, and resilient?
Global Governance and Sustainability
IEF webinar by Dr. Arthur Dahl on 6 December 2020 (1 hour 21 minutes).
Arthur Dahl reviews environmental challenges like climate change that can only be governed at the global level, summarizes reflections by the BahĂĄ'Ă International Community on governance befitting the 21st century, and describes proposals to reform the United Nations to give it the capacity to help the world transition to sustainability.
SUBJECTS
BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (SDG15)
by Laurent Mesbah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz4VCM97bjI (16:43 minutes) INTRODUCTION
Professor Laurent Mesbah of the American University in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, explores our scientific and aesthetic ties with nature, and the lessons we learn from the rich biodiversity of the natural world (2018).
CLIMATE CHANGE
Realizing Ambition through Ethical, Intergenerational and Multisectoral Responses to Climate Crises (1:24:18 hours)
BahĂĄ'Ă International Community co-sponsored event at UN Climate Change COP27 in Egypt. Making the leap from science to policy requires centering human values over short-term gains. Featuring diverse stakeholders, this event addresses root causes of climate crises and highlights collaborative actions based on ethics, values and integrity that result in innovative and durable solutions. Speakers: Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, H.E. Mr. Bakoa Kaltongga, Mr. Daniel Perell, H.E. Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa,; H.E. Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Bishop Julio Murray Thompson, Ms. Amal Sarah, Ms. Aouf Saida, Dharma Master Ms. De Yuan, Ms. Bani Dugal (9 November 2022).
Sustainable forestry in DR Congo (SDG15)
by John Kendall https://youtu.be/LWsGfOlpqxY (13 minutes) INTRODUCTION
Canadian forester John Kendall makes the case that a high level of community transformation is necessary for REDD+ (forest management for carbon sequestration) to deliver on climate change and SDG 15 objectives. He uses his Mai Ndombe REDD+ project in the DRC as a case study in community engagement (2018).
COMMUNITY
Tanna: A Study in Leadership and Action
BahĂĄ'Ă International Community video narrated by IEF member Willie Missack, showing how a junior youth project to create a fishing reserve on the coral reef of the island of Tanna in Vanuatu built unity in the community and brought back fishing resources previously over-exploited (2022) (13.25 minutes).
CONSUMPTION
Responsible consumption and production (SDG12)
by Arthur Dahl, International Environment Forum, at https://youtu.be/i8TQh-ZZovs (10 minutes) FULL TEXT
Dr. Arthur Lyon Dahl, International Environment Forum, who has worked for half a century on sustainability issues, explores the deeper meaning of our consumption and production behaviour (2018).
How can we reduce excessive consumption? (SDG12)
by Christine Muller https://youtu.be/dM4bxwJ66sc (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Christine Muller of the International Environment Forum helps us to address the challenge of reducing our excessive consumption (2018).
DISASTER RESILIENCE
Tanna after Cyclone Pam
The island of Tanna in Vanuatu was devastated by Cyclone Pam in early 2015, one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded. The community building process in the Baha'i community gave them the resilience to rebuild after the cyclone. (10:46 minutes)
ECOLOGY
Le défi de l'écologie: Le point de vue de la foi baha'ie
Arthur Dahl recorded at Luxembourg Baha'i Centre on 30 May 2013 (in French) (1 hour)
ECONOMY
The Economy of Nature - learning from nature about better economic systems
Webinar by Arthur Dahl for the Economics Special Interest Group of the Association for BahĂĄ'Ă Studies - United Kingdom, and ebbf - Ethical Business Building the Future, on 20 December 2020 (23 minutes) and questions and answers (30 minutes).
ENERGY
The role of spirituality in creating new social and environmental sustainability mindsets: The need of a new energy paradigm
by Prof. Rafael Amaral Shayani from the Universidade de BrasĂlia (2019)
The challenges that a renewable energy matrix bring to the academic world (SDG 7)
by Rafael Shayani, Universidade de BrasĂlia, at https://youtu.be/HfqyrHlhpzs (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Prof. Rafael Amaral Shayani, Universidade de BrasĂlia, Departamento de Engenharia ElĂ©trica, LaboratĂłrio de Fontes RenovĂĄveis de Energia, discusses the need for broader education for energy planners (2018).
GOVERNANCE
Global Governance and Sustainability
IEF webinar by Dr. Arthur Dahl at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5caXBN_lck on 6 December 2020 (1 hour 21 minutes).
Arthur Dahl reviews environmental challenges like climate change that can only be governed at the global level, summarizes reflections by the BahĂĄ'Ă International Community on governance befitting the 21st century, and describes proposals to reform the United Nations to give it the capacity to help the world transition to sustainability.
Les Principes de Gouvernance du point de vue baha'i
Arthur Dahl recorded at Luxembourg Baha'i Centre in 2013 (in French): Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwaPPQRs31w (one hour) Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVg2XvkctRc (50 minutes)
HEALTH
Planetary health promotion
by Dr. Mojgan Sami from the University of California, a contribution to the World Conference on Health Promotion (2019).
SUSTAINABILITY
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Blueprint to Achieve a Better and More Sustainable World
Presentation by Arthur Dahl for Science Alliance for Valuing the Environment (SAVE), Ohio, USA, 16 March 2021 (1 hour)
Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies
by Arthur Dahl at https://youtu.be/lox_vzhsLBo (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Dr. Arthur Lyon Dahl, President of the International Environment Forum, and a retired senior official of UN Environment, comments on the overall theme of the 2018 UN High Level Political Forum.
Navigating the Storm: The Transition to Sustainability
Web talk by Arthur Dahl for the Wilmette Institute, 6 September 2015
also available as a presentation pdf version (1.1mb)
WATER
Water, Sanitation and Freshwater Ecosystems: Challenges in Tanzania (SDG 6)
by Mark Griffin at https://youtu.be/c-nNQb1e2f4 (11:30 minutes) FULL TEXT
Mark Griffin explores the multiple difficulties involved in trying to provide a school in rural Tanzania with a safe and reliable water supply (2018).
BAHA'I FAITH AND ENVIRONMENT
How can humanity live in harmony with the planet?
A BahĂĄ'Ă World News Service report on the BahĂĄ'Ă approach to the serious environmental problems we are facing (February 2020).
Baha'is Today - Jennifer Anderson
Nadia Etemad welcomes Jennifer Anderson (Executive Director, Trellis for Tomorrow) to discuss environmental sustainability, non-profit consortiums, and how environmental work intersects with her Bahaâi faith (23 January 2020).
Perspectives: One Common Homeland
Some people subscribe to the notion that societal change needs to be radical, revolutionary, or even violent. But change may require only a shift in world view. Carl Murrell, Principal United Nations Representative for The Bahaâis of the United States, talks about the Earth Summit in 1992. Produced by Baha'is of the United States, 20 December 2016.
Israel: The Bahaâi World Centre
The Bahaâi World Centre in Haifa, Israel, is the spiritual and administrative centre where pilgrims who travel here from all around the world visit the Shrine of the Bab. The architecture is a magnificent blend of East and West and the Hanging Gardens comprise 19 terraces that spread from the crest to the foot of Mt. Carmel. It combines the latest in environmental and irrigation technology, vital in a country where water is scarce. (23 June 2015)
The Baha'i International Community's Approach to Sustainable Development
Representatives of the Baha'i International Community's United Nations Office, Daniel Perell, Ming Hwee Chong and Julia Berger, discuss how their work to advance sustainable development relies upon the identification and application of spiritual principles (e.g. trusteeship, generosity, trustworthiness, love, empathy, compassion) and the fostering of genuine consultation (a process of collective, non-adversarial decision making), among diverse players on key contemporary issues. Reaching consensus at the international level can directly influence progress at the local level. Produced by Baha'is of the United States, 19 June 2014.
Eco-camp connects love of nature and the Baha'i teachings
After studying Baha'i materials for organizing children's classes, a group of youth started an eco-camp which has evolved into an annual program that has helped hundreds of children, junior youth (ages 12-14) and their families to deepen their love of nature and the Baha'i teachings (with former IEF board member Peter Adriance). Produced by Baha'is of the United States, 17 April 2014
Christine Muller, a Baha'i, shares her views on the Preach-In on Climate Change
IEF General Secretary Christine Muller, a Baha'i who serves on the Rhode Island state board of Interfaith Power and Light (IPL), offers insights on the role of faith communities in the climate issue and opportunities presented by IPL's Preach-In on Climate Change. 16 January 2014.
Spiritual foundations for Sustainability
A presentation by Edwin Humphries at the "Environmental Ethics" forum, organised by the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change at the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus, Sunday 9 October 2011.
International Environment Forum 15th Annual Conference
In an interview, Dr. Arthur Dahl (President of International Environment Forum) discusses the motivations for the international conference, âEthical Responses to Climate Change: Individual, Community, and Institutionsâ held at the BahĂĄâĂ Centre of Learning for Tasmania on 10-11 December 2011.
EVENTS
23rd IEF Conference in New Zealand in 2019
Planetary health promotion
by Dr. Mojgan Sami from the University of California, a contribution to the World Conference on Health Promotion.
The role of spirituality in creating new social and environmental sustainability mindsets: The need of a new energy paradigm
by Prof. Rafael Amaral Shayani from the Universidade de BrasĂlia
The 22nd IEF Conference in New York in 2018 featured an IEF PANEL ON YOUR SMARTPHONE for the UN High Level Political Forum on sustainable development.
Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies
by Arthur Dahl at https://youtu.be/lox_vzhsLBo (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Dr. Arthur Lyon Dahl, President of the International Environment Forum, and a retired senior official of UN Environment, comments on the overall theme of the 2018 UN High Level Political Forum.
Water, Sanitation and Freshwater Ecosystems: Challenges in Tanzania (SDG 6)
by Mark Griffin at https://youtu.be/c-nNQb1e2f4 (11:30 minutes) FULL TEXT
Mark Griffin explores the multiple difficulties involved in trying to provide a school in rural Tanzania with a safe and reliable water supply.
The challenges that a renewable energy matrix bring to the academic world (SDG 7)
by Rafael Shayani, Universidade de BrasĂlia, at https://youtu.be/HfqyrHlhpzs (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Prof. Rafael Amaral Shayani, Universidade de BrasĂlia, Departamento de Engenharia ElĂ©trica, LaboratĂłrio de Fontes RenovĂĄveis de Energia, discusses the need for broader education for energy planners.
Responsible consumption and production (SDG12)
by Arthur Dahl, International Environment Forum, at https://youtu.be/i8TQh-ZZovs (10 minutes) FULL TEXT
Dr. Arthur Lyon Dahl, International Environment Forum, who has worked for half a century on sustainability issues, explores the deeper meaning of our consumption and production behaviour.
How can we reduce excessive consumption? (SDG12)
by Christine Muller https://youtu.be/dM4bxwJ66sc (8 minutes) FULL TEXT
Christine Muller of the International Environment Forum helps us to address the challenge of reducing our excessive consumption.
Sustainable forestry in DR Congo (SDG15)
by John Kendall https://youtu.be/LWsGfOlpqxY (13 minutes) INTRODUCTION
Canadian forester John Kendall makes the case that a high level of community transformation is necessary for REDD+ (forest management for carbon sequestration) to deliver on climate change and SDG 15 objectives. He uses his Mai Ndombe REDD+ project in the DRC as a case study in community engagement.
Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (SDG15)
by Laurent Mesbah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz4VCM97bjI (16:43 minutes) INTRODUCTION
Professor Laurent Mesbah of the American University in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, explores our scientific and aesthetic ties with nature, and the lessons we learn from the rich biodiversity of the natural world.
IEF 15th Annual Conference, Hobart, Tasmania, 23 March 2012
In an interview, Dr. Arthur Dahl (President of International Environment Forum) discusses the motivations for the international conference, âEthical Responses to Climate Change: Individual, Community, and Institutionsâ held at the BahĂĄâĂ Centre of Learning for Tasmania on 10-11 December 2011.
Last updated 13 November 2022