David Harland, the director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, speaking at the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, on 30 October 2025. (Marc Bader/ BSCC)

International norms and fried eggs: David Harland on the new realities of stopping wars. New forms of diplomacy are emerging to respond to a world where the rules-based system of the last 80 years, enshrined in the UN charter, is crumbling, says the director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

✊ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRACY. Some 48 countries party to the Aarhus convention – a UN pact guaranteeing public access to information, participation and justice on environmental matters – will gather this week in Geneva just as civic space contracts and governments wobble on climate promises, even while negotiators grind through climate talks in Belém.

Aarhus under strain. Once hailed by Kofi Annan as the “most ambitious venture in environmental democracy”, the Aarhus Convention also faces a stress test. Against the backdrop of the UN’s worsening financial troubles, delegates will clash over whether to strengthen its accountability machinery or give in to governments portraying environmental activism as an economic nuisance.

They are also set to decide on 22 cases challenging states’ adherence to the agreement, covering mining, energy and extraction.

Francesca Mingrone of the Center for International Environmental Law urged governments to “defend – not dilute – the integrity” of the agreement.

Who protects the protectors? Another decision that may be cause for contention, countries will decide whether to renew the mandate of the special rapporteur for environmental defenders – created in 2021 to fast-track protection amid rising violence and intimidation.

When we spoke to Michel Forst three years ago as he stepped into the role, Belarus, where Lukashenko’s regime was tearing through environmental NGOs, dominated his concerns.

The docket has since expanded to include the likes of the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Sweden, where climate and environment activists increasingly face legal crackdowns.

Milestone. After two decades in limbo, an amendment giving the public a voice on marketing and releasing GMOs into the environment entered entered into force in April, after Ukraine’s ratification pushed it over the line – a win for transparency for the convention under pressure.

👷🏼ILO MEETS AMID SOCIAL BACKSLIDING. The International Labour Organization’s governing body will also convene over the next weeks in Geneva.

On the official agenda. Countries will take stock of the Doha summit for social development, held in early November, where countries recommitted to eradicating poverty, expanding employment opportunities and boosting social inclusion – even as progress in these three areas shows signs of backsliding.

They will also hear an update on the global coalition for social justice and about abuses of labour rights in Myanmar, Ukraine, Belarus and Venezuela, alongside complaints against Chile, Guatemala and Saudi Arabia.

Behind the scenes. A standoff is brewing after the ILO froze the appointment of a US national to a senior post earlier this month, amid the US withholding its dues and publicly criticising the agency.

– Michelle Langrand