A new study reveals that civil servants, like citizens, do not uniformly recognize and oppose political attacks on liberal democracy. How they view such attacks and respond depends heavily on their social and political affiliation. Civil servants who recognize politicians’ actions as undermining democratic norms are more likely to withdraw—by resigning or reducing engagement—while others, aligned with the governing politicians, may see no problem, stay, and willingly cooperate. As a result, over time—especially under prolonged political pressure—the civil service may become less politically diverse, not only due to top-down politicization, but through patterns of voluntary exit and disengagement. This increases the incentive of subsequent governments to replace career civil servants with political appointees.

A new paper by members of Earth4All’s scientific advisory team published today in Global Sustainability models two starkly different futures for humanity this century: one defined by escalating crises compounded by rising social tension, the other by a bold transformation towards wellbeing for all.  The findings emphasise the importance of considering wellbeing and social cohesion when studying how planetary risks, inequality and social tensions interact. 

Can cities continue to grow without destroying the planet? A new study from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Spain, offers insight into this complex issue. While there is no general answer to the question of whether sustainable urban growth is possible, as it depends on local physical conditions and development levels, what is clear is that continued urban growth is not desirable everywhere. More sustainability will require rigorous planning, effective governance, and a critical reassessment of dominant development narratives.