Dr Stanislav Shmelev (Cohort 12) has edited a book on sustainability that is due to be published at the end of January. Sustainability Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Approach is the result of collective reflection by an international group of academics from Canada, France, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. The book explores the major actors, paradigms and ideologies in sustainable development, employing novel approaches such as linguistic and discourse analysis as well as simulation games and the psychology of ecological consciousness to provide an important contribution to the environmental policy field. More information can be found here.

Mark Botomani (Cohort 16) and a number of other Cohort 16 Fellows from Southern and Eastern Africa have organised a tree planting programme in Lilongwe, Malawi. The planting ceremony took place on December 17 with the support of the Lilongwe City Council, which identified a site and provided the seedlings for free. The group's interaction with the Council was facilitated by LEAD Fellow Allan Kwanjan, a Council employee, and they also engaged with a youth group from a deprived area of the City. The group hopes that similar events can be organised across Africa and Mark plans to contact LEAD Fellows about this in the future.

Larisa Cupcea (Cohort 12) and Andrei Isac (Cohort 6) are involved in the national process of preparation for Rio+20 in the Republic of Moldova. The preparation process was officially launched in November 2011 and will include the creation of a platform for the promotion and integration of sustainable development principles in all social-economic sectors, a communications campaign and a National Report for the UN Conference. More information can be found here.