As of March 2026, this website is no longer being updated. I now work mainly on climate issues, especially in Brighton and Hove, and new work can be found on the website of Climate:Change, our independent think-tank on socially inclusive action in the City: www.climatechangebh.org.uk.
Meanwhile, however, this website has over 850 entries, mostly representing my work on international development from 2010-2025. Among much else, there are over 50 book reviews, more than 20 papers and training cases on bridging research and policy and on managing think-tanks, nearly 100 articles on climate change, and many papers on other topics, including aid, food security and nutrition, and the future of international development. See ‘Topics and Themes’ for more details. I can be reached at sm@simonmaxwell.net.
Now Europe has a chance of global leadership on development policy
Now Europe has a chance of global leadership on development policy, Europe's World, Spring 2007
The EU’s new emphasis on “human security” is designed to prevent development policy being swamped by terrorism concerns. But it could yet divert spending away from poverty alleviation into peace-keeping, warns Simon Maxwell, who heads the UK’s Overseas Development Institute. The good news, though, is that he also sees a new leadership opportunity for the EUEuropean Union in development policy.
A significant shift is taking place in world affairs that offers the EUEuropean Union a new leadership opportunity in development policy. But, there are also risks involved, notably when it comes to the challenge of world poverty. The shift in question is rooted in changes to the global economy and the global agenda. These are moving the debate from national-level poverty reduction strategies to a new conversation about global policymaking for global problems................. (see link in title for full article)