The global development landscape is being reshaped by shifts in aid modalities, donor practices and geopolitical relations, combined with increasingly assertive calls for decolonisation, localisation and climate justice. These shifts are evident across different regions, from Africa’s push for greater autonomy in development projects to Asia’s rapid technological advancements and the Pacific’s strong emphasis on indigenous knowledge, traditional practices, and environmental conservation. At the same time, anthropogenic pressures, a changing climate, and biodiversity loss are altering people’s relationships with their environments, creating both challenges and opportunities for communities in the Global South. These challenges are arguably particularly acute in hazard-prone areas, or those where communities have a high dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods.

Amidst these shifts in the landscapes of development policy and practice, there is no doubt that there are innovative and context-specific approaches emerging that seek to enhance social inclusion, foster resilience, and create new mechanisms for locally-led approaches, community engagement, and the realignment of partner relations. For example, in the Pacific Islands, traditional knowledge is being integrated with modern science to build climate resilience. Initiatives like community-based disaster risk reduction programs across Asia demonstrate the potential for locally-led solutions to foster resilience and sustainable development.

This conference seeks to explore these emerging trends and their implications for development theory and practice. Devnet 2024 seeks participants interested in engaging with these shifting landscapes of development using innovative presentation sessions, roundtables, and dialogues. Participants from different geographical regions and different areas of development practice, theory, positions, and education are invited to share their experiences and insights, fostering an international conversation on the future of development.