24 of the top economic, development and sustainability specialists from around the world will meet at Schumacher College for a weekend think tank between November 14 – 18 to discuss the future of global economics, ecology and equity.
There are two aims for the weekend activities. Firstly, to agree the key components of an economic system that would contribute to social justice, environmental sustainability, poverty elimination and stability at a time of economic challenge.
The second aim is to establish practical ways and means of starting the process of economic change that will engage social and corporate sectors across the globe. It is envisaged that there will be a series of practical actions, which the group will take forward in the coming months. The aim is to have a follow-up think tank next year to take the plans to the next stage.
Contributors include a wide range of influential thinkers from around the world such as Juliet Schor (author of The Overworked American), Bernard Lietaer (Research Fellow at the Center for Sustainable Resources of the University of California at Berkeley), Vandana Shiva (author and activist and founder of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology), Manfred Max Neef (author of From the Outside Looking in: Experiences in Barefoot Economics).
Andrew Simms, Policy Director and head of the Climate Change programme at The New Economics Foundation says: ‘There are endless proposals intended to shore-up our shaky global economy and make it less environmentally damaging – but policy tweaks are not going to avert the current crises of climate change and meeting real human needs. One look at the scientific consensus is enough to see that we face paradigm shift or bust. The gathering at Schumacher College represents a very rare convergence of the skills and vision that might, actually, be able to design a shift on the scale needed. We’re at a crossroads. Down the current path lies an economics of ‘get rich quick for the few, stay poor long for the many.’ This meeting is about charting a route towards a real well being for all that respects nature’s limits.’
Participants of the Think Tank have already been contributing to the advance planning and agenda through a dedicated on-line discussion. The Think Tank is one of several influential meetings taking place all over the world to address the major issues of sustainability. As part of connecting to the wider agenda, there will be a session broadcast via a live video link-up between Schumacher College and Be the Change conference in London on Friday 16 November.
Karen Blincoe, Director of Schumacher College says: ‘The College is very proud to be hosting this remarkable event. We have a long history of welcoming world famous teachers and speakers on subjects around economics. This is the next stage, to bring them together to create the beginnings of a lasting strategy.’
Satish Kumar, Programme Director at Schumacher College and Editor of Resurgence Magazine is chairing the event: ‘Since the time of E. F. Schumacher the themes he discussed in Small is Beautiful have expanded. The concerns for the planet and society more than ever demand an economic system that really works. An alternative system – a mixture of the old and the new economics is our way forward.’
