Our world is falling apart, quite literally. We are experiencing a cluster of unprecedented challenges, including: climate breakdown, environmental degradation, loss of species and eco-systems, and increasing resource scarcity – together with a range of societal problems, including rising poverty and inequality, job insecurity and unemployment, along with the breakdown of communities – all of which mean our current way of life is no longer sustainable, or enjoyable.
The ways in which our economies operate are at root of all these problems. Our economies are designed and configured on an outdated, dysfunctional, and wasteful paradigm – underpinned by over-consumption, and the exploitation of people and the natural world. We desperately need new models to enable us to live, work, and play within planetary and societal boundaries – and, to generate long-term, shared prosperity.
There is good news. Thankfully, there is so much good work, already going on, around the world, involving thousands of initiatives and movements; whether focused on dealing with specific issues, or developing complete new and radical designs for more sustainable economies – there is much cause for optimism.
Yet, we need to spread greater levels of awareness, at all levels of society, and to help accelerate adoption and implementation of the best solutions for change. Building a New Consensus is an exciting new project that picks up this challenge – watch this space for further details through 2020!