1

Rethinking globalisation in the lightof Contraction and CONVERGEnce

Kristin Vala RagnarsdottirUniversity of Icelandwww.convergeproject.orgBalaton Group Meeting, September 20-25, 2012

The Converge Project

• How, given the current situation, do we today manage and allocate Earth's limited resources so the projected global population of 9 billion people in 2050, and their offspring, will flourish – sustainably?

• Equity within biophysical planetary boundaries – by way of convergence

2

Convergence

ConvergingDiverging

Contracting – living within limits

Expanding – disregarding limits

Transitions

Equality & Frugality

Inequality & Profligacy

All initiatives – Initiatives Map

Green Dependent

Community Engagement vs Social Movements

5

M1 = Dissemination of information to the publicM2 = Collection of information from the publicM3 = Knowledge & energy exchange for collaborationM4a = Shallow behaviour changeM4b = Deep behaviour change

Rowe & Frewer; McKenzie-Mohr; Stern

Level of Citizen Engagement & Ownership

Level of Complexity & Systemic Focus

Not fight a change

Support a change

Coordinate progress toward a goal

Develop new social norms

Mechanism for Community Engagement

M1 always present, M2 should also be present, M4a may be present

M1 & M2 always present, M3 should be present, M4a may be present

M1 & M4b might be present, M2 & M3 are present

M3 most strongly present, M1, M2 & M4b may be present

Community Engagements

Social Movements

Engagement Variability

The Natural Step

Unit of Influence & Boundaries of Context

6

Unit of influence

Cases

Individuals Bakor, SCAD, Greenways

Institutions LCSW, Eco-SchoolsKony 2012

Society/ Community

Håga, Totnes, Wekerle

Boundaries of context

Cases

Geographic LCSW, Håga, Totnes, Wekerle

Issues of a population

Eco-Schools, Greenways, SCAD

Global Bakor, Occupy, 350

Engagement Variability

The Natural Step

The Converge Framework – Principles

• Convergence for sustainability is the progress towards equal opportunities for all people, within biophysical planetary boundaries1. In a converging society, every global citizen has the

right to a fair share of the Earth’s biocapacity and social resources, to enable him or her to live a fulfilling life

2. A converging society uses its resources efficiently, recognizing the critical value of services from natural systems and limiting its harmful impacts upon them. It recognizes interdependence amongst human societies and between human societies and nature

3. A converging society invests positively in human, social and environmental resources; and cares for them, maintains them and restores

7

CONVERGE approach

• Contraction and ConvergenceTM, Converging World• Planetary boundaries, Ecological footprints, Resource

depletion• Systems thinking, analysis, dynamics (CLDs)• The Natural Step• AtKisson compass• Action research, World Café, stakeholder involvement

• Focus on food security

The Framework tested – communities

• Full study

– Iceland– Bristol, UK– India: SCAD

9

• Framework introduction

– Lund, Sweden– Gödöllö, Hungary

10

Food value chain

Stakeholder choice

11

Food system group modelling in Iceland

• Mostly women…•

14

Group modelling in Bristol

The Framework tested – Causal Loop Diagram

15

16

Some preliminary results - Iceland

• Sustainability education for all• Systems thinking at national level• Link fish farming/geothermal heat/vegetable growing• Make a disaster plan for Iceland• Foster collabaration between

private/academia/government/academia• Establish a seed bank• R&D for more food diversity• Prepare for oil free society• Produce organic fertiliser (use fish bones)• Stop government corruption

Bristol preliminary results

• Raise awareness to affect behaviour• Buy British and local• Use leisure time to cook• Reduce oil dependency – bike delivery – use

biofuels• Reduce food waste• Stop supermarket tax avoidance• Stop corruption

21

What has worked and what has not?

• What has worked• Include people from all

aspects of food industry• Mapping of the food

system

• Networking

• What has not worked• The issue of planetary

boundaries and social equity not at the core of participants thinking

Thank you!

Engage with uswww.convergeproject.org

We are also on Facebook