Druckversion in Deutsch : : : printable version in English
Content meets communication and business on September 28-30 in Salzburg
Many organization and fora worldwide have collected reports and insights into the world's most pressing problems from very different points of view. We need this diversion, yet to fully function, we all need to work together. The most important question is how we can connect as many people as possible so that their knowledge and experience is greater than the individual's experiences and make those important for the general public? We do not necessarily need new solutions but need to communicate those existing solutions better and start to act.
The World Commons Forum wants to act as a platform where content meets communication and business. This kind of new, joint platform will give rise to many new projects and campaigns to fully communicate those existing solutions anew and make them feasible and fundable for the public.
The following workshops are planned:
Campaigns
Stop talking. Start planting!
350.org
tck! tck! tck!
Global Observatory Project
Invitation to Global Spirituality
Once a week without meat
Content
Eco-Social Market Economy
Future of the Commons
Plant-for-the-Planet-Academy
Redesign ECOSOC
Innovations
Desertec
New Mobility
Index of Global Organizations
Utilize collective intelligence
ThinkCamp
2039 - Our Earth
Institutionalization of Global Commons
Coalition for the Global Commons
Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation
"Sustainable Forum for Leaders"
The conference is at the invitation of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation, HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan and the State of Salzburg. On September 29th and 30th we will be holding the conference at the Ressidenz in Salzburg.
If you or your organization stem from those areas listed and want to participate at the conference, you can apply at www.world-commons-forum.org/apply. Please note that the official language is English and translations are not catered for.
Spaces are limited, thus please apply until September 1st, 2009. You will then be notified. Your password for the application is: globalmarshallplan.
successful interim results in Bavaria
The initiative Global Marshall Plan - support by the Bavarian Parliament that was started on 14.4.2009 was able to report its first successful interim results. On Wednesday the 29th of July 2009, a delegation of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative and Ecosocial Forum Germany met with Erwin Huber, CSU Boardmember and Head of the Standing Committee on Industry and Trade for a talk in Munich. Other participants were representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Economy, Infrastructure, Family and Women, Labour, Health and Environment and many more.
The invitation was extended by Christopher Kagerbauer, supporter of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative and an active member of the working group supporters of the Global Marshall Plan by the Bavarian Parliament.
This working group as well as the Ecosocial Forum Germany aims to integrated an ecosocial market economy into the Bavarian Parliament’s objectives.
Felix presents Plant-for-the-Planet at the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva and at the Tällberg Forum in Sweden.
Ruthie Gospin and Felix then presented Plant-for-the-Planet at the Caux Forum at the Conference on Human Security attended by over 400 representatives from over 30 countries. The host Georffy Lean, Editor of the Daily Telegraph promised to suppport the children. Rajmohan Gandhi repeated his grandfather's famous quote: "Be the change you want to see in the world" and promisetd to also support the children. Riek Machar, Teny Dhurgon, Vicepresident of the Sudan, Moise Nyarugabo, Minister of Economy of the Congo and more followed his lead.
Prince El Hassan bin Talal, who started supporting the student initative last year, was the keynote speaker.
Economist and Global Marshall Plan supporter James Quilligan on the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill
"We The People should not be allowing our government to give away -- totally free -- 85% of these carbon emission permits"- Economist and Global Marshall Plan supporter James Quilligan expresses his rage and views on the latest cap and trade bill in the final segment of his 3-part interview in the Huffington Post.
"To me, the most objectionable thing is that this legislation represents an abiding commitment to neo-liberal economic policies for decades into the future. While the atmosphere currently has no propertied boundaries -- just as our lands and seas and spectrum had no legal boundaries centuries ago -- the Waxman-Markey bill effectively gives corporations long-term property rights to the sky through privately held carbon emissions permits. Once again, another part of our commons -- the air we breathe -- is being parceled into discrete units of economic value for a favored group without returning value to the actual stakeholders of the resource -- all of us."
The entire interview can be found here.
A new blog by Federico Mayor Zaragoza
An inspiring new blog by Global Marshall Plan supporter Federico Mayor Zaragoza proclaims that the time to remain silent is over: "The silence of those who have been silenced can be forgiven. The silence of those who choose to remain silent cannot.
When we observe the world as a whole we realize how seriously irresponsible it was to transfer to the marketplace the obligations of our political leaders who, guided by ethical ideals and principles, would be able to implement democratic governance. When we observe the damage done to the environment –the air, oceans and land-; the progressive standardization of cultures, whose diversity is our wealth (while being united by universal values is our strength); the erosion of many relevant aspects of the democratic process that we built with our tireless efforts… The lack of response from individuals and institutions, and the resignation and indifference of so many is totally inadmissible."
To follow the blog online, click here.
A tentative analysis by Global Marshall Plan Supporter Zeki Ergas
In his short essay, Zeki Ergas, a long-time supporter of the Global Marshall Plan, gains insight into the fundamental subject of religion and politics in Israel. Dr. Ergas argues that the direct participation of the religious political parties in the Israeli political life is not conducive to peace because these parties are against returning the occupied territories, a conditio sine qua non of the 'two-state solution' which involves the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
350.org kicks off on October 24th - Plant-for-the-Planet promises support.
Click here for the website of 350.org
A presentation on 350.org by Bill McKibben at the Tällberg Forum 2009 (in English, 84 MB, Quicktime player is required) can be found here.
Kofi Annan starts global campaign
The clock is ticking, tck, tck, tck... Kofi Annan and Bob Geldof started the countdown to Copenhagen in Cannes on June 26th.
Together the Live-Aid Founder Geldof, the President of the Global Humanitarian Forum Annan, The Global CEO of Havas and Herve de Clerck David Jones presented their new campaign for climate justice and climate protection.
Under the slogan "everyone can become a climate ambassador" they are trying to pressure our global representatives into making conscious and necessary steps towards a more sustainable environment at the Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December.
On the website all visitors are invited to upload their personal "Tck" video and to thus help create the world's largest human clock.
Click here for the website.
What happens after the climate crisis? A new movie with Pete Postlethwaite and Piers Guy.
The Age of Stupid is the new movie from Director Franny Armstrong (McLibel) and producer John Battsek (One Day In September). Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? It was released in UK cinemas on 20 March 2009, and will be followed by other countries. It will be released in Germany on 22 August 2009.
Along with the release of the movie, a global campaign "Not Stupid" was started.
The movie as well as the campaign aim to support the follow-up contract of Kyoto that will be debated and finalized in Copenhagen in December. The UN Climate Conference, where political heads will decide on the future of climate policies wants to increase the global awareness of our resources.
For more information click here.
A film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate.
The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being.
For this purpose, HOME needs to be free. A patron, the PPR Group, made this possible. EuropaCorp, the distributor, also pledged not to make any profit because Home is a non-profit film.
The movie is now online available for free on youtube.
Click here for the English version.
09/15/2009 - 09/16/2009
Davos
Shaping the Future of Natural Resources
You are cordially invited to participate in the first public event of the World Resources Forum (WRF), taking place in Davos in on September 15-16, 2009. The WRF will provide you with first-hand information about natural resource use, its current trends and limitations, and will serve as a platform on which to discuss their economic and political implications. Join us in Davos to help create a science-based, realistic vision of sustainable resource use!
The World Resources Forum (WRF) is an independent, international platform for debate on global resource consumption issues, advocating innovation for resource productivity. The WRF is building a bridge from the natural sciences and engineering to economics; it aims to equip political decision makers to identify realistic policy options for sustainable growth.
Davos Congress Centre, Promenade 67, CH-7270 Davos Platz, Switzerland
09/28/2009 09:00 am (local time)
Brussels
Spring Alliance Conference
The overarching strategy of the European Union for the past four years can be summed up in two words: “growth and jobs”. As a result, EU policy has often prioritised economic expansion over the welfare of the people of Europe and the sustainability of our planet.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. 2009 will see a new European Commission, a newly-elected European Parliament and possibly the adoption of a new vision for the EU. The time to influence the strategic direction of EU, to ensure that it pursues simultaneously economic, environmental and social goals, is now. The Spring Alliance has been formed to do exactly that.
The Spring Alliance is managed by four leading European civil society organisations: the European Environmental Bureau, the European Trade Union Confederation, Social Platform and CONCORD. The Alliance itself is much broader than that: it is a network of members from all corners of civil society and beyond. Membership is open to social organisations, trade unions, environmental organisations, development NGOs, Fair Trade movement, anti-poverty campaigners, consumers organisations and representatives from the research and business community. These organisations contribute their expertise and support to making the agenda of the Spring Alliance a reality.
At the conference on September 28, 2009 the Spring Alliance Manifesto will be presented to European decision makers representing i.a. the European Commision, the European Parliament and the EU presidencies. The conference will be open to all stakeholders from civil society with an interest in the Spring Alliance and invites participants to take part in discussions on how to move the Spring Alliance Manifesto forwards.
Address:European Economic and Social Committee, Jacques Delors Building, 99 Rue Belliard, 1040 Brussels
Further information: www.springalliance.eu/ email: info@springalliance.eu
10/16/2009 - 10/18/2009
Worldwide
Join the global movement to end poverty.
In 2006, 23 million people stood up, in 2007 47 million people, last year 116 million people Stood Up and Took Action.
For the fourth year in a row, millions of people around the world will Stand Up and Take Action to show their support for the fight against poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This year Stand Up will take place against the backdrop of a deepening financial crisis and a slowing global economy.
It is a time of great challenge for development in general and the MDGs in particular. Already we are seeing the potentially devastating impact of this on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. We know that the current economic climate threatens to undo and possibly even reverse the very significant gains that have been made towards achieving the MDGs. With just six years left to the 2015 deadline for the achievement of the Goals, we cannot afford to let this happen.
The achievement of the MDGs must remain a priority on the global political and public agenda. In this environment, Stand Up is a vital opportunity to send a clear and urgent message to world leaders and decision makers and raise the political stakes. Our policy messages and actions must reflect the urgency of the situation and must be an instrument to convey the sense of our growing impatience and intolerance of excuses for and distractions from the implementation of policies and programmes that address the poorest and most vulnerable.
Join millions worldwide to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals.
STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals.
When?
October 16th, 17th, 18th, 2009: From 12 a.m. GMT (relevant local time) on the 16th October to 11.39 p.m. GMT (relevant local time) on the 18th October
More information at www.standagainstpoverty.org
10/24/2009
Worldwide
Get involved!
We're calling on people around the world to organize an action on October 24 incorporating the number 350 at an iconic place in their community, and then upload a photo of their event to 350.org website.
For more information, please consult 350.org.
11/04/2009
Visby, Sweden
A two-day workshop using a pattern laboratory approach
Practical information
Dates: Workshop 4–5 November; the core group will also meet on 6 November.
Venue: Gotland University, Visby, Sweden
Main conference language: English. Some support for Russian and Spanishspeaking
participants may be available.
The hosts
SWEDESD is the Swedish International Centre of ESD. One of its objectives is to have ESD practitioners and researchers examine in depth the elements of an effective SD pedagogy, to critically explore its boundaries and to experiment with new approaches and methods.
Global Action Plan (GAP) International is an NGO network that has worked with sustainable behaviour change since 1990. To accelerate learning, GAP has been developing the concept and practice of “Pattern Laboratory”. It goes beyond simply sharing “best practice”, and is a systematic approach to enabling practitioners to make their learning accessible to others by focusing on patterns of behaviour, and in particular on mental patterns that shape behaviour.
The workshop
This international workshop of practitioners and researchers will explore and synthesize what is known about an effective pedagogy for sustainable development, i.e. a pedagogy that has a transformative effect on individual and collective behaviour contributing to sustainability. It will provide a space to reflect on experience, and to develop new solutions in co-operation with other leadingedge researchers and practitioners. The workshop will build on recent ESD explorations, and will lay the basis for a new platform for learning and action for SD. It is expected that subsequent to the workshop some participants will organise similar workshops in their countries or regions, thus contributing to an ongoing process of learning and sharing within and between regions.
Participation
Participation is limited, and is by invitation. Each participant is expected to bring a case study. We aim for a balance between researchers and practitioners, between men and women, and between different regions and economic systems. There is no participation fee, accommodation and meals in Visby will be provided. Most participants will be expected to cover their own travel costs to and from Visby; a small fund is available for travel grants for a few participants. This announcement is directed specifically to people and groups known to have experience in the subject area. Feel free to circulate it within your own network.
If you would like to nominate a participant – yourself or someone else –
the next step is for your nominee to apply for an invitation, stating (in no more than half a page) why s/he would like to attend. A simple on-line form is provided for the purpose.
In the absence of web access, a file for printing can be requested from secretariat@globalactionplan.com.
More information
There is more information about the process before, during and after the conference.
If you would like to discuss the laboratory process, please contact Miriam Sannum, sannum@delta.telenordia.se You can get background notes concerning a pedagogy for sustainable development.
If you would like to discuss pedagogical research aspects, please contact Professor Olena Pometun, pometun@hotmail.com. You can get an introduction to the ‘pattern language’ concept.
If you would like to discuss pattern language, please contact Nadia McLaren, nmclaren@iprimus.com.au. We have also made some sample draft pattern descriptions available.
If you would like to discuss pattern descriptions, please contact Charlotte Carlsson, lotten.carlsson@gmail.com
...about SWEDESD
...about GAP
