Leverage Points 2019
International Conference on Sustainability Research and Transformation
Luneburg, Germany
February 6-8, 2019

Humanity sits at a crossroad between tragedy and transformation, with seemingly little idea of where we wish to go, or how we intend to get there. Similarly, now is a crucial time for sustainability research. Is it to be a passive chronicler of the challenges of our times? Or an active facilitator of transformative change towards sustainability?

This conference is inspired by the seminal essay by Donnella Meadows “Leverage Points Places to intervene in a system”. In this work, born of frustration and a deep desire for a more effective change, Meadows highlighted a series of leverage points—places in complex systems where a small shift may lead to fundamental changes in the system as a whole— for sustainability transformations. In particular, she noted the tendency to focus on highly tangible, but essentially weak leverage points (i.e., interventions that are easy to make, but have limited potential for transformative change).

Instead, she urged a focus on perhaps less obvious, but potentially far more powerful areas of intervention. Donnella Meadows’ notion of leverage points can be seen as a boundary object, a model, a metaphor and a fundamental challenge to the status quo, dominate mindsets and paradigms. We firmly believe that such radical approaches are needed in sustainability research and praxis if they are to meet the challenges of the 21^st century.

Inspired by Meadows’ work we seek to explore (in theory, methods and praxis) the deep leverage points that can lead to sustainability transformations. This conference will ask: how do we transform ourselves, our science, our institutions, our interventions and our societies for a better future? The conference is premised on three principles:

1. The importance of searching for places where interventions can lead to transformative change.
2. Open inquiry, exchange and co-learning across multiple theoretical, methodological and empirical research approaches focused on sustainability science and transformative change.
3. The need to reflection on modes of research and processes of change in leverage point and sustainability transformation related research.

Sharing Economy: Research on Access, Technology, Equity and Applications
Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
March 21-22, 2019

Multiple aspects of our 21st century lives are touched by sharing economy platforms, which enable customer-to customer matching and transactions, more efficient infrastructure utilization, and actively lower market friction. These electronic platforms span a broad spectrum of sectors, practices and organizational structures. There are inherent tensions and contradictions related to the objectives, boundaries and environmental and societal impacts of the sharing economy.This conference brings together leaders from the private sector and researchers from disciplines including engineering, law, computing, business, and public policy to: (A)Identify and compare regulatory and data sharing practices that influence the real-world implementation of sharing economy platforms, (B) Consider emerging technologies and algorithms for optimizing design, operation, incentives, and security, and (C) Address the role of sharing economy platforms in working toward socially desirable outcomes, including sustainable growth, social equity and improved resilience.

Specific application areas to be explored at the conference include transportation, cloud computing, energy and healthcare. We aim to engage researchers, policy makers, and industry thinkers in thoughtful discussions about the social, economic and political context in which sharing economy platforms are emerging, approaches to collecting data and evaluating outcomes, and designing recommendations that that influence the real-world implementation of sharing economy platforms.

Call for paper and poster submissions now open, Full directions here: https://web.northeastern.edu/rcshare/people/presenters/invitation/
Deadline for Submissions: January 31, 2019
 

On June 6-18, 2019, University of Economics in Katowice, Poland, will host an International Conference on Enhancing Consumer Awareness. Sustainable Consumption is one of the topics in the call for abstracts. The conference organizers are extremely interested in including Sustainable Consumption as a session or a track in the conference program. SCORAI members are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts.

Halina Brown, SCORAI co-founder and board member will give a keynote address. The topic of sustainable consumption is rapidly emerging among researchers in Poland, and this conference is an opportunity to give it a stronger foundation.  

https://www.ue.katowice.pl/en/events/international-conference-on-enhancing-consumer-awareness.html

6th International Workshop on the Sharing Economy (IWSE)
Utrecht University, Netherlands
28-29 June, 2019

After successful editions in Utrecht (2015), Paris (2016), Southampton (2016), Lund (2017) and Mannheim (2018), the International Workshop on the Sharing Economy will return to Utrecht for its sixth edition. Martijn Arets, Rense Corten, Joyce Delnoij and Koen Frenken will act as the local organizing committee. For updates, see: https://6thiwse.sites.uu.nl/

SIDE EVENTS: http://erscp2019.eu/side-event.php

• CIRCULAR DESIGN CONFERENCE – OCTOBER 14th
• ENERGISE FINAL CONFERENCE – OCTOBER 15th
• SCORAI EUROPE SESSION: WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND WHERE IS IT HEADED? – date to be confirmed
• PHD DAY – OCTOBER 15th

Victor, Peter A. (2018). Managing Without Growth: Slower By Design, Not Disaster. Advances in Ecological Economics.

`At last, Managing without Growth, a book that puts economics in its proper place within the real world and points the direction we must go in confronting the ecological crisis of the planet. As an economist, environmental studies professor Peter Victor is eminently qualified for the task. He examines some of our most fundamental assumptions and beliefs about the market, pricing, free trade and growth, prosperity and happiness that too often preclude a serious consideration of the environment and economy. His book couldn't be a more timely and important analysis of the destructive consequences of aspiring to endless growth and downloading the costs onto nature itself. He makes a powerful case for the need to work deliberately towards a steady state economy where the real world of the biosphere should set the limits to our activity. Victor's book should be at the basis for our discussion of these critical issues today.'
- David Suzuki, broadcaster and activist

`Peter Victor analyses the critical policy question of our time, how to manage our economy equitably and efficiently without growing beyond biophysical limits. He reasons carefully and rigorously, yet pulls no punches in drawing conclusions that some will consider radical. A superb book!'
- Herman E. Daly, University of Maryland, US

`Overcoming our addiction to economic growth is one of the most important challenges for the 21st century. Peter Victor's masterful summary of the history and fallacies of this particularly pervasive and increasingly dangerous addiction will be a great help in getting over it. A sustainable and desirable future requires clearly differentiating between "bigger" and "better" and a recognition that in the overdeveloped West these two have parted ways. Peter Victor's book will help us slow down by design, not disaster, and understand how that slowing down will in fact increase our quality of life.'
- Robert Costanza, The University of Vermont, US

'This book is a must read for academics and policymakers concerned with environmental integrity and human wellbeing.'
- John Gowdy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, US

England, Russell. (2018). Gross Deceptive Product: An Ecological Perspective on the Economy. Covenant Books.

Continuous economic growth is not sustainable because such growth depends on depletion of finite natural resources, ever-increasing debt, continuous population growth, and land use conversion--none of which is sustainable long term. Measuring economic health in gross terms (gross domestic product) is deceptive because it says nothing about the net benefits or costs of economic activity or the impact of economic growth on ecosystems. Yet growth is worshiped like a religion and politicians go to great lengths to lure industry (and people) from other states or countries without any attempt to determine optimum population density. Debt is unethically passed on to future generations.

It is time for governments at all levels to begin planning for a sustainable future that works toward achieving a stable economy and a stable population that is within the long term carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. The economy is a subset of the ecosystem--not the other way around. The concept of optimum as it applies to human populations needs to be recognized. More is not always better.

Readers can find the book (Gross Deceptive Product) at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com or you can use the following link: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=russell+england+gross+deceptive+product&sprefix=russell+engla%2Caps%2C185&crid=24JS73QEK9ZGU