1. Equity within planetary boundaries
Sigrun Maria Kristinsdottir / Brynhildur Davidsdottir / Kristin Vala Ragnarsdottir / The Converge Project Team
For more information see:
18 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro

2. Overview About the Converge Project The Converge Framework built
Converge Principles
Methodology
The Framework tested
Communities
World Café and Causal Loop Diagrams
Conclusion

3. About the Converge Project - Background
Rockström et al. 2009

4. About the Converge Project - Background
If everyone consumed like Europeans, we’d need 2-3 Earth- like planets to survive
Fair share?
Inequalities

5. Contraction and ConvergenceTM
C&CTM proposed by Meyer (2000) as an equitable science-based framework for managing the transition to an acceptable level of GHG emissions
Acceptable concentration of GHG, acceptable emissions, based on safe operating limits
Equal per capita allowance used to set national entitlements; converging to equal per capita allowances worldwide

6. 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 biological planetary boundaries – by way of convergence

7. What is “convergence”?
Convergence for sustainability is the process towards equity (equal per capita allowances) within biological planetary limits
It is the process of limiting resource consumption and unsustainable behaviours in the developed world, while accepting an increase in consumption and sustainability in developing and deprived sectors

8. The project and the research group
4-year research programme ( ) funded by the EU (FP7)
8 partner organizations in 5 countries
Iceland – University of Iceland
UK – Schumacher Institute, University of Bristol
Hungary – Szent Istvan University, GreenDependent Institute
Sweden – University of Lund, The Natural Step
India – Social Change and Development

9. The Converge Framework built
Ideology
Contraction and ConversionTM
Systems Approach
Serves as a backbone to the whole study
Explains how causal relationships and feedbacks function within a system
Recognizes systems as whole entities
Divided into Systems Analysis and Systems Dynamics

10. The Converge Framework built
Principles
Methodology modules and tools
Workshops and community engagement
World Café method
Systems Analysis and Causal Loop Diagrams
Leads to a systems model built by the team (Systems Dynamics)
Convergence indictors identified
Monitoring system (execution of the indicator framework)
Policies

11. The Converge Framework – Principles – Draft
Convergence for sustainability is the progress towards equal opportunities for all people, within biophysical planetary boundaries
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
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
A converging society invests positively in human, social and environmental resources; and cares for them, maintains them and restores

12. The Framework tested – communities
Five communities
Iceland
Bristol, UK
India: SCAD
Lund, Sweden
Gödöllö, Hungary
Full study done in Iceland, Bristol and India
Involves three day-long workshops with participatory stakeholders and a lunch-hour meeting
Introductory lectures given in Lund and Gödöllö

13. The Framework tested – World Café

14. The Framework tested – Causal Loop Diagram

15. The Framework tested – Causal Loop Diagram

16. The Framework tested – Challenges / Strengths
Diverse institutional partners
Diverse disciplines
Diverse cultures
Diverse test communities
Time scale
Defining “equitable distribution”

17. Next steps Testing in India Conference in India Conference in Brussels
October 2012
Conference in India
Project introduced
February 2013
Conference in Brussels
Introduction to policy makers
Key findigns introduced
April 2013

18. Conclusion
We hope to create a usable tool which can move both individual communities and the world towards greater sustainability
We hope to create a framework which is usable by individual communities and which is successful in increasing equity in the world
We hope to influence policy makers to take limits seriously and to use systems approach in decision-making

19. Thank you! Contact details:
Project website:
Presenter’s