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The Green New Deal
Conference
We are living in extraordinary times. Our choice is to move consciously towards a new sustainable and satisfying future or be overwhelmed by multiple converging global crises. Business as usual—a return to “trend growth”—is not a viable option. The idea of a “green new deal” is shorthand for taking deliberate, long-sighted, transformative steps to tackle these crises, not piecemeal, but in an integrated and holistic fashion.
This conference was an opportunity to help shape an Australian Green New Deal and start discussing what it might mean in Asia and the Pacific. The necessary changes are both societal and practical. We aimed to map steps forward at all levels from household to global, and in contexts from work to recreation to relationships.
The keynote speaker was Professor Tim Jackson, author of Prosperity without Growth published as a book in November 2009. As Tim says:
“Prosperity consists in our ability to flourish as human beings—within the ecological limits of a finite planet. The challenge for our society is to create the conditions under which this is possible. It is the most urgent task of our times.”
All our speakers in their different spheres are part of meeting this challenge—as are you. The conference was an exciting, vibrant and positive affirmation of the need for change.
Coincidentally October 24 was also the 350.org international day of climate action—we at the conference held our own action, spelling out ’350′ in the courtyard to be photographed from helicopters and tall buildings.
Thanks to everyone who made the conference possible: speakers, sponsors, organisers, volunteers and most of all the participants.
