07 November 2022 –
Shifting from The Limits to Growth to Global Equity for a Healthy Planet: How do we ensure transformational governance?
4-5 December 2022
Hybrid- University for Peace and Online
Ciudad Colón, San José Province, Costa Rica
2022 marked the 50th Anniversary of The Limits to Growth, the most important and influential publication to The Club of Rome to date. The report was able to foster an understanding of the varied but interdependent components — economic, political, natural, and social — that make up the global system in which we all live; to bring that new understanding to the attention of policymakers and the public worldwide; and promote new policy initiatives and action.
Fifty years later, there is no doubt that humanity is overshooting the carrying capacity of the planet while not distributing the fruits of economic activity in a fair and just way.
It is clear that governance of the commons – our shared planet, is the key to a sustainable future. And that was the focus of our Annual Conference, which was held– both online and in-person in Costa Rica.
At the end of the conference we heard from youth representatives with a call to action – asking us to accept who we are, affirm what we know, and from this space of reverence, remembrance and renaissance, keep listening and learning.
Why Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is a powerhouse in the protection of nature and environment – the country is recognised as a regional and global leader on environmental stewardship, ambitious climate action, and innovative approaches to biodiversity conservation. The country also has a long history of achievements that go beyond nature and environment.
- Its ground-breaking policies have made it the only tropical country in the world to have reversed deforestation.
- More than 98% of its energy is sourced from renewables, and it commits to becoming a decarbonized economy with net zero emissions by 2050.
- It has proved it is possible to have a high quality of living without a large economy as measured by GDP, by instead valuing happiness and wellbeing.
- It is ranked amongst the best performers on the Social Progress Index taking into consideration both the social and environmental needs of its citizens.
In many aspects, Costa Rica is a success story, and an exemplar of the Club of Rome theme for 2022 – Global Equity for a Healthy Planet.
Conference overview (downloadable PDF)
Full program (downloadable PDF)
