6 November 2018: – ECOLISE has made a submission to the Talanoa Dialogue platform based on the dialogues held by many member organisations, as well as knowledge gathered and practices learnt and shared among participating communities and member networks. It answered the questions invited by the platform: “Where are we? Where do we want to go? How do we get there?” It can be found here on the Talanoa Dialogue site
In summary the submission said: ECOLISE, the European network for community-led initiatives on climate change and sustainability, believes responding to the climate crisis requires a complete transformation of our socio-economic systems and engagement in unprecedented levels of cooperation and solidarity, in order to create a regenerative culture and collaborate on care.
ECOLISE’s vision of thriving and resilient communities supporting planetary health and regeneration is based on the already widespread and diverse work of people and communities across Europe and the globe who are taking creative action in response to the great challenges of our time, including climate breakdown.
Research shows that community-led initiatives such as ecovillages, Transition towns and permaculture initiatives are creating low carbon alternatives to existing lifestyles, local economies and other societal structures, directly reducing emissions of greenhouse gasses, enhancing biodiversity and fostering independence from the fossil fuel economy.
Where governments, especially at municipal level, embrace and work with these initiatives, something powerful and transformative is unfolding, and is being recognised. In February 2018, the Council of the EU for the first time acknowledged the critical role of local communities in addressing climate challenge.
Appropriate legislation, enabling frameworks and funding instruments are needed in order to foster the right conditions for transitioning to regenerative cultures which can make significant contributions to effective, inclusive and pluralistic implementation of the Paris Agreement.
To see a pdf of the submission please see ECOLISE Talanoa Submission Oct2018