Blog Archives - Institute for Ecological Civilization

Highlights from the W12 Framework Conference in Cape Town

Will cities around the world have enough water by 2050? What steps should be put in place for cities to ensure a secure and equitable water future? EcoCiv is working to convene leaders and experts from around the world to propose a framework aimed at long-term water solutions across the globe. Last week, we partnered…

VIDEO: Transforming from a Wealth-Based Civilization to a Life-Based One

Author Jeremy Lent gave this presentation in San Francisco on the core principals of ecological civilization. In this video, he talks about the different human transitions throughout history that have affected humanity’s relationship with nature. Then he proposes a look of what kind of transformation we need to fundamentally transform our civilization from one that…

EcoCiv Korea 2019 Events

EcoCiv President, Philip Clayton and Executive Vice President, Andrew Schwartz joined our EcoCiv Korea leaders Gunna Jung and Yunjeong Han for four consecutive events in September and October. First was the 2nd Transition City Seoul conference on the theme, “Beyond GDP Toward Ecological Transition.” In collaboration with Mayor Park Wonsoon and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Prof.…

Ecological Civilization Studies: An Emerging Transformative Discipline

By Philip Clayton and Megan Anderson Ecological Civilization Studies (ECS) seeks to build an informed vision for a sustainable and just future. It involves rigorous research into ways of living that are not sustainable, as well as the study of new (and ancient!) ways of living that are models for the future. In ECS, the…

Partnering for Water Solutions: Evolution of the Cape Town Conference

Save the date for the W12 Congress on the escalating water crisis from January 27 – 31, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa! The scope and direction of the Institute for Ecological Civilization (EcoCiv)’s upcoming conference in Cape Town has evolved and expanded significantly over the past few months from the academic conference originally planned for…

Vermont 2050: Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide

By Kelli Archie When we think about the critical issues associated with the environmental crisis and our survival, what immediately comes to mind are things such as the warming temperatures, rising sea levels, and the decimation of our biodiversity. But there is another issue that will also play a deciding role in our quality of…

Rethinking the Urban-Rural Relationship

By Jennifer Martin This year (2019) the Institute for Ecological Civilization is in the first stage of a multi-year initiative to collaborate on some of the greatest threats facing modern civilization: rapid urbanization, climate change, and the social and economic problems these will create. As rural migration to urban centers increases, the relationship between cities…

International Forum Explores Holistic Human Development for Ecological Civilization

By Wm. Andrew Schwartz Over the course of a two-day event at Pitzer College, more than 160 experts from China, the United States, and other countries gathered for an international exchange on latest developments in ecological civilization studies. The 13th International Forum on Ecological Civilization, held in conjunction with the 2nd International Youth Forum on…

Exploring the Intersection of Whitehead and Ecological Civilization

By Jeremy Fackenthal This summer EcoCiv board member Herman Greene, EcoCiv managing director Jeremy Fackenthal, and Bangalore-based scholar Kurian Kachappily will organize and speak at a session on “Whitehead and Ecological Civilization: Ecology, Ethics, Economics, and Law” at the 12th International Whitehead Conference at the University of Brasilia in Brazil. The conference celebrates the work…

Cities Facing Escalating Water Shortages: Lessons Learned and Strategies Moving Forward

By Jesse Knapp The City of Cape Town, South Africa experienced in 2017 and 2018 a water crisis so acute that they became the first city in the world to face the possibility of running out of drinking water. Through a combination of water restrictions and techniques for increasing supply, the city was able to…