Overheard in Bonn: policy for an eco-social contract

Members of the Global Research and Action Eco-Social Contracts Network gathered in Bonn this week to discuss the visions, processes and principals of new eco-social contracts. From the many diverse viewpoints and speakers representing expertise and experience from around the world, we've pulled together some of our favourite quotes from day one.

Najma Mohamed reminded us that our wellbeing is based upon the health of nature. Our current economies undermine and threaten our biosphere. We need to repair this broken relationship with nature.

Patrick Huntjens built on the importance of nature and critical the disconnect with the natural world and the economic model that frustrates many of our better instincts.

"We need a different model of human behaviour in our planning and design. Humans are so much more than self interest, we have an innate instinct to care, share and reciprocate. We need a sense of purpose and meaningful connect ion with nature. We are stuck in an economic model that ignores and diverts all this."

Manish Desai urged us to connect with the wisdom of many cultures. Ubuntu, ecoswaraj and bienviver are different communitarian ways of living. Economies of solidarities, were highlighted and the question of how do we create a collective way of living was asked.

Oliver Greenfield injected some urgency into the discussions focusing us on the why, the what and the how of eco-social contracts.

Isabell Kempf explained why we need this new concept.

A key cross cutting theme from across all of the speakers and papers was the importance of inclusion, intersectionality and universality at the heart of eco-social contracts.

In case this was all getting a bit theoretical, we had a practical example from the city of Bonn about the lessons they had learned in their efforts to rapidly decrease emissions.

And lastly a reflection that while eco-social contracts are an emerging concept, in reality they are already happening.