Building Blocks

Our economy as a whole needs to become more resource-light.

The interplay of resource, energy and prosperity turnaround marks the cornerstones for a global civilisation that organises itself within the planetary ecological boundaries.

On a fundamental level, it is always about both a resource turnaround and an energy turnaround. 

The building blocks for sustainable development mainly consist of the following adjustments to our way of living, which are all closely linked:

Turnaround in prosperity and consumption
The question is how sufficiency - a "Culture of Enough" - is possible and how the formation of such a culture can be supported by politics with the introduction of framework conditions.

Energy turnaround
The goal of a revolution in our energy systems can only be achieved if the switch to renewable energy goes hand in hand with energy efficiency and energy sufficiency.

Resource turnaround
Only if resource consumption per capita of the wealthy is reduced by a factor of 4 to 5 will humanity remain within planetary boundaries in the long term.

Mobility turnaround
The change in mobility is closely linked to the energy turnaround and the resource turnaround and therefore needs more than just technological developments.

Nutrition turnaround
Today's food production is responsible for an important share of the burdens placed on global resources as well as CO2 pollution. 30% of consumer-related environmental impacts in Europe are caused by our eating habits. Our consumption of meat and fish needs to be significantly reduced.

Urban turnaround
By the middle of this century, around 80% of the world's population will be living in cities. The nature of urban development is therefore of central importance for sustainable development as a whole.

Industrial turnaround
Two goals are paramount here: decarbonisation [Stop CO2 - emissions] and the recycling economy. This requires technological innovation, cooperation, and an innovative policy framework.
Translated from Uwe Schneidewind. Book: Die Grosse Transformation - Eine Einführung in die Kunst gesellschaftlichen Wandels. 2018