Posts

LENS Design for Sustainable Service-Product Systems and Distributed Economies Workshop, 11-12 August 2016

Visual Representation of Lorenzo Fioramonti's LENS address

On August 11 2016, GovInn Director Lorenzo Fioramonti gave the keynote address at the annual LENS Design for Sustainable Service-Product Systems and Distributed Economies workshop, held in Stellenbosch.

The event seeks to unite two aspirational developments – that of Design for Sustainability, as applied in Distributed Economies. The seminar’s final outcome is to see how these concepts could be included in curricula at HEI’s.

The picture shown is a visual representation of Professor Fioramonti’s address.

Visual Representation of Lorenzo Fioramonti's LENS address

Visual Representation of Lorenzo Fioramonti’s LENS address

For more imformation about the event, view the invitation posted on the GovInn website or visit LENSin Project website.

/by

Growth without wellbeing brings no lasting progress, Business Day 06.10.2015

,

by Lorenzo Fioramonti, GovInn director

Lorenzo Fioramonti

Lorenzo Fioramonti

THE world economic outlook is pretty grim. Not only have we not come out of the 2008 crisis, but the deceleration of the Chinese “powerhouse” is now threatening to sink the global economy into a prolonged double-dip recession that may last for decades.

The Chinese debacle, just like the one in the US that started the global downturn, has been caused by the obsession with economic growth. Both bubbles overheated in the decades preceding the burst, fuelled by huge spending through the accumulation of debt. This madness was celebrated by mainstream economists, analysts, global institutions and influential media as a sign of progress: it was the golden age of growth.

It was a fake and some of us have been saying that all along. Not only did the global economy accumulate unprecedented debt, but it did so at a huge cost to society and the environment. The social debt is evident in the rise of inequality globally and within countries. Extreme inequality in the US is well documented and China is catching up. The most recent surveys of income distribution indicate that China is among the most unequal societies in the world. Moreover, the Chinese leadership fears that the social debt will soon trigger unrest.

Read the full article on Business Day: “Growth without wellbeing brings no lasting progress”

/by

“The Circular Economy… In Africa” by Jules Coignard and Raphael Masvigner

,
Jules and Raphael with the seminar guests.

On the sixth leg of their round the world tour, Jules Coignard and Raphael Masvigner shared their findings so far on circular economic models or “closed loop” systems. Their vision is to educate people on the transitions that take place from the linear to the circular model, and the relevance that the circular economic principles have across all disciplines and in all sectors. The French economist can be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under the company Circul-R or visit their website as they continue their 22 country, 17 month tour.

Jules and Raphael with the seminar guests.

Jules and Raphael with the seminar guests.

Jules Coignard discussing the circular economy.

Jules Coignard discussing the circular economy.

/by