Speakers
Otfried Höffe
(born 1943) is Professor for Philosophy at the University of Tübingen and Founder and Director of the Research Centre for Political Philosophy. His main field of research focuses on theories of democracy and citizenship virtues as well as on questions of institutional and individual ethics. In his new book “Is Democracy Sustainable?” (2009), Höffe shows the apparent helplessness of Western policy in the face of global social, economic and environmental problems. This has shaken confidence in democracy. He also raises the question as to whether democratic systems can be vested with the authority necessary to deal with future needs.
Citation relating to the conference theme:
“In general, democracies run the danger of losing sight of sustainability by focusing on short-term surveys and election results.”
Tim Jackson
(born. 1957) is Professor for Sustainable Development at the Centre for Environmental Strategy (CES) of the University of Surrey (UK) – the first such chair to be created in the UK. He is Director of the Research group on Lifestyles, Values and Environment (RESOLVE) where his research interests include sustainable consumption and ecological economics. Since March 2004, Prof Jackson has been Economics Commissioner on the UK Sustainable Development Commission and he is author of the Commission’s ground-breaking report Prosperity without growth (Earthscan, 2009). In addition to his academic work, Tim is an award-winning dramatist with numerous radio-writing credits for the BBC.
Citation relating to the conference theme:
“Every society clings to a myth by which it lives. Ours is the myth of economic growth. For the last five decades the pursuit of growth has been the single most important policy goal across the world.“
Dennis L. Meadows
(born 1942) was Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge University), at Dartmouth College and at the University of New Hampshire. There he was teaching engineering, management and social science. Today he is Professor Emeritus and Director of the Laboratory of Interactive Learning in New Hampshire. Meadows is the author of the report to the Club of Rome „Limits to Growth“(1972) which is one of the first books modeling the impact of population/economic growth bearing in mind finite resource supplies. Furthermore Meadows is a member of the Club of Vienna and cofounder of the Balaton Group. In 2009 he was awarded with the Japan Price.
Citation relating to the conference theme:
“We are on a treadmill that spins faster and faster but leads nowhere. In order to produce more and more physical goods, people, culture, and the environment have been degraded in ways that prevent them from offering the qualitative satisfactions they used to give.”
Horst W. Opaschowski
(born 1941) was Professor for Educational Science at the University of Hamburg from 1975 to 2006. In 2007 he became Scientific Director and Board Chairman of the BAT Foundation for Future Issues in Hamburg. He is a consultant for business and politics and laureate of the Tourism Committee of the Federal German Parliament. In his new book, "Rethinking Wealth", he deals critically with the three coordinates of progress, "Economy. Growth. Prosperity". He regards the loss of money and goods – the noticeable outcome of prosperity – as the most important driving force towards a new lifestyle with lasting consequences.
Citation relating to the conference theme:
„People are starting to reflect about what is permanent. The paramount importance of money is shrinking. A new life in prosperity is geared to sustainability. Instead of living well it is more a matter of feeling good, and it is no longer dependent on economic cycles and stock market prices alone. Once more it is about how to make a success of your life which can also mean: leading a good life is better than having a lot!”