Ecovillage Initiative for Achieving the SDGs
Description
Our programmes and initiatives focus on three lines of work: 1. Community-based Ecovillage Transition: Identify local change-makers and inspirational communities to become hubs for Climate Change adaptation and mitigation. Work through locally owned, participatory processes to design a pathway into the future, which combines the best solutions in all 4 areas of economy, ecology, social and cultural while focus on reversing global warming, reducing poverty, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We are working to establish a number of ‘model’ ecovillage resource and training centres/hubs (or Lighthouse Ecovillages) whose primary vocation will be to share skills, knowledge and best practices. 2. Green Schools for Sustainable Communities: Schools as entrance points to communities. It is in schools that we find the next generation of leaders - schools are places whether the future and the present meet. As schools become demonstration sites for appropriate technologies for climate change adaptation, they become hubs from where these new approaches can spread. 3. Through an Adaptive Governance Cycle, such approaches can be scaled up to become regional and national programs for Ecovillage Transition: Spreading information on government programs like in Senegal, where the government is aiming to transition 14.000 traditional villages to ecovillages. Inspiring other local and national authorities to consider following such examples, while building ecovillages on the ground that can inspire whole countries to transition to resilience. GEN draws on the development and use of many forms of capital (social, cultural, material, awareness raising, relationship building, etc. to advance our development activities and objectives. See: http://www.appleseedpermaculture.com/8-forms-of-capital/
GEN has developed many tools and resources that can be used to support and contribute to Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer. The Ecovillage Design Education Curriculum and Training Programs which have been carried out and instituted in more than 40 countries provide detailed training in adopting best practices covering all of the SDGs. Such courses can range from mini-courses that run for a week to the full 4 week course which is quite intensive and runs all day. Each course is specifically designed to address the particular circumstances and needs of the local communities or bio-region. Consultants and development experts are brought in from both the surrounding region or the broader global community to lead different parts of the training and skill areas.
GEN has an International Board, a General Assembly, an International Steering Committee, Regional Boards on each Continent, and Working Groups that coordinate its activities, programs and organizational development. Each of the ecovillage communities in GEN also has its own governing body and working committees that coordinate and carry out the activities of the community. Many of the communities develop various types of management plans. Most of them have developed vision and mission statements, bylaws, strategic and development plans, etc. as has GEN as a whole. GEN is in the early stages of developing two cross-sectoral multi-stakeholder partnerships. One is an EmerGENcies Program focusing on climate change adaptation, responses and preparedness for climate disasters, and creating resilient regenerative communities for refugee populations and displaced people, etc. The other is a Pan-African Ecovillage Development Programme which we hope to expand over time into a global programme. It will focus on assisting existing communities to adopt more sustainable practices and on scaling up and replicating what is already being done successfully in ecovillage communities around the continent. As these programs are developed they will each have their own oversight and governing structures; but will be under the direction and supervision of GEN International.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 11
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11.1
By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.1.1
Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing
11.2
11.2.1
Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.3
11.3.1
Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate
11.3.2
Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically
11.4
Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.4.1
Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)
11.5
By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.5.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
11.5.2
Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)
11.5.3
(a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters
11.6
By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.6.1
Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities
11.6.2
Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)
11.7
11.7.1
Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.7.2
Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months
11.a
Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.a.1
Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space
11.b
By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.b.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
11.b.2
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
11.c
Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
SDG 14 targets covered
Name | Description |
---|
Deliverables & Timeline
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
Timeline
Entity
SDGs
Geographical coverage
More information
Countries
Contact Information
Mena Vieira, Executive Secretary and Personal Assistant to the Executive Director