Our June list of organizations is highlighted as part of our 50th
Anniversary Celebration of E.F. Schumacher's Small is Beautiful
"The power of ordinary people… lies in placing their sympathy and support with minority groups which have already started."
— E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful
The intent of our 2023 “Schumacher Conversations” series is to inspire audiences of various backgrounds and interests to “start where you are,” to join in ushering forward a more just and regenerative economy. Alongside each monthly conversation, we’ll be shining light on aligned organizations and initiatives that are championing social and economic transformation in their respective fields. In curating these groups, we intend to provide inspired listeners with conduits to action, connecting individuals looking to support or join in with those already doing the work.
- Blacks in Green
- Buckminster Fuller Institute
- EXIOBASE
- Fair Cobalt Alliance
- German Institute for International and Security Affairs
- Global Energy Interconnection
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
- International Solar Alliance
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Roadmap 2050
- Rocky Mountain Institute
- SuperNode
- World Energy Council
Blacks in Green (BIG) is a Black-led, Chicago-based non-profit pursuing whole-system solutions to systemic problems. They advocate a signature Sustainable Square Mile as a gold standard for Black community development, and whole-system approach is designed to increase our communities’ wealth and wellbeing in the context of a changing climate.
The Sustainable Square Mile concept embodies BIG’s 8 Principles of Green Village Building, from neighbor-owned green enterprises to locally produced clean energy. Building on the “Grannynomics” values of the proud, hard-working Great Migration families who started businesses, bought homes, and kept dollars circulating in this neighborhood, we are growing specific economic sectors within our West Woodlawn pilot project. BIG also plan community-based economies centered on housing and waste management, and is offering training for jobs in clean energy and agriculture.
The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) is dedicated to the realization of R. Buckminster Fuller’s vision of using Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science to support a whole systems approach to make a world that works for 100% of humanity without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone. R.B Fuller (1895-1983) was a renowned 20th century inventor and visionary. He operated as a practical philosopher who demonstrated his ideas as inventions that he called “artifacts”.
BFI seeks to further Fuller’s work by accelerating the design science revolution; inspiring and supporting a new generation of design science pioneers who are leading the transition from an extractive to a regenerative global economy. One way BFI does this is through their Design Lab, a non-profit design studio and accelerator that supports design science solutions to global issues relating to food, biodiversity, energy, transportation, materials, etc. BFI Design Lab provides a range of support for project teams applying design science in regenerative, inclusive, commons-based, verifiable, and achievable ways.
Created with the intention of bolstering the ideas of R.B. Fuller, BFI’s website is host to a plethora of information on Fuller and his work. You can explore some of the major themes and resulting project ideas that occupied Fuller’s imaginative space, listen to 42 hours worth of lectures given by Fuller, read on Fuller’s idea of synergetics, the geometry he advanced based on patterns of energy he saw in nature, and much more.
EXIOBASE is a global, detailed Multi-Regional Environmentally Extended Supply-Use Table (MR-SUT) and Input-Output Table (MR-IOT). It was developed by harmonizing and detailing supply-use tables for a large number of countries, estimating emissions and resource extractions by industry. Subsequently the country supply-use tables were linked via trade creating an MR-SUT and producing a MR-IOTs from this. The MR-IOT that can be used for the analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the final consumption of product groups.
There are currently three available versions of EXIOBASE. The most recent version, EXIOBASE 3, comes in two forms: monetary and hybrid. You can download any of the EXIOBASE versions on their website. There, you can also download EXIOBASE’s CREEA Booklet, The Global Resource Footprint of Nations. Using the latest version of EXIOBASE, the booklet offers the total global environmental footprint—encompassing the carbon, water, land, and material consumption footprint of various countries.
The Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA) is a multi-stakeholder action platform launched in August 2020 that brings together actors from across the entire cobalt mineral supply chain to provide an answer to increasing scrutiny on artisanal and small-scale (ASM) cobalt mining and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) mining sector. Their purpose is to assist in the building of a DRC cobalt mining sector that is known to be a responsible partner in providing the minerals needed for a new green economy.
FCA recognizes ASM cobalt mining as a legitimate economic activity contributing to the local economy and providing direct and indirect livelihoods for thousands of people in the DRC. However, public discourse around cobalt has been predominantly negative, focusing on the adverse impacts of mining activities. Rather than avoiding any association with ASM altogether, FCA believes that companies should be channeling resources and energy into programmes that are actively creating dignified working conditions at the majority of ASM cobalt sites and the development of the local economy at large.
To learn more about FCA’s work you can visit the Resources and Knowledge Hub tab on their website. There, you will find various resources and tools, policies and minutes, and FCA’s blog, which has been documenting the Alliance’s activities since its founding in 2020.
The German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) advises the German government and parliament on questions of foreign and security policy. They are one of Europe’s largest foreign policy think-tanks, conducting independent, practice driven research. SWP’s work is characterized by five interlocking attributes: Academic Stringency; Independent; Multiple Perspectives and Pluralism; Policy Relevance; and Confidentiality.
SWP’s work is made up of fifteen “Research Areas” and through those areas of research they’ve published six dossiers. Their Sustainability, Climate and Energy dossier examines developments and issues concerning sustainable development governance, European and global climate policy, sustainable development partnerships, and European and global energy governance. For each of these areas SWP’s researchers have published numerous articles, from “Connecting Ukraine to Europe’s Electricity Grid” to “Global Energy Governance: Meeting the Challenge of the Energy Transition.”
The Global Energy Interconnection (GEI) is a journal that publishes original research on theories and developments as well as practical applications on principles of large-scale, low-carbon energy generation, transmission, distribution & storage technologies, global energy interconnection & system developments, global energy policy and energy market operations, global climate changes & environmental impacts, global energy transition strategies and global energy governance. The authors of GEI believe that decarbonizing the power and energy sector by ramping up the adoption of renewable energy is essential to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
GEI currently consists of 6 volumes and has been indexed in multiple databases such as El Compendex, Scopus, Inspec, DOAJ, Elsevier ScienceDirect, etc. Some of their most downloaded articles include “Recent developments in HVDC transmission systems to support renewable energy integration” and “Synergies of carbon neutrality, air pollution control, and health improvement — a case study of China energy interconnection scenario”.
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an international research institute that advances systems analysis and applies its research methods to identify policy solutions to reduce human footprints, enhance the resilience of natural and socioeconomic systems, and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
IIASA is currently operating six research programs, one of which is the Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) program. There are four Research Groups within ECE: Integrated Assessment and Climate Change (IACC); Pollution Management (PM); Sustainable Service Systems (S3); and Transformational Institutional and Social Solutions (TISS). The IACC group is currently undergoing a five year research project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the African Union to advance cooperation in research and innovation actions on renewable energy. This project is one of many that aims to bridge the current gap between large-scale and local-scale climate initiatives around the world.
To learn more about IIASA’s work—explore their models, tools, and data, learn about upcoming workshops, read their latest publications, and much more—visit their website.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries. The ISA strives to develop and deploy cost-effective and transformational energy solutions powered by the sun to help member countries develop low-carbon growth trajectories.
ISA pays particular focus on delivering impact in countries categorized as Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. The majority of ISA’s ninety-two member countries fall in this category. Recognizing the need for large power capacity, especially in developing countries, ISA is putting forth the Solar Park project, which entails the development of large-scale solar generation capacity in various regions and of bi-lateral, regional, and inter-regional transmission interconnections. These developments have the potential to eventually lead to global interconnection of solar energy resources and solar energy transfer from one part of the world to another.
To learn more about ISA’s solar projects and their efforts to realize the vision of “One Sun, One World, One Grid” you can visit their website. There, you can also access ISA’s many informative publications, like their annual Ease of Doing Solar publication.
The Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) mission is to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Through advocacy, equity partnerships, entertainment partnerships, global collaborations, litigation, and science, NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to carry out their mission.
The work of NRDC spans four key areas: Climate Change; Equity & Justice; Human Health; and Nature and Wildlife. Within the realm of climate change, NRDC is tackling a myriad of issues, many of which pertain to renewable energy. Understanding that power grids must be able to support the clean energy future, NRDC participates in regional and national transmission planning, siting, and grid interconnection policy discussions.
NRDC’s website is a treasure trove of information. An entire section of their website is dedicated specifically to help those learn more about the climate crisis. It includes news articles, statistics, and easily accessible tool kits, and how-tos. For those interested in taking action on behalf of NRDC, their website is linked to a number of action items (petitions and letters) that can be accessed via their “Take Action” tab.
The mission of the Roadmap 2050 project is to provide a practical, independent and objective analysis of pathways to achieve a low-carbon economy in Europe, in line with the energy security, environmental and economic goals of the European Union. This project came out of a study initiated by the European Climate Foundation to establish a fact base behind the European Union’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Out of the Roadmap 2050 project came Power Perspective 2030, which focuses on the energy transition between today and 2030. Both of these guides were conceived on a “systems approach,” aspiring to simultaneously address multiple objectives and promote policy instruments and technological solutions that can be used across sectors. A systems perspective recognizes the interconnectivity of actions towards the objectives laid out in these guides.
You can read both the Roadmap 2050 project report and the Power Perspective 2030 report by visiting the Roadmap 2050 project website.
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is tackling the climate crisis by focusing on its main contributor: energy production and use. They are an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization of experts across disciplines with a mission to transform the global energy system to secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. RMI works with businesses, policymakers, communities, and other organizations to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50% by 2030.
Although founded and headquartered in Colorado, RMI works globally, operating programs in China, India, and across the Global South. Their Energy Transition Academy (ETA) was created to support these global efforts. The ETA is focused on developing countries and emerging markets where RMI has on-the-ground operations including sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and island nations. It provides capacity development and peer networking opportunities that respond directly to local priorities.
In addition to their various programs, RMI conducts research, publishes articles and reports, and provides expert commentary to drive change in the energy sector. You can access all of RMI’s research, analysis, stories, and news updates on their website.
SuperNode is a cutting-edge global technology development company that designs superconducting connection systems to connect renewable generation and increase grid interconnection in mature markets. The company was born from the realization that the grid, as currently constituted, will not be capable of handling the increased share of renewable energy necessary to achieve decarbonization.
In order to counteract our current renewable energy trajectory, in which many energy grids will be overwhelmed by 2030, SuperNode believes that our approach to grid planning must be amended with the creation of much larger cross-border meshed Supergrids. A Supergrid would allow the free transfer of power across huge swathes of land, functioning as a single, efficient carbon-free electricity market. SuperNode is developing the superconductor technology needed to make Supergrids a reality.
By visiting SuperNode’s website you can access a number of resources related to their work. These range from news articles, to speeches and presentations, to blog posts.
The World Energy Council is the principal impartial network of leaders and practitioners promoting an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive energy system for the greatest benefit of all. Formed in 1923, the Council is the UN-accredited global energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum, with more than 3,000 member organizations located in over 90 countries and drawn from governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy-related stakeholders.
The World Energy Council informs global, regional and national energy strategies by hosting high-level events, publishing authoritative studies, and working through its extensive member network to facilitate the world’s energy policy dialogue. One of their greatest contributions is the Energy Transition Toolkit, which consists of six tools that help define and better manage successful energy transitions. They may be used to support interventions on a global, regional, national, sectoral, and/or cross-sectoral basis.
In addition to hosting high-level events, such as the Executive Assembly and Energy Trilemma Summit, numerous additional events are organized by the Council’s Member Committees and Partners around the world, focusing specifically on regional and national energy issues. You can find a list of all upcoming and past events on the World Energy Council’s website. There, you can also explore their Energy Transition Toolkit and browse their many publications.