Fwd: 2010: Something Big is Going To Happen...

Dear R2 WorldShifters, Renaissance2 takes a look at the year which has passed and the year to come. We are also looking forward to hearing from our man in Copenhagen at Klimaforum09, Matthias Lehmann, who will be reporting back to us on his impressions of the chance for a successful climate change treaty being signed... R enaissance2 Projects of the Month This month's R2 Project of the month goes to Chateau La Tour Apollinaire where the installation of photovoltaic solar panels completed as part of their Carbon Neutral Strategy for Green Tourism. Spot the difference?! For those of you who visited the chateau for the R2 October 2009 gathering, you will see from the photo that there are now 16 solar panels installed on the roof, which means three less chimneys! The panels will produce 4 KWH of electricity and save at least 5 tonnes of CO² over the next 20 years - a small start! Meanwhile on the other side of the globe, another solution which is working is the groundbreaking project from lithium-ion battery producer EnerDel. They are linking up all of the essential building blocks needed to integrate smart grid, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. It will be the first time that EVs, stationary grid storage, solar power and rapid charging infrastructure are combined in a real-world operating environment! Click here to read more COPEnhagen ? "We have witnessed three economic transformations in the past century. First came the Industrial Revolution, then the Technology Revolution, then our modern era of Globalization. We stand at the threshold of another great change: the age of green economics." Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations "Business is recognizing the role it can play in combating climate change. Thank God, I say, for there is a desperately urgent need for business to play that role. Your lobbying influence can be substantial, but together, united and in large enough numbers it could prove decisive in turning the tide." Prince Charles, Heir to the British Throne addressing private enterprises The cover of this week's Economist reads: "Stopping Climate Change". It contains an excellent analysis of the challenges and solutions. The Copenhagen climate talks begin this week. Can the politicians pull off a deal that will ensure we limit global warming to 2 degrees? It looks as if we may have to wait until 2010 for a final binding deal, though the potential is there if the will and political winds can align behind it. How fast will the global economy and markets recover and can they do so in a sustainable way? The cover of December 7th's Time magazine reads: "The Decade from Hell", and in some ways, we are inclined to agree with their diagnosis. Yet, in others, we can see the signs of a birth of something new around us in the midst of this crisis which means that all the business-as-usual diagnoses of an upturn in 2010 are missing some vital clues about even more hopeful developments than mere economic growth. Can we pluck a phoenix from the ashes of the wild fires of the past decade? How can we learn to relax, refresh, focus and renew ourselves in the decade ahead? How can we ensure we also co-create a thriving, green, global economy which respects local needs and values and enables us all to make a living and a difference? Will the next decade be a lost opportunity for us? Or will it see the birth of a thriving and resilient global civilisation? The WorldShift Alliance is launched ! "During the first annual Renaissance2 Great Shift Gathering in October 2009 ("GSG1"), 72 leaders from over 20 countries on 4 continents pushed the boundaries of integral new ways to catalyze social and technological innovation..." "...More than 40 projects and programs emerged during GSG1- one of the most important of these was the soft launch of the WorldShift Alliance on 26 October and the design sessions from 28-30 October 2009- the WSA Inaugural Design Event ("WSAIDE")..." "...The purpose of the WSA is to bring together significant organizations who are already pathfinders in their respective fields of social, cultural and technological transformation ("the WSA partners"), to scan for, map, connect and communicate what is already working globally ("the WSA process"), in order to amplify our capacity to co-create a thriving global civilization while dealing with the current global emergency we all face..." "...The key next steps for the WSA are its formation as an international NGO, the design and development of governance and economic models for the WSA Ecosystem projects, programs and businesses, and the putting in place of the key modules for the WSAP together with the fund raising activities required to support these activities..." Read the full announcement here G-1 Billion Partnership "It is time for our political leaders to be leaders, to deliver what the science dictates, what business needs and what the people expect" As the world's first all-youth event-specific press agency, G-1 Billion represents a unique new model of real-time media distribution. R2 is delighted to be partnering with this new NGO which is sending 15 bloggers to Copenhagen to cover the climate change conference. www.g-1-billion.org 2009: The Year in Review 2009 was a formative year for R2. Following our exploratory 2008 roadshow to 13 meetings in 8 cities on 4 continents, meeting 250 senior decision makers and leaders, 2009 saw R2 gain over 500 new members in 30 countries. We ran two major events which attracted over 100 people to our base in Perpignan as well as organised or spoke at meetings in Brussels, Paris and London which were each attended by a few hundred movers and shakers. During our June and October Great Shift events, over 50 different innovative ideas and open space discussions resulted in 20 ongoing projects in renewable energy, resilient environments, integral governance and enlightened enterprise. The R2 team grew to 20 players including 15 part-time volunteers who helped organise and facilitate events. Of course such a level of activity generates significant costs which are only partially covered by the event fees received from our two main gatherings in 2009. In order to support and grow the 20 critical R2 projects in 2010, expand our event base and recruit new members to R2, we are putting in place a fundraising plan for 2010 which includes: A donation program for existing and new members A premium level subscription to premium R2 content on our new website design for 2010 Training and intensive programs for Transactivists A corporate subscription program to our R2 WorldShift Leadership Circle Calendar of R2 events for 2010 1) Renaissance2 Intensives in Brussels and London "Catalyzing Synergy & Symbiosis between Business, Government and Civil Society toward a Second Renaissance:" Morning: "The Innovator's Dilemma Part 1: Co-creating Resilient Environments & Renewable Energy Systems for the 21st Century" Afternoon: "The Innovator's Dilemma Part 2: Designing Enlightened Enterprises and Integral Governance Systems for the 21st Century" Friday 12th February 2010 - Brussels Friday 19th February 2010 - London For registration details, please send an e-mail to enquiries@renaissance2.eu 2) Robin Wood & Andrew Cohen at the UK EnlightenNext Centre "Conscious Evolution - Co-creating a Second Renaissance: Making it through to a Thriving Global Civilisation in the Next Decade" Deploying an integral approach we will explore the role of the individual in being and behavior, while mining the memes and mapping the movement we call the great shift. Saturday 20th or Sunday 21st February 2010 - Islington, UK 3) R2 WorldShift Leadership Circle (R2WLC): What the World Needs Now... 27th to 29th May 2010 At R2WLC gatherings executives and leaders from around the world will assemble for an intensive three days in which they grapple together with issues and challenges of this great shift and focus on how they can develop rapid solutions through meshworked organizations. 4) R2 Great Shift Gathering 2010 21st to 25th October 2010 Put this date in your dairy to be one of the pioneers who are co-creating a renewable and thriving global civilization. Even if you were not at our last event we would be delighted to take the next steps of this journey together with YOU. We will provide you with the tools and methods we are using in R2. With best wishes, The R2 Team