Imagining a Sustainable Economy

Greening cities contributes to Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economics model by addressing the 'social foundation' areas of housing and health, as well as the 'ecological ceiling' topics of biodiversity loss, land conversion and climate change. Bringing green spaces into cities and homes brings people closer to nature and also improves human wellbeing.

Presented by: Kate Raworth, Senior Associate at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute

About Doughnut Economics.

Housing and social equity are two aspects of the Doughnut Economics model depicted by Kate Raworth. For Raworth, a solution to unaffordable housing in the UK is to follow a model similar to that used in Vienna, where some 60% of housing is owned either by the state or by city-run co-operatives. This housing, though 'social' in nature, is not reduced to the lowest earners, as those earning less that EUR45,510 or less are able to qualify, an equivalent of a threshold of around £40,000. Such a model runs on the basis that housing is a human right, and encourages a diverse city centre population, rather than limiting city housing to higher earning sectors of society.

Presented by: Kate Raworth, Senior Associate at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute

Inside the Vienna model of social housing

How Vienna took the stigma out of social housing

Though tourism platforms like Airbnb appear to promote the sharing economy, they can have negative impacts - pushing local people out of cities where flats are owned for the purposes of tourism. By contrast, the Fairbnb platform is a solution to some of the downsides of tourism. Fairbnb aims to create a "responsible and sustainable tourism model" : hosts on the platform are verified to ensure that they comply with community and environmental rules; the platform works with local communities to identify regenerative projects; and a percentage of the booking price is donated towards these social or environmental projects.

Presented by: Kate Raworth, Senior Associate at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute

A new concept of tourism: together it’s possible

'Income and work' is one section of the 'social foundation' aspect of the Doughnut Economics model. Kate Raworth explains that some families are unable to meet their needs despite having access to work, because the work does not provide a sufficient income. A solution to this is the use of a guaranteed basic income/ universal basic income. This was trialled in Stockton, California, with positive results. The 500USD-per-month stipends given to residents with below-average incomes was proven to create an increase in employment and decrease in mental ill-health. However, concerns remain over how such schemes would be funded if they were rolled out more broadly.

Presented by: Kate Raworth, Senior Associate at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute

Californians on universal basic income paid off debt and got full-time jobs

Local procurement by governments and authorities can boost the economic wellbeing of cities and regions, as well as having numerous environmental benefits, such as reducing transport-related emissions in product delivery. In the UK, Preston in Lancashire is an example of a city in which local anchor institutions have worked to prevent leakage of their spending outside of Preston and Lancashire. This has been shown to strengthen the local economy, while also encouraging competition and growth of SME businesses. This approach has now been dubbed the "Preston Model".

Presented by: Kate Raworth, Senior Associate at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute

What is Preston Model? 

The Preston Model

Kate Raworth presents the 4 questions that city planners and residents can ask to move their cities into the healthy boundaries of the Doughnut Economics Model. "How can we make it possible for all of our citizens to thrive? How can our city be as generous as the wildland next door? How can our city support the health of the whole planet? How can our city respect the wellbeing of all people?" The work of Civic Square in Birmingham embraces these questions, bringing them to the neighbourhood level in order to engage local communities in city-building and regeneration. Children in schools, and their families, are asked to come up with answers, which are then used in the city planning for Civic Square. The organisation works with schoolchildren, families and residents to curate ideas on how to build sustainable, shareable spaces in Ladywood, Birmingham. In this way, it is possible to use a grassroots or bottom-up approach to craft sustainable spaces that meet the needs of residents and the environment.

Presented by: Dr Imandeep Kaur. Co-founder and Director, Civic Square, UK

CIVIC SQUARE (2020—2030)

Neighbourhood Doughnut portfolio of work

Where climate finance is provided to low-income countries, it often does not reach those landscapes that would most benefit from it. Investment tools can ensure that the finance does reach those areas where it is most needed. One such tool is the use of green business incubation and acceleration. This involves working with local entrepreneurs to promote their businesses where they directly benefit or protect local landscapes. Often, such businesses fall in the realm of ecotourism, or have circular-economy style models. The African Centre for a Green Economy works with these businesses in order to source seed funding for them, and help them to find funding in the form of grants, equity and debt.

Presented by: Mao Amis, Co-founder and Executive Director of the African Centre for a Green Economy (AfriCGE), South Africa

Promoting a circular economy for food through working across the value chain from farm to plate

A further tool provided by the African Centre for a Green Economy is a database of climate investments, trends in the field and available funds within the sector of the green economy. This platform can inform investors and decision-makers. This is paired with an "investor Matchmaking" tool which enables green entrepreneurs to be matched with investors through the African Transition to a New Economy (ATTANE) Network, thus enabling start-up businesses in the Green Economy sector to access funding.

Presented by: Mao Amis, Co-founder and Executive Director of the African Centre for a Green Economy (AfriCGE), South Africa  

African Transition to a New Economy (ATTANE) Database