02 December 2019 – In the new report to the Club of Rome Sustainable Action – Overcoming the Barriers, author Christian Berg unpacks the complexity in understanding the barriers we face in moving towards a sustainable future, providing solution perspectives at every level, from individuals to governments and supra-national organizations, offering a lucid vision of a long-term and achievable goal for sustainability.
An increasing number of scientific reports on the growing threat of irreversible climate change as well as the global climate strikes reinforce the urgency of transformational action towards sustainability.
While the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement have already set ambitious targets for humanity, they offer little guidance for concrete actions. Although much is already being done, progress seems slow and some actions aiming at sustainability may be counterproductive.
Sustainable Action surveys all the fields involved in sustainability to provide action principles which speak to actors of different kinds, not just those professionally-mandated with such changes. It offers a roadmap to all those who might not usually think about systems change but who are concerned and want to contribute to a sustainable future in a meaningful way.
Christian Berg says “We’re in a vicious circle. Lack of progress in sustainability provokes some to use ever fiercer language and comparisons by which others are disgusted. Playing down the Holocaust to emphasize planetary emergency is not only wrong and inadequate, it is counterproductive because its only effect is increased polarization. What is needed more than ever is a sober-minded analysis of the root causes of our multiple disasters, concrete solution perspectives and providing guidance for concrete action. This is what the book is about.”
Mamphela Ramphele, Co-President of the Club of Rome: “For a long time we believed that insight – knowledge of the challenges at hand – would spur action. But experience has shown that this is simply not the case. The barriers to sustainable action are many and we must fully understand them if we are to overcome them.”
Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome: “In the best tradition of Reports to the Club of Rome, Sustainable Action takes the complexity of transformation seriously, promotes an understanding of the global challenges towards sustainable action and proposed comprehensive solutions.”
This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sustainability issues, as well as those looking for a framework for how to change their systems at work to impact the quadruple bottom line: environment, economy, society, and future generations.
Contact information for media inquiries and interview requests
Till Kellerhoff, Program Manager press@clubofrome.org
+41(0)52 244 0808
Christian Berg
Christian.berg@tu-clausthal.de
About the Author
Christian Berg lectures on sustainability at different German universities (TU Clausthal, Saarland University, Kiel University). He has worked in business for more than a decade, among others as Chief Sustainability Architect at SAP. He has published several books on sustainability related topics and has led the task force on Sustainable Economic Activity and Growth within German Chancellor Angela Merkel’ Future Dialogue think tank. He holds degrees in physics (Dipl.-Phys.), philosophy (M.A.), theology (Mag. theol. and Dr. theol.), and engineering (Dr.-Ing.). For further information visit his website at: www.christianberg.net.
ISBN: 9780367183202 |Hardback |296 pages| December 3, 2019
ISBN: 9780367183219 |Paperback |296 pages| December 3, 2019
Available via www.routledge.com/9780367183219
To request a copy for review, please complete our online form: pages.email.taylorandfrancis.com/review-copy-request
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