For a few weeks now I have been talking about next week's Accelerate: Collaborating for Sustainability Conference in Guelph, Ontario. Accelerate what you might ask?  Why all the drama about collaborative change and transformation?

"What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers?"

Learning to See the Whole System 

Here's an example.  Last week the chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp. told shareholders:"What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers?"

Rex Tillerson was responding to issues raised by environmental activists, who wanted the world's biggest oil company to establish greenhouse gas emission targets. Tillerson said that cutting back on using oil would make it more difficult to help some billions of people living in poverty. 

While he agreed that climate change is a major issue, he questioned the goal of carbon in the atmosphere of less than 350 parts per million (we hit 400 ppm last month).

Prof. Jennifer Francis talks about Climate Change, Extreme Weather & Impact on Humans (2013)

Challenging Unexamined Assumptions 

"We do not see a viable pathway with any known technology today to achieve the 350 outcome that is not devastating to economies, societies and peoples' health and well-being around the world," he said. 

Seeing Past the "Imposed" Definition of the Solution 

According to Tillerson - "So the real question is, do you want to keep arguing about that and pursuing something that cannot be achieved at costs that will be detrimental? Or do you want to talk about what's the path we should be on and how do we mitigate and prepare for the consequences as they present themselves?" (check out Prof. Jennifer Francis' video above to understand the mitigation & consequences). 

A New Way of Seeing 

It is natural to get caught in the ""rigidity" trap, according to Francis Westley, author of "Getting to Maybe: How the World is Changed".  We need a new perspective - seeing the "whole system.  We need to critically challenge "unexamined assumptions" and see around "imposed definitions of the solution". And like social innovators, we need to start with the assumption that transformation and true novelty are possible. 

Otherwise -you just might make yourself look silly; a personal embarrassment at best or a planetary disaster at worst - if you happen to be in a position of power.

That is why I am so grateful to be a member of the Net Zero City Guelph Team at the Accelerate Conference (thank you Guelph Hydro for your sponsorship). There is a lot "humanity" could learn at this conference.  If you know Mr. Tillerson, invite him to come along. My kids and I will even break open our piggy banks to pay for his ticket.

Kathryn 

Kathryn Cooper 

Sustainability Learning Centre 

[email protected]