Report on Activities of WAAS & Club of Rome

September 2011

Members of the Academy and Club of Rome met in Dubrovnik, Croatia on September 26-27, 2011 to participate in the Dubrovnik Sustainable Development Conference and to launch the WAAS project, “From Crises to Prosperity”, which will examine the root and common causes of four international crises related to global governance – financial stability, unemployment, climate change and nuclear proliferation. The project will examine strategies to generate support for a quantum shift in values and global governance structures. Ivo Šlaus is the project leader.

October 2011

On October 7^th WAAS will launch a month long referendum of Fellows to decide on the features of a new democratic governance structure for the Academy adapted to the needs of its increasingly global membership and to 21^st century communication technologies.

On October 17-18^th, Club of Rome will conduct an International Conference at Basel on “The Future of Energy and the Interconnected Challenges of the 21^st Century”. Energy abundance and easy access to non-renewable resources have brought unprecedented prosperity and technical advancement to humanity. However, exhaustible resources will need to be replaced in the near future. Climate change adds a new imperative: the search for a new generation of energy delivered that is carbon free. New forms of energy will be required including renewable energy. New energy strategies may offer the opportunity to re-shape economic thinking and facilitate a new kind of economic growth that is both environmentally sound and creates employment.

November 2011

Ties between the Club of Rome and WAAS date back for decades since many of our interests are strongly convergent and so many Club members have been Fellows of WAAS, including several presidents. On November 9-10 our two organizations will take a big step in fostering closer collaboration when the Club conducts its Annual Conference and the Academy conducts its General Assembly at the same time and venue in New Delhi. The theme of the event, which is being hosted by the newly established Indian Chapter of the Club is “Economics, Ecology and Values: Where the World and India Meet”. It will include special sessions on new economics, sustainable employment, food security, values for a sustainable future, young leadership and unleashing economic potential. On November 11^th, WAAS will launch the next phase of its projects on “Revolution in Human Affairs” and “From Crises to Prosperity” and also conduct a plenum to discuss the Academy’s program framework and future programs.

December 2011 

From mid-November through the end of the year, the Academy will conduct direct election of new officers – the first time in decades that Fellows have had the opportunity to directly elect WAAS’entire leadership team.