It becomes clearer with each passing day that simply ameliorating current problems is not going to be sufficient. This blog is about how we might scale up transformative change.
Keywords: effectiveness, joined-up-thinking, systems change
As a group of Marine NGOs (loosely termed), we are a system, or perhaps more relevantly, we are an ecosystem. We have a loose common purpose, we relate to each other and our actions have consequences for each other, yet until now, we have barely been aware of each other and certainly did not collaborate and coordinate our activities. Not in any meaningful sense. Now this is changing.
Keywords: collaboration, effectiveness, innovation, marine issues, systems change, values
Last year we established the Marine CoLABoration, a group of nine UK-based NGOs, each bringing different approaches, areas of expertise and geographical focus to marine conservation. We are funding the CoLAB to meet, initially over a two-year period, to explore new ideas and areas of convergence in a series of facilitated workshops using experimental ‘laboratory’ techniques. The CoLAB creates a collaborative arena to think differently, experiment with new ways of approaching problems, take action, learn and share. Its vision is to catalyse new and more effective solutions, working with the values that connect people and the ocean.
Keywords: collaboration, effectiveness, joined-up-thinking, marine issues, systems change, values
"The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between how nature works and the way people think.”
Gregory Bateson
So what is the difference between how nature works and how people think? As empowered change agents, how can we help to align human systems so that they are in harmony with our natural systems?
This is something that I have been exploring for the last 12 years working at the nexus of sustainability and finance as a change practitioner with WWF-UK and The Finance Innovation Lab.
Keywords: systems change