Events

The 40th Annual Conference Of The Club Of Rome

40 years after publishing its first Report “Limits to Growth”, the Club of Rome organized the 2012 Annual Conference from October 1-2 in Bucharest, Romania, following an invitation of the Romanian Association for the Club of Rome and the National Bank of Romania, bringing together scientists, economists, businessmen, prominent public servants, former chiefs of state and other distinguished guests from more than 30 countries.

Two of the authors of the first Report, the scientists Dennis Meadows and Jorgen Randers analyzed the development and progress showed over the last 40 years and made prognoses regarding the future of the planet. Prof. Meadows stressed that humanity has entered a territory of overshoot and therefore lost the option of a sustainable future. Prof. Randers raised the possibility that humankind might not survive on the planet if it continued on its path of over-consumption and short-termism.

In working groups, the participants discussed the prospects of achieving a New Economy and enquired how radical and profound reform would have to be in order to achieve an economic system fit to meet the challenges of the future. Governor Mugur Isărescu called for reform in the International Banking System, while warning at the same time that “too radical reform approaches and over-regulation are rather counterproductive”. Particular attention was drawn to “No Limits to Learning”, presentation of Mr. Mircea Maliţa, founding member of the Romanian Association for the Club of Rome as well as honorary member of the international organization.

Other presented topics included humanity’s current value system, new sustainable pathways for future energy supply and consumption as well as new ideas, solutions and scenarios to achieve a better future for humankind in a harmonious relationship to nature.

The Annual Assembly of the Club of Rome elected Prof. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, German scientist and politician, and Dr. Anders Wijkman, former member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chairman of the Tällberg Foundation as Co-Presidents of the Club.

In addition, two new Members were welcomed in the Executive Board of the Club of Rome: Mr. Călin Georgescu, expert on sustainable development and strategic planning and Secretary General of the Romanian Association and Ms. Susanna Chacón, the Secretary General to the Mexican Chapter of the Club of Rome.