Ambitious consensus framework avoids polarisation of climate issue
The result of six years of work is nearing publication.
Today's newsletter is about a framework I have developed to make it easier to reach an agreement on sustainability issues.
Political polarisation is now one of the biggest obstacles to cities taking the bold decisions needed to transition and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The climate issue offers the perfect point of conflict where individual desires are pitted against the common good. Should the state regulate citizens' ability to make their own choices? It is also a field where the debate about what constitutes symbolic gestures and what has a real effect is never-ending.
For the past six years, I have devoted my time to understanding how to make the sustainable future less scary and how to bridge the polarisation in city halls. As Chief Storyteller and City Consensus Builder at Viable Cities, I have developed a framework for achieving ambitious compromises by using storytelling to build consensus in cities.
The key is to start talking about the common goals – improved quality of life – and then address the question of whether we can maintain our identities even if our behaviours change, which, of course, we can. By avoiding moralising or hammering facts into each other's heads, and instead using storytelling in a way that makes visions of the future feel emotionally true, locally relevant and scientifically accurate, I have seen, time and time again, how people representing very different points of view can come together. Because we have more in common than we think, and the framework I have developed helps parties to understand each other better.
The framework I have developed is called the Ambitious Consensus Framework. During the course of my work, it has been recognised as a new way of addressing the issue, and many people have shown interest. I have been asked to talk about it in publications ranging from the BBC and Süddeutche Zeitung to the Times of London and Bloomberg Businessweek.
This interest has taken me a little by surprise. I have been invited to talk about parts of my work at events ranging from a UN environmental conference to Berkeley University, Pixar Animation Studios, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Helsinki and the House of Lords in London. The latter even arranged a hearing on the framework in the British Parliament!
I was recently invited to South Africa, where I spoke about this to a group representing some of their largest cities. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit them in person this time, but since the entire event was recorded, I asked them to publish it so that more people could see it. See below.
The framework is currently in beta version, and this autumn I will conduct a final pilot in Swedish cities before it is published widely. I will get back to you on that.
Although the framework is primarily aimed at cities, there are parts that seem useful for creating consensus on major decisions outside the realm of local politics.
That’s all for now. Take care!
/Per