The Global Ecovillage Network published in 2017 a study showing how the ecovillages achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, weaving together the five dimensions of sustainability – social, culture, ecology, economy, whole system design – and pioneer innovative solutions.
Read the full article on Global Ecovillage Network‘s website
Research on ecovillage impact agrees. The EU-funded TRANSIT research project identified ecovillages as key sources of the social innovation necessary for transitions to sustainability. And the TESS research project concluded that if only five percent of the EU were to engage in effective community-led climate change adaptation initiatives, carbon savings would be sufficient for 85% of it’s countries to achieve their 2020 emission reduction targets.
TESS also showed that 63% of the surveyed community-based initiatives have been replicated elsewhere. The potential to scale community-led regeneration is high!
Social Impact and the SDGs
In 2017, GEN investigated the impact of 30 diverse ecovillages in 5 continents to find out how ecovillages were already contributing to reaching the SDGs and Climate Agreements. This is some of what we found:
100% provide education and lifelong learning opportunities in the fields of sustainable development, regenerative lifestyles and climate change adaptation
90% have more than 40% women in decision-making bodies
100% actively safeguard regenerative local cultural traditions using local sustainable ways of building, farming and preparing food
90% recycle, reuse and repair more than 50% of consumer goods. 85% compost all their food waste
100% provide education in decision-making and mutual empowerment skills
96% provide training in nonviolent conflict resolution, and 80% have an agreed upon method for resolving conflicts
95% regularly engage in campaigns to protect human rights, the rights of communities and the rights of nature
Ecological Impact and Climate Change Adaptation
- 97% of showcase ecovillages work actively to restore degraded ecosystems
- 90% work actively to sequester carbon in soil and biomass
- 97% actively work to restore or replenish sources and cycles of water
In their efforts to restore ecosystems, water cycles and atmosphere, ecovillages use and often teach many of the top 100 carbon drawdown solutions, as identified by Project Drawdown in “the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming”. These include:
- Regenerative agriculture
- Reforestation and afforestation
- Restoration of farmlands, orchards and mangroves
- Sustainable water management and river, lake and aquifer restoration
- Composting, local food and reduced food waste
- Biochar
Beyond that, ecovillages provide numerous and diverse intangible benefits, such as building social capital, providing a sense of purpose and belonging, improving well-being, and empowerment. These benefits are less easy to record and measure, but are often identified by ecovillagers themselves as the most important.
Learn more
Read the full article on Global Ecovillage Network‘s website
Find the inventory of the ecovillages visited in 20 European countries
