Counting Backwards Workshop, 24–25 Nov 2011 / the Helsinki meeting of 60 experts in SPREAD Sustainable Lifestyles 2050. www.sustainable-lifestyles.eu & www.sustainable-lifestyles.eu/community

1. Day 1 Results

2. Day 1 Results
– A test track for our current knowledge on
sustainable lifestyles: what could emerge from
current promising practices.

3. Day 1 Results
– A test track for our current knowledge on
sustainable lifestyles: what could emerge from
current promising practices.
– 4 scenario narratives on future of
sustainable lifestyles.

4. Day 1 Results
– A test track for our current knowledge on
sustainable lifestyles: what could emerge from
current promising practices.
– 4 scenario narratives on future of
sustainable lifestyles.
– Expert information to be used in the
4 scenarios.

5. Your brief for the workshop
Y are here
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

6. Your brief for the workshop
Sustainable lifestyles have emerged
as a relevant option to choose.
Y are here
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

7. Your brief for the workshop
Sustainable lifestyles have emerged
as a relevant option to choose.
But are they the right ones
from the perspective of 2050?
Y are here
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

8. Your brief for the workshop
Sustainable lifestyles have emerged
as a relevant option to choose.
But are they the right ones
from the perspective of 2050?
We are exploring how promising
Y are here
practices can spread, what else is
needed and whether the current
ones are relevant.
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

9. LOCAL LOOPS

10. LOCAL LOOPS
The world is built bottom-up by skillful communities. Global interaction between
people is mediated, not directed. Some institutions remain global. Local
professional guilds are both the innovation system and the environmental agent.
Cities have changed from consumption units to self-sustaining ones. Emphasis is
on user-centric design that produces smart and creative local solutions.
Embedded, locally sensitive intelligence enables the economic system to decouple.
Merit is not based on hierarchy, but on skills that contribute to the society. Work
becomes meaningful and a source of pride. Interlinkages btw people are based
on sharing skills. Time banks emerge as skills are shared. Local technologies
enforce mutual respect among members of the community.
Local loops is a society of craftsmen and craftswomen.

11. How did we get here?
2015: OIL CRISIS HITS forcing the governments to rationing consumption. Use
of private cars is restricted. People living in remote areas are most affected.
Panic spreads around the world causing restlessness.
US troops are at the border of Saudi-Arabia in 2016.
Lack of resources brings about innovation.Through the rise of energy prices
eating, living and mobility become more expensive. Locally designed sustainable
solutions around energy intensive consumption areas start to emerge in the 20’s.
Value chains of the communities are changing rapidly.
In 2030‘s existing building stock starts to find new forms. Facilities of
assemblence and reassemblance occur.Tracing systems of material, assemblance
and tools enable local businesses to flourish.

12. KEY QUESTIONS
How has the division of labour evolved?
What are the value chains?
What drives innovation?
What makes people understand each other?

15. Can interest groups take care of the commons?

16. Hobby groups have turned to interest groups that form
the superpowers of Europe. They affect to referendums
heavily by lobbying and strong PR engines.
The global monetary system has split in two: local system
works without money, but covers quite big part of the
economy. Global monetary system has more than one
currency as energy and emissions has emerged as
currencies that are transformable to money.
Cities have two layers. The role of physical
infrastructure has diminished as the technological
improvements are taking the main role. The apartments are
smaller and there is lesser need for transportation.
Technological tools are used in educational purposes to
spread peer-to-peer information. There will also be quick
changes in official curriculums of European schools.

17. Major events
2040: The first major conflict between different interest
groups.
2025: Mobility car acquires Mercedes Benz.
2025: The local non-monetary systems have found their
shape.
2015: Communities of young people start to share urban
farms, cars, kitchens thus affording everyday luxury.
2015: Kids are provided cognitive tools that will enable
more ethical decisions.

18. Questions to be discussed
• How public spending will be turned to
support the idea of commons?
• How the local currency will emerge?
• What are the major drivers changing
upbringing in schools and homes? (Value
change, motivation)
• Where are the biggest emission reductions
found at 2025 and 2050.

19. Empathic Communities

20. Empathic Communities
Empathic Communities are societies in which people recycle resources in local local loops, public
and private space is used as dynamically as possible according to needs, and people think of access
and experiences in sense of what is meaningful.
Happiness is based on experiences and possibilities for access rather than materials and
salaries. Nation states are old-fashioned and big cities like the Greater Villages Area of
Helsinki and the League of Municipalities in Catalunya communicate in global sphere to
make world-wide actions possible.
Car use has diminished and the space that was used by private transportation structures is
now made public and used for food production etc. People exchange goods and services
locally and everyone’s needs are provided for. Everything is transparent which means that
people feel responsible e.g. about food as they know its producers, distributors and
preparers. Living spaces are built based on peoples’ needs and people actively participate in
decision making within their local area.

21. How We Got Here?
In 2015 we have best practices as niche lifestyles that form ground for
mainstream behavior later on: time banks, urban farming etc. Decade later
these earlier “hobbies” form ground for the rise of empathy after the great
collapse.
During 2017 the price of cereal rise 4-fold within six months. The chain of
resource crises starts.
Global economic system collapses in 2025: constant financial crises turns out
to be the perfect storm that lets people see local possibilities that are already
there.
Rise of Empathy
World Cup for footballing cities is held for the first time in 2031 in
celebration of the rise municipalities as the driver of sustainable lifestyles.
Each city has its own specific playing style.
In comparison to 2020, happiness in 2040 Europe-wide has risen while hours
spent working for necessities drops.
In 2042 the concept of supermunicipalities emerges: cities that produce their
own food and energy and consist of multiple different living environments in
which resources are recycled.

22. KEY QUESTIONS?
How has the division of labour evolved?
How is value built in 2050?
How to overcome the tragedy of the commons?
How can we combine efficiency with human-centrism?
What makes the rise of empathy possible after the great economic collapse in
2025?

23. Pandemic
technology
The Singular Super Elite
The Zuckerbergs and Jobs’ of the future see sustain-
able lifestyles as the market opportunity of this century.
Instead of capital people own
Innovation is driven by the few with meritable skills, expertise.
”I want to learn, not earn”.
and solutions in society are globally applicable
business models.
The world is mastered by champions
Everything has a price and a business model. The humankind
operates within one techno-economic system, with highly
– people whom master themselves.
standardized meters of performance. Society is transparent
Life is hectic and tiring.
and most things have become measurable and most things have a price. Data is open
Power lies with ability to learn and
You have but one choice,
and easy to access. Best practices spread like wildfire. Fast spreading technologies
transform oneself.
and competition on every level increase efficiency and make sustainable lifestyles pos-
be motivated or controlled.
sible.
c
y
Many enterprises circle around provision of resources.
Local loops representative, but strict in taxing ”bad habits”.
Democracy remains
The world is build bottom-up by the best engineers.
Global interaction between people is mediated, not direct.
Everything isSome institutions –and as science – remain global.
transparent such calculated. Companies
are valued inDifferent areas command different economicnottechnological
multiple measures and can and hide anything.
systems, but are only connected through elites and institutions.

24. Pandemic
technology
The Singular Super Elite Champions
The Zuckerbergs and Jobs’ of the future see sustain-
able lifestyles as the market opportunity of this century.
Instead of capital people own
Innovation is driven by the few with meritable skills, expertise.
”I want to learn, not earn”.
and solutions in society are globally applicable
business models.
The world is mastered by champions
Everything has a price and a business model. The humankind
operates within one techno-economic system, with highly
– people whom master themselves.
standardized meters of performance. Society is transparent
Life is hectic and tiring.
and most things have become measurable and most things have a price. Data is open
Power lies with ability to learn and
You have but one choice,
and easy to access. Best practices spread like wildfire. Fast spreading technologies
transform oneself.
and competition on every level increase efficiency and make sustainable lifestyles pos-
be motivated or controlled.
sible.
c
y
Many enterprises circle around provision of resources.
Local loops representative, but strict in taxing ”bad habits”.
Democracy remains
The world is build bottom-up by the best engineers.
Global interaction between people is mediated, not direct.
Everything isSome institutions –and as science – remain global.
transparent such calculated. Companies
are valued inDifferent areas command different economicnottechnological
multiple measures and can and hide anything.
systems, but are only connected through elites and institutions.

25. Pandemic
technology
The Singular Super Elite
The Zuckerbergs and Jobs’ of the future see sustain-
able lifestyles as the market opportunity of this century.
Innovation is driven by the few with meritable skills,
and solutions in society are globally applicable
business models.
Lifestyle
Everything has a price and a business model. The humankind
operates within one techno-economic system, with highly
•Universities and Holiday Clubs merge
standardized meters of performance. Society is transparent
•Insect restaurant get 3 Michelin Stars
and most things have become measurable and most things have a price. Data is open
and easy to access. Best practices spread like wildfire. Fast spreading technologies
and competition on every level increase efficiency and make sustainable lifestyles pos-
sible.
c
y
Boring stuff
•New EU-formed on new industries (not
steel and coal)
Local loops •Massive open-data infrastructure
The world is build bottom-up by the best 2015.
investments in engineers.
Global interaction between people is mediated, not direct.
Some institutions – such as science – remain global.
Different areas command different economic and technological
systems, but are only connected through elites and institutions.

26. Pandemic
technology
The Singular Super Elite Champions
The Zuckerbergs and Jobs’ of the future see sustain-
able lifestyles as the market opportunity of this century.
Innovation is driven by the few with meritable skills,
and solutions in society are globally applicable
business models.
Lifestyle
Everything has a price and a business model. The humankind
operates within one techno-economic system, with highly
•Universities and Holiday Clubs merge
standardized meters of performance. Society is transparent
•Insect restaurant get 3 Michelin Stars
and most things have become measurable and most things have a price. Data is open
and easy to access. Best practices spread like wildfire. Fast spreading technologies
and competition on every level increase efficiency and make sustainable lifestyles pos-
sible.
c
y
Boring stuff
•New EU-formed on new industries (not
steel and coal)
Local loops •Massive open-data infrastructure
The world is build bottom-up by the best 2015.
investments in engineers.
Global interaction between people is mediated, not direct.
Some institutions – such as science – remain global.
Different areas command different economic and technological
systems, but are only connected through elites and institutions.

27. What we still need in order have
4 logical and coherent scenarios ?
Y are here
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

28. What we still need in order have
4 logical and coherent scenarios ?
1) To understand what is the role of the current
national democratic systems.
Y are here
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

29. What we still need in order have
4 logical and coherent scenarios ?
1) To understand what is the role of the current
national democratic systems.
2) To understand how public services and public
spending could contribute in creating sustainable
Y are here
lifestyles.
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2

30. What we still need in order have
4 logical and coherent scenarios ?
1) To understand what is the role of the current
national democratic systems.
2) To understand how public services and public
spending could contribute in creating sustainable
Y are here
lifestyles.
3) To understand the wider consequences of
endemic technological system.
ou
2050... 2040.... 2025...20 ..
15 ..2