Frameworks of Change

How can we communicate about the direction the world is going, and agree on an idea of what progress looks like?

This is where frameworks of change come in. A framework, in this context, is a concept that can structure and direct common action. It’s a story we tell about the direction we need to go in, and the progress we are making. Individuals who care about the direction the world is going in can use these to guide their own decisions about their career and lifestyle. They can be used to inform and convince people who care, but don’t know where to start. They can also be used to bring people together to inspire common action.

This week, we’ll go through three frameworks that aim to do exactly this. The first is the U.N Sustainable Development Goals. They are the successors to Millennium Development Goals, and reflect the kind of challenges the world was facing in 2015. There are 17 goals, with 169 targets.

The second is the 2050 Challenge. The year 2050 is a big year. If we go 2ºC above pre-industrial levels, there we risk setting off a chain reaction that could be disastrous and lead to far greater temperature increases. At the same time, between now and 2050, the population will increase at an unprecedented rate to just under 10 billion people by 2050. Ensuring these people can thrive, not just survive, is the ultimate challenge of the 21st century.

The third Framework is ‘The Doughnut’. A concept developed by economist Kate Raworth, the Doughnut is a visual representation of how we can meet the basic needs of everyone