GEF’s Knowledge Communities address a diverse set of topics. They are built around and with (a) central expert(s), who deliver(s) a political stock-take political proposals and ideas for discussion with a wider group of actors. For this Knowledge Community, GEF works together with Céline Chaveriat, tackling different aspects of a “European green care society”.
About the Knowledge Community
This Knowledge Community examines the interconnection of care for climate and environment on the one, and care systems for humans on the other hand. We identify that, in the EU, these phenomena are currently in a “twin crisis” . Both share the same root: a system which conceives caring for people and for the environment as a burden whose costs must be reduced in the name of productivity and competitiveness, rather than viewed as an essential investment into the well-being of citizens and therefore the future prosperity of the continent. We argue that overcoming the twin crisis thus means systemic change, built on integrated political solutions. For the EU to truly transition to a sustainable society and economy we need a more caring society – a green care society.
While the EU already has a range of policies in place that could contribute to the emergence of a green care society, such as Europe’s care strategy and the European Green deal, efforts are so far uncoordinated and insufficient, or even made ineffective by other policies.
Our aim is to lay out the potential foundations of future European policies for such a green care society in which caring for human and non-human life on earth is celebrated as the basis of the well-being for all. Critical to our proposals will be:
- Redefining prosperity;
- Reducing and redistributing the “burden of care”;
- Rewarding and empowering care-takers;
- Investing in care;
- Caring beyond EU borders.
Expert
- Céline Chaveriat, Founder of Prototopia
Get involved!
Would you like to join this Knowledge Community ? Get in touch by filling this form.
For further information, send an email to taube.vanmelkebeke@gef.eu!