Konzeptwerk New Economy
Impact Sector
Economy & Finance
Type of Strategy
Innovate
Project Location
Europe
Entry Funding
In a nutshell
The private ownership of power plants, buildings and farmland poses major barriers to achieving climate justice. We must find viable new alternatives to the current system – but so far, not enough time, thought or policy effort has gone into this. Konzeptwerk will bring together thought leaders from across Germany to collaborate and build frameworks. The socialisation of these infrastructures can open up new paths for climate justice policy and practice. Konzeptwerk’s 2024 conference will help us to challenge existing ownership models, and work out new ones for a just climate future.
Climate Problem
Current property regimes make it more difficult to achieve socially just climate progress. Privately owned fossil and energy-intensive industries can freely resist demands to phase out and downscale their operations. The concentration of land ownership in the hands of private investors prevents us from implementing ecological agriculture on a scale that has any impact. Meanwhile, large real estate holdings drive up rents and worsen the housing affordability crisis.
These systems can be challenged, but it’s not enough to point out a problem without offering a solution. We must find strategies that are actionable, watertight, and get people on board.
Too often, the focus on technical climate solutions or individual consumption distracts the public from questions of power, utilities and ownership. Leaving these questions unanswered delays climate progress, yet this policy area remains unaddressed.
As a result, the climate movement is unprepared to challenge the current framework, and to push for structural changes that will strengthen our society’s climate action. Moving forward requires more thought leadership and policy development.
Project Solution
This project gathers a conference of leaders in the field: providing a space for them to educate and collaborate on the challenges that ownership structures present to climate justice. The result will sharpen the argument for change, and present solutions. The conference will include around 250 participants, primarily from social movements, and will hold more than 50 sessions over two and a half days. It’ll be designed to be a birthplace for new movements, and new policy ideas that are fit to meet the challenges of climate change with a true justice lens.
In Germany, recent campaigns for the requisition of private facilities for public use have caught the attention of the public and won official referendums. Building on these efforts, this conference could be critical to initiating change for years to come, especially in restructuring ownership models. Effective climate justice policy requires better strategies to overcome entrenched power structures, while linking climate justice to economic justice.
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"For a climate-just transformation we need an economy beyond growth and exploitation. The socialisation of infrastructure such as energy supply, housing and agriculture is a central step in this process and this is what the conference is all about.“
- Operational since 2012
- Team of 23 employees
- Headquarters in Leipzig, Germany
About the organisation
Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie (“concept lab for a new economy”) believes that our economy can, and should, be ecologically and socially just and inclusive. Its mission is to bring people together to develop concepts that can make this reality.
The organisation’s work is multifaceted: they develop educational initiatives, policy proposals, and support grassroots change. They arrange collaboration, creating alliances across social movements, academia and civil society. And recognising the power of ideas, they create learning spaces for critical educational work.
Endorsing partner
The Open Society Foundation has supported Konzeptwerk’s climate and economic transformation work for several years, with a focus on reinforcing Konzeptwerk’s long-developed capacity to bring together researchers, grassroots activists and civil society representatives to advance social and environmental justice.
How your donation helps
With your support, Konzeptwerk can raise awareness of the importance of ownership structures to addressing climate change among the public – and can present viable alternatives to market-based solutions. Following the conference, the project will support development of new initiatives for a democratically run, climate-friendly economy at the movement level.
They will create plenty of opportunities at the conference for participants to present, collectively generate project ideas, and build relationships. The 2024 conference will lay the groundwork for new climate action initiatives to prosper.
Konzeptwerk launches a landmark conference on how ownership structures can be reframed, involving 250 leaders and stakeholders across civil society, academia and science.
New research, policy and academic thought on climate justice inspires the climate movement, and further clarifies its objectives.
Konzeptwerk and its networks develop new ways of working, campaigning and achieving impact – in ways that are fit for purpose and actionable for climate justice stakeholders.
Why we chose the project
"Making a bridge towards our climate-safe future begins with the sourcing of good ideas. Konzeptwerk is unafraid to challenge the status quo: their project aims to create the blueprints for a future that is more just, more equal, and more sustainable."
Dr. Johannes Lundershausen
Senior Climate Advisor, Active Philanthropy
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Seed
KEY SUPPORTER
Grow
PROJECT PATRON
Flourish
CLIMATE CHAMPION
Receive bi-annual reports on how your funded project is progressing
Access to exclusive networks or new research, tailored to your funding choice
Meet the people behind the project, ask your questions, and build connection (online)
Book an exchange with our Active team to discuss latest trends in climate funding (online)
Meet the project team in person to see firsthand how your donation made a difference
Meet with other donors we've carefully selected to match your needs and interests
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