In the Northwest of Cameroon, a whole kingdom is transitioning into an eco-region. In consultation with King Fon Ambumbi II and combining the vision of Mayor Langsi and GEN ambassador, Konkankoh Joshua, a great deal of effort is being invested in creating a transition from rural subsistence farming into a thriving, sustainable, eco-friendly region. Sonita Mbah, Executive Secretary of GEN Africa, reports. Watch the trailer for Bafut Ecovillage: … Read more
traditional communities
Ecovillage Movement in China An update on the Sunshine Ecovillage Network
The partnership and friendship between GEN and the Sunshine Ecovillage Network (SEN), in China has been growing in the past year, since the first Ecovillage Forum organised by SEN took place in October 2015, drawing around 500 interested participants. Ecovillage Design Education courses have previously been run in China, led by Pracha Hatanuwatr and Jane Rasbash, and many young Chinese have participated in ecovillage training elsewhere. Chinese representatives have been reaching out to GENOA – … Read more
Latin America (CASA): Video Documentation and Educational Tools for Community Development
A Solution provided by Común Tierra, Latin America With the rural exodus and the deterioration of rural communities, many traditional skills and decentralized solutions are threatened with extinction. On the other hand, local communities that are determined to remain and continue to develop don´t have access to globally shared knowledge. The Común Tierra Project has stepped into this gap and works as a bridgebuilder and information carrier for numerous remote communities in Latin … Read more
Asia/Oceania (GENOA): Earthen Architecture and Green Building Techniques
A solution provided by Auroville, India Construction is responsible for the huge consumption of energy, electricity, water and materials. On the other hand the building sector has a great potential to deliver significant cuts in emissions at little or no cost. Buildings account for 18% of global emissions, or the equivalent of 9 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. According to the United Nations Environment Program, the emissions could double by 2050 during this time of rapid growth. With so … Read more
EDE Palestine 2016
In the north of the West Bank, a small traditional village named Farkha is set to become the first ecovillage in Palestine. With support of the German Foreign Ministry, in May 2016 GEN offered the second part of an Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) course for around 30 participants, aimed at further inspiring and supporting this village towards being fully self-sustainable, focusing its efforts increasingly on organic farming, renewable energy, composting, and welcoming further trainings for … Read more
Synergies between Degrowth and GEN Synergies between Degrowth and the Global Ecovillage Network
One of the most controversially discussed key tracks during the 5th International Degrowth Conference 2016 in Budapest was “Degrowth and other social movements”. Can degrowth be considered a movement? Does degrowth embrace all kinds of movements struggling for a sustainable future? On one hand, the notion of “degrowth movement(s)” was rigorously criticized for fragmenting the political struggle. It was also critiqued as umbrella concept for creating incongruous hierarchical relations between … Read more
Cameroon: Ecobuilding in Bafut Ecobuilding as part of Sustainable Development in Bafut Ecovillage
Transforming a farm into a learning center and ecovillage: together we have created a model for the region with ecological buildings, the beginnings of a food forest, and water and solar systems to generate clean energy. … Read more
Cameroon: Green Entrepreneurship Green Entrepreneurship in Bafut Ecovillage
The Bafut Ecovillage celebrates four years of sustainable community development, achieved through adaptive governance among the people and designing a model of cultural and social development based on a green economy. … Read more
10th Earth Summit "10th Earth Summit: Creating the Earth for a New Era," Japan (July 16-18, 2016)
“Creating the Earth (Kuni-Tsukuri) for a New Era” Dawn of the Era Hundreds of years ago, the universal wisdom came down to a monkey which is said to be our human ancestor, and then he began to use tools for the first time. As a result, the monkey evolved into a human (HITO). This is how our current advanced civilization exists. As a result of evolution, a materially rich society has been brought into the modern era. However, it has created conflicts among humans, brought confusion to … Read more
Congo: Hope for All Ecovillage Ecovillage Design Education Courses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Espoir Pour Tous/Hope For All Ecovillage – “When we work with communities, we help them identify their problems and give them tools to strategize solutions and adopt projects based on concrete solutions. We are solving problems and changing lives.” … Read more
