1. tt30 of the Club of Rome and its innovation potential for assuring the sustainability of our society
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Ildiko Tulbure
University “1 December 1918”, Alba Iulia, Romania
PD at the University of Technology Clausthal, Germany
tt30 of the Club of Rome and the Club of Rome

2. CONTENT 1. General remarks about the Club of Rome and about tt30
2. tt30 projects
3. tt30-Web of the Problematique
4. Overcoming Technological Divides
5. Some selected results of the project work – Sustainability in Europe?
6. Conclusions

3. General remarks about the Club of Rome
Global think tank and catalyst for change
1972: CoR-report „The Limits to Growth“ -> incubator for environmental movement
Long-term, interdisciplinary and holistic approach
„World Problematique“: Complex set of interdependent challenges the world is facing

4. General remarks about tt30 of the Club of Rome
Founded in the year 2001 during the kick-off meeting
in Hamburg, Germany
Provide the perspective of the young generation on the World Problematique
Contribution to „Resolutique“ with concrete requests and proposals for solutions - projects

5. Participants of tt30 - Maximum 30 participants - Age: 25 - 35
- Diverse Backgrounds (Academia, Business, Politics, NGO,...)
- From all around the world, covering Eastern & Western Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, North & Latin America

6. Organisation of tt30 - Using intensively the web-platform
Leadership: Coordinating team
reporting to the CoR Secretary General
Close cooperation with the European Support Center in Vienna and the National Associations
tt30 on national level - in Germany
Annual Meetings: in Hamburg, Germany
until now 2002 in Valencia, Spain
2003 in Rome, Italy
2004 in Amman, Jordan
2005 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2006 in Abuja, Nigeria

7. 2. Most important tt30 - projects
Overcoming Technological Divides
2. Values Systems, Consumption Patterns and Diversity  
3. Knowledge Transfer Across Cultures: A Comparative Analysis of the West, South East Asia & West Africa 
4. Acceleration as a Threat to Sustainable Development

8. 3. tt30 Web of the Problematique
It is actually the tt30 perspective on the challenges of the world in 20 years perspective
Makes this complex concept understandable
Shows concretely how tt30 sees the World Problematique

9. tt30 Web of the Problematique
3 Fundamental dimensions
CONFLICTS AND
DISRUPTIONS OF
VALUE SYSTEMS
UNEQUAL ACCESS
TO GOODS, INFORMATION
AND TECHNOLOGY
LACK OF
GOOD GOVERNANCE

10. tt30 Web of Problematique: Further aspects & elements
UNEQUAL ACCESS
TO GOODS, INFORMATION
AND TECHNOLOGY
LACK OF
GOOD GOVERNANCE
CONFLICTS & DISRUPTIONS OF
VALUE SYSTEMS
Gender inequality
Neglect of
the commons
Flood and Quality
of information
Apathy
Loss of identity
Violence
Lack of
healthcare
Water scarcity
Basic needs
Conflicts over resources
Loss of Biodiversity
Migration
Brain Drain
Military approach
Democracy
Renewable
technologies
external costs
Intellectual
property rights
Disrespect of
cultural differences
responsibility
accountability
transparency
legitimacy
Terrorism
Int. political
dominance
Consumption
patterns
Consumptive
lifestyles
Decrease of
resources &
degradation of
environment
Lack of and
insufficiencies of
Education
Decline
of traditional
values
Decreasing
respect of
human rights
Demographic
transition
Poverty
Inappropriate
division of political &
economic power
processes of
decision making
international
solidarity
Weakness of
civil society
Shortcomings
of market
economy
Security vs.
Civil Rights
Technological
divides
Short term
thinking
welfare

11. 4. Overcoming Technological Divides
tt30 project defined during the tt30 kick-off conference 2001 in Hamburg, Germany
Covering several years
Interdisciplinary project
Guided by the fundamental principles of the CoR:
Global perspective , holistic thinking and long-term perspective
Limited human, time and financial resources
Project team: Pauliina Arola (Finland), Christian Berg (Germany), Baker al-Hiyari (Jordan), Tadas Leoncikas (Lithuania), Michal Miedzinski (Poland), Peter-Olav Pleuß (Germany), Ildiko Tulbure (Romania/Germany), Ali Vali (USA/India), Aleksander Zidansek (Slovenia)

12. Why such a project?
The issue “Technological Divides” has been recognised as one of the most important ones of the World Problematique.
Technological Divides between societies as well as within each society
Continuously increasing technological gaps because of fast progress in technology, quickly leaving more and more people behind
The situation in the field of Divides is not very well known
Better understanding of secondary effects of technological developments
World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002 “No limits to Knowledge, but Limits to Poverty”
World Summit on the Information Society, Geneva, 2003
Digital Worlds, Paris, 2005

13. Goals of the project To analyse and evaluate existing Divides
To understand what effects can Divides have
To recognise appropriate strategies how to overcome the Divides.
Structured in two main parts:
First step: analysis and diagnosis of the existing situation in the field of Technological Divides i.e. access to technologies, ability to use, effective use together with potential impacts
Second step: elaboration of strategies how to overcome Divides

14. Flow-chart

15. 5. Some selected results of the project work –
5. Some selected results of the project work – Sustainability in Europe
A. Digital Divide in Europe
B. Sustainability in the Information Society
C. Holistic education for sustainable development

16. A. Digital Divide in Europe
Is Digital Divide a theme for Europe?
At first view Not a special one compared with the world-wide situation.
Where do we stand?
Europe - Africa - America - other selected countries

18. Estimated PCs in the world per 100 inhabitants

19. Digital Divide in Europe - internal analysis
By careful analysis of the situation: Divides between European societies and within societies between generations.
Even within a country there are big regional differences concerning the Divides, particularly between big cities and rural areas.
Gaps also between different educational levels.

20. Divides in Europe
Fully „on-line“
Moving forward
„On-line“

21. B. Sustainability in the Information Society
The emergence and use of ICT have beside primary desired effects also secondary (negative) ones in all human activity fields and on the environment.
With the present usage patterns of ICT the sustainability of our society will be put under question.
Emerging the Information Society is necessary but does not assure per se the sustainability of our society because of rebound-effects in all human activity fields and on environment.
Reduction of energy consumption by using ICT?
Less environmental impacts by using ICT?
More welfare by using ICT?
Emerging the Information Society in unequal way in the world will leave more and more people behind - African situation

22. C. Holistic education
Education - key issue for the world sustainability !
In his book "Continuity, Innovation and Change", HRH Prince Hassan, former President of the Club of Rome, pointed out the need for education as a key issue for achieving these three human goals: continuity, innovation, and change. These are the fundamentals of sustainable development of our society.
Three dimensions of education are recognised: infrastructure, methodologies and values. All these three dimensions of education are of crucial importance for the educational process regardless about which region we are talking about. Frameworks (economic, politic, social, cultural) are, in our opinion, the bound elements between these dimensions.
It is to be clarified how important are these three spheres for educational processes.

23. From tt30 for consideration to the CoR
Life-Cycles in our Dynamic World
Rebound effects
Short-term thinking
Education
Lack of long-term Responsibility
Acceleration

24. Networking & spreading our results
Partnerships through project teams with other global organisations for emerging the tt30 innovation potential
Several articles. For example: “An Agenda for the Young generation” in “Europe in Perspective of Global Change”, ed. Antoni Kuklinski, Warsaw 2003
Book: Exploring a worthwhile Future for All
Organising and participating in international conferences for spreading out the tt30 ideas related to sustainable development

25. University "1 Decembrie 1918" Alba Iulia, Romania, 23th - 25th February, Kick-off conference of the Network for Sustainability Strategies, Monitoring and Management in South Eastern Europe (NESSEE 06)

26. 6. Conclusions
tt30 is acting by its great innovation potential for assuring the sustainable development of our world
There are different major problems regarding sustainability in different parts of the world.
Technological Divides: a very complex and interdisciplinary field
Divides in the world - qualitatively different
Rebound-effects are dangerous for the sustainable development of our society
Global emerging the Information Society - is this the sustainable way ?
Education - key issue regarding overcoming Divides and the driving force for Sustainable Development

27. Thank you for your attention !

28. University "1 Decembrie 1918" Alba Iulia, Romania, 23th - 25th February, Kick-off conference of the Network for Sustainability in South Eastern Europe (NESSEE)
Thursday, Feb. 23th: Official opening of the conference
Friday, Feb. 24th: Sustainable Development
1. Sustainable Development and Society, Institutionalisation, Networks
2. Energy/Environmental Aspects and Sustainable Development, Initiatives
3. Economy/Educational Aspects and Sustainable Development, Initiatives
Saturday, Feb. 25th: Future working way
Launching the Network for Sustainability in South Eastern Europe

29. Technological Divides - Standard definition
Technological Divides: gaps between societies or specific societal groups in access as well as in ability to use and effective use of (new) technologies in practice.
Problems here: with which eyes (from which part) do we look at the gaps? What is the cultural understanding for how to use technologies and for which goals?

31. Mobile phone subscribers in the world per 100 inhabitants

32. Rebound-effects
A case study using modelling and simulation with scenario development concerning possible rebound-effects due to use of ICT

33. 1 2 4 3
3=4

34. Sustainability? For American/European countries - rebound-effects !
For African/Arabic countries: early stage of emerging the Information Society
For American/European countries: how to use technological applications without compromising sustainable development?
For African/Arabic countries: how to solve basic Technological Divides: water supply, energy supply, infrastructure, Divides in environmental technologies? It does not make sense to give each child in an African country an -address without having electrical power supply or even food! Considering the trends in the population growth and GNP/capita it is to be expected that these divides will deepen.
There are Divides in Europe as well as in other world regions - but there are qualitative differences !