Client challenge

Having chosen to make sustainable development their competitive edge the client wished to promote positive actions throughout the regions on the issue, creating shared consensus and developing an understanding of stakeholders views of what life in a low carbon economy would look like. Rather than a classic talk and note workshop, they wanted to capture information in an innovative, participative and engaging manner. The event aimed to develop a stakeholder relevant picture of what life in a low carbon economy could look like for us in 2050.

What did we do?

Yorkshire Forward invited twenty stakeholders for a visioning event run over two days. The stakeholders represented included industry, policy makers, academics and civil society groups. Article 13 provided the process and materials, managed and facilitated the event and analysed the outcomes of the workshops using their in-house policy and scientific experts.

The central issue was to use techniques that enabled the stakeholders to look at the ‘problem’ differently. Article 13 designed a process whereby the stakeholders painted pictures that demonstrated the issues around climate change – the causes, the impacts, the solutions and the visions. These pictures enabled a debate to take place culminating in four groups drawing what they perceived would be a better quality of life based on a low carbon economy.

The group defined a low carbon economy as a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emission levels based on 1990 levels. Together with the pictures, they produced an action plan of what needed to happen to achieve the picture. These actions included changes in consumer behaviour, changes to Government policies or changes in technology.

The innovation that emerged through the use of pictures and drawings to solving a previous problem soon converted these ‘experts’ to using this process themselves in their own organisations to address this challenge. After the event, Article 13 produced the story and background report to demonstrate that 60% cuts could be achieved.

How did we do it?

Article 13 delivered an innovative workshop which engaged and challenged the participants to think about the issues in a different way. The output was also integrated in to policy discussions.

© Article 13 2005