Coordinators:
Melina Angel1 and Ann Lévesque2
1Colombia Regenerativa, Columbia — mellinangel@gmail.com,
2Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada — ann.levesque@gmail.com
In an era where human activities threaten planetary limits, new economic models are needed. One of the most interesting approaches to refocusing economies to achieve sustainability and resilience is bioregionalism. Bioregions can be defined in various ways and take different forms, depending on the ecological, geographical, and cultural features of a given region. Its boundaries are flexible and can be delineated by natural characteristics, such as watersheds, unique ecosystems or landscapes, and human cultures. The bioregional approach stresses the need to unpack the relationships between humans, living and non-living entities in a place-based ecosystem as well as the importance of developing new lifestyles that respect nature and human well-being. From an economic perspective, the bioregional approach calls for rethinking its relationship with the economy to create new forms of social relationships by placing life at the heart of change. This event aims to provide participants with food for thought to collectively rethink the role of economies from a bioregional perspective and will involve a Word Café format to foster dialogue between ecological economics and bioregional approaches. The workshop is open to both English and Spanish speakers, with translation provided throughout the event.