Dennis Meadows gave a report to the Club of Rome on November 11, 2016 about why warnings from past reports on limits to growth have been forgotten. The report discussed how some world leaders in the past acknowledged the issues but priorities reverted back to economic growth. Meadows provided recommendations on how to better communicate these issues to leaders, including focusing on universal problems, providing the right information, and taking personal responsibility rather than just telling others what to do.

1. Report to the Club of Rome 11/11/16
Dennis Meadows
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Why Didn’t We Learn:
Will We?
Dennis Meadows
Presented to the Club of Rome
Berlin, November 11, 2016
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Why Didn’t They Learn From Us:
What Should We Do Differently?
Dennis Meadows
Presented to the Club of Rome
Berlin, November 11, 2016
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Our Conclusion in 1972
If the present growth trends in world
populaSon, industrializaSon, polluSon,
food producSon, and resource depleSon
conSnue unchanged, the limits to growth
on this planet will be reached someSme
within the next one hundred years.
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Some Leaders Did Learn
“We do not need growth. Without growth per
capita, that means growth in material-
consumpSon per capita, we can beZer
survive…”
Sicco Mansholt, 4th President of the EEC and a
founding father of the EU.
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But it was forgoZen
“My first priority will be to put policies that
create growth and jobs at the centre of the
policy agenda of the next Commission.”
Jean Claude-Junker, President of the European
Commission
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Some Leaders Did Learn
“the Members of the United NaSons have
perhaps ten years lec in which to subordinate
their ancient quarrels and … defuse the
populaSon explosion”
U Thant, Secretary General of the UN”

2. Report to the Club of Rome 11/11/16
Dennis Meadows
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But it was forgoZen
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable
economic growth”
8th SDG of the United NaSons
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Some Leaders Did Learn
“We have learned that more is not necessarily
beZer, that even our great naSon has its
recognized limits, and that we can neither
answer all quesSons nor solve all problems.”
Jimmy Carter, President of the US
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But it was forgoZen
“overall U.S. economic growth has significantly
outpaced that of every other advanced
naSon.”
Boast of President Obama,
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Four Ways to Help Them Listen
• Address the right needs
• Focus on universal problems
• Provide the correct informaSon
• Take personal responsibility
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Address the right needs

3. Report to the Club of Rome 11/11/16
Dennis Meadows
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Hierarchy of needs
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Focus on universal problems
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Universal Problems
Now Future
BeZer ------->
Next EvaluaSon
AcSon #1
Actual Desired
AcSon #2
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Global Problems
Now Future
BeZer ------->
Next EvaluaSon
AcSon #1
AcSon #2
Actual
Desired
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Provide the correct informaSon
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Assumed Path to AcSon:
AdaptaSon
Do Care
Do Understand
Effec0ve Ac0on
Do Not Understand
Do Not Care
No AcSon
Science
AdaptaSon

4. Report to the Club of Rome 11/11/16
Dennis Meadows
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Actual Path to AcSon
Do Care
Do Understand
Effec0ve Ac0on
Do Care
Do Not Understand
FuSlity
Do Care
Do Understand
IneffecSve AcSon
Do Not Care
Do Not Understand
No AcSon
Culture
Science
Poli0cs
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Actual Path to InacSon:
PrevenSon
Do Care
Do Understand
Effec0ve Ac0on
Do Not Care
Do Not Understand
No AcSon
Do Not Care
Do Understand
PrevenSve AcSons
Science
PrevenSon
Poli0cs
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• Shorten the length of the work year
• Raise the reSrement age
• Redefine “paid work”
• Increase unemployment benefits
• Increase the taxaSon of corporaSons
and the rich
• Expand the use of green sSmulus
Examples of adapSve acSons
Maxton & Randers, p. 108 22
Examples of prevenSve acSons
• conduct public relaSons campaigns,
• buy scienSfic and other experSse to create
controversy about established facts,
• fund poliScal parSes,
• hire lobbyists to influence policy,
• use front groups and allied industries to oppose
control measures,
• pre-empt strong legislaSon by pressing for the
adopSon of voluntary codes or weaker laws,
• create internaSonal trade agreements that
override local control, and
• corrupt public officials.
Bull World Health Organ. 2000;78(7):902-10. “Tobacco industry tac8cs for resis8ng public policy on health.” Saloojee Y1, Dagli E
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Take personal responsibility
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Proclama0on:
You tell everyone else what they
should do.

5. Report to the Club of Rome 11/11/16
Dennis Meadows
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Resolu0on:
You tell everyone else what you
will do.
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1-2-3 CLAP