Project overview
This project uses the jigsaw metaphor to understand and convey how we can reach a sustainable society. The picture on the front of the box is the flourishing, sustainable society we aim to reach. This draws on the SDGs with the exception of economic growth which is in tension with environmental sustainability. It also draws on a series of co-creation events where attendees share their vision of what such a future looks like for them. Common factors are clean air and water, less traffic, more nature, stronger communities, meaningful work, less anxiety, avoiding climate collapse, secure energy, low carbon food and transport. The corner pieces of the box are the institutional elements that affect what is possible.
The project began in Jan 2026 with a fortnightly LinkedIn newsletter to share ideas and solicit feedback and is running co-creation events at regular intervals. It will be written up as a book and also produced as a jigsaw. It enables a holistic and systems-based understanding of how all the various elements of our society, political, economic, cultural, technological etc. connect, and where the levers for change might be.
The project began in Jan 2026 with a fortnightly LinkedIn newsletter to share ideas and solicit feedback and is running co-creation events at regular intervals. It will be written up as a book and also produced as a jigsaw. It enables a holistic and systems-based understanding of how all the various elements of our society, political, economic, cultural, technological etc. connect, and where the levers for change might be.
Staff
Lead researchers
Research outputs
Ian Townend, Denise Baden, James Baker, Jan Buermann, Ian Dawson, Wassim Dbouk, John Dearing, C. Patrick Doncaster, Felix Eigenbrod, Tim Hellmann, Rebecca Hoyle, Antonella Ianni, Hachem Kassem, Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, Martin Kunc, Massimiliano Manfren, Alasdair Marshall, Wonyong Park, Dhritiraj Sengupta & Vanissa Wanick,
2025, Futures, 173
Type: article
Ruby Campbell, Diana Collett, Jackie Arnold, Denise Baden, David Bennett, Wassim Dbouk, Jenny Wardle, Katarzyna Schubert-Panecka, Natalie Nickells, Volker Molthan, Lina Lo & Michael Cavanagh,
2024
Type: book