"How do you wayfind through a present that is so unequal to a future that is so uncertain?" - Jo Lansdowne, Executive Producer, Pervasive Media Studio

For the past three years, we’ve been thinking about the principles of climate justice and how they might apply to our work. We recognise the importance of a fair and just transition to a green economy which prioritises the Green Economy Coalition’s five principles (wellbeing, justice, planetary boundaries, good governance, efficiency & sufficiency), where no one is left behind and where communities and ecosystems flourish. 

In line with demand from our communities, we have progressed our thinking around Watershed’s evolution to ensure it will be a flagship centre in Bristol for inclusion and environmental sustainability, building on our sector leadership in this area. In doing so, we have engaged in a process of slow and future-facing conversations about inclusive, sustainable and even regenerative R&D.

We are so excited to publish our final report, bringing together the work we have done. Read it here: https://www.watershed.co.uk/studio/process/alternative-technologies-just-transition 

"At a time when organisations are struggling to instigate and effect change, being part of a program that embraces experimental new methods and equity with nuance and care to enable an intergenerational and intercultural mix of participants to collectively explore how to address global issues, fills me with hope".- Imwen Eke

Background

Alternative Technologies: A Just Transition builds on our Alternative Technologies workshop series and integrates our previous work which explores a creative just transition and inclusion framework for change. The aim throughout has been to move towards the co-creation of a new climate justice innovation methodology. 

In this project we focused on a just transition and how we might shift from an extractive economy to a life affirming, regenerative one.

Questions guiding our methodology were: 

• How do climate action, social justice and creative technology come together as a driver for designing regenerative ways of living
• How do we honour a collaborative and generative early-stage process in any future research and development project?
• How do we share the results of a deep dive set of conversations with a necessarily small group, across our wider community in a meaningful way? 

Additionally, we committed to:

• Share knowledge to enable everyone across our organisation and community of 180 Pervasive Media Studio Residents to mobilise towards a more regenerative future.
• Engage our wider audiences in conversations around the environment and climate justice through sharing events and wider cultural programming.
• Be transparent, accountable and honest along the way. 

"Innovative, risk-taking facilitation doesn't have to be scary - it can instead by full of warmth, kindness, spaciousness, ease and trust".- Alternative Technologies: A Just Transition Participant

The series comprised three workshops between Feb and April 2024 and was attended by participants including Pervasive Media Studio and UWE staff, and 15 participants across Pervasive Media Studio residents, the Grounding Technologies cohort, and the Watershed-MyWorld STREAM micro-residencies.

This project is supported by Dr Erinma Ochu’s work on Community for Engaging Environments, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

You can find our final report here: https://www.watershed.co.uk/studio/process/alternative-technologies-just-transition 

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