International Conference on Socio-Environmental Footprints (ICSEF): energy, bio-materials, justice and degrowth.
Dates: 10th-11th June 2027
This conference aims to disseminate knowledge and generate analysis regarding energy justice, taking into consideration the global implications that the current economic model generates at both the social level (especially in health and gender) and the environmental level.
Across its four thematic areas (Energy System Footprints, Sustainable Materials and Certifications, International Justice and National Footprints and Waste Management towards cero waste), we will explore the uneven impact that the system imposes on both affluent and impoverished nations.
The organization of this event is a collaborative effort involving the Life Cycle Research Group at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the non-governmental organizations medicusmundi Araba and medicusmundi Gipuzkoa. Financial support for the conference is provided by the Basque Agency for Development Cooperation.
RENEWABLE ENERGY MODEL
The current global model based on fossil fuels generates devastating eco-social impacts, such as the irreversible loss of biodiversity and intense extractive pressure in the Global South.
The transition to a renewable and electrified model is not a harmless process; it requires rigorous life cycle assessment of essential materials (such as lithium, copper, and rare earth elements) so that science can help design informed and sustainable policies.
BIOMATERIALS, WASTE AND RECYCLING
The current linear production and consumption system massively exploits raw materials—primarily from impoverished countries—and saturates the planet with petrochemical waste that threatens life.
To reverse this, the proposal is to transition to a less materialistic, low-impact socio-environmental model that respects the Earth's limits and prioritizes circular processes to continuously reuse materials throughout value chains.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENDER JUSTICE
The distribution of the environmental footprint is unequal: wealthy countries outsource heavy industries and cheap labour (such as the textile and agricultural sectors) to impoverished countries, making them appear to be the main polluters while concealing the true energy flows.
It is essential to move towards fair international recognition and redistribution, where gender equality, racial equality, and the appreciation of diverse ways of inhabiting the planet are key pillars.
DEGROWTH AND REDUCED CONSUMPTION
The transition requires a shift in values that places mutual care and the care of ecosystems at the heart of well-being, analysing the real relationship between consumption and quality of life.
This demands material degrowth in the Global North and a rebalancing with the Global South in accordance with planetary boundaries, guaranteeing dignified living conditions for all through valuing the common, dematerialization, equitable redistribution, and democratization.
