Our Story

Working off experience gained through theoretical and practical discussions had within the ecological economics community, the goal behind establishing a new association was twofold. First, it was to provide a safe space for discussion and collaboration—a space suitable for “heterodox” sustainability practitioners under attack from the “politically correct” pressure of “conventional” economic narratives. Second, it was to provide a different sort of information, outside the official storytelling, available to open-minded individuals in search of “something different”.

Parallel the twofold goal, two pillars were erected at LIPHE4’s scholastic foundation. The first pillar is use of the complexity frame of reference to claim the need for a radical change in the way quantitative analysis is produced and used within sustainability discussions. To us, complex systems analysis means, effectively, relational analysis across irreducibly plural levels and dimensions. The second pillar is use of the conceptual approach of post-normal science to inform the proper place of science in decision-making. We believe that the ongoing sustainability predicament presents a situation where “facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent” (S. Funtowicz and J. Ravetz). We believe our complex interaction with the external world  implies the need for a nuanced approach to science itself.

Fast forward two decades… We are proud to write that LIPHE4 has grown considerably. Our home base is still Barcelona, Spain, but our membership spans a handful of countries. We have successfully organized an impressive assortment of summer schools, training courses and high-level workshops. We have carried out several consultancies for a variety of establishments including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Wildlife Fund, the Ecuadorian government and the European Environment Agency, to name a few. Most recently, we took on management of the Uncomfortable Knowledge Hub, positioned as the legacy of a large European Union research project (MAGIC) and currently tailored towards the organization of webinars.