REGEN-03: Community-Based Sufficiency

GEN Europe (Global Ecovillage Network Europe) is a network of more than 100 ecovillages and intentional communities pioneering sustainable living, sufficiency-based lifestyles, and community-led innovation. Our members have long applied sufficiency principles—living well within planetary boundaries—through practical experimentation in the built environment.

Our Contribution:

• Real-life sufficiency models: Ecovillages offer hands-on examples of compact, multifunctional housing, shared infrastructure, low-impact construction, and adaptive reuse that reduce material and energy demand while supporting quality of life.

• Behavioural and cultural insights: With experience in participatory living, shared ownership, and community planning, GEN Europe contributes deep understanding of how social practices and design choices can align to foster sufficiency mindsets.

• Low-tech and circular approaches: Our members use local, reused, and natural materials, and rely on DIY renovation, modular upgrades, and shared spaces—prototypes for sufficiency-based innovation in both rural and peri-urban contexts.

• Community-based governance: We apply participatory tools to co-manage housing, energy, and mobility in ways that enhance equity, efficiency, and resilience—aligned with the New European Bauhaus values.

• Dissemination and training: GEN Europe provides a strong dissemination platform through its European network and a growing network of learning centres, offering peer exchange, adult education, and replication tools.

We seek to join a consortium as a partner contributing field-based pilots, participatory research, behavioural insights, and community dissemination. Our network demonstrates how sufficiency can be made desirable, inclusive, and accessible—not just necessary.

For more information, visit www.gen-europe.org