The Roman club - what is it? International public organization (analytical center): history of creation, tasks, members of the club

In the modern era, many of the problems of mankind are becoming global. Their great relevance can be explained by a number of factors: increasing the impact of people on nature, accelerating the development of society, understanding the depletion of critical natural resources, the impact of modern media and technical means, etc. An important role in solving these issues was played by the Club of Rome.

What are the global problems of mankind? These are the most acute socio-natural contradictions that affect the whole world, and therefore, individual countries and regions. They need to be distinguished from private, local and regional problems.

Global problems of our time

They should be clearly marked, because it is their decision is the Roman Club. What are global problems, we have already determined. We must also say that they are divided into three groups. Briefly describe each of them:

1. The first is composed of those that are related to relations between groups of states. Such problems are called intersocial. Examples are the following: the problem of ensuring peace and preventing wars, establishing a fair economic order at the international level.
2. The second group of problems unites the emerged as a result of the interaction of nature and society. They are related to the fact that the environment has limited opportunities to make anthropogenic impact. Examples of such problems: the provision of fuel, energy, clean air, fresh water. This includes the protection of nature from various irreversible changes, as well as the wise development of outer space and the world's oceans.
3. Finally, the third group of global problems unites issues related to the human-society system. It's about how to deal directly with an individual. These problems relate to the extent to which society is able to provide opportunities for personal development.

Aurelio Peccei, the founder of the Club of Rome, as well as his first president, recalled that the clearer he imagined all the dangers threatening humanity, the more he was convinced that decisive measures must be taken immediately. Alone, he could not do anything, so he decided to create a circle of like-minded people. Aurelio Peccei wanted to offer the world new approaches to studying the world problems that worried him. The result was the creation of the Roman Club.

Who is A. Peccei

The years of this man's life are 1908-1984. He was a descendant of the family of an Italian socialist. Peccei in 1930 defended his doctoral dissertation on the new economic policy, which was held in the USSR. During World War II, he took part in the Resistance movement. Peccei visited at that time in the fascist dungeons. It must be said that the Aurelio family was not poor. Nevertheless, this person from a young age worried about the eradication of injustice in society. Peccei traveled the world a lot. He saw the luxury and wealth of some and the squalor and misery of others.

Alexander King

This British professor of physical chemistry also stood at the origins of the Club of Rome. In the late 60s of the last century, he became the Director General for Science of OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). After the death of Peccei, it was Alexander King (pictured left) who headed the Club of Rome until 1991.

Creation of the Roman Club

The number of this association never exceeded one hundred people. It was founded in 1967. The think tank was conceived as a non-governmental international organization that unites scientists, businessmen and politicians from all over the world. In addition to full members, the Club of Rome has associated and honorary. The Analytical Center got its name after the city of Rome, where the meeting of its founders (at the Academy dei Lincei) took place.

Objectives and goals of the club

The main task of the organization since its inception is to identify the vital problems that humanity faces, as well as the ways to solve them. The objectives of the Club of Rome, based on this, are as follows:

• The development of a methodology for analyzing the so-called human difficulties (first of all, the limited resources and uncontrolled growth of production and consumption processes);
• Propaganda of the seriousness of the crisis in which the modern world turned out;
• The definition of measures by which it is possible to achieve a global equilibrium.

Aurelio Peccei formulated a "cross-cutting" idea, according to which the crisis situation is the result of a gap between the technical achievements of mankind and its cultural development.

Club settings

This organization has always remained small, which should facilitate the establishment of permanent contacts between its members. True, and with this amount it is not always easy to implement. The Roman club should not become an organization in the generally accepted sense of the word, as there are enough such associations in the world. It exists on its own budget, albeit meager, so as not to depend on any sources of funding. The club is transcultural, that is, its members turn to different value systems, ideologies and scientific disciplines, without tying themselves to any of them. The association is considered informal, which facilitates a free exchange of views. Another setup - the Club of Rome is ready to disappear if there is no need, because there is nothing worse than institutions or ideas that have survived their usefulness.

Activities of the Club of Rome

His work contributed to more than 30 associations in various countries, leading the propagation of the concepts of the club in their states. The research projects initiated by them concerned various aspects of the current crisis state of our planet. They were financed by large firms and carried out by scientists from different countries who presented their results in the form of reports to the club. It should be noted that the formal budget and the state have no association. Its activities are coordinated by a 12-member executive committee.

The international secretariat of the organization in early 2008 was relocated from the German city of Hamburg to Winterthur (Switzerland). Currently, the club continues to study the current state of the world. And in it since the foundation of the association there have been great changes, especially in geopolitics.

The club's members

The international public organization in its composition seeks to present a section of progressive humanity. Among its members were prominent statesmen, thinkers, scientists, managers and educators from over 30 countries around the world. Their life experience and education were different, as was the situation in society. In addition, these people have different views and beliefs. The organization of the Club of Rome gathered biologists Aklila Lemma from Ethiopia and Karl-Heran Haden from Sweden; A sociologist and philosopher-Marxist Adam Schaff from Poland; Canadian and American senators M. Lamontan and K. Pella; A scientist and political scientist from Brazil Helio Jagaribe; Urbanist from Japan Kenzo Tange, etc. All these and many other members were united by concern for the destinies of mankind and a deep sense of humanism. They held different opinions, but could freely express them in a form that was considered the most acceptable. Note that members of governments, as a rule, can not be members of the organization of interest to us at the same time.

Roman Club in Russia

In the USSR in 1989, the Association of Assistance to the Club of Rome appeared. Its active members at different times were academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences EK Fedorov, DM Gvishiani, VA Sadovnichiy, AA Logunov, EM Primakov, and also writer Ch. T. Aitmatov.

Paton Boris Evgenievich and Mikhail Gorbachev are honorary members of the club. The latter does not need to be introduced, but not everyone knows the first. Paton Boris Evgenievich (pictured above) is a professor, a Ukrainian and Soviet scientist in the field of metal and metallurgical technology. He was twice awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. In addition, this scientist became the first Hero of Ukraine in history.

The full member until 2012 was Professor Sergei Petrovich Kapitsa. You must have heard something about this scientist. Sergei Petrovich Kapitsa (pictured above) is a Russian and Soviet physicist, educator, vice-president of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, TV presenter, and editor-in-chief of the well-known journal In the World of Science. Since 1973, he led the television program "Obvious-incredible." This scientist is the son of Peter Leonidovich Kapitsa, who received the Nobel Prize.

Two global problems that the club considered

In the field of view of the organization of interest to us there were many serious problems. However, her favorite topic is the question that the environment and human society are a single system. Uncontrolled activity of people leads to a loss of stability in it. It should be said about the two so-called myths, about the desirability and necessity of which was said in the reports to the club. It is about global warming and ozone holes. They formed the basis for the Kyoto and Montreal protocols - the largest international agreements.

Many people know that the ozone layer is an atmospheric belt that is 10-50 km above the surface of our planet and protects it from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, which is destructive to life. As early as 1957, observations began on this layer in the framework of the International Geophysical Year, announced at that time. It was found that its thickness varies with the season. In the 1980s, people started talking about an "ozone hole" located over Antarctica, where at times the area of the thin layer exceeded 15 million square meters. Km. The media and scientists sounded the alarm, believing that solar radiation threatens life on our planet.

In Montreal in 1987, 36 countries signed a protocol prohibiting the use of substances that destroy the ozone layer. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted . The countries participating in this agreement pledged to limit the technogenic release of greenhouse gases at the 1990 level. This is primarily about water vapor and carbon dioxide. They allegedly intensify the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming. If the emission standards established by the protocol are exceeded, the following options are possible for the signatory states: introduction of emission quotas, payment of fines and closure of enterprises.

Finally

At the present time, it is relatively rare to recall an organization such as the Club of Rome. That such a union existed is not known to all representatives of the younger generation. This organization is seen more as an association belonging to history. In the 70 years of the last century, the peak of popularity of the Club of Rome (Club of Rome). This was largely due to the first reports of the "non-profit civil association", whose members were scientists, eminent managers, politicians and financiers. Under the influence of the activities of the Club of Rome, globalistics took the form of a societal interdisciplinary discipline. Its ideas in 1990-2000 became an integral part of scientific culture. In addition to the main activities, the Club of Rome promoted the formation of small local groups in various countries. He helped spread a lot of important ideas, as a result of which the movement for a better world gained direction and power.

So, we answered the question: "Roman Club - what is it?". The existence of such organizations, you will agree, is very important in the modern world.