In idyllic Tällberg, it's difficult to understand that our planet is in crisis. Photo: www.tallbergsby.se

Tällberg Forum, as it stands today, has been running for the past four years, its ideology being summed up as “How on earth can we live together?”

The 2008 forum, which took place June 26-30, had an epic task. Through creative seminars and workshops the aim was to formulate “Plan C” — the perfect proposal for a truly sustainable, global society. Around 500 business leaders, policymakers, scientists and others from 70 countries gathered in Tällberg to discuss.

Listen up, world!

Christine Loh, CEO of independent think tank Civic Exchange in Hong Kong, hopes the result will make policymakers around the world sit up and listen. “For me, being here is about experimenting with how we can have a more effective dialog that can lead to transformation,” she says.

Loh talked about the forum being “infused with the Swedish spirit.” Indeed, the common mood among participants was that Sweden ranks highly when it comes to pushing global issues. These include some of the world’s top scientists.


"We’ve already passed the dangerous level of atmospheric carbon dioxide," says James Hansen. In other words, time to act. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/Scanpix 

Dr. James Hansen places Sweden at the top of his green nations list. He is director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, adjunct professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and also serves as Al Gore’s science advisor.

According to Hansen, Tällberg is recognized by the people in power. “I think they do listen to what’s been said; that’s why this forum is so important,” he says.

“We’re capable of solving the climate problems if we act now — most of the politicians in the world have not let that message sunk in — but scientifically, it’s a very clear story and we need to get more leaders on board,” Hansen says.

A holistic view

Swedish minister for the environment, Andreas Carlgren, believes in a holistic view when it comes to political thinking. “Our status in green issues comes from being a small country that has proven it can adapt to change,” he says.

“Sustainability affects many areas, and what I learn here I’ll take back to my colleagues in all the Swedish ministries to work under a common theme.”

Andreas Carlgren and Poonam Ahluwalia exchanged green ideas at Tällberg Forum 2008. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/Scanpix

For Poonam Ahluwalia, president of the international organization Youth Employment System (YES), sustainability is not only an environmental issue, but also economic, social and human.

Originally from India, now based in Boston, the United States, Ahluwalia heads this global campaign to empower young people to find work.

“We know there are so many development issues in the world,” she says. “Let’s look at these challenges from the view of youth engagement and employ them to be change-makers in their nations.

“Tällberg can make a difference, because it changes thinking. Only through thinking can we change the world. Action is extremely important — but action without vision just gets in the way.”

Inspiration for action

There are inspirational stories of what can be accomplished. Jim Butcher, head of Global Environmental Affairs at US investment bank Morgan Stanley, returned home, enthused from the 2007 forum and founded what he calls in theory “Common Principles” for the US banking industry.

In practice, it means they simply don’t give loans toward the construction of coal power plants any more.

Welcome to Freedonia

For the duration of the forum, the Tällberg population triples in size. Lying on the shores of Lake Siljan in the Swedish county of Dalarna, this village is as picturesque as they come. The grass has never looked greener, or the sky more blue. The perfect backdrop, then, for a meeting of minds, where the aim is to come up with ideas for a brighter, more sustainable future.


Tällberg Forum founder Bo Ekman calls for action to stop climate change. Photo: www.tallbergfoundation.org

According to Bo Ekman, chairman of the Tällberg Foundation, staging the event in this customary setting is particularly symbolic.

“There is a deep tradition of democracy here,” he says.” Historically, the area resisted land reforms from Stockholm and consequently formed a culture of independence and equality.”

Similarly, the forum is billed as a platform of creativity, openness and innovation, based on informality and humanistic principles. “I call it Freedonia,” Ekman says. “It’s a vision of its own making.”

Ekman was hoping to come away with a constructive design of how to achieve a global society built on sustainable principles. “I’m very confident,” he said during the event. “Good ideas find resources.”

And then, suddenly, the event is over and Tällberg is just a quiet little village again. But the Tällberg Forum 2008 left a message: Act now!

Christine Demsteader

Christine Demsteader is a British freelance journalist who has lived in Stockholm since 2002 and enjoys breathing Sweden’s clean(er), green(er) air. This was her first trip to Tällberg, but, inspired by the breathtaking beauty of Swedish nature she forgets about when in the capital, it won’t be her last.

The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.

Classification: A256EN