Club of Rome

The Club of Rome is an international think tank founded in 1968 in Rome by Italian industrialist Aurelio Peccei and Scottish scientist Alexander King. The organisation formed in response to growing concern over humanity’s long-term prospects and the interconnected crises facing the planet. Its early work focused on the “problematique”—a cluster of interrelated global problems spanning economic, environmental, political, and social spheres. The Club gained worldwide attention in 1972 with its landmark report, The Limits to Growth, which used computer models to examine the consequences of unchecked economic and population growth, highlighting the unsustainability of continuous material expansion. Today, the Club of Rome is composed of about 100 full members, including scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and former heads of state from across the globe. Its structure includes an International Secretariat in Switzerland, a satellite office in Belgium, and a network of 35 National Associations that spread its vision and initiatives throughout Europe and beyond. The Club’s activities are organised around five thematic “impact hubs”: Emerging New Civilisations, Planetary Emergency, Reframing Economics, Rethinking Finance, and Youth Leadership and Intergenerational Dialogues. The Club’s ethos is rooted in fostering holistic, long-term thinking and promoting systemic change to address critical global challenges, such as climate change, resource scarcity, and social inequality. Through research, policy advocacy, high-level convenings, and publications—including over 45 influential reports—the Club of Rome continues to be a significant voice in shaping sustainability discourse and urging a paradigm shift toward a more equitable and resilient future for humanity.