From: World scientists’ warning: The behavioural crisis driving ecological overshoot
Our challenges are less technical than social – taking the necessary actions quickly enough, in all nations and governance regimes – particularly democratic ones – while maintaining adequate social, economic and political stability to steer the ship of humanity safely into a wiser, more sustainable world order. This will require unprecedented global collaboration, social learning, and public awareness and pressure. This will profoundly challenge us all, and our systems of planning, cooperation and governance.
Over the next decade, we have a stark choice: to demonstrate the very best of our natures as Homo sapiens – cooperative, innovative, wise, and ethical, to learn from mistakes and create better societies – or to go down with both a bang of conflict and a whimper of bickering, entitlement and self-interest. That choice is ours. The actions or inactions of individual leaders in government, communities and businesses in this decade will be remembered darkly, or hopefully kindly. Everything we know and love is at stake.
May our own species rise from the ashes (speaking of Easter) as a kinder, wiser subset of our currently rampaging, voracious, entitled global population.
Love,
Prof Phoebe Barnard (PhD)
Global Evergreening Alliance - Global campaign advisor
Co-founder/co-leader, Global Restoration Collaborative
Film producer, Transmediavision USA - The Climate Restorers
Founding CEO and advisor, Stable Planet Alliance and GirlPlanet.Earth – global women on planetary health
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Affiliate Professor, Conservation Science/Environmental Futures, University of Washington - Center for Environmental Politics
Associate, University of Cape Town: African Climate & Development Initiative and FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology