Humans & Society

For the past hundred years, humans have been the most influential species on Earth. Technological innovation and fossil energy exploitation have led to a rapid rise in population, and human dominance as a result. Today, there are six times more tigers living in human captivity than there are tigers living in the wild (BBC). Well over 95% of the total biomass of vertebrates is made up of human and their 'livestock' (oceanworld). The social and economic systems created along the way have focused on quantitative growth. The gains realized have led to an 'everything goes' mentality, and the view that more consumption will always lead to more wellbeing. The economic system was believed to be somehow 'independent' of the Planet on which the system would run - resulting in theories, performance measurement and policy decisions based on the false belief that there can somehow be 'externalities' (such as CO2) which don't really count. Internationally, dominance was achieved by those countries smartly linking political, military, and economic power.

We got the numbers wrong, and placed the wrong bets. Wellbeing, in fact, does not continue to grow with more consumption (Happiness Economics). Nothing inside our atmosphere should really be regarded as an externality - especially in the quantities produced by some 7bn people, their cars, chickens, homes, etc. Our technological progress cannot advance as fast as the demand volumes driven by the growth in population and standards of living. This has consequences for all humans, and for the global society as a whole. We need to redefine progress and growth - and put more emphasis on quality instead of quantity.

Up to today, the most common progress indicators (such as GDP) are still based on assumptions of externalities and exclude stock taking of natural resources. Even in 2009, countries with the worst energy efficiencies/highest carbon emissions are rated (by some of the most highly regarded learning institutions) as the world's most 'competitive' (e.g. WEF competitiveness ranking).

Also in terms of income distribution, society as a whole is performing poorly. One billion people, today, are living below the poverty line ('the Bottom Billion'). Disparities between rich and poor continue to grow both intra- and internationally. Current tax/finance and trade practices (largely driven by the developed world), as well as blind trust in the market, are the deciding factors. Financial capital (even if only on paper) is valued much higher than natural capital. Emerging nations target the same values as developed ones, and world consumption continues to increase. Unlike income, this culture spreads fast - and thus threatens diversity and traditions.

Today humans have to make a paradigm shift from 'industrial' to 'sustainable'. We have to optimize on the level of the planet and properly measure our progress, inclusive of proper accounting in terms of natural resources, emissions and waste. Countries with a large ecological footprint compared to biocapacity (Ecological Debtor) and countries with a small footprint compared to biocapacity (Ecological Creditor) need to cooperate and not allow resource-driven tensions to arise. Large numbers of economic refugees have to be avoided.

Now we enter a new revolution, not an industrial one, but one driven by eco-innovation, to the point where it is sustainable, and with the ultimate aim to increase wellbeing for all Earthlings. While we may change the way we 'grow', the path can still be one of prosperity. With a different approach, we can live better while collectively leaving a much reduced footprint, with a sustainable level of resource consumption, waste and emissions and an equitable repartition of wealth.