From collapse to belonging – regenerating life’s balance

What if we reframed the entire climate conversation: not around guilt, blame, carbon calculators and net-zero targets, but around meaning, connection, and joy?

A blogpost and a song written in service of a future worth living – together

Millions of years of earthly wealth have been consumed and eliminated in just the past two centuries. Forests topple, oceans acidify, reefs bleach, pollinators vanish. Symptoms of a system that treats the living world not as a community we belong to, but as a resource to be mined, extracted, poisoned, drilled and killed.

The same system severs the human world from the natural world as if such separation were even possible. The illusion of control has brought us to the brink of collapse. And now, in 2025, more and more of us realise we stand at a crossroads which is not just ecological, but existential.

We are looking at the ugly monster called Collapse. Ecological collapse. Societal collapse. We are looking at trajectories that mean life or death for billions of people, along with even larger numbers of other living creatures on this pale and tiny blue dot we call Earth.

Meanwhile, we have been encouraged to ignore the monster and instead to pursue “more” without asking: ‘why exactly?’, or: ‘at what cost?’

Our economies, our politics, and even much of the climate activist discourse have framed action on climate in terms of sacrifice and restraint. For politicians in a democracy, that is a hard one to sell. The framing of restraint doesn’t sell votes in an election.

But what if the problem is not that we must do with less, but that we have misunderstood what “more” truly gives us. Does it make us happier? Does it make our lives feel more worthwhile? Or does it simply give us… more: More of the same. More clutter, more arguments, or more boredom, or more worries?

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Meaning, heart, and action: a holistic integration

Change becomes truly transformative when the head (meaning), the heart (narrative), and the hands (action) are united. Acting alone, each has its shadow: the head risks arrogance, the heart naivety, the hands chaos. But together, they form the synergy needed to regenerate our world.

This integration is not just theoretical. It already manifests in regenerative movements: communities replanting forests, restoring soils, creating local food systems, forming citizen assemblies, including online citizen assenblies, and fostering place-based democracy. They are invitations into new ways of being. Practices where individuals find purpose through actions that reflect their values and culture.

As Pablo Mallmann writes, we transcend by “creation, meaning, and synergy.” The deep transformation we need is not only technological or economic, but cultural and emotional. It must come from within.

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The rise of regenerative cultures

Environmentalist Paul Hawken, author of the book ‘Regeneration‘, describes the regeneration movement as a quiet revolution largely ignored by media and headlines. Yet it exists everywhere: in thousands of organisations and millions of people.

Regenerative communities are not based on extraction but on restoration and life-giving. They are typically smaller, submerged, and often unnoticed by the dominant economic paradigm. But they are vibrant with culture, care, food sovereignty, and social cohesion. From Indigenous stewardship to permaculture farms to neighbourhood energy co-ops, these communities build their futures from below, not above.

We can learn from them: not as utopias, but as prototypes.

As climate activist Anneke Polkamp recently wrote on Linkedin: “Climate action should feel like meaningful participation in something joyful and alive – not as a burden or sacrifice, but a contribution that reflects our truest values.”

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Beyond the politics of sacrifice

Mainstream climate communication has often focused on individual sacrifice: eat less meat, fly less, drive less, shop less. Live frugally and make the most of it – if you can!

While well-intentioned, this framing has alienated many more than it inspired.

Instead of asking people to act for a world they may never see, we could show how climate action makes our lives richer now. For instance, this could mean highlighting the joy of shared meals, the friendships formed in various climate movements or political campaigns, the empowerment felt in citizens’ assemblies, the sense of dignity and joy in meaningful, decarbonised work.

As the newsletter The Minority Report puts it: We must focus not on hope, but on the tangible experience of impact. Not on warnings, but on the sense of belonging and the agency that climatesafe communities can generate.

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New politics of place, belonging and climate stability

The rise of Community Independents in Australia signals this shift. When voters choose locals over party elites, they aren’t just expressing political dissatisfaction. They’re voting for a different story – one where community, climate responsibility, fairness and trust are central.

This is the new politics of belonging. It goes beyond ideology. It reclaims democracy as a practice of relational care and local stewardship.

Peace and Security Quarterly notes that at the moment, Australians are facing “profound insecurity”. Security is no longer just military or economic. It’s ecological, social, and emotional. Peace and climate stability are now the cornerstones of well-being. The recent federal election showed exactly this.

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Degrowth reimagined

Degrowth is often misunderstood as austerity. But at its heart, it is a cultural awakening. It asks: what kind of growth do we really want? Do we want growth in mental illness, landfill, traffic, loneliness? Or growth in biodiversity, community gardens, meaningful work, clean air?

Degrowth, in its truest form, is an invitation into fullness: fewer things, more time. Less stuff, more soul. It doesn’t mean doing without – it means doing with what truly matters.

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Climatesafe communities: a vision

What we need is a name, a vision, a story that can hold all these threads. At the moment, the phrase we use is: Climatesafe Community.

This is not yet another climate action campaign, though. It is not a climate policy. It is a new way of being.

A Climatesafe Community is where people co-create culture that heals: soil, soul, society. Where ‘climate action’ is reframed as regeneration, as relationship, as responsibility. Where joy is not a promise of reward after sacrifice but in itself the fuel for more action.

A Climatesafe Community is where individuals rediscover themselves in the collective, not apart from it. Where our sustainable choices become declarations of pride, not self-denial. Where trust replaces fear. Sharing replaces hoarding. Where stories connect people to place, and purpose to daily life.

This is not utopian. It is already happening. We just need to name it, nurture it, and tell its story. Boldly and beautifully.

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Becoming the kind of humans the planet can trust again

This is less about fixing a broken world, more about becoming whole as a human being on planet Earth. Becoming the kind of humans the Earth can trust again.

The path forward is not merely technical, nor ideological. It is cultural. It is spiritual. It is relational.

We need new measurements of success: not GDP, but GDN – Gross Domestic Nurture. Not carbon offsets, but community onsets. Not just net-zero, but net-meaning.

Because in the end, the real climate solution is not just solar panels or electric cars. It’s us. Organised. Reconnected. Alive with purpose.

This is the vision. That is the call. So, welcome to the Climatesafe Community.

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“The goal is not to make everyone poor. The goal is to make everyone rich – in time, in health, in nature, in relationships, and in community.”
~ Jason Hickel, economic anthropologist and author of ‘Less is More‘

CLIMATESAFE COMMUNITY MANIFESTO

1. We are not separate from nature.
   We are expressions of Earth. Our health is planetary health.
2. Climate action is not sacrifice.
   It is participation in something larger, beautiful, and meaningful.
3. Regeneration is our compass.
   In every decision, we ask: Does this bring more life? More connection? More justice?
4. We honour local wisdom.
   Indigenous knowledge, community experience, and place-based solutions are our teachers.
5. We replace fear with belonging.
   A culture of care outlasts a culture of compliance.
6. We choose meaning over consumption.
   Life is richer with less when it is full of purpose.
7. We embrace degrowth as a path to joy.
   Simplicity, sufficiency, and solidarity are not limitations. They are liberation.
8. We tell stories. Better stories.
   Stories that heal, that connect, that awaken. We are the narrators of the future.
9. We practice democracy as relationship.
   Not as votes every few years, but as ongoing co-creation of the commons.
10. We are climatesafe communities.
    Living laboratories of restoration, imagination, and belonging. We are already here.

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CLIMATESAFE COMMUNITY SONG

From collapse to coherence: In preparation for what is coming

Involving citizens in the green transition is key

What is the problem – and how we solve it

The path of transition – degrowth with dignity

Degrowth is not collapse. It is not austerity. It is design. A choice to return to balance – not through deprivation, but through wisdom.

The shift away from growth-at-all-costs doesn’t mean poverty or stagnation. It means intentionally redesigning our societies to prioritise well-being over GDP, sufficiency over surplus, relationships over transactions. Done right, degrowth becomes not a burden, but a liberation, especially for overworked, overstimulated, and disconnected lives.

So how do we get there without creating chaos or deep hardship? The answer lies in equity-first planning and cultural transformation – walking hand in hand.

First, we must redefine what it means to thrive.

We replace GDP with better measures: well-being indicators like the Happy Planet Index or Gross Domestic Nurture. We reorient policy around health, education, dignity, and ecological integrity – not profit or endless expansion.

We meet basic needs – unconditionally.

Universal basic services like healthcare, education, transport, and public housing must become untouchable rights. For many, this is the foundation that makes any transition bearable – and beautiful.

Then we downshift material excess – especially in rich countries.

We cap fossil fuel use, ban planned obsolescence, and scale down high-emission sectors like fast fashion and aviation. We invest instead in sharing systems, circular economies, and regenerative industries. We celebrate the beauty of enough.

Work becomes shared – and life more spacious.

We move towards a 30–20 hour workweek, valuing leisure, care, art, and rest as legitimate, necessary contributions. The aim is not just to produce less, but to live more.

Economies relocalise.

Food, energy, and manufacturing shift towards local, cooperative, and community-owned systems. This strengthens resilience, builds trust, and reduces dependence on fragile global chains.

Finance is restructured for stability and care.

We phase out debt-driven growth and profit-maximising finance in favour of public and community banking. Wealth is redistributed through progressive taxation and climate reparations. The aim is not punishment, but balance.

And most importantly, power is returned to people.

Citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgeting, and workplace democracy become the new norm. People shape their futures together. Democracy becomes lived, not occasional.

This transformation won’t happen overnight – but it can unfold over decades, if we choose.

Imagine a transition timeline:

• 2025–2030: Cultural shift begins, new metrics introduced, pilots of basic services and shorter workweeks trialled, fossil fuel subsidies phased out
• 2030–2040: Major structural shifts – relocalising economies, capping emissions, scaling down excess, retraining workers into care and regeneration
• 2040–2055: A new equilibrium – circular economies, ecological restoration, deep democracy, and a collective identity rooted in care

Throughout, equity must lead. Without it, backlash and injustice will derail progress – as seen with movements like the Yellow Vests in France. Only with fairness at its core can degrowth become desirable.

We are not asked to shrink in despair, but to grow differently – in connection, in meaning, in wholeness.

This is not utopia. It is direction.

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“To survive the Chaoscene, we will need resilient communities“

“The climate crisis presents an opportunity to reimagine how we live together, turning away from atomisation and embracing a more interconnected, communal approach to resilience. In times of crisis – and such times are coming in spades – local solidarity will often be the key to both survival and flourishing.”
~ Rupert Read, British philosopher, environmental activist, and co-director of the Climate Majority Project

→ Aeon Essays – 17 April 2025:
Welcome to the Chaoscene
“The climate crisis is here. In order to thrive in these dangerous and precarious times, we must build resilient communities.”

SAFER – Strategic Adaptation For Emergency Resilience

SAFER is a campaign for climate adaptation launched by the Climate Majority Project in the United Kingdom, to make adapting for climate impacts a national priority: practical, properly funded, and locally led.

The campaign calls for a serious plan at a national level, to respond to local needs – protecting homes, communities, businesses and vital public services against damage and disruption.

→ Read the report, SAFER: Making climate adaptation mainstream, and find out how to join or support the UK campaign here.

“I’m urging local communities to get together”

“The units of survival are going to be local communities, so I’m urging local communities to get together. Finland is offering a great example because the Finnish government has sent a letter to all of their citizens warning of future emergencies, whether they’re earthquakes, floods, droughts, or storms. They’re going to come and they’re going to be more urgent and prolonged.

Governments will not be able to respond on the scale or speed that is needed for these emergencies, so Finland is telling their citizens that they’re going to be at the front line of whatever hits and better be sure you’re ready to meet it. Find out who on your block can’t walk because you’re going to have to deal with that. Who has wheelchairs? Who has fire extinguishers? Where is the available water? Do you have batteries or generators? Start assessing the roots of escape. You’re going to have to inventory your community, and that’s really what we have to start doing now.”
~ David Suzuki, Canadian environmentalist

Humanity’s place in the web of life

The question before us is not whether change will come, but whether we will embrace it intentionally or be forced into it by ecological collapse. This demands a rejection of human supremacy and an embrace of a worldview that sees humanity as a small but integral node within Earth’s vast web of life.

The 21st century is witnessing a profound reckoning with the consequences of human domination over nature. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological collapse are symptoms of an outdated worldview – one that positions humanity as separate from and superior to the rest of life on Earth.

The alternative, Climatesafe Communities along with the emergence of an ecological civilisation, requires a fundamental transformation from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism. From exploitation to reverence, justice, and care.

Ecocentrism is the call for a radical reimagining of our relationship with all animals and the natural world. Rather than viewing nature as a resource to be extracted and controlled, we now recognise its intrinsic value and interdependence. Our human footprint is aligned with the planet’s ecological limits, enabling all lifeforms to thrive.

The transition necessitates a smaller, more balanced human presence on Earth. Industrial agriculture in its present form is one of the most destructive forces against ecological stability. Redirecting massive subsidies away from industrial animal agriculture towards regenerative, largely plant-based food production and rewilding efforts is a crucial step in restoring ecological integrity.

Factory farming, which both devastates ecosystems and inflicts suffering on billions of sentient beings, must be replaced with agricultural practices that nurture rather than exploit.

Political and economic institutions must also evolve to reflect ecocentric values. Governments at all levels should formally recognise the rights of nature and animals, integrate ecocentric economic models, and embed these principles into education systems. Only by reshaping our policies and institutions around these values can we ensure a sustainable and ethical future.

The necessity of shifting towards an ecological civilisation is underscored by emerging scientific research. The post-growth movement, as explored in a recent Lancet study (Volume 9, Issue 1, January 2025), challenges the long-held assumption that perpetual economic growth is beneficial or even feasible. In high-income countries, the pursuit of endless growth has led to diminishing returns in social wellbeing while exacerbating environmental decline. The study highlights a growing body of research that supports alternative economic models prioritising wellbeing within planetary boundaries.

Post-growth science suggests that societal success should no longer be measured by GDP but rather by metrics that reflect ecological health, community resilience, and genuine human wellbeing. This aligns with the core principles of an ecological civilisation, which seeks to balance human needs with the flourishing of all life.

Board director and author Eileen Crist offers a compelling vision for transcending human supremacy and fostering ecocentrism. Her work emphasises the need for deep cultural shifts – moving beyond consumption-driven economies and towards a way of life that harmonises with nature rather than depleting it. The journey to an ecological civilisation requires not just policy changes but a transformation of human consciousness itself.

To scale back our numbers, economies, and technosphere while restoring Earth’s biodiversity is no small task. It requires political will, economic restructuring, and a collective cultural shift towards values of humility, respect, and coexistence. Yet, the reward is immeasurable: a world where both humanity and nature thrive together in harmony.

The opportunity remains to shape an ecological civilisation – one where human presence is not a burden to the Earth but a vital and integrated part of its beauty and resilience.

“When we come together in empathy, reciprocity, and mutual care, our behaviors shape values that transcend narrow self-interest and spark deeper humility. Acknowledging what we do not know is precisely what empowers us to build communities resilient enough to question power’s illusions and rediscover meaning beyond mere accumulation. In recognizing our interdependence, we transform competition into cooperation, and control into connection—allowing life, in its richest sense, to prevail.”
~ Kasper Benjamin, The Minority Report Publication, Power vs. Wisdom

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Personal ruggedization

“Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you don’t have a strategy for managing the impacts of climate chaos and discontinuity in your own life, you probably haven’t really got a plan for the future at all.

Humanity’s failure to act on climate means that each of us now has the responsibility of finding our own paths through a vast crisis. No one wants this to be true, but it is. This crisis is the context in which every major life decision you make will play out, for the rest of your life.

The time to prepare for the accelerating discontinuities of the planetary crisis is now. And the main way individuals and families can gear up for what’s coming is personal ruggedization.

Personal ruggedization is not about bugging out or bunkering down. Personal ruggedization is making smart decisions about where we choose to live, the systems we embed ourselves in, and the ways we work with others to improve our odds of a good future.”
~ Alex Steffen, futurist and course instructor

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ClimateSafe Villages Project in Washington state, USA

Building resililient and sustainable communities prepared to meet our climate crisis.

“The mission of ClimateSafe Villages is to form climate change resilient and sustainable communities worldwide, founded in our commitment to respond and adapt to the urgent challenges of the climate crisis and its economic impact. Nowhere on Earth will be 100% safe from all climate change consequences. But we can create climate-safer locations and communities using the practices of climate change preparation, adaptation, and resilience building. ClimateSafe Villages will help you make wherever you live as climate-safe as possible using these practices.”

ClimateSafe Villages is developing a Washington state eco-community. They have found a fantastic location and still have a few participation spaces open. This is a new way of preparing for the climate change nightmare now unfolding.

→ www.climatesafevillages.org

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“Maybe mass selfishness isn’t the best system.”

~ Matt Orsagh, degrowth blogger

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Green power community awarded in Denmark

Local energy communities, citizen assemblies, and neighbourhood action are not just nice-to-haves – they are essential. The climate crisis won’t be solved without people power.

In Denmark, the local energy community Energifællesskab Avedøre in Hvidovre has been awarded this year’s ‘Green Power Prize’ for its outstanding ability to engage neighbours, anchor the green transition at the local level, and demonstrate how determination, persistence, and collaboration can drive change from the ground up.

The award recognises the Danish energy organisation as a model for how local initiatives can play a crucial role in Denmark’s transition to sustainable energy by involving citizens directly in solutions that benefit both the environment and the community.

Energy Community Avedøre is the first citizen-driven energy community in Denmark and serves as an example and inspiration for other local communities wanting to take part in the green transition.

The community has, among other things, installed solar panels on residential rooftops, schools, and a 45-metre-high apartment building. They have set up charging stations, rolled out heat pumps, and planned new energy storage solutions.

The next step is a data centre that will supply surplus heat to the district heating network, and there are already plans for additional solar panel installations – and possibly wind turbines.

“In Avedøre, they have taken action, collaborated, and created solutions that work – and that inspire far beyond the municipal borders. That’s why they are this year’s well-deserved winner of the Green Power Prize,” said Kristian Jensen from Green Power Denmark.

He hit the nail on the head when he stated: “The green transition must not end up being a top-down project. Change must also come from people living side by side and taking responsibility together.”

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English translation of the start of an article from the Danish newspaper Information on 11 June 2025:

Headline: “We need to return to our roots,” says energy boss. The time for local energy communities has come

Subtitle: Despite bureaucratic barriers, new green energy communities are emerging across the Danish landscape. One of them, Energy Community Avedøre, has just received the Green Power Prize. “A breakthrough,” rejoice the people behind these citizen-driven projects.

“We need to return to our roots, back to the values that actually founded the Danish energy sector,” says Kristian Jensen, former Minister for Taxation, Foreign Affairs, and Finance for the Liberal Party (Venstre), and since March 2022 CEO of Green Power Denmark — the industry organisation for companies in Denmark’s electricity sector, including major firms such as Ørsted, Vattenfall, Andel, CIP, European Energy, HOFOR, and Norlys among its 1,500 members.

“The green transition must not end up being a top-down project. Change must also come from people living side by side and taking responsibility together. When citizens, businesses, and local councils pull in the same direction, real progress happens,” says Kristian Jensen.

Original article in Danish (behind paywall)

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“I’m currently exploring where we might find new thinking on sustainability that is free of the fear, polarisation and dogma that seems to be gripping our society, and instead rooted in love, hope and joy. As part of that, I’m crowd-sourcing visions of the world as people wish that it was, and I would love it if you could help.”
~ Tom Greenwood

→ Tom Greenwood @ Substack – 24 May 2025:
Can you help create a vision for a better world?
“A meditation exercise to co-create a shared vision for society.”

Tom Greenwood is writing a new book exploring how we might find new perspectives on sustainability and is crowdsourcing visions of how people truly wish the world to be.

Here’s a form which accompanies a 13 minute guided meditation on Substack – for you to share anything that came up for you during or after the meditation.

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Our long-term strategy to cool our planet and restore balance

The climate crisis is a clarion call for a new kind of leadership – one that connects with people and with nature, for the common, public good.

“Our survival is inseparable from the survival of our planet. We are part of nature – not above it, not separate from it. Yet we cling to the delusion that nature exists to serve us, without consequence.

This mindset of domination and exploitation is fueling crisis after crisis – from environmental destruction to systemic inequalities rooted in concepts of supremacy.

For decades, those most responsible for the climate crisis have denied science and profited with impunity –creating a world where we consume 1.7 times more resources than Earth can regenerate, the richest 1% emit more carbon than the poorest 66%, and plastic may outweigh fish in our oceans by 2050.

Nature itself has a long-term strategy. What is ours?

At University of Oxford, I outlined four fundamental tenets for action to cool our planet and restore balance.

We must:

1️⃣ Prioritise human rights— to safeguard clean air, water, land, and our right to a healthy environment

2️⃣ Bold action – to end fossil fuel dependence, accelerate renewable energy, and divest from harmful industries

3️⃣ Deliver climate justice – through sustainable finance, corporate accountability, transitional justice

4️⃣ Lead with new politics – to unite efforts and govern for common good.

The climate crisis is a clarion call for a new kind of leadership – one that connects with people and with nature, for the common, public good.
~ Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

→ United Nations – 3 June 2025:
Climate emergency is a clarion call for a new politics
Speech by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered at Oxford University

The Disastrous podcast teaches people the skills needed to navigate disasters, together.

Choosing a positive future

Newsletter from Sustainability Project / 7th Generation Initiative on 10 May 2025:

Imagine what an awesome world we could build if our priority was to provide for the needs of people and the natural world rather than the expansion of monetary accounts. A tactic is introduced below to bring the choice between these to popular attention.  The difference between them is critical:

Accounting for money in our Growth-focused world is easy.  One need only add up the receipts from transactions and compare the total (the GDP) to previous tallies. A large portion of those transactions is from exploiting natural resources, turning them into stuff, which is used for a while, and then thrown away.  

On the other hand, accounting for education, nutrition, ecosystem health, justice, happiness, and other indicators of well-being is harder to measure.  Nevertheless, we can tell if they are getting better or worse.  When these things are valued and steps taken to improve them we can all benefit. Unlike collecting money with its ever-present allure to gather more, life-based activities offer the likelihood of having enough, leading to genuine satisfaction.

A further problem with valuing the money goal is that it tends to concentrate into fewer and fewer hands.  It has long been known that those with money can earn more money faster than those who have less. As the Global Monopoly Game plays out, the winners buy up housing and automate industries to further extract wealth from the rest of us through rents and product pricing.

A question about purpose:

For all the mystery surrounding “the economy”, it is simply the sum of all the work we do—our efforts. How might we choose to direct our efforts?

Are they best spent expanding monetary accounts—GDP ?

Or 

Might we better focus our efforts directly on securing the well-being of people and the living world?

The tactic for bringing this choice forward, along with its obvious answer, is to embody the question in a short, friendly and easily remembered reference—a meme: “More Fun, Less Stuff”.  In four syllables it offers a recipe for sustainability.

Why “fun”?

Fun is anything that has an uplifting effect on a person, without causing harm.  This can include: relationships, learning, appreciation, joy, and caring, as well as sport, music, dance, and other life-based activity.  Justice and environmental health are necessarily included. Consider the uplift we would experience if the world adopted a just order, and was clearly working towards environmental restoration.

In addition to being unlimited, life-based activities are fulfilling to the point that feelings of emptiness and alienation tend to melt away. Advertising would then have much less leverage to stimulate unnecessary consumption. 

Life-based activities were customary before we were compelled to become consumers to absorb the over-production of industrial machinery.  More fun, less stuff addresses material waste by suggesting something more satisfying.  We simply wouldn’t have as much time for or interest in material consumption. A positive light at a challenging time.

As the meme finds its way into people’s minds, it carries with it the essential choice:

Do we want our collective labour (the economy) to aim for perpetual expansion, or for the long-term well-being of people and Earth?

The answer is obvious.  With four syllables, more fun, less stuff, we can identify our allies. There is nothing to lose and an entire life-focused culture to gain.  

While shifting focus from resource-intensive consumption to a life-based approach, a look at what we still require from the material world is in order.  The 8-minute video To Be Alive and Well; It’s Easier Than You Think outlines the foundation for such an order.

Help bring forth the question of which sort of economic goal we want.  The trick is to get the meme: “more fun, less stuff” into people’s eyes and ears.  With only four syllables, it is absorbed faster than thoughts can justify it away.

These 3” x 12” stickers are effective.  On bumpers, street corners or other public places, they get seen by many.  We’d be happy to send you one or more. Donations to this project can be made directly by e-transfer to: MoreFunLessStuff@web.net . Contact sustain5@web.ca for other donation options.

Please note: This plan is intended to complement other efforts toward a better world.

Related reading:

Global Monopoly

Three Potent Steps for a Sane Economy

What is the Value Crisis

“The goals we pursue are the seeds from which our future grows.” 

7th Generation Initiative / Sustainability Project 

→ www.SustainWellBeing.net

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Between fossil capital and life we unequivocally choose life

“As the President of the Republic of Colombia, even though our nation still relies on oil and coal and we are striving to transition away from them, I have no doubt about the stance we must adopt. Between fossil capital and life: we unequivocally choose life.”
~ Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s President

Full English transcript of President Gustavo Petro’s speech at the climate talks of the CoP28 in Dubai in 2023

I was in the United States, in San Francisco, about 20 days ago, in a meeting for the Association of Pacific Nations, called APEC. There was China, Russia, the United States—leading actors of politics and world power. There was the Fiji Islands, Japan, Vietnam, etc., some Latin American countries like Mexico, Peru, Chile, and us.

And there, the representative of Australia took the floor. And he announced, and with much, with a lot of pageantry, let’s call it that, that he was willing to receive 11,000 Tuvaluans. Their islands are on the verge of being under water. It’s not that they are sinking, but rather that the sea levels are rising and will engulf them. Their entire population.

A generous gesture from Australia. But a huge defeat for humanity. Because despite saving lives, an entire culture will undoubtedly disappear. A nation is going to disappear.

The death of a culture is called an ethnocide. And this would be just the first of many if things don’t change in the world. The death of a culture ultimately equates to the death of humanity. The islands that will be covered by the sea are represented right here, on this table.

And there are many others.

There are many towns by the sea, rich and poor that are already facing the effects of relocation and displacement, which implies from the outset the demise of coastal cultures worldwide. There is a great deal of wealth there, there is a great deal of poverty there, but there is undoubtedly a significant amount of culture, a lot of people already affected. This is the starting point of the extinction of life on Earth, as far as humankind goes.

Therefore, isn’t it paradoxical that we are in a place where oil is being extracted?

In this very city! It is indeed paradoxical, but we are demonstrating an evolution of thought.

Some of us wonder, why a country that relies solely on oil production and is one of the major oil-producing nations in the world, is hosting COP 28?

Yes, science has explicitly informed the COP process that it is oil, coal, gas, and a common chemical element called carbon that, in the vast industrial machinery of the world’s most developed countries, transforms into greenhouse gases responsible for the climate crisis and, consequently, the significant potential for the planet’s sixth mass extinction event.

Why? Some might argue that it’s a method to ‘clean’ the oil. It appears that there is a global trend moving in that direction. The concept of zero carbon oil or the idea of completely eliminating oil.

They survive both in the exploitation and sale of oil, but they want to balance the burden with other types of economic assistance, green emissions, let’s call them, carbon taxes, and so on.

Others among us believe that the world is already moving in that direction, and it is increasingly evident that one cannot solely rely on oil. Therefore, countries that heavily depend on oil production must embark on a challenging yet intelligent and rational transition toward a way of life without oil and coal.

It’s also paradoxical that here at this table, alongside individuals on the frontlines whose populations may vanish due to the climate crisis, there is a country like the one I represent.

Because we also depend on oil and coal for our livelihood.And because in my country, the simple fact that I am sitting at this table, requesting to sign a new global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that implies zero new exploitation, which even implies zero new exploitation projects in the world, given that current deposits already found, if exploited, will take us to a 3°C temperature increase, that is, to the brink of collapse of life on the planet.

There, in my own society, they would say, “How could the president of our country contemplate such economic suicide, given our dependence on oil and carbon?”

But this is not economic suicide. Being here means attempting to prevent a suicide. The precise term is ‘omnicide’ in Spanish. It means the death of all living things, the interconnected extinction of everything that exists — an omnicide. It’s a homicide of the life force of the planet.

So, this is not economic suicide. What we are advocating for here is to prevent the homicide of planet Earth. And for that, undoubtedly, there is no other way, no other path. The alternatives are mere illusions.

With all due respect to the clergy, in Colombia, we often say it’s like lighting candles to gods and goddesses who won’t perform miracles like technology, for example. They won’t be the miraculous saviors through some technique that can rescue us. While technology can save existence on the planet, the possibility of continuing to thrive as a human civilization on this planet lies squarely in our hands.

As far as we can observe, many light-years away, research has shown us so far that this is the only planet where life exists.

Like a solitary pearl in the vast cosmic ocean, as far as our comprehension extends. This is the sole means to preserve that pearl, to safeguard something as exquisite as life and as profound as the intelligent embodiment of life within our species. It entails discontinuing the consumption of oil, coal, and gas.

It may seem easy, but paradoxically, it highlights the formidable economic interests surrounding oil, coal, and gas. The most significant economic interest within capitalism currently exists and actively resists change. It persists in a self-destructive manner, prioritizing the accumulation of further profits.

The owners of this capital are acting in a way that endangers life, driven by profit motives. Today, we are not simply facing the immense antagonistic class struggle that 19th-century socialists envisioned, but something more dire.

We are confronted with a struggle between fossil capital and human life, including the life of our planet. And we must choose a side. And any person, anywhere in the world, would understand that the only stance to take is in favour of life.

Therefore, as the President of the Republic of Colombia, even though our nation still relies on oil and coal and we are striving to transition away from them, I have no doubt about the stance we must adopt.

Between fossil capital and life: we unequivocally choose life.

Today, within the broader scope of humanity, being on the side of life means being alongside you: the peoples who are on the verge of disappearing on the islands due to extensive carbon consumption by a small elite of humanity.

A consumption that a small number of countries is growing without considering our existence and life on planet Earth. Thank you kindly.

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Let’s get it right – a vision for the green transition

The path to a green economy

Unlocking the green transition in Australia

Will we need the robots to save us from ourselves?

DIVE DEEPER → FURTHER READING AND LISTENING

“Seeing yourself as more than just your human self is a beautiful analogy for the way we want to see ourselves as part of a much greater ecology.”
~ Ara Katz, co-founder of Seed Health

“You are human. As a human, your body contains around 37 trillion human cells. It also contains around 39 trillion microbes in what’s known as the microbiome: a collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live inside and on your body and influence your health and behavior. You aren’t just a human, you’re a biome – a collection of them, actually. Worlds within worlds.”

→ Atmos – 8 May 2025:
Seeding Change: Welcome to the Microbial Revolution
“As the cofounders of Seed Health, Ara Katz and Raja Dhir have transformed the way we understand the human health impacts of microbial life. Here, they speak with Atmos about the microbiome and transformation at scale.”

“We need a new story. We also need to do the hard work of re-engineering our societies, re-imagining our relationships, and remembering our bodies.”
~ Vanessa Machado de Oliveira

BOOKS

→ Vanessa Machado de Oliveira: ‘Outgrowing Modernity – Navigating Complexity, Complicity, and Collapse with Accountability and Compassion’

“One of the more compelling climate stories I’ve heard recently came from Malcolm Harris, author of the book ‘What’s Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis’, in which he suggests the formation of “community disaster councils” as a simple, tangible thing that could be done to engender community climate resilience, and community-building in general. It felt to me like the sort of “worldbuilding” I’ve been hearing people talk about in some pretty abstract ways for a long time, suddenly made real and present.”
~ Amy Westervelt, Drilled

“The planetary spaceship we are on is ingeniously designed. Passengers don’t realize they are flying a million miles per hour through space without seatbelts, lots of room in coach, and delicious food. The spaceship came with operating instructions and essential guidelines, including everyone is crew, don’t poison the water, soil, or air, and be sure the spaceship doesn’t get too crowded with passengers. And an important rule: don’t touch the thermostat.”
~ Paul Hawken

Though carbon is continuously attacked, locked up, debated, sequestered and maligned, top author Paul Hawken tells podcast co-hosts @racheldonald.bsky.social & @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social that isn't the right path Let's create a #climate movement that's actually about much more, he argues:

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— Erik Hoffner (@erikhoffner.bsky.social) April 5, 2025 at 3:27 AM

The future of climate resilience

Could our supermarkets soon feature greater crop diversity? Traditional agricultural wisdom, like that of the Andean potato guardians, points to a future where resilience comes through variety rather than monoculture. Meanwhile, technological innovations like dynamic glass show how we can reimagine everyday objects to reduce energy demands. Together, these approaches—drawing from both ancient knowledge and cutting-edge technology—suggest our climate solutions may lie in both preserving the past and embracing innovation.  The Climate Question and Climate Connections podcasts both highlight this dual approach to building a more climate-resilient world. ~ podsnacks.com

Weave Community

“We’re not just facing collapse. We’re standing at the edge of something that wants to be born. The Weave Community is a gathering place for those who feel the old systems cracking, and also sense the quiet pulse of something else trying to emerge.

It’s a home for changemakers, researchers, farmers, artists, economists, educators, entrepreneurs, dreamers and doers.

We believe transformation doesn’t come from the top down. It grows in the crossings. In conversation. In collaboration. Between those brave enough to imagine otherwise. This isn’t another network for clicks and clout. It’s a space for listening. For sharing. For moving with intention.

Where you don’t just follow — you participate.
Where you don’t just consume — you contribute.”

~ Weave – a space where ideas, stories and action intertwine. Here, we explore the regenerative future beyond the clickbait and market-driven narratives, connecting people who create real change. Sweden is our homebase but we want to connect with people all over the world.

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→ Byline Supplement – 11 July 2025:
Adapting Strategically to Climate Breakdown: How We Can All Work to Make a Difference and Keep Each Other Safer
“Rupert Read and Caroline Lucas on the Climate Majority Project’s new campaign to make climate impacts a national priority, giving voice to the hidden majority who are waking up to climate reality.”

Systems of kindness

“News just in – we’ve figured out what causes all the bs happening around the place right now. It’s the system. The system that artificially creates scarcity, that leads politicians to prioritise the needs of large corporations, that allows social media companies to continue with divisive, addictive algorithms that promote outrage and lies, that squashes action on climate change and biodiversity loss, and that allows geno€ide, starvation, weapons and war to continue. The rules of the capitalist game are that a few people take most of the cake, and the rest of us are left to fight over the crumbs. We shouldn’t have to protest for climate action and human rights. But the rules of the game make it so.

This is why so many people are strengthening their engagement with the alternatives. With communities. With local, smaller, and more agile systems. Systems of kindness, of love. These are the artists speaking out against the violence in Gaza. They’re the small groups organising awesome tree planting festivals. They’re the people living in communities, where they share abundance and help those in need. They’re the small acts of kindness, that break the rules of ‘winner takes all’, and that accumulatively bring so much good and generosity into the world.

They’re the people growing food, helping each other build a place to live, and treasuring the natural world around us. Whenever we do something out of love, we’re putting our vote in for a better world. For a system that serves people and planet in a way that’s fair and nourishing for all.

While the bigger system shifts slowly, we can easily create the world on the right side of the image in our own towns, communities and friendship circles right now. And it’s those community-level changes that end up shifting the bigger systems, too.

We can do it.”
~ Brenna Quinlan