Recap
An introductory exploratory overview of Our Human Story and Future Sustainability concluded with the previous five-part series’ final post: Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 5. In order to better comprehend ongoing future posts, new readers might wish to scan previous posts to learn more about the types of topics and overall content covered so far. These are the links:
Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 1
Future Sustainability Responses – from Reimagining to Regenerating
Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 2
Future Sustainability Responses – From Retreating to Restraining
Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 3
Future Sustainability Responses – From Reviewing to Rescaling
Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 4
Future Sustainability Responses –From Reducing to Repurposing
Designing a Sustainable Future, Part 5
Future Sustainability Responses: Restoring and Regenerating
Having presented a past-to-present overview of our human story, including a series of posts devoted to envisioning and designing a sustainable future, I will begin focusing more on specific topics. Most of the relevant topics about our existential unsustainable paradigm and potentially future sustainable paradigm have been superficially addressed. Consequently, as various upcoming topics are explored in greater depth and breadth, some topically-pertinent information may also be repeated.
Sustainability Defined
Because sustainability is a key term used throughout postings, I rely on a definition posited by other socioecologists referencing humanity’s evolutionary symbiotic niche within Earth’s bio-ecosphere. Consequently, such a version of future sustainability does not propose sustaining any human-contrived economic, political, or socio-cultural beliefs and practices that negatively affect our planet’s bio-ecosphere. It’s important to point out how this differs with other interpretations, particularly those proposed by techno-optimists and pro-growth economic proponents. So, bearing this general concept in mind:
Socioecological sustainability (humans in the Web of Life) primarily refers to meeting the ongoing needs (not wants) of all existing humans and lifeforms, and ongoing long-term goal of preserving and conserving sufficient natural resources to meet the needs of future lifeforms.
In other words, current generations of humans must assume responsibility for wisely managing existing natural resources in order that future generations will be able to survive and flourish. To do so will require existing humans to protect the natural environment using sustainable strategies, beginning with limiting economic growth and development and reducing consumption of natural resources. We must also commit to restoring, rejuvenating, and rewilding degraded bio-ecological systems, the goal being to provide socio-ecological equity for all living beings.
Other definitions are offered by organizations with interpretations that vary somewhat from the one listed above. For instance, University of Oxford Net Zero presents a similar environmental goal that focuses on slowing the negative impacts of climate change by reducing CO2 emissions to zero. The University of California-Los Angles’ Sustainability Plan describes sustainability as “the balance between the environment, equity, and economy”. Other definitions are provided by these organizations: the Environmental Protection Agency; the US Department of Agriculture describing sustainable agriculture in relation to resource usage; and the definition provided by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, which addresses sustainability as part of an educational curriculum.
Readers having viewed previous postings realize that, based on humanity’s ongoing corrosive influence on the bio-ecosphere, it might be impossible to determine the type of sustainable future that may develop. For certain, designing and implementing a sustainable future is extremely challenging, as it requires taking a systemic multi-dimensional approach, from evolutionary genetic influences and acquired sociocultural worldviews to all human-created institutionalized systems – economic, political, educational, techno-industrial, and all bio-ecological systems. A holistic perspective requires comprehensively understanding that all areas are governed and influenced by a wide-range of human motives and objectives. In sum, although attaining sustainability will be extremely challenging, it remains an essential goal for humanity.
Realistically thinking, because wide swaths of degraded future planetary bio-ecosystems may not be habitable, the chances for having a symbiotically long-term socioecological existence worldwide may well be improbable. Hence, habitable areas may be fewer and more isolated from other livable areas.
So, it seems we’re faced with an appalling “inconvenient truth”: our existing capitalistic pro-growth civilization’s destructive impact on the bio-ecosphere is making a sustainable future more unlikely by the day. Indeed, the following stark realization is gaining traction among socioecologists:
Because of techno-industrial civilization’s expanding complexity – in terms of size, scope, and scale – our bloated human enterprise’s heavy ecological footprint is growing ever-more overwhelming, so much so that each day on planet Earth may well represent the best day all Earthly lifeforms will experience going forward.
Moreover, there are pervasive time-distance-and-speed factors to consider when discussing sustainability issues, past and future. For instance, for most of our history as a keystone predatory species, ancient humans lived harmoniously sustainable within Earth’s bio-ecosphere. Climate conditions changed slowly over centuries and even thousands of years, allowing time for all species to adjust, adapt, and evolve in response to climate, geography, and other species, with increasing degrees of human impact.
In sharp contrast, our modern age is unique in terms of ongoing changes we humans have made that are harmfully influencing all socioecological systems. In sum, we have increasingly become a species alienated from Nature’s evolutionary context.
Our Human Story: Is Future Sustainability Possible?
Before continuing it’s important to re-emphasize that, before sustainability can be achieved anywhere, the downsizing of humanity’s size, scope, and scale is a prerequisite. In this regard, the active degrowth movement deserves everyone’s attention, so perhaps a deeper dive will occur in a future post. For now, readers are encouraged to investigate the various versions of degrowth online. Realistically speaking, assuming the absence of a cataclysmic global event – like a global nuclear war – attaining a livable, sustainable existence will likely be a long and arduous socioecological journey.
So, in light of growing awareness about the many serious challenges confronting humankind and the bio-ecosphere, should we even wonder if it’s possible for modern future humans to achieve a stable, steady, and sustainable existence? The more I study our developing multifold predicament, the more I empathize with a growing company of post-doom advocates who accept the destructive realities of our current global paradigm. The chances of civilizational collapse are growing more ominous by the day.
As a deeply concerned elderly citizen who will likely not live to experience the eventual terminating effects of the mounting global metacrisis, I feel a responsibility to convey the seriousness of our acquired human predicament to anyone willing to offer open-minded attention.
Conversely, as indicated in previous posts, I also feel a responsibility to provide personal constructive ideas and proposals for creating a sustainable future. I do believe it may yet be possible to have a sustainable future, but I also realize it will not happen without a gigantic, emergency-motivated collective effort by a larger segment of our global population.
Traversing the bottleneck of developing crises will require highly-motivated efforts from a combined global populace and leaders working collaboratively in implementing long-term strategies, plans, and guidelines, expressly intended for mitigating, adapting, and transitioning to a sustainable future. Ideally, the transition should be accomplished within a predetermined timeframe, preferably by the end of this century – or sooner if at all possible.
Wrap Up
My apologies for leaving you with such a depressing message. But if there’s any hope for making progress in slowing the descent into chaos, it seems that it will require a significant segment of humanity awakening and responding to the reality of our collective predicament.
As mentioned above, a well-informed, highly-motivated populace is needed to influence global leaders into collectively undertaking emergency measures aimed at mitigating ongoing harmful conditions, in addition to pursuing adaptive strategies that will allow smaller populations of humans to survive in fewer habitable areas. The chances may be slim, but our opportunities for achieving some degree of sustainability could yet be possible.
Next time we’ll consider the challenges humanity faces in creating a sustainable future. Until then, please think about our human predicament, including what constructive steps you can take to make a long-term positive contribution on behalf of future beings. And all the while, be good to yourself!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Clifton Ware, D.M., retired professor (voice), professional singer and author of four published books and two unpublished works, retired in 2007 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities School of Music, where he taught for 37 years. Since retiring, as a self-described socio-ecological philosopher he has spent 15 years focusing on sustainability issues, in the process of acquiring an evidence-based, big-picture understanding of all principal societal and ecological systems, including the symbiotic interconnections and role of humans as an integral part of Nature. In 2013 he founded Citizens for Sustainability in St. Anthony Village, MN, produced Sustainability News + Views (2014-2019), a weekly newsletter featuring a variety of articles and a commentary, co-composed 13 Eco Songs with his wife, Bettye, organized Sustainability Forums, and performed eco-oriented programs and presentations for several organizations.
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