Video Interviews

This is great, thank you for sharing!

Keep up the good work

Insightful comments about (a) revisiting our notions of prosperity (b) understanding we are part of natures ecosystem.

Achieving prosperity for all on a healthy planet is a process that requires a mix of solutions to be applied at various levels and by each and every stakeholder, ranging from governments and the private sector to communities, NGOs, and individual citizens. This process also requires a systemic/holistic approach to ensure that there are no contradictions between what is proposed and aimed at, and what will concretely be done. It is also vital that the means to be used do not defeat their purpose - it would be an aberration to cut a rain forest (that sequestrates huge amounts of Co2 and hosts biodiversity) to make space for a photovoltaic farm (to reduce some Co2 while producing energy).

The ambition to harmonize human development and nature protection is, indeed, not easy to realize. Up to now, the prosperity of human societies has unfortunately been in contradiction with a healthy planet. However, achieving this more sustainable world is possible. If the best ideas agreed upon, are implemented quickly but intelligently, that is by positioning the targets in a way that each and every component of society can contribute to reaching it, then it can work.

To give an example, if we want to reduce emissions of GHG in the atmosphere, every stakeholder has to know his role toward this target. The government will have to pass laws to phase out fossil fuels and set institutional frameworks for Renewable energy, the private sector provides energy-efficient electric appliances, and NGOs massively protect and replant trees, coral reefs, and seagrass. Individuals, on their side, can still decide to review their consumption mode towards more sustainability and sobriety, or just switch the lights and power buttons of their electric devices off when not in use.

Of course, for the high-level decision-makers, it will take courage and deep conviction to defend these ideas against expectable backlashes. But let's be honest; we just won't achieve prosperity for all by continuing to relentlessly over-exploit the resources of the planet. The ecosystems from which we extract the raw materials to produce our needs are dying, and fast. This is not only because there are 8 billion human mouths to feed on Earth, but also because we waste huge amounts of these precious and limited resources for futile products that will end up in nature to further affect the ecosystems. It's time to focus on essential needs and reduce wants that have been massively lobotomized into our minds by the powerful communication mechanisms of hyper-capitalism.

For the time being, there is one thing we know. There is only one planet Earth and it has to be protected as our common home and only source of life. How to do that? One way is to learn about the 4 Rs, Recycle, Reduce, Refuse, Review, and apply them. We could start by (i) RECYCLING waste of all sorts or using production modes like the circular economy to produce our needs, (ii) REDUCING the consumption of energy via Renewable energy or just saving energy(iii) REFUSING unsustainable modes of consumption and production; and (iv) last but not least, REVIEWING our narratives about what "prosperity" is supposed to be.

If "prosperity" is reduced to accumulating material wealth and profits at all costs, then this battle for "a healthy planet" is already doomed to failure. One way to get out of it would be to ensure that those who have accumulated that material wealth at the expense of nature, the developed countries and billionaire businesses, make amends by massively investing their money in conservation and sustainable development to restore nature and support the communities impacted by climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

Taking care of the planet and of every member of the earthling family is what we can actually call "ecology". Scaling up this approach into a global ecological culture, namely through the educational system, could help build a better future together. A sounder understanding of the rhythm of nature and efforts to adapt to this would allow human societies to harness the essentials (healthy food, clean air, and raw materials) listlessly and forever. On the other side, not allowing nature time and space to restore and replenish, will lead to the wipeout of most forms of life, including humans, within a few centuries. Scientists confirm that a 6th mass extinction, called the Holocene, has started, with millions of animal and plant species being wiped out every year while millions of human individuals are now dying from environment-link issues yearly. On the site of National Geographic, a blog even states that all forms of eatable fish could disappear from the oceans by 2048.

If we want to see more fish than plastic in the ocean in the next few decades, every human being should help to make the oceans healthy again by reducing the consumption of endangered fish species and reducing ocean pollution. The first who should have to accept to make the necessary efforts are, once more, the rich of this world who have built their wealth through linear economic models based on take-make-waste. Given the correlation between economic wealth and ecological destruction, the rich countries and businesses have to acknowledge the harm they have caused to the environment and human communities. In addition to reviewing their production and consumption modes, it should also be expected that they invest more in sustainable practices, and nature conservation on a global scale.

Up to now, there is no other planet that can host life in the universe. Instead of building spaceships of the future that can only take a few survivors to an eventual planet B, why not just put more money into saving planet A, the Earth, which hosts hundreds of billions of human, animal, and plant lives?

Until that happens, let's educate people about some basics:

-the oxygen we breathe comes from a natural process called photosynthesis that occurs in forests and the oceans. It cannot be reproduced at a large scale by human technology.

- Healthy natural ecosystems, which are not polluted or overexploited, can provide for everyone, unhealthy ecosystems can't.

-Biodiversity in all its forms is the greatest wealth on Earth.

- And, finally, greed and egoism are by far the most destructive forces in the universe.