Are we witnessing the global breakdown of social, economic, and political systems?
“This is a troubled world”, says Umair Haque. But who is Umair Haque, and what does he know about anything? No 1721 Posted by fw, July 9, 2016 “The great systems … Continue reading
Bill Rees’ Degrowth Vision – Planned descent toward socially just sustainability for all: Part 4
Degrowth, a steady-state solution is not new; it’s been around for at least 150 years. So, if we’re so smart, why hasn’t it penetrated the public policy domain? No 1553 … Continue reading
Bad News – If we don’t change course, industrial civilization will collapse within 30 years
Is there any Good News? – Escalating crises will drive people to change behaviour and policies – We hope! No 1420 Posted by fw, August 12, 2015 “New scientific models … Continue reading
Towards a more economically secure, ecologically stable, and socially equitable future
Canadian ecologist William Rees details the essentials of a Global Survival Plan No 1318 Posted by fw, April 24, 2015 “We are engaged in a genuine paradigm shift—the abandonment of … Continue reading
The year is 2040 and life on Mother Earth is beginning to unravel
As we pick up the fact-based fictional spectre of menacing climate change… No 1159 Posted by fw, October 4, 2014 By 2040, heat waves and droughts were the norm. Control … Continue reading
The year is circa 2393. A historian narrator living in China recounts the events that led to the Great Collapse of Western Civilization
Such is the premise of a fascinating new book — The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future No 1155 Posted by fw, September 30, 2014 This post … Continue reading
Professor William Rees offers a whole new approach to sustainability planning: Part 3
Part 3 – Rees outlines how world leaders should react if confronted with a major global catastrophe No 1078 Posted by fw, June 19, 2014 In Part 1, Rees reviewed … Continue reading
Professor William Rees offers a whole new approach to sustainability planning: Part 2
Part 2 – Rees makes the case for “steady-state sustainability” with justice No 1077 Posted by fw, June 18, 2014 In the preceding post, Part 1, Rees reviewed what he … Continue reading
Professor William Rees offers a whole new approach to sustainability planning: Part 1
In Part 1, Rees summarizes the most pressing global challenges we face – climate change, ecological overshoot, and rising inequality No 1076 Posted by fw, June 17, 2014 William Rees … Continue reading
Black Friday’s celebration of hyper-consumerism is suicidal, destroying our livable climate
And the sooner we realize there’s nothing we can do to save ourselves, the sooner we can get busy saving ourselves No 921 Posted by fw, December 01, 2013 “The … Continue reading
“What’s at risk if we do not take action, truly, is the survival of civilization as we know it,” says Al Gore
“The answer is in our hands” No 914 Posted by fw, November 18, 2013 Al Gore Explains Why Civilization Might Not Survive the Next 100 Years by Brian Merchant, Motherboard, … Continue reading
Roadmap to Survival 2100 by Prof. Wm. Rees
Introduction to the kinds of policies implicit in a Survival 2100–type project No 510 Posted by fw, June 25, 2012 “…sustainability does, indeed, demand what many scientists (and even politicians) … Continue reading
‘sustainability’ ‘resiliency’ ‘complexity’ ‘collapse’: Do you really know what these terms mean?
No 124 Posted by fw, February 27, 2011 “Collapse, complexity, sustainability, and resiliency are common terms, yet are frequently offered without definition, or with definitions that are less than useful.” … Continue reading
Can Joseph Tainter save us from ourselves? Pt 7/7: Seven strategies for coping with complexity
No 123, Posted by fw, February 24, 2011 “There are no simple answers to ensuring a prosperous future. But we do need one thing, and that’s that we need an … Continue reading
Can Joseph Tainter save us from ourselves? Pt 6/7: We can’t innovate our way to a sustainable future
No 122 Posted by fw, February 22, 2011 “In the year 2054, the entire [U.S.] defense budget will purchase just one aircraft. The aircraft will have to be shared by … Continue reading
Can Joseph Tainter save us from ourselves? Pt 5/7: Fossil fuels gave Industrial Revolution sustainable problem solving system
No 121 Posted by fw, February 20, 2011 In Part 4, Why societies become complex. How complexity triggers collapse, Dr Tainter identified the two defining elements of a complex society … Continue reading
Can Joseph Tainter save us from ourselves? Pt 4/7: Why societies become complex. How complexity triggers collapse
No 120 Posted by fw, February 17, 2011 In Part 3, How complex societies can remain sustainable, Dr Tainter explains how societal problem solving evolves along a path of increasing … Continue reading
Can Joseph Tainter save us from ourselves? Pt 3/7: How complex societies can remain sustainable
No 119 Posted by fw, February 14, 2011 In Part 2, Historical knowledge is essential to sustainability, Dr Tainter asserts: “No program to enhance sustainability can be considered practical if … Continue reading
