Come On! Capitalism, Short-Termism and the Destruction of the Planet

About this book

This book offers an optimistic collection of opportunities and practical policies that support beneficial solutions and open a wide horizon into a better, sustainable world. It is people who can and should move our civilization into the new direction – as they simultaneously create and live a new, enlightened philosophy.

Part one of this report offers a descriptive diagnosis of the non-sustainable trends of our time. The Earth's "planetary boundaries", established by physics, are in danger of being destroyed by the selfish priority of feeding human "need". The authors describe how social construct of mass economic well-being needs to be decoupled from the use and destruction of natural resources, especially in agriculture. Part two offers an analysis that describes society's fundamental philosophical crisis at this juncture, starting with the message of the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si by Pope Francis. Come On! shows how a systems approach will be needed to address and understand the complex and interactive realities of our time.

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Executive Summary

Part One - C'mon! Don't tell me the current trends are sustainable!
1.1 Introduction: The World in Disarray
1.2 Limits to Growth - how relevant was its message?
1.3 Planetary Boundaries
1.4 The Anthropocene
1.5 The Climate Challenge
1.6 Other disasters ahead
1.7 Unsustainable population growth - and urbanisation
1.8 Unsustainable agriculture and food system
1.9 Trade versus environment
1.10 The 2030 Agenda - the devil is in implementation
1.11 Do we like disruptions? The case of the digital revolution
1.12 From Empty World to Full World

Part Two - C'mon! Don't stick to outdated philosophies!
2.1 Laudato Si: The Pope raises His voice
2.2 Change the Story, Change the Future
2.3 1991: "The First Global Revolution"
2.4 Capitalism got arrogant
2.5 The failure of the market doctrine
2.6 Philosophical errors of the market doctrine
2.7 Reductionist philosophy is shallow and inadequate
2.8 Gaps between Theory, Education and Social Reality
2.9 Tolerance and long-term perspectives
2.10 We may need a New Enlightenment

Part Three Come On! Join us on an exciting journey towards a sustainable world!
3.1 A regenerative economy
3.2 Development Alternatives
3.3 The Blue Economy
3.4 Decentralized energy
3.5 Some agricultural success stories
3.6 Regenerative urbanization: Ecopolis
3.7 Climate: Some good news, but bigger challenges
3.8 Circular economy requires a new economic logic
3.9 Five-fold resource productivity
3.10 Healthy disruption
3.11 Reform of the financial sector
3.12 Reform of the economic set-up
3.13 Benign investment
3.14 Measuring well-being rather than GDP
3.15 Civil Society, Social Capital and Collective Leadership
3.16 Global Governance
3.17 National level action: China and Bhutan
3.18 Education for a sustainable civilization

Conclusion: We invite readers to `come on'

Index

Customer Reviews