This presentation describes the 50 year path that will be needed for humanity to safeguard our collective future while restoring planetary health.

1. Regeneration and
Planetary Health
Safeguarding Humanity in the Next 50 Years

2. This is a road map for the 50 year path that must
be walked if we are to arrive at planetary health
with humanity intact.

3. The Earth is now in
overshoot-and-collapse,
having crossed at least 4 of
the 9 planetary boundaries
defined by the Stockholm
Resilience Centre for a
“safe operating space for
humanity”—this means our
survival DEPENDS ON
regeneration of the
biosphere.

4. (2) Thus it is essential that as many local/regional “hubs” as possible be set up
for regeneration of ecosystem functions that address the most critical planetary
boundaries… name geochemical cycles of nitrogen/phosphorous, land-use
practices, biodiversity, and climate change.

5. (3) All of this requires systemic changes in human societies—or in a phrase
“applied cultural evolution—that is as systematic and rigorous as possible
because we only have one chance to get things right.

6. (4) Our timeframe is roughly:
2018-2030 :: Create global
network of bioregions with
economies built on regenerative
principles
2030-2050 :: Out-compete wealth
hoarding systems so regeneration
becomes the dominant global
model
2050-2070 :: Bring ALL planetary
boundaries back into safe range

7. (5) At the heart of this is education because all cultural change involves social
learning and cultural transmission of ideas/skills/practices. Thus this is ALL in
one form or another “applied” cultural evolution.

8. (6) So we are focusing on creating a School for Applied Cultural Evolution
that weaves across existing networks of ecovillages, holistic learning centers,
universities, cities, and towns.

9. (7) Why cultural evolution?
Because it (alongside complexity science, which is intimately related) provides a
foundational pillar for knowledge synthesis and translation into practice of all
biological, social, and ecological sciences—as well as the arts and humanities.

10. (8) Why bioregions? Because they are defined as the functionally integrated
areas where human social systems merge with ecosystems—and they are the
“scale linkages” between local and global systemic patterns.

11. (9) Why now? Because this is our only “moon shot” chance before we cascade
beyond too many tipping points (reality check: it might already be too late).
Permafrost is melting and other indicators suggest we are entering a phase of
runaway global warming.

12. (10) Who will fund this? Probably not any usual players, because they are
beneficiaries of the sociopathic and cancerous wealth-hoarding systems. Thus
we will need to employ regenerative economics to scale up the systems locally
to regionally, networked across regions to global.

13. (11) Are we seriously doing this? Yes, even if no funding becomes available. It
is our sacred role as sentient beings to clean up our mess and be part of the
dynamic Earth as healers and wisdom holders. Let’s do this.