Rethinking relation with nature

The current development path is unsustainable. Awareness is rising and attitudes toward nature are shifting.

• Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution (plastic, pesticides…), and water stress are all worsening, approaching tipping points with severe consequences;
• Health impacts and risks through environmental degradation and zoonoses are growing.
• Nature (esp. animal) rights gain traction and awareness about planetary boundaries is now widespread, leading to many initiatives at various scales.
• A large part of the forest carbon sinks and most of the world´s biodiversity are placed in the tropical areas of the developing world, that experience increased pressures resulting from hyper-consumerism of energy, food, minerals and other materials.
• The poor, particularly in the Global South are more vulnerable to the impacts of the global environmental crisis (pollution, climate change, biodiversity losses, losses of “green water”, etc.) and have fewer resources to address these impacts.
• Global action on decarbonization, biodiversity, protected areas is insufficient but is underway.
• Some among the younger generations display greater willingness to distance themselves from consumerism and adopt environmentally responsible ways of life but economic institutions and regulatory frameworks remain a strong barrier.

See the working groups on Rethinking our relation to nature