I used to think the top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change. I thought with 30 years of good science we could address these problems, but I was wrong.
Gus Speth
The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy—and to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation, and we scientists don’t know how to do that.
I’ve been thinking hard about a spiritual revolution for the better part of two decades now.
What does it look like?
What does it entail?
Who will lead it?
What I do know is it starts with a new story.
Our ancestors, I think, had a better way of being when it came to the narrative that ran their lives. If the narrative no longer worked, they abandonned it for another. Not always a better one, but still different.
The stories that run our world are so deeply entrenched that we’re trying to solve problems within it—rather than thinking outside of them.
Carl Sagan tried with a story of the pale blue dot (still one of my favourite reflections).
Pope Francis tried nudging the Catholic Church with his encyclicals, especially Evangelli Gaudium and Laudato Si!
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie brilliantly identified the power of a story, especially when it’s only told from one perspective.
And yet, we’re in desperate need of a story of spiritual revolution and have nowhere to turn but viral TikTok videos and pissing contests with those in power.
We don’t need to walk away; we need to walk a new path.
But it’s a matter of finding where that path starts.