The world is facing numerous challenges, from climate change to economic inequality, social division, and political instability. These challenges are complex and interconnected, requiring us to adopt new approaches that prioritize sustainability, resilience, and human-centricity. Failure to include all three of these elements in future solutions will result in a dystopia that fails to honor our future generations or the planet they will inherit.

Sustainability:

Clearly, our current way of life is not sustainable. The evidence is overwhelming: the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by 47% since pre-industrial times, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This, along with other factors such as the proliferation of single-use plastic containers, highlights the lack of sustainable design in our society. However, sustainability is not just about protecting the environment; it’s also about creating a world that honors the context for the life we live. To achieve this, we must consider the impact of our actions on the environment and natural resources, and take steps to protect them for future generations. By adopting sustainable practices, we can ensure that the same freedoms and opportunities are available to our posterity while preserving the natural beauty of this world.

Resilience:

The second principle we focus on is resilience because sustainability is not just about protecting the environment. It’s also about ensuring that our societies are adaptable to changing circumstances. Recent events like Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the rising threat from China highlight the need to re-evaluate globalization in the post Pax-Americana world. Disruptions to essential supply chains for energy and agriculture can threaten the predictability of these global systems and the ability of local communities to maintain freedom from global disruption. Building robust, decentralized systems that can withstand shocks and stresses and adapt to rapidly changing geopolitical circumstances is crucial for resilience. By doing so, we can ensure that essential commodities can be supplied even in times of crisis, such as pandemics, conflict, or natural disasters.

For example, building decentralized, renewable energy systems can help reduce our dependence on foreign fossil fuels, making our energy infrastructure more resilient and sustainable. In agriculture, promoting diversified farming practices and local food systems can increase resilience by reducing reliance on monoculture and centralized fertilizer supply chains. By working together and supporting each other, we can increase our resilience and improve our ability to respond to unexpected challenges. This can involve developing community-based disaster response plans or increasing access to basic resources like food and water in times of crisis.

Human-Centric:

Finally, human-centricity is an essential principle for addressing the challenges we face. The 2021 Freedom in the World report showed a decline in freedom for the 15th consecutive year with 73 countries experiencing a net decline in political rights and civil liberties in 2020. It requires us to put people at the center of our efforts and design our systems to meet their specific needs, recognizing that individuals are unique and have unique needs. By adopting a human-centric approach, we can ensure that our efforts do not come at the expense of the ultimate end of human wholeness.

But human-centricity is not just about meeting the needs of individuals. It is also about ensuring that everyone has equal access to opportunities and is able to participate fully in society. We know from history that rising inequality leads to rising conflict. By adopting a human-centric approach that emphasizes freedom, we can ensure that everyone has the ability to make choices and pursue their own goals.

What the Future Demands:

As we work towards a better future, we must keep in mind that sustainability, resilience, and human-centricity are interconnected concepts that should not be ignored. Adopting sustainable practices can help us build resilient systems that prioritize the needs of individuals and communities. Likewise, adopting a human-centric approach can help us design sustainable systems that promote resilience and protect natural resources. Failure to incorporate these principles can lead to a dystopia that disregards the well-being of both people and the planet. Examples of societies that ignored these principles in the pursuit of power are plentiful in history and literature, such as Tolkien’s Mordor, which valued neither sustainability (the destruction of the entire environment), resilience (the overreliance on the ring’s power), nor human-centricity (the complete lack of regard for life itself).

Moving forward, it is important that we learn from the lessons of history and literature to build a more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric world. This will require collaboration across sectors and disciplines, as well as a willingness to rethink our current systems and adopt new approaches.

However, this will not be easy. There are many challenges that we will face along the way, including resistance from those who benefit from the status quo. We must be prepared to face these challenges and work together to overcome them. This requires bold and visionary leadership from individuals and organizations who are willing to champion these principles and drive change. By working together and leveraging the power of technology, innovation, and collaboration, we can build a more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric world that benefits everyone.

The Way Forward:

To achieve a better future for all, we must prioritize sustainability, resilience, and human-centricity. These principles are essential for addressing the complex and interconnected challenges we face, including climate change, economic inequality, social division, and political instability. Engaging everyone in the conversation is crucial, as these issues affect us all, regardless of political affiliation or ideology. Although the road ahead may be difficult and resistance may arise, we can overcome these challenges by working together and adopting new approaches. Let us create a more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric world that benefits everyone.