NEW BOOK
STORIES FROM 2030
PUBLISHED
1ST NOVEMBER 2021
AT COP26 IN GLASGOW
WHY WE NEED
TO START WORKING
ON A BETTER 2100
This starts with making sure we take action now and build the foundations by 2030
Our challenge is that we have a complex problem with very serious long term risks that the human mind is not able to easily solve. Our cultural mores currently stop us from thinking or acting in a way that will produce the solutions.
Many of the wealthy feel as though they have much to lose from any change. Furthermore, our main global measure serves to further exacerbate the problem through encouraging economic growth with no reference to either ecological constraints, or indeed to whether societies are more functional.
the human brain is not designed to effectively assess long term risk
"Visions of the better world are the missing catalyst that can inspire movement and help us step over the line towards this future".
Cultural norms of the rich countries have evolved to provide incentives that ignore long term consequences.
But the longer we dither, the more pain will be inflicted, the more species wiped out, the more low-lying areas flooded, the larger the hordes of climate refugees and the more climate war devastation.
Will we be remembered as the 'time thieves' or the Neroan generation that fiddled whilst the world started to burn.
Will the children of 2100 being shocked at the carelessness and callousness of their forebears?
Envisioning is a largely taboo activity in our culture
It is seen as dreaming, being ungrounded, rocking the boat.
Will children cry at watching history and ask 'why did you let it happen?'
Human decision-making process combines an assessment of facts with the 'gut-feeling' – with the emotional part of the decision-making process being most important. Arguing on facts alone is therefore a futile pursuit.
Emotional options – Fear and negative psychology is very good at initiating action but it is positive psychology that seems to provide permanent changes to brain patterns. Both inputs are often needed to provide the emotional and rational reasons that humans need before making decisions.
This is where environmental communications to date has failed. It has all been about the negative side of things and no long term goals using positive psychology to make permanent changes in thinking. For this of course we need visions.