Just us

Abstract

Introduction: A thorough understanding of ecology is a necessity as the Earth becomes crowded, there is more intense resource use and exhaustion, and the exposure to pollutants has diversified. Outcomes: Everyone must be involved as we develop the moral compass and maps for a desirable world. The transition will be made within the context of complex social forces, which must be engaged in purposeful collaboration and action. All individuals have the embryonic need and possess diverse abilities to contribute to the transcendence of problems arising from the human response to social inequities. Discussion: These will be difficult and nuanced transitions. One example is the Balinese water distribution system, whose site-specific adjustments developed over thousands of years. Examples from country-to-country comparisons show that Eco-civilizations, to be ‘civil’, must be fair, inclusive, and joyful, and more than about misleading metrics like Gross Domestic Product, individuality, material accumulations and competition. Conclusion: We are in this together; it is not ‘them or us’ - it is only ‘Us’.

Keywords

• Adaptation
• Bali
• science-policy
• shared governance
• social equity
• transitions