The Global Financial and Economic Crisis and the Environment

The current global financial and economic crisis makes clear the need to deal with the environment, environmental problems and the looming ecological crisis at a broader, deeper and more fundamental level. Everywhere we look around the world, because of the global financial-economic crisis actions to deal with the environment and global warming are being scaled back or postponed. They are put on the backburner until after the financial-economic crisis. Now, so the argument, we cannot afford to deal with the environment. The economy and jobs must come first.

However, the environment cannot wait. Nature does not accommodate our failures, errors, mistakes and mismanagement. The current global financial and economic crisis in its essence is nothing other than the results of human actions. It is the result of mismanaging human affairs, mismanaging how we understand and manage existence and development, ourselves.

Dealing with environmental problems and the ecological crisis cannot be put on hold. They keep growing. At some point in the future they will reach a level from where it will no longer be possible to recover. The way we understand and manage human existence and development, relate and interact with nature and the natural environment is leading to changes in nature, natural processes and developments, which in the long term will render the natural environment of the Earth uninhabitable for the human species.

To continue dealing with the environment in times of crisis, when action at some level or in some sector is not possible, we need to deal with the environment at a broader, deeper and more fundamental level. We need to consider and deal with the broad range of environmental problems, such as for example, global warming, thinning of the ozone layer, pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, extinction of species, destruction of ecosystems, releasing millions of synthetic compounds into the environment, simultaneously, in an integrated way. Not deal with them separately, as traditionally is the case, as if they were the results of different causes, and waiting until individually they reach a crisis point.

We also need to deal with the environment, environmental problems and the ecological crisis at a deeper and more fundamental level, addressing the root-causes and developments that lie behind them. We must go beyond dealing only with symptoms, results and consequences. Environmental problems are only the results and consequences of deeper-rooted problems, causes and developments. We need to go beyond considering and dealing with the environment and environmental problems, the answers and solutions, only or primarily at the economic level, in scientific and technological terms.

We need to deal with environmental problems on a number of different levels and fronts. We must deal with them at all levels and in all sectors of society, in all areas of human activities simultaneously, in the same direction. We must make sure, if dealing with the environment has to be scaled back or put on the backburner at some levels, in some sectors of society or areas of human activities, as is the case with the current global financial and economic crisis, work, effort and actions dealing with the environment continue at other levels and fronts.

Within this context, the current global financial and economic crisis can be a blessing in disguise and an opportunity. It can be an opportunity to consider, understand and deal with the environment, environmental problems and the ecological crisis at a broader, deeper and more fundamental level, dealing with them beyond just the economic, scientific and technological levels. It is an opportunity to consider the full range of environmental problems in a comprehensive and integrated way. In contrast to considering and dealing with different environmental problems separately, in isolation from one another, as if they were the results and consequences of different and unrelated causes, waiting until they separately reach a crisis level.

The current financial-economic crisis is an opportunity to move beyond dealing only with symptoms, results and consequences. To consider, understand and address environmental problems at a deeper and more fundamental level where they are connected to the same causes, addressing the root-causes and underlying developments. It is an opportunity to ensure the diverse range of efforts, actions and measures dealing with the environment do not contradict, conflict with, or cancel out each other. But they take place within the context of and contribute to addressing the root-causes and underlying developments.

Different Mind Set, Framework of Understanding and Conceptual Foundation

What is required is a different mind set, a larger framework of understanding and conceptual foundation about the conditions, demands and challenges of existence, the world around us, and how to deal with them. We need to consider and understand them at a more fundamental level, in their essence, in depth and detail, in a comprehensive way, a differentiated, but integrated, connected and related way. A different mind set, a larger framework of understanding and conceptual foundation are also needed to move beyond dealing with environmental problems separately, in isolation from one another, as if they were the results of different causes. Instead, we need to deal with them in an integrated, connected and related way, and address the common causes and developments that lie behind them.

A different mind set, a larger framework of understanding and conceptual foundation are needed to move beyond ad-hoc incrementalism, managing from crisis to crisis, waiting until demands, challenges, problems and difficulties develop into crises before dealing with them, making sure the answers and solutions of today do not become the problems of tomorrow. Consider, plan and organize managing existence and development tomorrow, instead of just focusing, concentrating and being preoccupied with managing the presence and correcting the past. Dealing with change, changing conditions, demands and challenges before they develop into larger problems, difficulties and crises. Engaging in a process of continuous conceptual and mental development and growth, constantly reconsidering, updating, correcting, changing and improving how we understand and manage existence and development. In light of change and changing conditions reconsidering, updating, changing, correcting and improving the understanding, powers and abilities, skills and practices we develop, on which we rely, how we develop and use them. Whenever necessary and required reconsidering, updating, changing, correcting and improving the choices and decisions we make and how we make them, the aims, goals and objectives we pursue and how we define them, the behaviour and actions in which we engage and how we plan, organize and manage them.

A different mind set, a larger framework of understanding and conceptual foundation moreover are needed to move beyond the traditional approach of dividing and separating an integrated, connected and interacting reality, the conditions of existence and the world around us into different issues, subject matters, disciplines, fields of study, and areas of human activity, specialization and expertise. Each defined and governed by different and competing assumptions, objectives, approaches and practices. They are required to move beyond addressing only symptoms, results and consequences, and deal with the root-causes and underlying developments. Environmental problems and the ecological crisis are only symptoms, results and consequences of human actions. The causes and underlying developments are the way we understand and manage existence and development, the way we understand and deal with the conditions, demands and challenges of existence, our own mental and physical existence and development and the world around us.

Behind environmental problems and the ecological crisis, behind economic practices, science and technology and how we use them, lie human choices and decisions, aims, goals and objectives, views and understanding about the conditions of existence, the world around us, and how to deal with them. The root-causes and developments behind environmental problems and the ecological crisis are the way we view, understand and manage human existence and development. They lie in how we understand and deal with the conditions, demands and challenges of existence, the role and responsibility in our existence and development that by nature are ours to understand and manage, as distinct and different from the role of nature that lies beyond our control. How we understand and manage existence and development contradicts, conflicts with and falls short of the natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence, causing persisting and growing problems and difficulties for the environment, as well as for ourselves individually, for others and the world around us, community and society. We are pushing beyond the natural parameters, the boundaries and limits of existence set by nature.

Environmental problems and the ecological crisis did not develop overnight. They have been in the making for a very long time. Only in recent times have they become obvious and visible. Only today have they reached levels of crisis, threatening our very existence and the survival of the human species. To understand the root-causes and developments that lie behind environmental problems and the looming ecological crisis we need to look further and deeper than our present way of life, beyond the life-style of modern society. We need to go beyond the self-evident and the obvious. We must look at the fundamentals of how we understand and manage existence and development.

The questions we must ask ourselves are: Why do we exploit natural resources beyond actual human material needs? Why do we degrade the natural environment and interfere in nature, natural forces, processes and developments beyond what is required to manage and sustain human existence? Why do we understand and manage existence and development in ways that cause persisting and growing environmental, as well as socio-cultural, political, economic and individual problems, difficulties and crises, conflict and confrontation? What are the limits and shortcomings of how we understand and manage human existence and development, the way we understand and deal with the conditions, demands and challenges of existence and the world around us?

In the long-term, what is required is nothing less than changing the way we understand and manage human existence and development. We must understand and manage existence and development in a sustainable, secure and peaceful way, in ways that do not contradict, conflict with or fall short of the natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence. We must deal with problems, difficulties, symptoms, results and consequences within the context of, and in a way to contribute to changing the way we understand and manage existence and development.

Putting the Economy, Existence and Development on Different Foundation

Dealing with the environment, environmental problems and the looming ecological crisis, as well as recurring financial and economic crises, requires putting the economy, science and technology, how we understand and manage existence and development on a different, more substantial and fundamental foundation. A foundation of understanding and managing existence and development from the inside out and from the ground up, in their essence, in depth and detail, in a comprehensive way, a differentiated, but integrated, connected and related way. Not as traditionally is the case, understanding and managing them from the top down and from the outside in, in an externalized, fragmented, generalized and dissociated way in the abstract.

We need to understand and manage existence and development from the inside, beginning with the mind and mental existence, establishing the necessary internal mental conditions before engaging and dealing with the world around us. Not, as traditionally is the case, understanding and managing existence and development, the mind and mental existence from the outside in, through understanding and managing the world around us. The mind and mental existence is where we consciously exist and act, where we experience, become aware, and where we must consider the conditions of existence and the world around us, and how to deal with them. It is where individually we are in charge and in control, where we must actively be engaged and take responsibility for what takes place and what we do. What takes place and what we do in the mind and mental existence defines and governs how we understand, manage and conduct ourselves individually, how we connect, communicate and cooperate with each other, and how we relate and interact with the world around us, with nature and the natural environment. The mind and mental existence is where we make choices and decisions, where we define aims, goals and objectives, and where we must consider, plan, organize and manage our behaviour and actions. It is where problems and difficulties, limits and shortcomings, failings, errors and mistakes have their roots and beginnings, and where answers and solutions must start.

We need to meet our non-material mental needs in the mind and mental existence through individual mental work and effort. Not as is the case today, meeting them externally in physical-material and socio-cultural terms through the accumulation, possession, control and consumption of material resources, goods and values, and socio-cultural roles, positions, functions, status, power and influence. Reducing our consumption of natural resources to actual human material needs. We need to establish the necessary conditions inside the mind and mental existence through individual mental work and effort, not trying to create them externally in the world around us. Establish a sense of self, a sense of order and stability, clarity of mind and understanding, a sense of certainty, security and confidence individually in the mind and mental existence. Not trying to create the ideal external socio-cultural and physical-material conditions of an ordered, stable, secure and predictable world around us of easy material abundance, through rearranging, controlling and directing nature and the natural environment, natural forces, processes and development. Limiting our interference in nature and the degrading of the natural environment to what is actually required to manage and sustain human existence and development.

Moreover, we need to understand and manage existence and development from the ground up, at the level of the natural conditions of existence that lie behind and that are reflected in our experience, the experience of every individual human being. The natural conditions of existence that are common to all human beings and that in the first instance define and govern our existence. Not understanding and managing existence and development, as traditionally is the case, from the human-created socio-cultural level down to the level of the natural conditions of existence. Understanding and dealing with the natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence from within competing and conflicting socio-cultural beliefs, views, values, conventions and practices. In the process, contradicting, conflicting with and falling short of the natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence, and causing persisting and growing problems, difficulties and crises, conflict and confrontation, individual for ourselves, others and the world around, family, community, society, nature and the natural environment.

In addition, we need to understand and manage existence and development, demands and challenges, problems and difficulties, change and changing conditions in their essence, in depth and detail, in a comprehensive way, a differentiated, but integrated, connected and related way. Not, as traditionally is the case, dividing and separating an integrated, related and interacting reality into different issues, subject matters, disciplines, fields of study and areas of human activity, specialization and expertise, each defined and governed by different and competing assumptions, objectives, approaches and practices.

We must distinguish and differentiate between the natural conditions of existence that lie beyond human control, and the human-created socio-cultural and physical-material conditions that must be changed and corrected where they contradict, conflict with or fall short of the natural conditions. Instead of trying to change the natural conditions of existence, nature and the natural environment to accommodate our socio-cultural beliefs, views, values and visions about the ideal conditions of existence. We also need to distinguish and differentiate between the role of nature, which lies beyond our control, and the role and responsibility in our existence and development that by nature are individually ours to understand and manage. It is our own role and responsibility that we must manage and deal with, not the role of nature, to understand and manage our existence and development in sustainable, secure and peaceful ways.

Moreover, we need to distinguish and differentiate between the natural conditions of existence that are common to all human beings, and the specific conditions, demands and challenges we experience individually in life. It is the specific conditions, demands and challenges we must individually deal with, although we must deal with them within the context of the larger natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence. We must deal with the specific conditions, demands and challenges of existence within the larger natural conditions if we are to understand and manage existence and development in sustainable, secure and peaceful ways. To understand and manage existence and development in ways that do not contradict, conflict with or fall short of the natural conditions, demands and challenges of existence, not causing persisting and growing environmental, as well as cultural, social, political and economic problems and difficulties. In order to understand and manage existence and development within the natural parameters, the boundaries and limits of existence set by nature.

Changing the way we understand and manage existence and development, understanding and managing them from the inside out and from the ground up, in their essence, in depth and detail, in a comprehensive way, requires learning, development and change at every level and in all sectors of society, in all areas of human activity, with every individual. Developing at the level of the individual the necessary conceptual foundation and mental capacity, the understanding, the mental powers and abilities, mental skills and practices required to understand and manage existence and development in sustainable, secure and peaceful ways, within the natural parameters, the boundaries and limits of existence set by nature. A process that ultimately must take place and begin in early life, with education and training. In this way, in times of crisis, when actions dealing with the environment, environmental problems and the ecological crisis at one level or in one sector of society, in one area of human activity is impeded, must be slowed down or put on hold, work at other levels, in other sectors and areas of human activity will continue.