Sustainability is often defined in relation to Un-sustainability - all the things that are challenging our global and local ecological and social systems. This theme gives a quick introduction to some of the current issues that we are facing and how these issues connect into a larger picture.

Getting a better understanding of our current reality can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. In order to overcome those feelings, the next theme focuses on what humanity is doing to address these challenges. In the next modules we will then move into how we can be even more strategic in this work to combat the issues, in order to be more effective in addressing these urgent challenges.

CURRENT ISSUES - AN OVERVIEW

The two resources in this section focus on our most pressing global issues and the risk they pose.

1.1.1 Top 10 Most Important Global Issues of Today | The World Issues That Need Attention in 2021 by District10TV (10:43 min)

Please note that this video is from 2021 and that new issues could have been added to the list since then.

1.1.2 The Global Risk report 2024 - Key findings by the World Economic Forum

https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2024/digest/

THE GREAT ACCELERATION

This section presents the seminal concept of the anthropocene and the great acceleration, helping us to understand some of the historical patterns that have led us to the current state of the world.

1.1.3 The Great Acceleration by WWF International (2:00 min)

1.1.4 The trajectory of the Anthropocene: the great acceleration

Ref: Steffen, W., Broadgate, W., Deutsch, L., Gaffney, O. and Ludwig, C., 2015. The trajectory of the Anthropocene: the great acceleration. The anthropocene review, 2(1), pp.81-98.

Steffen et al_ 2015_The great acceleration.pdf

1.1.5 Introducing the Anthropocene: The human epoch

Ref: Steffen, W., 2021. Introducing the Anthropocene: The human epoch: This article belongs to Ambio’s 50th Anniversary Collection. Theme: Anthropocene. Ambio, 50(10), pp.1784-1787.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7957438/

Optional: The Anthropocene is not an epoch − but the age of humans is most definitely underway by Erle C. Ellis. Published: March 5, 2024 10.19pm CET

https://theconversation.com/the-anthropocene-is-not-an-epoch-but-the-age-of-humans-is-most-definitely-underway-224495

THE PLANETARY BOUNDARIES AND THE DOUGHNUT

Another key concept to understanding our impacts on the ecological and the social system is through the concept of the planetary boundaries and add-on concept of the Doughnut.

1.1.6 Planetary Boundaries

Ref: Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin III, F.S., Lambin, E., Lenton, T.M., Scheffer, M., Folke, C., Schellnhuber, H.J. and Nykvist, B., 2009. Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and society, 14(2).

Steffen et al 2015_Planetary boundaries.full.pdf

Check out the current state of the planetary boundaries at https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

1.1.7 10 years to transform the future of humanity -- or destabilize the planet by Johan Rockström (7:45 min)

1.1.8 A healthy economy should be designed to thrive, not grow by Kate Raworth (15:53)

Optional: About Doughnut Economics by the Doughnut Economics Action Lab

https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics

Optional: Johan Rockström: The Tipping Point of Climate change and where we stand. TED 2024

https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/research-videos/2024-08-19-the-tipping-points-of-climate-change---and-where-we-stand.html

Hopefully, this theme gave you some good insight into the challenges we are facing, but also some of the concepts and language used in the sustainability arena to discuss these issues. As stated above, in the next theme we will move into what humanity has been doing about this in the form of sustainable development.