Regenerative Future

A regenerative future aims for a flourishing and just future for every system and organism on our planet. It aims to go beyond ‘doing less harm’, which has become the definition of sustainability for many. Instead, regeneration is a process of renewal, restoration, and revival of our living world—creating nature-positive impact. By placing life at the center of every decision and respecting future generations of all species, regeneration goes beyond human-centered thinking. It is inclusive, engaging, and generous.

However, the future does not exist yet. We can only imagine many possible futures. Dystopian stories, status-quo stories or hopeful, solution-oriented stories. Our climate destiny will be influenced by the stories we imagine most, becoming the dominant narratives of our times. When people tell the story of a regenerative world of tomorrow, we can inspire each other to take restorative actions today for a livable, thriving future.

To initiate the emergence of a regenerative future, we could amplify our human and artificial intelligences with natural intelligence. Nature has found ways to thrive in complex systems, and we can get inspiration from nature’s billions-of-years-old wisdom. We can learn from trees living in symbiosis with fungi to create diverse and vibrant ecosystems. We can learn from coral reefs to become self-sufficient as a circular, zero waste and zero energy colony. Natural wisdom can also be found in indigenous culture and practices like the habit of asking advice from ancestors and descendants when making collective decisions.

A regenerative future emphasizes solutions and approaches in which humans are participating as an integral part of nature to support all living systems for generations to come.