Earth4All and Health
I.
Introduction to Earth4All
Earth4All draws inspiration from frameworks like The Limits to Growth and Planetary Boundaries, placing science at the core of its work.
Origin
Earth4All began as a collaboration between influential economic thinkers, scientists, and advocates, brought together by organizations like The Club of Rome, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and the BI Norwegian Business School.
Present
It has evolved into a platform where individuals and organizations unite to enhance our economies. Earth4All doesn’t start from scratch; it’s part of a growing movement. Communities and policymakers worldwide are already reshaping how we approach economics.
Future
Everyone is encouraged to participate in this effort. The initiative reimagines capitalism, moving beyond traditional economic measures like GDP, aiming for a secure future on Earth in the Anthropocene era.
The book
September 2022
Earth4All published the results of a significant two-year research collaboration in September 2022. The book served as a survival guide and the findings marked the beginning of a global conversation that Earth4All sought to spark. They called for a collective effort of minds, hearts, and souls to reshape economies together.
At that time, society was going through a transformative moment in history. The pandemic had prompted a reconsideration of societal structures, leading to a readiness to break with the past, discard old ideas, and envision a new world.
The 5 Turnarounds
We can transform our economic system to prioritize the well-being of all within the limits of our planet.
Here are five key changes and 15 immediate policies for significant and lasting effects on human well-being and the health of the planet:
Addressing Poverty:
Canceling debt
Introducing new growth models
Focusing on regional trade
Tackling Inequality:
Implementing progressive taxation
Supporting trade re-unionization
Establishing a universal basic dividend
Empowering Gender:
Ensuring education for all
Promoting female leadership and job opportunities
Providing pensions for all
Improving Food Systems:
Reducing food waste
Embracing regenerative agriculture and soil health
Exploring new sustainable meat options
Advancing Clean Energy:
Decreasing energy waste and consumption
Transitioning to electrify everything
Embracing new renewable energy sources
The two scenarios
Too Little, Too Late
Overall, this scenario paints a challenging picture of the future with significant climate-related issues, social tensions, and economic disparities:
Inequality keeps increasing, leading to higher social tensions.
Economic growth is sluggish in low-income countries.
The Earth warms to an alarming 2.5°C.
Many people live in areas facing extreme conditions like heat, drought, and floods.
Earth may have already crossed critical climate tipping points.
Human well-being worsens due to inequality, social tensions, and climate change.
GDP continues to grow.
Poverty decreases and is nearly eradicated by around 2080.
The global population peaks at approximately 9 billion by mid-century due to economic growth, education, and health investments.
The Giant Leap
Envisions a transformative shift:
15 policies drive significant change across five key areas.
Poverty declines and nearly disappears by around 2050, a generation earlier than the less optimistic scenario.
Progressive taxation commitment reduces inequality, ensuring the wealthiest 10% take no more than 40% of national incomes.
A Citizen’s Fund distributes global commons wealth through a fee and dividend system, addressing inequality and providing a safety net during economic shocks.
Social tension decreases, and well-being improves due to greater income equality.
Climate change stabilizes just below 2°C, though still bringing challenges like heatwaves, flooding, and food insecurity.
Investments needed for energy and food transformations amount to about 2-4% of global income, requiring unconventional funding methods.
Population peaks below 9 billion by mid-century.
The Giant Leap requires concerted efforts, potentially driven by significant social movements, as indicated by strong public support for economic system change (74% in G20 countries).
Citizens’ assemblies focusing on economic system change are seen as a promising way to overcome political inertia and polarization.
Some data-based predictions
Wellbeing
Inequality
Healthier soils
Emissions
Poverty
Resilient Societies
Deep dives
As part of Earth4All, collaborators submit deep-dive papers exploring solutions for a transformative and equitable economic system on our finite planet. Free access!
II.
“Earth4All Action Week 2023”
Systems Change, not Climate Change!
Event details
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Brazilian Data
The Importance of Health for the SDGs
Health is not only a benefit due to the elimination of poverty, reduction of inequalities, empowerment of women and transformation of the food and energy systems.
Health is a driver of change and an ethical imperative capable of guiding the system-shifting needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within planetary limits and without delay.
III.
Questions and Discussions
Social tension