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World scientists' warning: The behavioural crisis driving ecological overshoot
Joseph J Merz1,2, Phoebe Barnard2,3,4, William E Rees5
1Merz Institute, Whitianga, New Zealand.
Science Progress
|September 20, 2023
Summary
Ecological overshoot stems from a Human Behavioural Crisis, driven by economic growth, marketing, and pronatalism. Addressing maladaptive behaviors, not just symptoms like climate change, is crucial for global intervention.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Behavioral Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Anthropogenic ecological overshoot is linked to global issues like biodiversity loss and climate change.
- Current interventions focus on symptoms, not the root cause: human behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and frame the 'Human Behavioural Crisis' as the root cause of ecological overshoot.
- To explore the behavioral drivers of overshoot and propose intervention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of behavioral drivers of ecological overshoot.
- Examination of economic growth, marketing, and pronatalism as key drivers.
- Proposal of interdisciplinary emergency response strategies.
Main Results:
- Ecological overshoot is a symptom of a deeper Human Behavioural Crisis.
- Economic growth, marketing, and pronatalism drive consumption, waste, and population.
- Symptom-level interventions are insufficient to avoid ecological catastrophe.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing the Human Behavioural Crisis is a critical intervention point.
- Shifting social norms around reproduction, consumption, and waste is essential.
- Bridging the communication gap between scientists and the public is vital for action.
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