Climate change researcher, sustainable development expert, and activist Gail Hochachka works on the front lines of climate change research, asking—and answering—questions like: How does the way we make meaning, at all our different stages of development, relate to the ways we act on climate change? How can we foster more engagement with climate change? Is climate action scalable? And how are we going to show up for the people who are facing the greatest impacts?
Grappling with the Metacrisis
Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Nicholas Hedlund, Roger Walsh and John DupuyIn this dialogue, the world of metatheories comes alive with urgent, purposeful meaning, because as Sean and Nick point out, integrative metatheories like Ken Wilber’s integral theory and Roy Bhaskar’s critical realism are the only tools that provide a useful framework for us to talk about and confront the vast web of interrelated and wicked problems we face on every level at this time.
From Bodhisattva to Ecosattva: Integrating Personal Practice and Global Activism
David Loy, Roger Walsh and John DupuyDavid Loy, Zen teacher, scholar, and prolific author, reveals his acute understanding of the crises we face today, the psychology at the root of the problems, and how we can make our way forward in this in-depth discussion. He has adopted the term ecodharma to focus attention on the challenge Buddhism faces now: integrating personal transformation with global activism and social transformation. As David points out, the focus needs to be on this world, with transcendence being a metaphorical understanding but not an excuse to abandon the problems we and our planet face today.
Defending the Importance of the Holarchical-Developmental Scheme for Environmentalism
Michael E. ZimmermanAccording to the late ecologist, Stan Rowe, Ken Wilber’s holarchical scheme confuses important issues in the part-whole relationships belonging to organisms and ecosystems, and Wilber’s developmental ideas echo the anthropocentrism found in the work of many other modernists. In the process of articulating and defending Wilber’s views, I argue that Rowe’s alternative flirts with ecofascism, insofar as Rowe depicts human beings as mere “parts” of Gaia, which considers everything smaller than Gaia as functional units. Despite my disagreements with Rowe, I admire him for grappling with these important and highly complex issues.
Integral Sustainable Development
Barrett BrownThis is a two-part paper that offers an overview of Integral Sustainable Development, explaining the rudiments of a practical framework that integrates the crowded conceptual and operational landscape of sustainable development and enables practitioners to 1) identify the full-range of needs and capabilities of individuals and groups, and 2) tailor the specific developmental response that fits each unique situation.
Integral Ecology: A Post-Metaphysical Approach to Environmental Phenomena
Sean Esbjörn-HargensIntegral Theory provides a distinct and participatory approach to Ecology. This article introduces Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, distinguishes the Integral approach from other methods, and applies some key concepts to Ecology. The ontology, epistemology, and methodology of environmental phenomena are examined in light of Wilber’s framework and the framework is applied to multidimensional examples of recycling. Finally, an Integral Ecology platform is presented.
Integral Ecology: An Ecology of Perspectives
Sean Esbjörn-HargensThere are many competing approaches available for responding to environmental problems and dealing with ecological issues. This article provides an introduction to Integral Ecology, an approach that takes the valuable insights from all the major schools of ecological thought and unites them in a comprehensive framework. First, the difficulty of defining “ecology” is explored. Next, the twenty-five major approaches to ecology are introduced. Finally, Integral Ecology is defined in such a way that it honors the importance of all these approaches.
The Transformation Age: America Burning
Robb SmithAmerica has been on fire these past few weeks. A nation struggling with its racist past, its contemporary racial shadow, its deep political and cultural polarization, and a divisive president who will never be capable of leading a nation, we continue to find ourselves in the heart of The Great Release (and this time, not from an economic depression or disease pandemic, but from our deep and terrible racist heritage). In this brief article, I want to use a few lenses of integral metatheory—concepts you’ll be familiar with, but applied in ways you’ve never seen before—to see if we can get a broader view of what’s happening.
Deeper Into the Great Release
Robb Smith and Corey deVosLadies and gentlemen, the Great Release is truly and fully underway. That earthquake has now begun. Nanoscopically small and quietly transmissible, Covid-19 would be almost laughable as a catalyst for the great release if it weren’t so deadly. But as it stands, it is in fact the perfect spark to alight the ample tinder of total system irresilience.
Intersubjectivity, Social Justice, and Climate
Diane Musho Hamilton, Gail Hochachka, Rob McNamara and Corey deVosJoin us as we take a look at climate change through the lens of 2nd-person intersubjectivity — how we live together, how we grieve together, how we create meaning together, how we relate with each other in the midst of crisis, and the many other ways that we are all in this together.
Climate Change: From Alarmism to Anti-Fragility
Diane Musho Hamilton, Gail Hochachka, Rob McNamara and Corey deVosIn this fascinating episode of Integral Justice Warrior, Diane and Corey are joined by Gail Hochachka and Rob McNamara to explore anti-fragile approaches to climate change. We are also joined by fellow integral enthusiast Deb Collins, who offers her own perspectives around the tragic wild fires that swept across the Australian continent.
Climate Change Solutions: Adapt or Transform?
Diane Musho Hamilton, Gail Hochachka, Rob McNamara and Corey deVosWe are joined by special guests Gail Hochachka and Rob McNamara to explore some of the critical strategies to climate change — some of which emphasize a total top-down transformation of our political and economic systems, and others that emphasize a more incremental and adaptive approach.
Engaging Climate Change in All Four Quadrants
Diane Musho Hamilton, Rob McNamara and Corey deVosIn this episode of Integral Justice Warrior, Diane and Corey are joined by Rob McNamara, integral teacher and author of The Elegant Self, in order to take a closer look at climate change through all four quadrants.
Climate Change: From Despair to Determination
Diane Musho Hamilton and Corey deVosDiane Musho Hamilton talks to Corey deVos about how to cut through the feelings of despair and hopelessness that so many people feel around the challenge of climate change, and how to engage in more skillful and productive communication around the issue so that we can generate the political will we need in order to catalyze new solutions.
The Tetra-Meshed Earth: Depth and Innovation in Climate Change Adaptation
Gail HochachkaGail presents the contours of the challenge that is climate change — namely how to grasp in meaning or action such a wicked problem and hyperobject: something not directly seen and experienced, so radically nonlocal and involving of multiple disciplines, that exists on timeline we can’t easily conceive of, and regarding a future we can only approximate. Making sense of an issue this complex is slippery and plastic, and how we then engage it even more so.
The Mean Green Fever Dream: Climate Urgency vs. Alarmism
Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosWhen trying to communicate about climate change and sustainable initiatives, how can we find a way to convey the tremendous urgency of the problem without falling into the sort of overwrought alarmism that only ends up tuning people out of the conversation?
Making Sense of Trump’s Exit from the Paris Accord
Gail HochachkaLast week, Trump stated his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement regarding climate change. Trump announced that the USA will withdraw based on the sense that it will negatively affect US jobs. To explore this, I turn to Integral Theory, which is a comprehensive transdisciplinary theory developed by contemporary philosopher Ken Wilber and applied by others across several professional fields. We can draw upon these ideas regarding the dynamics of social groups to make sense of Trump’s exit from the Paris agreement.
Integral Without Borders: International Development in a Post-Trump World
Gail Hochachka, Paul van Schaik and Ken WilberHow might the integral framework help facilitate healthy growth and sustainabilty in developing societies around the planet? Gail Hochachka and Paul van Schaik talk to Ken Wilber about how Integral Without Borders is actively working to meet people’s struggles and challenges head-on and help them to gain more perspective and better adapt to their present circumstances. Gail, Paul, and Ken also discuss the earth-shaking election of Donald Trump, the social trends that carried him into the Presidency, and how his election might impact the further unfolding of integral consciousness around the world.
Wicked and Wise: Climate Change, Democracy, and Integral Theory
Alan Watkins and Jeff SalzmanAlan Watkins, co-author of Wicked and Wise with Ken Wilber, talks to Jeff Salzman about climate change, the problems of globalization and democracy, getting CEO’s to do the right thing, and that pesky Donald Trump.
The Meaning of the Earth
Jacob Needleman and Ken WilberWhat is our purpose? Why are we here? What does the Earth need from us? Listen as Jacob and Ken take an in-depth look at The Unknown World, framing man’s role on the planet in a completely new and fresh way and moving beyond the usual environmental concerns to reveal how the care and maintenance of a world is something vital and basic to our existence as authentic human beings.
How Highly Conscious Leaders Are Engaging the Problem of Sustainability
Barrett Brown and Ken WilberBarrett Brown talks to Ken Wilber about the extraordinary overlap that exists between leadership, sustainability, and the highest reaches of adult development.
Bringing Perspective to Climate Change
Michael E. Zimmerman and Ken WilberThe problem of climate change is so big, so complex, and so politicized, it is almost impossible to know what to think about it, let alone what to do. Michael Zimmerman, co-author of Integral Ecology, helps cut through the partiality and propaganda that are so rampant on both sides of the argument, offering a more sober perspective on the current status of the climate change debate.
Integral Ecology: Uniting Multiple Perspectives on the Natural World
Sean Esbjörn-Hargens and Ken WilberSean Esbjorn-Hargens and Ken Wilber take an in-depth look at the book Integral Ecology: Uniting Multiple Perspectives on the Natural World (recently published by Integral Books) which identifies and situates over 200 different schools of ecology .
The Key to Integral Sustainability
Ken WilberIntegral philosopher Ken Wilber discusses some of the obstacles the world faces in bringing any sort of real change to our current ecological crisis.
How to Communicate Integral Sustainability
Barrett BrownOur environmental crisis is clearly an urgent global concern, and demands immediate response from every one of us — and yet it requires a fairly sophisticated consciousness to even perceive the problem, let alone care enough to do something about it. How can we translate a genuine vision of Integral Sustainability to all the different levels of development, meeting people exactly where they are and framing the problems (and possible solutions) in a way they can actually respond to?
State of Fear — Science, Ethics, and the Impossibility of Prediction
Michael Crichton and Ken WilberMichael and Ken discuss some of the rather extreme reactions to State of Fear, ranging from venomous outrage and smear campaigns to hearty applause and an invitation to the White House. In fact, Michael is a self-described “political agnostic,” and simply advocates that policy drafted by any party be based on the evidence of today, not the speculation of tomorrow. As he points out, there is a profound moral and ethical dimension to how science informs our national and international agendas: “If it [the environment] is not a genuine problem… and we go and spend a kazillion dollars on that instead of feeding hungry people, then we have done a terrible, terrible, terrible thing.”