Glazing into our Future
If like me you’ve been watching Sir David Attenborough’s new BBC show A Perfect Planet recently, you’re likely feeling a little disappointed in us for making poor David keep having to say stuff like ‘unfortunately these [insert cute animals] are suffering through a changing climate that has thrown their stability into jeopardy’. It is a lovely programme, as all his shows are, but it does leave you with a tinge of sadness. However, that sadness doesn’t have to be a bad thing; It shows that we all care about our planet and therefore we want to do better! You’re probably questioning if that’s a typo in the title, and why the cover image is a doughnut. Fear not, doughnuts are here to save us from ourselves; And yes that is a pun in the title - sponsor me please Krispy Kreme.
It all starts with the Planetary Boundaries model created by Earth Scientists Johan Rockström and Will Steffen. They analysed the data we have about the balance of Earth’s systems that keep our planet and all the life on it stable. They then used that data to define nine factors that influence said stability, calculated our impact on each and found the threshold that if we exceed has the potential for catastrophic change to the entire planetary system. This is the Planetary Boundaries model, it’s shaped in a circle with different factors extending from the centre, dependant on how much we are affecting them, with the ring being the threshold that we shouldn’t cross. These nine factors are: Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, Chemical Pollution, Ozone Depletion, Air Pollution, Ocean Acidification, Chemical Fertilisers, Freshwater Use and Land-Use Change (aka Conversion of wild land to farms and plantations). Of these nine they identified Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change as the two ‘Core Boundaries’ as they both are affected by all the other factors and either could single-handedly destabilise the planet system. Oh and we’ve passed the threshold on both of them as well as Land-Use Change and Chemical Fertiliser Use. Yeah, not a great starting point for saving the day really…
Oxford Economist Kate Raworth saw opportunity in this model and in the process created the Doughnut Model. See the trouble is, there are many in society who are already only just clinging on to the bottom rungs of our GDP/Profit-driven world. Yet they are the first people to be hit by the effects of us breaching the planetary boundaries. So, we have to find a balance between protecting our planet and the people on it. This is where Kate Raworth had an epiphany - I like to imagine whilst eating a doughnut but probably not. If we have an upper boundary for the planet, then we must be able to have a lower boundary for people. What? Circle is evolving. Congratulations! Your Circle evolved into Doughnut! This new model shows us a Goldilocks zone for safe and regenerative society where we stay below the planetary boundaries but not at the expense of human well-being and social equality. Kate added new criteria to the inside edge of the doughnut such as Energy, Water, Housing, Health, Education, Gender Equality, Peace & Justice and more. It’s a huge challenge to achieve but it sets a goal. I’m no economist myself but it certainly helps me visualise what we need to change in our society. The Doughnut model can be applied at varying levels too; from just a local town to an entire nation or the whole planet. Every country or town will have different challenges to overcome to hit the goal of sitting comfortably within the doughnut ring. If you’re interested in more in-depth analysis of the model, go check out doughnuteconomics.org.
I’m sure you are well aware of the fact that our current societal set up is flawed. Most countries and economies have become so obsessed with GDP and ensuring that it increases year on year. However, GDP never was intended for that; It’s creator Simon Kuznets warned US Congress in the 30s when he developed it that it was not a suitable measure of a country’s economic development - It’s not a welfare measure, just a measure of what people are buying and selling. This is where the Doughnut model seeks to help. GDP helped nations visualise their economic growth, the Doughnut helps visualise a nations health - including economy, environment and people. Some countries are already shifting away from GDP with profoundly positive effects. You know how we’re all jealous of New Zealand’s awe-inspiring handling of the Coronavirus pandemic? Well one of the key drivers of that success was Prime Minister Jacinda Arden’s move in 2019 to drop GDP as their primary measurement and instead create their own measurement encapsulating Profit, People and Planet. So whilst other nations were hesitating about drastic action for fear of damaging their Profit focused economy, New Zealand realised that profit wasn’t the be-all and end-all and locked the country down before a single death occurred. The simple fact of it all is that profit isn’t what truly matters to the majority of human society, many just want happiness and health for ourselves and our planet.
As kids we all often have odd questions that adults around us can’t really answer. I remember asking some adults as a child why money is so crucial when us humans literally made it up. I never really got an answer and I still don’t really know but, reading about these ideas does clarify to me that I’m not the only one questioning it. Most of us just have to put up with monetary economics because it’s how the world works but, maybe one day it won’t be the only thing our world will care about. I’d much rather care about doughnuts - cause all this talk has made me hungry for one…