Why the era of sustainable development may already be over
In this talk, Dennis Meadows discusses the legacy of the 1972 'The Limits to Growth' report. He argues that the window for achieving common definitions of sustainable development has closed, and that humanity must now pivot its focus toward a new priority.
Reflecting on forty years of research, Meadows suggests that a sharp decline in energy and resource consumption is inevitable in the coming decades. Because of this, he proposes that our global strategy should shift from pursuing sustainability to building resilience. This shift is intended to help protect our most vital values from the negative impacts of this coming transition.
The video provides context on the origins of this perspective, tracing back to 1970 when Meadows led a team of 16 scientists in a computer-based study funded by the Club of Rome. Their findings, presented publicly in March 1972, became a cornerstone of 20th-century environmental literature.
Source: 5. Dennis Meadows - Perspectives on the Limits of Growth: It is too late for sustainable development
