Ecological overshoot takes place when the demands on an ecosystem exceed its regenerative capacity. History provides numerous examples of human societies collapsing when the local ecosystem collapsed, including the Mayan, Mesopotamian, and Polynesian societies.
Global ecological overshoot occurs when the demands made by humanity exceed what the biosphere of Earth can provide through its capacity for renewal. Our planet is now in a state of emergency because of ecological overshoot and is fast approaching an irreversible worldwide disaster. Overshoot is an inherently unstable state. It cannot persist indefinitely.
Understanding ecological overshoot is of crucial importance. What is commonly referred to as climate "change" (more accurately termed climate "collapse" or climate "annihilation") is not an isolated process. The catastrophic consequences of the Earth's over-heating are only one element of the ecological overshoot poly-crisis; other elements include environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, rising economic inequality, water shortages and climate wars.
In other words, climate change is a symptom of a larger, all-encompassing problem - ecological overshoot. Focusing on climate change while ignoring the environment, economic inequality, rising extinction rates, and societal collapse does not solve the poly-crisis, it addresses only one symptom.
Understanding the ecological overshoot poly-crisis explains why new forms of technology will not stop to stop planetary overheating. Green “new deals” promote what's touted as “green energy;” for example, giant wind turbines and lithium mines, both of which generate unacceptable levels of environmental havoc. The underlying premise of green energy is that it will "transition," "shift," or "replace" carbon energy. The premise is false. There has never been a transition or shift or replacement of carbon-based energy. Green energy is utilized only to "supplement" existing carbon forms of energy in order to satisfy an ever-increasing global craving. Although green energy has increased, carbon extraction continues to increase at unprecedented rates. There will never be enough energy to satisfy existing levels of market induced human cravings.
Well financed promotions about a green energy future present a false ideological security blanket, another delusion blocking the truth about ecological overshoot disasters. To make matters worse, government funded green energy programs have opened the doors for carbon elites and their multinational corporations to capture green projects. The same billionaire profiteers responsible for ecological overshoot have now positioned themselves to become the energy czars of the future, meanwhile plundering the earth to retain their elite privileges for as long as possible.
It’s not that difficult to formulate the poly-crisis solution, but it’s almost impossible to accomplish. First, overcoming overshoot requires that we change as humans, deal with our cravings, engage in a critique of the narratives we live by, and examine the drivers of the maladaptive behaviors of overshoot: marketing false needs, waste, the ideology of endless growth, and elitist ideologies promoting hate and divisiveness. If we don’t change our concepts of a life well lived to include our impact on each other and the planet, the crisis will be unstoppable.
Second, activists concerned about human extinction must join hands with those involved with the environment, the class struggle, and gender and racial inequality. Working together, the underlying problem can be confronted, instead of symptoms.
This arena provides resources to help accomplish this. More programs will follow.
